Review on 📷 Desmond DLOW-55 Low Profile Ball Head with 55mm Arca/RRS Compatibility and Pan Lock for Tripods by James Cowan

I was once a full-time professional photographer, working in both nature photography (stock images, art sales, workshops and tours) and commercial photography (portraits, architecture, weddings and - sigh)! – school events ). I had to pay for all my gear so I was good at finding the right balance of price and quality for an average income professional. For most of those years I've shot with the Bogen 3047 pan/tilt head (architectural and event photography) and the Arca-Swiss B1 ball head (nature, portraits, etc.). Arca-Swiss was incredibly smooth, durable and amazing. It has never let me down and I never had the blocking issues that other shooters had in the late 90's and early 2000's. and started shooting again, but this time just for fun. My trusty Arca-Swiss head was damaged in a move a few years ago and isn't working very well at the moment so it's time to replace it. I have a couple of friends (all current professional shooters) who use the excellent ball head Really Low Profile Right Stuff and after getting my hands on it I was very impressed. However, not being a professional shooter, I was hoping not to pay $455 for a BH-55. Get this clone for a fraction of the price! Overall it's well made, looks good and offers a solid price point for a ball head. The pan bottom is smooth as silk, the clamp is well made and has recesses for the captive hex screws on your camera plates, and the ball head movement when free is fairly smooth. However, there are some issues that you should be aware of. First, the resistance setting is so good it's almost impossible to use. The dial on the tow knob goes from 1 to 9 (one full turn), but when properly adjusted, the entire adjustment range is between numbers 5 and 6. A small turn of the knob (less than 1 digit on the dial) works from silent to completely free . This is such a small range that it's almost impossible to easily adjust in the field when changing lenses or cameras, and the slightest bump when packing or removing the tripod can drastically change your settings. As a result, I just turned off the voltage setting entirely. Second, the main lock knob suffers from a similar adjustment issue. To really lock my 5D Mark II with a cordless grip and 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, I have to twist the locking knob all the way and then grab it and give it another nice twist. If I just run it to the max, the ball doesn't block completely and crawls on its own or moves with very light pressure). Even once cranked, it can still be moved by hand on purpose, and I don't think it'll even come close to being jammed with a claimed 77-pound load capacity. Third, the deep lugs on the locking knob have fairly sharp edges. After shooting it in the field for several hours, I started getting blisters on my left thumb from the burrs digging into me every time I safely lock or unlock it. To put that in perspective, I'm a sea kayak and surf ski instructor and can swim over 30 miles straight without getting blisters. Compared to a well-known branded tripod head with professional quality and a cheap price, I'm afraid this one just can't compete and I'd be afraid to use it every day if I was still shooting professionally. So why three stars? Because for the price it offers a solid value for a recreational shooter. I haven't decided yet if I'll keep mine as I've experienced the luxury of a truly premium ballhead in the past, but when you buy your first ballhead you'll only shoot occasionally or need a replacement for maintenance. As a backup or occasional head for a second photographer without breaking the bank, this is a good option.