Acratech ballheads

[Rudi]

Hi everyone,

Looking for opinions on Acratech ballheads. There are three models, priced from $270 USD to $350 USD. Any one of those would suit me, IMO, although I am leaning towards the more conventionally designed V2 or GV2 (although the Ultimate Ballhead is still in he running, too :)).

I am looking for opinions on these products, and how they might compare to other, similar products from other manufacturers (Kirk, RRS, Markins, etc.) The largest rig that I will be mounting on this (as far as I can tell :D) is an EOS 1 series with 300/2.8 IS plus 2x TC attached (in which case it is likely to be loosened, acting like a poor man's Wimberley :)).

Any and all opinions welcome, but please - only offer opinions if you have actually used an Acratech ballhead (especially if you know how it compares to the competition!.

Oh, if anyone is using the Acratech Leveling Base, I'd love to hear from you, too! :D

Thanks in advance.

[ScottE]

I have the Ultimate.

It takes a little getting used to if you are familiar with using other ball heads because you don't have much movement in the direction of the top of the support. You learn to loosen the pan and main knobs, hold your camera and turn the body of the Ultimate. It does not take long, but sometimes it is inconventient.

On the other hand, if you have a tripod like the Gitzo Explorer where the centre column can be put on an angle or horizontal it is easier to use than more convential ball heads for those close to the ground macro shots.

The newer models were introduced after I purchased my Ultimate. I am not certain which I would order if I was ordering again. The newest model might be a good idea if you are used to using other ball heads.

[jacobsen1]

I came to acratech from a RRS BH-40. The "drag" setting on the RRS was a PITA because each camera/lens combo needed a different drag. Just using the lever/know is much easier, and once you realize this you realize the RSS is way too expensive. It's also much heavier than the acratech... I went for the easiest/lightest setup, and it also happens to be much cheaper, so I could sell the RSS and buy the acratech new.

I have the ultimate with the leveling base. Honestly I don't use the leveling base all that much... It's just very hard to get everything just right with it because it's a small ball and tiny bubble... I find the bogen base to be much easier to use, but it's much more expensive. I'm considering selling ultimate and base to fund the new GV2 though. The idea of a gimbal sounds awesome.

As for the ultimate, unless grams count in your kit, I'd say go with the V2. With the ultimates shape, if you want to tile up/back and it's setup with the knob in the back, you bump into it. It's not a huge deal, but you have to loosen the pan, rotate it 180, then tighten that and then tilt up/back... With the new V2 you have more leeway that way, but can get into issues trying to tilt way down w/o using the dropout/notch... It depends on how you're going to use it really, but I've found for me the V2 would be better.... I primarily chose the V1 because it was lighter, but if I go w/o the base the V2 is lighter and better suited for my needs.

Overall their heads are awesome for their price. They're also American made which is nice. Just make sure you pick the one that will suit your needs best.

http://www.newschoolofphotography.com/wp-content/gallery/accessories/76569424.jpg

[SouthNola]

I have the Ultimate as well. And like Jacobsen, I bought mine several years ago before the other models were out. I like mine and it's the only one I've really used. It's light, can hold a lot and is just what I needed for making long hikes.

[Rudi]

Thanks everyone! I ordered the Ultimate, plus plates, etc, a few days ago. Looking at it, and thinking about it for a while, the Ultimate is actually the head that will work really well with my shooting style.

Once again, thanks! :)

[Rudi]

Received my order today, and I'm NOT HAPPY!

The head is absolutely amazing, as are the plates, and the QR clamp will be great on my monopod. So what's the problem???... I ordered left hand controls, and received right hand controls! On top of that (to add insult to injury, I guess), the 5D lens plate came with the wrong screw (the thread was wrong). Luckily, I didn't force the issue and had a good look before proceeding, but I could have ruined the tripod socket on my camera!

This is not acceptable! I mean, I can understand the screw being the wrong thread - they probably pull them out of a large container to pair them up with the plates, it looks the same size as all the others, it just got past them... but the head? How hard is it to figure out which hand is your left???

I mean, really - how many orders do these guys ship to Australia? Would it really be that hard to double-check it before shipping???

I've sent an email, see how it goes from here, but so far, I am unimpressed with the service (the products themselves are another story).

[jacobsen1]

*cough*
Mine is for sale right here on POTN and I'll ship down under...
I'm even selling the leveling plate, so all you'll need is to get your screw issues fixed...
:)