Demon DB-46 46mm Tripod Ball Head Arca Compatible with Pan Lock & 60mm QR Plate

Bought a tripod about a year ago from B and H (love that store). I didn't have my camera at the time to test out the ball head, but after playing with the tripod and ball head for a few moments everything seemed fine for me. I wasn't looking for a huge tripod, but rather one that was light that I could use for time-lapse video and short documentary interviews. After using the tripod I quickly found that the ball head was awful. Actually the quick release plate was awful. It was cheap and didn't fit into the 1/4 - 20 screw properly. The camera was very lose and the screw was to long so the quick release plate didn't sit evenly against the camera. So I quickly started looking for a new ball head.After searching on Amazon and B and H I came across this ball head. It only had three reviews, all positives so I decided to give it a shot. I am glad I did. The ball head is much bigger than my old one and it is a lot heavier which didn't bother me at all. The entire ball head is made from metal and feels very durable. The ball head is not fancy. There are only three knobs. The big knob on the bottom actually loosens and tightens the ball head. When tightening the knob it will not change the placement of the camera. It is very stable. There is another knob (not shown in the picture) that actually pans the ball head. The panning is very smooth, as smooth as a video head for tripods. The last knob is for the arca swiss type quick release plate. I was most worried about this because it didn't have a safety lock. After using it a few times I knew this plate wouldn't come lose. It was very tight and secure. The best part about this Ball Head is that it is Arca swiss type quick release so I can use other compatible Arca swiss type quick release plates.I am very happy with this product and would definitely buy it again.

This is a very sturdy head ball, which served me very well for 3 years , but suddenly last week it got stuck.. so there is no way to use it.. Sadly I contacted Desmond Photographyc and they told me that this model was discontinued, so they can't repair it.. If you are interested in a 40+ pound ball head go for something else more durable ..

This is a very good head, however mine just broke after less than a year. The screw that keeps it from spinning horizontally just stripped out completely and not it just spins freely.

Great light weight head for the price very smooth.

The knob used to tighten/loosen the ball head unexpectedly jammed after using it for only a couple of months. I'm sure if you are careful it works fine but it is not tough enough to live up to the needs of a traveling photographer. Big disappointment.

As someone else said, this is the ball head you need. This thing is solid, and everything about it looks and screams quality. I use this ball head on an iOptron SkyTracker to frame and hold a large DSLR and 200mm f/2.8 lens for astrophotography, and it works amazingly. It takes little effort to turn the large lock knob to a point where it won't budge under any circumstance. In this application, the camera and lens are at very awkward and horizontal positions, yet the torque put on the ball head from gravity is easily handled. The ability to easily lock down the camera after framing and not have the camera move when locking it down is also very nice. It is large, metal, and heavy. The quick release plate and lock knob are also top notch. The ball head comes with some adjustment hex tools, and what could best be described as a tiny lunch box of a padded case, which protects it well. If you can spare the extra money for a ball head, you can be confident that this one will serve you well.

Love this Ball head! It's so easy to use. I have owned others (even more expensive ones) and this is by far the best one I've owned. It's heavy duty and very well made. I ordered more arca-swiss plates as I have multiple cameras and they work great one it also making it easy to use with my other ball head. I will soon be replacing the other ball head with another one of these! What really makes this one so awesome is:- The levels on the left and back of the top of the ball head make for speedy leveling.- Another great feature is being able to not only adjust the tension of the ball head but ALSO the tension of the knob that changes the ball head tension. To any serious photographer these micro adjustment abilities are such a bonus!- easily move the whole thing 360 degrees without having to move the ball head itself.I HIGHLY recommend you stop looking at other ball heads (even more expensive ones) because this one is what you need!

This is a nice little ball head for the money. But if you are accustomed to a head with separate drag control, the lack thereof will take a little getting used to. I was using this on my lightweight, hiking tripod but recently replaced it with the Benro Triple Action Ball Head w/ PU60 Quick Release Plate (IB1), which has several advantages over this.My main ball head is the RRS BH55 and I've owned a Foba Superball, and Acratech, and others I can't even remember. This little guy is not in that league, but it is terrific other than the lack of drag control. I experience no lock-down creep, which is often a complaint with inexpensive balls.The clamp nicely secures both generic plates and the RRS L plate on my A6000 and Pro Media Tools L plate on my A7R2. Works fine with a small or large mirrorless camera, with up to a 70-300mm lens.