Acratech GV2 Ballhead with Gimbal Feature, with all Rubber Knobs, Quick Release / Detent Pin, Supports 25 lbs.

This ballhead arrived quickly from seller, was packed well, and arrived safely. I've had a chance to use it for a few days now, and although I've never used tripods with quality head before, I must say that this ballhead is rock solid- I'm using a Canon 1dx along with a Sigma 50-500 OS lens which is fairly large and heavy (4 lbs or so I beleive for hte lens and another 4 or so lbs for camera I beleive) the ballhead holds the setup rock steady in both the conventional ballhead position and in the gimbal position. Using the ballhead in the gimbal position, with hte base of ballhead loose to vert horizontal panning, and the collar o nthe lens loose to allow portrait or landscape shooting, and the ballhead snugged to allow gimbal to move and stay put when letting go, this gives me a very nice range of motion for most positions. I'm using htis on a Vanguard tripod, and have had a chance to try the tilting center column on the tripod, and I must say, it held the semi heavy setup nicely, and will allow me to get the camera into positions not doable with standard tripods and ballheads- it seems to be a very versatile setup.It's goign to take me awhile to get used to the knobs, and I'll have to be careful for awhile as I have loosened the quick plate release a couple of times by accident, but that is user error- but personakly, I think I might have preferred the lever quick plate release for this reason- so that there woudl be no confusion while reachign for knobs blindly while looking through viewfinder.The knobs have a nice softish rubber feel to them, very comfortable to work with, and it only takes a slight tightenign to get the camera rock solid- no need to really try to crank the knobs- although you do have to apply more tightening when the ballhead is at an angle - but it's not too much more-The gimbal is fantastic, and along with hte lens rotation ring, it's probably the position I'll mostly be using as I find it easier to get the camera to just the right position without having to wrestle with the tensioning to get that 'just right' tension when in the ballhead's conventional position- the gonbal just makes it much easier in my opinion.The only issue is that the quick release plate screw seems to work loose, and you must carry the supplied Allen Wrench to tighten the screw- the screw also is only holding the plate to the camera by 1 and 1/4 turns, so not many threads are holdign the plate to the camera- I don't feel that this is a very secure connection, and allows the screw to work loose it seems- I've had to really use a lot of force to tighten the screw, but don't want to have to do this as it may strip the threads in the camera base, and if that happens, I'm not sure it coudl be fixed? If anyone has a solution to more securely attach the quick plate to camera, I'd appreciate hearing about it.Over all, the ballhead is a solid, well made product- it operates very smoothly, and hte best thing is the gimbal position in my opinion- it makes the ballhead very versatile I think- but will be less versatile though when using a lens without a rotating ring- although if you don't mind uing somethign liek an L bracket and havign to connect/disconnect when switchign from landscape to portrait, it will work ok for those lenses too- although usually when I'm out in the field, I need to very quickly go from portrait to landscape- but when using hte Acratech with a lens that has rotation ring, and using it in gimbal position, it's abotu as versatile a setup as you can get I think- Very pleased that I went with hte Acratech

This ball head is simply the best you can buy for its rated weight class, and it also doubles VERY effectively as a gimble head. I love it. My heaviest setup is about 8 to 9 pounds and it doesn't budge one single bit even when clamped down lightly. It doesn't take much to get the full clamp effect and is very reliable at providing perfect stillness. Also, the 10 year warranty means you pay around $35/year for having an extremely reliable head just within the warranty period, so I find no issue with the price. It should last me decades since I am gentle on my equipment even in rough situations.When acting as a gimbal head it will only add a lot of friction but slowly travel even if the weight is balanced with a tripod collar (gimbal mode isn't made for clamping down anyway, its for fast movement)My only negative feedback on this is that the Acratech screw clamp mechanism is too simple and too easy to undo, and the Chinese made Benro screw clamp mechanism is actually much better. Benro adds a clever dual action screw clamp that requires a pull AND a twist at the same time to fully release their screw clamp, while Acratech only has a simple single action screw drive system. The safety pin is a very limited and inferior form of protection and I think they could do much better with a dual action screw.However, their actual ball head is much better and is the only head I've ever used with no creep whatsoever so I'm willing to forgo the 2-stage mechanism.

I bought it and i used it.quality is good but design lacks some good thoughts.1. since Aratech does not have a monopot head, the plates I use onn tripot do not match any Manfrotto or Gitzo monopot heads, I have to change plates each time when switching from tripot to my Gizto monopot.2. You have to use the wrench provided to tighten the plate screw, not pratical to use in the field or on the go.If i had known this or someone told me before I bought, I would not buy this one, instead I would buy a Manfrotto tripot head instead because of the reasons I mentioned.

This is my first tripod head purchase, after throwing away a worthless $50 all-in-one department store tripod, so I don't claim to be an expert reviewer. However, this head is more than adequate for my needs, mated to Manfrotto 190CX PRO4 legs. I shoot a Canon 7D, and with a 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS, there's absolutely no lens creep. Can't wait to try it with an L-series telephoto zoom when my budget allows! Everything about this head feels solid and smooth. Highly recommended. For you budget-minded enthusiasts like me who think you can get by with less or you pros who think anything less than Gitzo and Wimberly is a waste of time, I say give this Acratech a try--I doubt you'll regret it.

Although there wasn't anything wrong with the head, I returned it because I ordered the wrong one.

The controls are very easy to operate. The non-reflective finish is first-rate quality. With my D700 and relatively heavy lenses I have no problem locking the camera into position, horizontal or vertical. The panning function is super smooth and feels like there is zero play. They do have another version of this unit that has a bubble level on the quick release. I suggest getting that model instead as it is only another 20.00.

This ball head works as a standard ball head and as a gimble. Precise manufacture. Everything is smooth and snug.

good jop