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Support System Synergy
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| Joe Johnson, owner of Really Right Stuff. At left is Really Right Stuff BH-55 LR ballhead for full-sized loads, and on right is Really Right Stuff BH-40 LR ballhead for mid-sized loads. |
A solid support system should be more than the sum of its parts. A well-crafted support system is built from the ground up with quality components that enhance the genuine needs and preferences of each shooter. Tripod legs, head, quick-release clamping system, camera and optics—a well chosen combination, used properly, will yield the finest results with every use. Buy right the first time, and you'll maximize your investments. This concept is the heart of Really Right Stuff's support synergy philosophy.
Really Right Stuff delivers at every level—from tripods and ballheads, to clamps and plates; from the casual weekend shooter to the most demanding professional. Our equipment is used in over 80 countries around the globe by discriminating photographers. No matter the niche, Really Right Stuff strives to constantly create and innovate, and we'll help you learn to love your tripod.
Ballheads
There are a variety of “professional grade” tripod ballheads that can support heavy loads, lock solidly, and move smoothly. All of these “pro” ballheads are faster to use and inherently more stable than 3-axis “pan-tilt” tripod heads. Aiming and horizon leveling can be accomplished in one instinctive motion, and rigid lockup takes just a quick twist of one control. Alternatively, at the shooter’s discretion, up/down (pitch), and left/right (yaw), aiming can be independently adjusted, just as with a conventional pan-tilt type head. The best ballheads also offer variable “drag” (tension) that makes them easy to control. Tripods with ballheads are also much easier to carry and pack than tripods with pan-tilt heads—no long, protruding handles.
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| The Really Right Stuff BH-55 LR ballhead. This is our premium ballhead shown here with the patented Really Right Stuff lever-release clamp. |
The Quick-Release Clamping System
These “pro” ballheads differ in size, quality, features, price, and the manner in which they mount camera bodies and big telephoto lenses. Your equipment will mate to the head in one of three ways:
- Use of a conventional threaded ¼"-20 (or 3⁄8"-16) stud for screw-on mount.
- Use of a special, proprietary style of quick-release clamp.
- Use of the standardized Arca-Swiss style quick-release clamping system.
In our opinion, mounting by means of the standard
¼"‑20 (or 3⁄8"-16) screw is far too tedious and insecure.
Instead, adopt the Really Right Stuff quick-release
system. Based on the Arca-Swiss standard, the Really
Right Stuff quick release
system
incorporates
an open-ended
channel with
compressing side
jaws that grip the
mounting plate.
Most other quick release
clamping
systems employ
a design that utilizes a fixed cavity that accepts only one size mounting plate. Our Really Right Stuff open ended quick-release clamp offers an inherent advantage:
Mounting plates can be made virtually any size—short
for light loads—or long for heavy loads. This is a critical
edge for the photographer afield, since it permits the
use of support plates that can be individually optimized for each piece of equipment that will sit in the clamp. With fixed cavity clamps, the same “universal size” plate
must serve for every piece of equipment—from the
lightest camera body to the most massive telephoto—an
obvious compromise. And compromised support yields compromised results.
Another natural asset implicit
with our “open channel” design is the ability to freely
adjust the position of the plate within the clamping
channel; equipment can be shifted for best positioning. This means that camera bodies can be perfectly centered for panoramic setup, and telephoto lenses can be shifted fore or aft for the best balance point.
Ballheads with Really Right Stuff Quick-Release Clamps
Because the Really Right Stuff quick-release system offers implicit advantages, it’s logical to buy a quality ballhead that comes with a Really Right Stuff clamp.
Really Right Stuff Ballheads
All of our
ballheads can be purchased with our quick-release
clamps already installed. We offer three sizes of
ballheads: full-sized, mid-sized, and ultra-light. We
also offer a variety of different clamp styles to meet the
needs of all shooters. Click here for more detailed information on Really Right Stuff ballheads.
Other Ballheads
There are a number of ballheads
from other manufacturers that are available with
Arca‑style clamps already mounted. These include
the original Arca-Swiss B1, B1E, B1G Monoballs; the newer Arca-Swiss Z1sp, Z1dp, P1D, and C1 Cube; Foba’s Superball & Mini-Superball; Kirk’s BH-1 &
BH‑3; Acratech’s Ultimate & V2 ballheads; Markin’s MK-10 & MK-20 ballheads. There are also other good ballheads
that do not come
with a quick-release clamp, but can be easily converted
by adding one of our clamps. Click here for more detailed information on clamp compatibility with other heads.
Other Clamping Systems
Ballheads that feature their own proprietary style of quick-release clamping system present two glaring shortcomings. First, the system is limited by the few types of sole-source mounting plates offered by the sole supplier; and, second, these same plates are generally of an “all purpose” design, with flat tops that are free to twist when attached to the bottom of your camera body, motor drive, or lens collar. This “plate pivot” becomes especially likely when the tripod head is “flopped” to the left for vertical format, or when the tripod is “shouldered” with a long telephoto lens mounted. It is these annoying flat-topped mounting plates that render so many quick-release systems unacceptable, and systems from Bogen, Linhof, Slick, and Sachtler all share this same serious flaw. Conversely, the versatile Really Right Stuff quick-release clamping system permits the use of optimized mounting plates, of many different sizes, that are not flat-topped, and will not pivot.
And the Plate State
Given the inherent advantages of the Really Right Stuff quick-release clamping system, it’s still only as good as the quality of two critical components: the clamp and the plate. While the original Arca-Swiss company, and its imitators, did a creditable job in the design of the clamp, they failed, miserably, when addressing the plate. To limit costs, they took the “men's’ socks” approach: a few “generic” plates to fit everything. As a result, nothing was optimum for anything. Don’t waste your money on those generic-style “adapter plates”; they’re suitable only for deep sea fishing. Instead, buy Really Right Stuff specially optimized custom plates that will never twist or pivot once mounted on your camera body or lens.
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| Really Right Stuff custom plate for a Nikon D2-series camera; plate is called a BD2. Note the curved flanges that wrap around the contour of the camera both front and rear. |
Canon XT camera fitted with a Really Right Stuff custom L-plate; plate is called a B400D-L. Note the custom flanges that wrap on either side of the lens mount. The cutout on the side is designed to give ample access to all side ports. |
Really Right Stuff custom plate for a Canon 5D camera; plate is called a B5D. Note the curved flange that wraps around the contour of the rear of the camera. |
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