SMALLRIG Tripod Ball Head 360° Panoramic, Mini Ball Head with with 1/4" Screw 3/8" Thread Mount and Arca-Type QR Plate for Cameras, Tripods, Monopods, Phone, Gopro, Max Load 2kg - BUT2665

I bought this because I lost the quick release (QR) plate on my Beike BK-555 aluminium travel tripod. The head is the same type as the Bogen 3157N / Manfrotto 200PL-14 ball head in that the plate clips in and is held by a lever.While I could get replacements I was not sure they would fit so to resolve the matter I bought this ball head that has a standard Arca-Swiss compatible QR plate which also fits my other tripod and getting a replacement is easy. I also find it easier to use.It is a good looking solid ball head 100 grams / 4oz lighter than the one it replaced. As I have removed the bottom two legs from the tripod the whole thing now weighs 900 grams. When you carry it on your back with a whole load of gear every little helps! What I also like is the 360 degrees markings on the base so it can be rotated by a fixed amount then locked in place. This is very useful when it comes to taking panoramic landscape photos when you need a certain amount of overlap to stitch the pics together.The only criticism is that it does not have a D ring on the screw that attaches to the camera so you must use a 20p coin although a D ring can make attachment a bit fiddly. The solution could be to buy a 1/4'' D-Ring Screw for Camera Tripod Monopod Quick Release Plate, file a thick washer flat, or as I do use a Brother Round Sewing Machine Screwdriver Product Code: XC1074051. I already had one of these and attach it to the tripod cover drawstring so it is always there and does not get lost see photo.Update: I am pleased to state that because of the small size of the QR plate you can use a dummy battery on an Olympus EM1 MKII with the door open enough to accommodate the cable.

Beautifully made and does the job in a small form factor. I'm using it on a hiking mono pole.

Found this easy to use and sturdy. It is great to use with its mobility and functionality. Only draw back for me is the fixing screw to the lens comes loose and needs constant tightening. Apart from that good value for money.

This is brilliant! I have a Nikon D5600 and was gifted a Vanguard tripod two years ago (Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AP Aluminium 3-section Tripod with MACC and 3-way Pan Head). It's a great tripod in its own right - very sturdy but, a bit cumbersome in some situations where I'd like to adjust it quickly. This ball head attachment works fantastically and is very sturdy and smooth in movement. I just screwed the unit into the quick-release platform on the tripod and then screwed the attachment's release plate onto my camera. Highly recommend it - excellent value for money and preferable at this stage to not spend a small fortune on a whole new tripod that already has a ball head mechanism.

Really like this so far. Easy to use quick release plate, entirely metal construction on screws and bolt mechanisms so no cracked plastic, quite heavy and feels like a quality build. Screws hold as they're supposed to. The only thing I would change is having the quick release plate be compatible with the standard ones on my tripod as I have this permanently set up on a cold shoe on my ring light but occasionally use my tripod to get a different angle on the light which means faffing around removing the plate. All they really needed to do was change the length slightly and dent the short edges as well as the long at both ends and it would have slotted perfectly into my quick release tripod slot.

I dropped my SIRUI tripod and broke the EB-10 head that was on it. This was on special, so O bought it as a replacement, Even at the regular price, cheaper than the SIRUI head and perfectly stable for my micro four thirds set up (LUMIX G9II with various Panasonic Leica lenses). Easy to lock off in position and I have experienced no slippage in use so far.

I've bought a lot of Smallrig photo equipment and it's been of good design. Not this ball head though. The tension screw for the ball fouls the tensioning screw for the mount. The first image shows how low it goes normally. The second shows the poor design. I used this for the top of a monopod. When angled over, and following a bird, I now have to remember when the tension screw is. It clears the lock for the base, as you can see.EDITED TO ADD: I have a number of ARCA bases. The Neweer ones fit fine, but a couple of the others feel insecure as the sides of the clamp don't overlap to a reassuring degree. It grips, but I have to put a lot of tension on the lever. I have two other makes of clamp, none of which display the same problem. I'm disappointed with Smallrig. It's a sort of by-word for value for money and decent quality. However, the design of this is lacking in a couple of ways. Not recommended.I've just bought the more expensive, heavier model and it is fine. Be careful which you go for.

Great little ballhead - does the job well.