RRs ballhead 055 for 500mm f4 or 600mm lenses

[van bogaert erik]

hello, is this ballhead good for these long telelenses , i would choose a ballhead instead of a gimbal head because its smaller . Or a arca swiss Z1 ?

[Doug Brown]

I personally would never choose a ballhead over a gimbal head for a 500 or 600 mm lens. Very difficult to reposition (impossible with only one hand unless you keep the ballhead loose), challenging to lock in the exact position you want (ballheads always seem to drift a bit once locked down), and you're always in danger of having your camera and lens flop over to the side. I'm not even a fan of the ballhead-mounted Wimberley Sidekick. And the weight savings isn't all that much; RRS BH55 LR weighs 1.9 lbs, Wimberley II gimbal head weighs 3.15 lbs, and Wimberley's sidemount head weighs 2.3 lbs.

[Randy Stout]

I have a BH55 that I use for shorter lenses and rigs when doing macro or landscapes, but like Doug, would never use it for a big rig. Flop is a constant risk, tracking difficult, etc.

I use a Wimberley II for birds and animals. A lighter equivalent favored by some is the Mongoose head, which is much lighter with a smaller form factor than the Wimberley.

Cheers

Randy

[David Stephens]

I own the A-S Z1 and it'll support these lenses easily; however, I'd add a Wimberley Sidekick (which I have) or a gimbal for shooting these lenses at anything that moves or, preferably, hand holding, which I do.

I use the ArcaSwiss/Sidekick combination when I'm holding in the ready position for long periods of time. For birds in flight and most shots, I find hand holding much superior.

[Karen Pleasant]

I have the RRS BH-55 and the Nikon 500/f4. The BH-55 will hold the 500.....but for me it is not at all easy to manage a lens that big on a ball head. My 500mm goes on my gimbal - every time. Then the 500mm becomes "weightless" and very easy to use and maneuver with one hand, leaving the other hand free to operate the camera.

[Neil Williams]

I personally would never choose a ballhead over a gimbal head for a 500 or 600 mm lens. Very difficult to reposition (impossible with only one hand unless you keep the ballhead loose), challenging to lock in the exact position you want (ballheads always seem to drift a bit once locked down), and you're always in danger of having your camera and lens flop over to the side. I'm not even a fan of the ballhead-mounted Wimberley Sidekick. And the weight savings isn't all that much; RRS BH55 LR weighs 1.9 lbs, Wimberley II gimbal head weighs 3.15 lbs, and Wimberley's sidemount head weighs 2.3 lbs.

Same as what Doug says.........I have both the Wimberley and the RRs 055 ball head and every time I have tried using the ball head its been a nightmare and nearly a very expensive mistake