Re: Best Ballhead Markins or RRS or Arca Swiss or Kirk for 5d...
I have the Markins Q-20. A work of art. A highly-performant and functional work of art. Like an AH-64 Apache helicopter designed by Faberge. I used to have an RRS BH-40. I loved it (still do). But I much prefer the Markins. I know: the Q20 is one weight/capacity class higher than the BH-40. But even taking that into account, I think the Q20 is simply a better ballhead.
Both Markins and RRS make great ballheads, but the difference basically comes down two things, and thus the choice might be driven by how important these things are to you: movement under tension and weight/strength ratio.
## Movement Under Tension
When loose, both are as smooth as you want a ballhead to be. When locked up, both were rock solid. When in an in-between state, i.e. under drag/tension, that is where the difference lies. The BH-40 \"sticks and slips like an old car jerking down the road in the wrong gear on a cold day\". The Markins remains buttery-smooth, with a viscous damped movement. Nobody I know operationally uses (or admits to using) RRS ballheads under tension: the ballhead is either completely locked-up or completely free. The Markins allows you to fine-tune the drag so you can adjust and shoot without doing the lock/unlock cycle. This is the famous Markins \"sweet-spot\". In practice, I have found this feature not as useful as it seems, though, because the amount of tension to hit that sweet-spot varies not only from lens to lens, but also on angle of offset of the lens.
## Weight/Strength Ratio
Comparing the Markins Q20 and the BH-55: Markins wins this, hands down. Sure, I know: you cannot compare those manufacturer capacity ratings. But I think both the Markins and RRS can probably support a schoolbus (exaggeration, but you get the point), so for all practical purposes (i.e., load/stress of actual usuage), they are equal in strength, regardless of what failure threshold numbers actually are. But the Markins is half the weight of the RRS.
Having said all that, I think you should go with the AS. I believe (and I could be wrong) that the Markins design is a clone of the AS, and for a slightly higher weight it appears you get more capacity.
Re: Best Ballhead Markins or RRS or Arca Swiss or Kirk for 5d...
I have the Markins Q-20. A work of art. A highly-performant and functional work of art. Like an AH-64 Apache helicopter designed by Faberge. I used to have an RRS BH-40. I loved it (still do). But I much prefer the Markins. I know: the Q20 is one weight/capacity class higher than the BH-40. But even taking that into account, I think the Q20 is simply a better ballhead.
Both the Q20 and RRS BH55 are great ballheads, but the difference basically comes down two things, and thus the choice might be driven by how important these things are to you: movement under tension and weight/strength ratio.
## Movement Under Tension
When loose, both are as smooth as you want a ballhead to be. When locked up, both were rock solid. When in an in-between state, i.e. under drag/tension, that is where the difference lies. The BH-40 \"sticks and slips like an old car jerking down the road in the wrong gear on a cold day\". The Markins remains buttery-smooth, with a viscous damped movement. Nobody I know operationally uses (or admits to using) RRS ballheads under tension: the ballhead is either completely locked-up or completely free. The Markins allows you to fine-tune the drag so you can adjust and shoot without doing the lock/unlock cycle. This is the famous Markins \"sweet-spot\". In practice, I have found this feature not as useful as it seems, though, because the amount of tension to hit that sweet-spot varies not only from lens to lens, but also on angle of offset of the lens.
## Weight/Strength Ratio
Comparing the Markins Q20 and the BH-55: Markins wins this, hands down. Sure, I know: you cannot compare those manufacturer capacity ratings. But I think both the Markins and RRS can probably support a schoolbus (exaggeration, but you get the point), so for all practical purposes (i.e., load/stress of actual usuage), they are equal in strength, regardless of what failure threshold numbers actually are. But the Markins is half the weight of the RRS.
Having said all that, I think you should go with the AS. I believe (and I could be wrong) that the Markins design is a clone of the AS, and for a slightly higher weight it appears you get more capacity.
Re: Best Ballhead Markins or RRS or Arca Swiss or Kirk for 5d...
I have the Markins Q-20. A work of art. A highly-performant and functional work of art. Like an AH-64 Apache helicopter designed by Faberge. I used to have an RRS BH-40. I loved it (still do). But I much prefer the Markins. I know: the Q20 is one weight/capacity class higher than the BH-40. But even taking that into account, I think the Q20 is simply a better ballhead. Both the Q20 and RRS BH55 are great ballheads, but the difference basically comes down two things, and thus the choice might be driven by how important these things are to you: weight/strength ratio and the movement under tension.
## Movement Under Tension
When loose, both are as smooth as you want a ballhead to be. When locked up, both were rock solid. When in an in-between state, i.e. under drag/tension, that is where the difference lies. The BH-40 \"sticks and slips like an old car jerking down the road in the wrong gear on a cold day\". The Markins remains buttery-smooth, with a viscous damped movement. Nobody I know operationally uses (or admits to using) RRS ballheads under tension: the ballhead is either completely locked-up or completely free. The Markins allows you to fine-tune the drag so you can adjust and shoot without doing the lock/unlock cycle. This is the famous Markins \"sweet-spot\". In practice, I have found this feature not as useful as it seems, though, because the amount of tension to hit that sweet-spot varies not only from lens to lens, but also on angle of offset of the lens.
## Weight/Strength Ratio
Comparing the Markins Q20 and the BH-55: Markins wins this, hands down. Sure, I know: you cannot compare those manufacturer capacity ratings. But I think both the Markins and RRS can probably support a schoolbus (exaggeration, but you get the point), so for all practical purposes (i.e., load/stress of actual usuage), they are equal in strength, regardless of what failure threshold numbers actually are. But the Markins is half the weight of the RRS.
