![]() It goes without saying that all RRS tripod heads and accessories are designed for the Arca-Swiss quick release system, so you won’t find proprietary plates that are easy to lose and hard or costly to replace. You will also have a hard time finding a ballhead with such a huge ball diameter – at 55mm, the ball just feels monstrous! The large ball certainly plays a role in the stability and smoothness of rotation, making the BH-55 a joy to use in the field. And since the tripod base is ultimately the most stable part of the tripod, closer proximity to it is one of the reasons why the BH-55 is one of the most stable ballheads on the market. One of the main advantages of the BH-55 design is its short height – unlike traditional ballhead designs like the Arca-Swiss Z1, the BH-55 ball is located closer to the tripod base, making the head appear shorter in comparison. And I have seen my share of flimsy heads, which feel like they would fall apart if you put anything larger than a standard size DSLR on them… It handled everything I threw at it with ease and rock-steady reliability. The Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E VR was also numerously mounted on the BH-55 when I did not have a gimbal head with me. I have used this head with very heavy lenses, including older 400mm f/2.8 lenses (those are quite heavy) and have relied on it for measuring lens performance at extremely long focal lengths. The big question is, would you trust a head to handle that much weight? With my BH-55, I totally would. Any head that can take over 10 kg should be able to handle a lot more weight. E-M5MarkII + OLYMPUS M.12-40mm F2.8 16mm, ISO 200, 1/1000, f/5.6Īlthough Really Right Stuff lists load capacity at 23 kg while other ballheads might claim a lot more, I would not worry about those numbers, as they rarely mean much. And at 1042 grams (with PC-PRO clamp), it is also one of the heaviest. With a base diameter of 74mm, this sucker is noticeably wider than most standard ballheads out there, including the Arca-Swiss Z1. Looking at the specifications, you might not realize the fact that the BH-55 is no small ballhead – it is the biggest one Really Right Stuff makes. Weight: 2.3 lb / 1042g (with PC-PRO clamp).Let’s take a look at the specifications of the RRS BH-55 ballhead: As you can already see, this is one of those reviews for a product that I would stand by and defend any time… Well, let’s get down to it then! And every time when I got a hold of another ballhead, there was always something I did not like, unlike the BH-55, which by now I consider to be near perfect. Although my first tripod that I grew to love was the Arca-Swiss Z1, once I bought the BH-55, the Z1 took its spot in my storage and never came back. I cannot say that I have tried them all, but I have used some of the most popular heads on the market from Markins, Arca-Swiss, Linhof, Induro, Kirk, Manfrotto, just to name a few. ![]() This gave me an opportunity to try out a lot of available options. During the past few years, I have been fortunate to have had access to many different types of equipment, including tripod heads. As a result, I spent too much time and money on tools that I had to eventually get rid of and replace. Like many others, I have done my share of mistakes, going through a number of different tripods and tripod heads, only to realize that I always fell short. ![]() In a way, I have gotten emotionally attached to this remarkable ballhead and it has become an indispensable tool for my photography work. After this discussion, I realized that I have never written about the BH-55 at Photography Life, although I have continuously relied on it for years and take it with me everywhere I go. His ballhead had a different quick release plate than mine, so we started chatting about the differences in the setup and what we both like and dislike about the BH-55. One photographer had a very similar setup as mine, using a Gitzo Systematic tripod and a Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead. During my last trip to Death Valley and the California mountains, I met a few photographers who I spent some time with, talking about what photographers generally chat about – camera gear and our favorite photography spots. Every once in a while I like going back and taking a fresh look at the tools that I have been relying on for years.
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