Sunwayfoto XB-25: Premium Low Profile Ball Head with 25mm Arca / RRS Compatibility Review

This is the mini ball head I can trust. Unlike most Chinese made ball sockets (Leofoto BH-55 springs to mind) it locks nice and tight without too many turns of the locking lever. It's also a spring-loaded ratchet lever, so you can rotate it to the best position for the lever. The clamp could benefit from faster threading, but that's really the only complaint I can find about this great little ball head. It easily supports my Fujifilm X-H1 with XF 16-55mm ƒ/2.8 lens over my iMac for video…

Durable, pleasant to the touch. Well constructed with the right amount of friction in the ball. The movement is very slightly grungy (in contrast to the XB-44's oily smoothness) and may show some wear. It looks more like my XB-28. A single ball and swivel knob is precisely calibrated. First you get some ball friction with free pan, then balllocks and panlocks. This makes panoramic shots possible. You can adjust the ball's friction, but you'll need a 2.5mm allen wrench to do this. The clamp is…

Offers most of the benefits of a regular ball head (metal construction, Arca-Swiss style quick release buckle) but in a smaller form factor; Ball heads of this size are often made of plastic (not fancy) and have a fixed screw shaft instead of a quick release. However, some compromises have been made compared to its slightly larger XB-28II cousin (pictured left, XB-25 right): - The ballhead latch is open: you can see the screw that pulls the two halves of the ballhead body together. External…