Review on Neewer Heavy Duty Camera Tripod Ball Head: 360 Degree Panoramic, Load up to 17.6lbs/8kg, Handle & Quick Shoe Plate by Frank Tyrance

To start on a positive note, this ball head feels solid. I like that it has a friction adjustment knob. With the ball head's wide range of motion, a little friction will help keep the head from moving too much. I just wish it had a greater range of friction/free movement. In fact, the difference between the minimum and maximum friction settings is negligible. I also like that this ball head can be used to pan horizontally while keeping the ball's position fixed. For some people the level is pretty hard; but personally I use the layer on the screen of my camera. Now for a few cons... Figuring out how to set up the tripod head for your specific shooting scenario is not a difficult task. However, it would be nice if Neewer provided documentation and illustrations. My ball head came with no instructions or documentation. Instead, I had to play around with different buttons to get a feel for what each one does. The handle sets this ball head apart from most other ball heads. I thought this would make setting up the camera position much easier. Actually it didn't help much. Depending on how I place the quick release plate on my camera, the grip can be placed on either the left or right side of my camera. When I place the stick on the right side of the camera, I have to put my hand under the stick to access the pan and ball position knobs. An alternative is to place the grip on the left side of the camera; but I don't have the level of left-hand coordination I need to fine-tune the position. After all, the handle is completely removable; which I will most likely end up doing. My previous ball head had TWO slots. The notch allows you to position the camera in portrait mode; But it is also used to shoot straight down (to the ground) or straight up (to the moon and stars). Since this ball head has only one notch, you have to rotate it a full 180 degrees to go from ground to sky imaging. I mainly use a tripod to photograph the night sky (moon, stars, etc.). To point the camera to the sky, the notch must be on the back of the camera. And in that position, he places the horizontal and vertical adjustment knobs on the front of the head. This makes them very uncomfortable to adjust. I absolutely hate the quick release plate. First there was a small ring on the screw to attach the plate to my camera; but the ring is very small. I have small hands; Still, I find it difficult to tighten the plate without a screwdriver. The plate has grooves on two long sides. The head works like a vise, with a screw knob to tighten it. After receiving this ball head, I used it in the dark and took some photos of the starry sky. When trying to adjust the camera's position, I accidentally loosened the quick-release knob. My camera slipped and fell to the ground; but fortunately he landed on soft grass. Granted it was my fault (i.e. I undid the wrong button); but with five different knobs on this tripod head you really have to be very careful. I prefer the lever outlet like my old ball head. There was no possibility of accidentally dropping the record on it. Despite the manufacturer's claim of "safe grips," I'm a little concerned that the quick-release grip might accidentally disengage on its own. Simply put, I just don't trust her because of my expensive camera gear. Position Shift: A common problem with most ball heads is a slight shift in camera position when you tighten the ball. This ball head is no exception. Another problem is that many ball heads will gradually slip under the weight of a heavier chamber. I primarily shoot with the Sony RX-10, which weighs 2.5 pounds (about the same as a mid-size DSLR). This ball head is rated for up to 17.6 lbs. To be honest, I don't think he can handle that much weight. I experience some slippage when shooting overhead from high angles. At the very least, pulling the friction knob all the way down makes it harder for the bullet to slide under the weight of my camera. Conclusion: Personally, I would not buy the same ball head again. The pen convinced me; but as I mentioned above, I found it pretty useless. Also, I would choose a head without a single notch or a screw-on grip quick release plate. I'll probably get used to the awkward position of the handles over time; but all of them are not suitable for my type of photography. However, I think this ball head is probably one of the best qualities in its price range.