Mini Test: Ball heads

Versatile tripod heads that offer stability and smoothness

Six solutions for tripods and monopods

3 Legged Thing AirHed Pro

From £140/$160 www.3leggedthing.com

Although they tend not to come as cheap as other options, 3 Legged Thing’s ball heads and tripods have a reputation for exceptional carrying capacity and stability. As the firm’s flagship ball head, the AirHed Pro is able to handle a huge 40kg of kit (which is really more than you’re ever likely to need) without issue.

It’s milled from aircraft-grade magnesium alloy, meaning it’s not only strong but also light, weighing just 408g. Two colour options are available: blue and grey.

The AirHed Pro comes with an integrated detachable 360-degree clamp that allows for smooth panning, even on rough terrain, and its quick-release plate is Arca-Swiss compatible. The standard AirHed Pro uses a knob to tighten and release the quick-release plate, but you can also opt for a lever-based design.

This head is an extraordinary piece of kit that does everything you need from a ball head and more. While it’s more expensive than some other heads here, the AirHed Pro certainly represents fantastic value for money.

PROS Uncompromising build; exceptionally smooth panning; massive load capacity

CONS Ball diameter is on the small side

Benro G2 Low Profile Ballhead

From £160/$225 www.benroeu.com

The main attraction of the G2 Low Profile Ballhead is its compactness. It measures just 88mm from base to mounting plate, and the head’s 530g mass maintains this portability.

Rather than using a dedicated friction control dial, Benro has opted to incorporate it into the large, grippy locking knob for the ball. To adjust the drag, first clamp the ball, then loosen the friction dial on the end of the locking knob to gradually release the ball and set optimal friction. Whenever the ball is clamped, this degree of drag is maintained.

With low friction, the relatively large, polished blue ball moves very smoothly, but up the friction setting and the ball’s glossy surface can cause it to stick slightly when you attempt to make small compositional adjustments. There are no such complaints with the silky pan base, and we like the well-positioned bubble level alongside the Arca-compatible mounting plate. The pull-andtwist quick-release system also strikes a good balance between speed and safety.

PROS Compact design; mostly smooth; the large ball is good for use with longer lenses

CONS Friction control not immediately intuitive; high friction could be slightly smoother

Gitzo GH5750QR Series 5 Off Centre Ball Head

From £399/$418 www.manfrotto.co.uk

At 14.2cm in height and weighing in at a hefty 1kg, this is by far the largest head here. It’s to be expected, though, as the head comes from Gitzo’s pro-orientated Series 5 range, and is rated to support 12kg.

What you lose in portability, though, you gain in usability. The oversize quick-release mounting plate and release lever offer unmatched ease of use, as do the large-diameter pan-and-tilt locking knobs. The size of the tilt knob also helps you to dial in just the right amount of friction.

The unusual off-centre ball positioning allows for a much greater range of movement than a conventional ball head, especially if you want to shoot straight up or down. The separate fore-aft tilt motion also adds a degree of stability not present on a typical ball head. Although the tilt knob releases both the tilt mechanism and the ball, you can tilt without releasing the ball, as the locking knob disengages the tilt element first.

There’s no hiding this tripod ball head’s bulk, so if the off-centre design appeals, try Gitzo’s significantly lighter Series 2 version.

PROS Signature supreme Gitzo build; great freedom of movement

CONS Not as intuitive as a conventional ball head; bulky and heavy; expensive

Manfrotto XPro Magnesium Ball Head with Top Lock plate

£139/$170 www.manfrotto.co.uk

At first glance, this head doesn’t look particularly special – but there’s more than meets the eye. The magnesium construction is rated to support 10kg: enough for almost any full-frame set-up, yet the head tips the scales at a reasonable 520g.

At its heart is a large ball for good stability; its grease-free polymer housing enables exceptionally smooth movement, even with a lot of friction applied. The friction is set using a tactile, clicky wheel that’s better than most systems for dialling in a precise level of drag. Rather than using rubberised or knurled knobs, the ball-and-pan movement is tightened using levers, which lock securely with minimal effort.

The XPro ball head can be specced with several mounting plate designs. We went for the Top Lock system, which is Arca-Swiss compatible, with the QR plate released using a simple but effective button. The top plate is surrounded by three individual bubble levels for precision camera levelling, and they’re all viewable with your camera mounted on the head.

PROS Extremely smooth; ergonomic locking levers and friction dial; good QR system

CONS Not as compact as the Benro head

Neewer Professional Metal Ball Head

From £24/$33 www:amazon.co.uk

The amount of tech you get for such a small outlay here is impressive: this is a well-constructed and durable ball head, able to handle a respectable payload of up to 8kg. That’s more than enough for most serious setups, and advanced photographers and videographers may find themselves surprised by how well this head works, given how cheap it is.

You’ve got three adjustment knobs that independently control ball movement, a separate pan base, and the level of ball friction. There’s also a quick-release plate (although it’s not Arca-compatible) and you even get vertical/ horizontal spirit levels for accurate compositional setup.

The head really feels strong for the price – far better than you’d ever imagine for this kind of money. It’s not the strongest head here, nor the most sophisticated, but in terms of sheer value for money, the Neewer Professional Metal Ball Head is pretty much unbeaten. If you just need a spare head, or a simple one to throw into a travel bag and take on your adventures, this is a great buy.

PROS Versatile max payload; unbeatable value for money; good quality for the price

CONS The QR plate is not Arca-compatible; the materials don’t feel long-lasting

Vanguard Alta BH-300

From £89/$100 www.vanguardworld.co.uk

While it’s inexpensive for a big-brand tripod head, the Alta BH-300 is still rated to support a whopping 30kg of kit. The build quality also feels reassuringly robust, although on close inspection we did spot the grey paint finish wearing slightly thin around the friction knob of our test sample.

Such a hefty payload capacity inevitably means that this isn’t the most portable option within this test group. It tips the scales at 600g and measures 119mm in height, but the overall shape is slim and should sit comfortably within a tripod with flip-up legs. The relatively compact quick-release top plate helps with this, yet it still sports two useful, easily visible bubble levels, and maintains Arca-Swiss compatibility.

The chunky, rubber covered locking knobs Vanguard has used are all very easy to grip, although the conventional friction adjustment dial isn’t quite as tactile as Manfrotto’s clicky design on the XPro. We’ve got no complaints when it comes to smoothness, however: the decent-sized ball with its oxidised anodised finish operates as smoothly as you could want, at any friction setting.

PROS Very smooth; accessible price; solid build; slim form factor

CONS The friction system is not quite as finessed as on Manfrotto’s XPro