Having said all that, I think you should go with the AS. I believe (and I could be wrong) that the Markins design is a clone of the AS, and for a slightly higher weight it appears you get more capacity.
Re: Best Ballhead Markins or RRS or Arca Swiss or Kirk for 5d...
I have the Markins Q-20. A work of art. A highly-performant and functional work of art. Like an AH-64 Apache helicopter designed by Faberge. I used to have an RRS BH-40. I loved it (still do). But I much prefer the Markins. I know: the Q20 is one weight/capacity class higher than the BH-40. But even taking that into account, I think the Q20 is simply a better ballhead. It comes down two things: weight/strength ratio and the movement under tension.
## Movement Under Tension
When loose, both are as smooth as you want a ballhead to be. When locked up, both were rock solid. When in an in-between state, i.e. under drag/tension, that is where the difference lies. The BH-40 \"sticks and slips like an old car jerking down the road in the wrong gear on a cold day\". The Markins remains buttery-smooth, with a viscous damped movement. Nobody I know operationally uses (or admits to using) RRS ballheads under tension: the ballhead is either completely locked-up or completely free. The Markins allows you to fine-tune the drag so you can adjust and shoot without doing the lock/unlock cycle. This is the famous Markins \"sweet-spot\". In practice, I have found this feature not as useful as it seems, though, because the amount of tension to hit that sweet-spot varies not only from lens to lens, but also on angle of offset of the lens.
## Weight/Strength Ratio
Comparing the Markins Q20 and the BH-55: Markins wins this, hands down. Sure, I know: you cannot compare those manufacturer capacity ratings. But I think both the Markins and RRS can probably support a schoolbus (exaggeration, but you get the point), so for all practical purposes (i.e., load/stress of actual usuage), they are equal in strength, regardless of what failure threshold numbers actually are. But the Markins is half the weight of the RRS.
Having said all that, I think you should go with the AS. I believe (and I could be wrong) that the Markins design is a clone of the AS, and for a slightly higher weight it appears you get more capacity.
Re: Best Ballhead Markins or RRS or Arca Swiss or Kirk for 5d...
I have the Markins Q-20. A work of art. A highly-performant and functional work of art. I used to have an RRS BH-40. I loved it (still do). But I much prefer the Markins. I know: the Q20 is one weight/capacity class higher than the BH-40. But even taking that into account, I think the Q20 is simply a better ballhead. It comes down two things: weight/strength ratio and the movement under tension.
## Movement Under Tension
When loose, both are as smooth as you want a ballhead to be. When locked up, both were rock solid. When in an in-between state, i.e. under drag/tension, that is where the difference lies. The BH-40 \"sticks and slips like an old car jerking down the road in the wrong gear on a cold day\". The Markins remains buttery-smooth, with a viscous damped movement. Nobody I know operationally uses (or admits to using) RRS ballheads under tension: the ballhead is either completely locked-up or completely free. The Markins allows you to fine-tune the drag so you can adjust and shoot without doing the lock/unlock cycle. This is the famous Markins \"sweet-spot\". In practice, I have found this feature not as useful as it seems, though, because the amount of tension to hit that sweet-spot varies not only from lens to lens, but also on angle of offset of the lens.
## Weight/Strength Ratio
Comparing the Markins Q20 and the BH-55: Markins wins this, hands down. Sure, I know: you cannot compare those manufacturer capacity ratings. But I think both the Markins and RRS can probably support a schoolbus (exaggeration, but you get the point), so for all practical purposes (i.e., load/stress of actual usuage), they are equal in strength, regardless of what failure threshold numbers actually are. But the Markins is half the weight of the RRS.
Having said all that, I think you should go with the AS. I believe (and I could be wrong) that the Markins design is a clone of the AS, and for a slightly higher weight it appears you get more capacity.
Re: Best Ballhead Markins or RRS or Arca Swiss or Kirk for 5d...
I have the Markins Q-20. A work of highly-performant and functional work of art. I used to have an RRS BH-40. I loved it (still do). But I much prefer the Markins. I know: the Q20 is one weight/capacity class higher than the BH-40. But even taking that into account, I think the Q20 is simply a better ballhead. It comes down two things: weight/strength ratio and the movement under tension.
## Movement Under Tension
When loose, both are as smooth as you want a ballhead to be. When locked up, both were rock solid. When in an in-between state, i.e. under drag/tension, that is where the difference lies. The BH-40 \"sticks and slips like an old car jerking down the road in the wrong gear on a cold day\". The Markins remains buttery-smooth, with a viscous damped movement. Nobody I know operationally uses (or admits to using) RRS ballheads under tension: the ballhead is either completely locked-up or completely free. The Markins allows you to fine-tune the drag so you can adjust and shoot without doing the lock/unlock cycle. This is the famous Markins \"sweet-spot\". In practice, I have found this feature not as useful as it seems, though, because the amount of tension to hit that sweet-spot varies not only from lens to lens, but also on angle of offset of the lens.
## Weight/Strength Ratio
Comparing the Markins Q20 and the BH-55: Markins wins this, hands down. Sure, I know: you cannot compare those manufacturer capacity ratings. But I think both the Markins and RRS can probably support a schoolbus (exaggeration, but you get the point), so for all practical purposes (i.e., load/stress of actual usuage), they are equal in strength, regardless of what failure threshold numbers actually are. But the Markins is half the weight of the RRS.
Having said all that, I think you should go with the AS. I believe (and I could be wrong) that the Markins design is a clone of the AS, and for a slightly higher weight it appears you get more capacity.
Apr 17, 2015 at 12:37 PM
Previous versions of jeetsukumaran's message #12970913 « Best Ballhead Markins or RRS or Arca Swiss or Kirk for 5diii and TS Lens »
