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

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Price: $399.95    

Product Feature

• Weighs less than 1 lb (.45kg) with quick release clamp.
• Easily holds over 25 lbs (11.4kg) at any angle.
• Full movements allow any camera position.
• Precision C.N.C. machined.
• Compatible with Kirk, Arca, R.R.S., and many other QR plates.

Product Description

The Acratech GP Ballhead is uniquely designed to function as a ballhead a Gimbal head and as a leveling base.

Acratech GP Ballhead with Gimbal Feature, with all Rubber Knobs, Quick Release / Detent Pin and Level, Supports 25 lbs. Review

I am a researcher when buying new products. And I found information on the Acratech GP Ball Head a bit difficult to find, so I wanted to be sure to post a review as soon as I felt that I had enough information to do so.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
First of all, let me say I honestly couldn't be more impressed with this ball head. As an amateur photography enthusiast I was looking for something that would fully support my equipment and aid in the images that I take. This ball head is absolutely fantastic! Its construction is unique in that as it is an open ball head dirt, dust, grime, etc. will not get caught up in it and make it sticky to use in the future (more on this in a minute). The adjustments made on this are smooth making shooting images as pleasant as can be.

There were three things that attracted me to this particular ball head. Price, Weight, and Versatility of Design.

First of all, price. This is a major decision maker for lots of people, and as this ball head is right on par with many of the other major ball heads I was intrigued with its possibilities. Right under $400 will match up perfectly with just about anything by Kirk, Really Right Stuff, or Arca Swiss. However with the versatility of this ball head I believe it to be a much better value (with one exception - to be discussed later).

Weight is a huge factor, and as my Gitzo GT 3531 already sitting at around 6lbs. I was looking for something that would be as light as possible. I just took my gear, including tripod, and this ball head on a 30mile snow-shoeing trip, and I can honestly say that I don't know that I could have done it if I had a ball head that was much heavier than this. The weight of this allowed me to carry along two lenses, for some versatility, along with the rest of my gear needed for a comfortable snow shoeing experience. Despite its weight I was able to take some excellent shot. Including multiple lengthy star trail exposures (around 15 minutes), in extremely windy conditions that were tack sharp. To mention its open ball design. This meant that I could easily pack my tripod along, and have it on the outside of my pack, and not worry about dust, dirt, snow, or whatever getting stuck in the ball head compartment. In fact there were a few times where that did happen, and I literally blew, and it was completely cleaned out.

The versatility was really the final selling point for me. I had originally been looking for a Gimbal - which is how I stumbled upon this. I really like the use of the Gimbal, but at the same time lacking a traditional ball head I felt a little bit limited in purchasing simply a Gimbal. When I stumbled on this and realized that it operated as both a Gimbal and a more traditional ball head I was intrigued. And after using it in both manners can say that it truly functions well in both capacities. However, I was shocked when I realized that this could be used as a leveling base as well. As I do enjoy taking panoramic shots as well, the thought of spending yet another couple hundred dollars on this accessory was a bit daunting. I was a bit skeptical of the ease of use to switch it over to the leveling base, but it was quite simple, as I did it in the field in less than five minutes, and it really was a much lighter option only needing to carry a small Allen wrench as opposed to an entire other piece of equipment. My panoramic shots were very simple to take, and make with this set up. Which really made this a three in one deal - bringing this all back to price. Though it is comparable to what the other major ball head manufacturers charge, this is by far the best deal around.

I use an RRS arca swiss compatible plate with it and was sure to test out the Detent Pin, and can gladly say that there is little to no risk of the camera falling off of the ball head even if I have not screwed it on entirely. The detent pin does its job! And potentially saves a lot of money of broken gear!

The one thing that I was concerned with before purchasing this was on review that I had read that said that the ball was too loose and would drop quickly. I have not found this to be the case as long as you manage the tension knob correctly. With the proper tension you can have a pretty heavy set-up and have no problems with the ball being too loose.

THE ONE EXCEPTION:
The ball head is rated for around 25lbs. or to be used with nothing more than a 400mm f/4. This is great for me as I don't have that kind of set up. My max weight is probably hoovering around 20lbs. and it feels quite supported on this tripod. I certainly don't have a 400mm f/4 and in fact if I did, I probably wouldn't be looking to save a few hundred dollars to purchase a three in one tripod. But then again, I would say most people probably aren't sitting with a 400mm f/4 without already having a sturdy tripod set up. The longest lens I currently use is a Nikon 70-300mm VR lens, which though somewhat lengthy, is nothing in comparison to a 400mm f/4. I do plan on upgrading to a Sigma 50-500mm OS, and by its specs sheet believe that this ball head will still perform well with that lens (though don't quote me on that as I have not yet tried it).

OVERALL IMPRESSION:
If you are shooting with less than 25lbs. and something smaller than a 400mm f/4 BUY THIS BALL HEAD RIGHT NOW. I promise there is not a better deal out there. If you are using more than 25lbs and/or a 400mm f/4 think about something else, though after using it, I still may want to own one of these if I ever upgrade to that kind of set up. There are several very helpful (though somewhat hilarious) videos on YouTube made by the founder of the company. They really helped me see what I was about to get into. I also emailed the company and got a prompt reply from them which also helped me make a decision. All around great purchase!!!

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