Adorama's Flashpoint ballheads - Thoughts? Experiences?

[SkedAddled]

I've seen them mentioned here a few times recently, but without much information
to go along with the mentions, and reviews on their website are few. A search here
on POTN also reveals little information.

My primary interest is because all the new PhotoClam, Manfrotto and these Flashpoint
ballheads have the new friction control feature, which appears to be a nifty addition
to what would still be great heads without it. I like the pricing of the Flashpoint heads,
and so I wanted to ask for experiences from Flashpoint ballhead users.

They appear to be of very good quality, with weight ratings being very high.
Are they indeed of a good or high quality? Would they compare with, say, Manfrotto's
488 or 498 heads?

I think I understand the friction-control on the newer heads, but does it work well
and smoothly on the Flashpoint heads? Does it compare to other well-known heads?

Finally, could I conceivably replace the QR platform of the Flashpoint heads with one
of my Manfrotto RC2 platforms? I've not seen photos of the attachment method of the
platform to the ballhead's stalk, which is why I ask. I also already have a bunch of the
RC2 QR plates on my camera and several lenses, making a swap of the platforms much
more economical to me if it's possible to do so.


My sincere thanks for any insights and information.

[Jon]

I have one Flashpoint F2 and two F3s. Yes, they're good.
Here's the F2 holding a 1D3 with 70-200 f/2.8 IS:
http://jonbarrettphoto.smugmug.com/photos/615296105_rwBS4-XL.jpg

http://jonbarrettphoto.smugmug.com/photos/615296669_wyXxo-XL.jpg

It sat there for an hour without shifting.

[SkedAddled]

Looks like your carpet needs to be cleaned, Jon. ;)

Thanks for the input, nonetheless.
Can you offer anything on the other specifics I asked about?

[bohdank]

It's not the 1 hr shifting. It's the shifting/droop immediately after locking it down after framing. How does it fare under those conditions ?

[Vladimer]

I have the F1 and have no complaints. Its my first tripod/head combo so i don't have anything to compare it to but I've never had it droop or sag in any angle with the gear that i have in my sig.

As for your question i actually have the ball head seperated beside me (not broken but actually took it apart for a separate 'project') so you can see what the way the shaft is shaped. it has a small bevel on the top which fits into the track that the base plate has in it.

[SkedAddled]

Many thanks for the photos and description, Vladimer.

If need be, it seems I could grind off the tabs of the ball's stem to fit an RC2 platform,
provided the RC2 can accommodate such a setup. I haven't yet separated an RC2 platform
from a head, so I don't even know what to expect.

Looks like your F1 is well used. Is it still solid and stable?

[Vladimer]

I would say so, I haven't had it slip or do anything at all. I originally bought it to just use outdoors since it would make the whole thing lighter to carry longer distance but since i don't have the money to buy multiple tripods just yet i basically use it for everything and don't have any issues. I can hold the tripod sideways and jiggle it and the camera will stay stay rigid in the same angle it was secured in.

So for an F1 which is the smallest they offer im completely satisfied with the product and wouldn't hesitate getting a step up in there line if i had gear that required it. Great price too

[SkedAddled]

Many thanks for your feedback, Vladimer. Good information, to be sure.

I'm gonna think on it all, and solicit other reviews/experiences. Anyone else?

[Jon]

Looks like your carpet needs to be cleaned, Jon. ;)

Thanks for the input, nonetheless.
Can you offer anything on the other specifics I asked about?
Dogs . . .

It doesn't move when I don't want it to. I wouldn't especially want to bother to replace the A-S type clamp with a Manfrotto QR clamp - the FlashPoint, like many A-S style heads, uses a screw from the head into the threaded ball head, as shown in Vladimer's picture. I don't recall if it's 1/4-20 or M6 threaded; if it is 1/4-20 you could put a bolt in and cut it off to fasten the RC2 clamp on, but if it's M6 (metric) you'd really have to kludge something together and it'd be more trouble than it's worth, I think. I shifted over to A-S style plates entirely, so that's not an issue to me. The convenience of the RRS L plates is worth the cost of transitioning, but the sooner you make the switch the better . . .