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Filed under: Hardware •

Really Right Stuff BH-40 ballhead review

I have been using this head for about 2 years now and it has become one of my very favourite pieces of equipment.  Every time I find a new scratch in it’s paintwork it makes me wince!  Honestly, I baby this thing more than most of my lenses which cost 4 times the amount because there is just a special quality about it that you rarely find in things these days.  At $400 it is no small commitment, but like I said at the beginning of the article if you get the right ballhead it will last you a lifetime, or at very least a career.  I have mainly used it with a Canon 1 series body and either a 17-40 f4, or a 70-200 f4 IS lens and it is absolutely rock solid with that load, with the camera at any angle.  I have also tested it with the 300mm f2.8 on a 1 series body and that did not exhibit any noticeable creep either over my short test.  My tripod was the weak link in that area.  A lot of people use their very highly regarded L plates on their cameras and I had one myself on my 5dMKII for a while.  It certainly makes switching to portrait orientation a lot faster, but the downside is that it weighs twice as much as the regular plates and costs more than twice as much due to machining waste from cutting the thing from a single billet of aluminium.  I found that for me it was better to revert to the simpler camera base plates and save a little room in my bag.  Especially given that I actually don’t use a tripod that often for my work in action sports.  For landscape and nature guys I think the L-Plate is worth it though and definitely gives you a little more solidity in your setup when having your camera in portrait orientation.  If you regularly shoot with the big guns like a 500mm or 600mm then you will want to take a look at the BH-55, in fact many dedicated landscape shooters use that head even with their smaller wide angle lenses.  But they also make a BH-30 which makes a great option of you are traveling light with something like a Gitzo traveller tripod and it will hold a camera like a Canon 5dMKII and a wide angle lens with no problems.

If you are unfamiliar with Really Right Stuff I urge you to go and check out their website and order a catalog.  Since being taken over by a new owner a few years ago they have been churning out new products at a frantic pace and I always return to their site every couple of weeks to check out their new offerings.  Last year they also introduced a premium range of carbon fibre tripods which and they have recently added a brand new style of gimbal head to the lineup for the long lens enthusiasts out there.  Everything I have had from them has been top notch and built to the most exacting standards.  Currently they only sell their products through their own site which can be a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to trying things out.  If you happen to live near their office in California though they have a great showroom there but honestly if you are looking for a do everything tripod head that will last a lifetime then you will not regret the purchase of a BH-40.  Highly recommended.

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