This thing is a beast. It is rated at 40 pounds and feels like you could attach a small car to the thing. You can set the drag to hold a 400 2.8+ Mark 3 still at any angle and still be able to pan it with your hands. This is a great ball head for large format systems as well. I am convinced this is the ultimate in stability.
The lever ratchets if you press in on the screw to get out of the way. I prefer the Lever because it acts as a visual warning flag if it is locked or not.
Be advised the Acra swiss style mount does not open enough to 'drop' into, you must slide the plate into it. The red tab activates a safety stopper so the lens can not slide out if not tightened.
The Ball head is built from 3.3 pounds of aircraft grade aluminum.
Some scuffs but nothing major the finish has worn off from where you attach the lens. The ball itself has no imperfections that can be felt with your fingers and glides smoothly in all directions. The screw that operates the acra mount tends to come loose occasionally. A little bit of thread-lock would help a lot.
Bottom Threads are pristine.
Selling because I no longer have the 400 2.8 and will be soon selling the Gitzo tripod. This thing looks insane mounted to any of my other tripods.
New is 400 dollars from B&H and you would still have to buy a attachment plate for the ball itself, I would like 200
*New price 120 dollars shipped ConUS*.
*This would be a GREAT Ball head for your super tele lenses 1200 5.6, 200-500 2.8, 600f4, and in a pinch it can handle the heft of a G9 lol