10-20-2017, 08:11 PM
I wrote yesterday that I'd placed an order for a $6 ball head, to be used as sort of a "mock-up" for determining dimensions and feasibility. My bad - I don't know where I came up with $6, the actual cost was about $25. No big deal.
Thirty minutes ago, it was on my front porch !!! 24 hours from ordering to receiving - for a $25 part with free shipping - I am impressed.
OK, next: This thing is QUALITY, bottom to top. It's larger than my Gitzo head and weighs three or four times more (of course, since Gitzo uses titanium for its ball heads) but for my purposes, heavier is better. Check it out:
The country of origin is sort of mystical, there is no "Made In XXX' on the head or in the pamphlet that accompanied it. It is noted that the product is distributed by a Nevada company solely for Amazon. For $25, it can only have been manufactured by a company that is now bankrupt or by someone who speaks Mandarin, Korean, etc. The pamphlet is well-written incidentally.
The head has a detachable mount for a camera base which is impressive in itself since it is held in vee-ways secured by a large dual-spring-loaded clamping knob. (I can easily visualize the toolholder base held there.) The head has two different levels, a standard spirit level and a round bubble level. The entire head pans 360 degrees and can be clamped at any point, of course. BTW, the only plastic parts in the device are the knobs and the spirit and bubble levels.
But now the really good, completely unexpected, news. The ball joint is secured by TWO clamping knobs - I've never seen this in a tripod head in years of photographic experience. I am delighted by the extra security of course and am now pretty sure that the $300 Gitzo head may not be required for my purpose.
After all, it the concept is a flop, I'd have a $300 head to be Craigslist-ed or eBay-ed. (Since I already have a Gitzo tripod there's no need for another one.) If I face-plant, I'm into the project for less than $100, some material and my worthless time.
Now to get off my lazy butt and maybe make a wooden mock-up before making chips -
Thirty minutes ago, it was on my front porch !!! 24 hours from ordering to receiving - for a $25 part with free shipping - I am impressed.
OK, next: This thing is QUALITY, bottom to top. It's larger than my Gitzo head and weighs three or four times more (of course, since Gitzo uses titanium for its ball heads) but for my purposes, heavier is better. Check it out:
The country of origin is sort of mystical, there is no "Made In XXX' on the head or in the pamphlet that accompanied it. It is noted that the product is distributed by a Nevada company solely for Amazon. For $25, it can only have been manufactured by a company that is now bankrupt or by someone who speaks Mandarin, Korean, etc. The pamphlet is well-written incidentally.
The head has a detachable mount for a camera base which is impressive in itself since it is held in vee-ways secured by a large dual-spring-loaded clamping knob. (I can easily visualize the toolholder base held there.) The head has two different levels, a standard spirit level and a round bubble level. The entire head pans 360 degrees and can be clamped at any point, of course. BTW, the only plastic parts in the device are the knobs and the spirit and bubble levels.
But now the really good, completely unexpected, news. The ball joint is secured by TWO clamping knobs - I've never seen this in a tripod head in years of photographic experience. I am delighted by the extra security of course and am now pretty sure that the $300 Gitzo head may not be required for my purpose.
After all, it the concept is a flop, I'd have a $300 head to be Craigslist-ed or eBay-ed. (Since I already have a Gitzo tripod there's no need for another one.) If I face-plant, I'm into the project for less than $100, some material and my worthless time.
Now to get off my lazy butt and maybe make a wooden mock-up before making chips -