3021 Pro with 488RC2 - Any complaints

I purchased the 488RC2 and returned it the next day. It seems to have an lots of fans here but I found that it drifted significantly with a 5D and 24-105 - even in landscape. I tried two more in the store and they did the same thing. I now have the RRS BH-55 and couldn't be happier. It locks down tight and doesn't drift at all with a 70-200 f/2.8 IS or 300 f/2.8 IS.

XPHALCON wrote in post #4871181
=XPHALCON;4871181]I have yet to purchase this tripod, but by looking at the descriptions of the ball head, doesn't the stem of the ball head slide into the housing groove for portrait/vertical compositions? It seems like this would be very stable and secure, how are you getting any drift?
Even on my older 3-way Bogen, once I have everyting tightened up, it's solid.

yes but it doesn't quite bottom out at vertical so the ballhead is still carrying the weight of the camera and lens.

ed rader

I use that combo. I do like it, but when i'm using the 30D and EX 100-300mm f/4 and 1.4 teleconverter, i'm starting to think a better head would be better. If I get a heavier lens, like the Bigma or one of the new sigmas, a better head will be needed for sure.

ed rader wrote in post #4879232
yes but it doesn't quite bottom out at vertical so the ballhead is still carrying the weight of the camera and lens.

ed rader

this seems to be true of every ball head I have had contact with,. and I find it to be a universal failing. For a Sidekick or even for normal (drop it to portrait) shooting, one should be able to have a level head in landscape and get exactly 90 degrees in the portrait drop. I've been considering modifying my ballheads since the very fist one to pad in some extra material in that notch that would in fact stop the drop at exactly 90*