RRS BH-40 ballhead

[geesbert]

i just received my new gitzo 2940 tripod and now i want to add a decent head. my actual choice is the rrs bh-40 head, but i would like to add the b2pro2 clamp, as i would love to have a bubble level. currently i use a slide-in hot shoe spirit level thingy, but with a pocket wizard on top it is annoying to use.

my question now: is the build-in clamp bubble really parallel with the camera and is the b2pro2 small enough to work with the bh-40? it looks quite a bit bigger that the standard one, so does it clear it on all sides?

stefan

[lightcreator]

I personally prefer the bigger 55!!!  And I believe the bubble level is fiarly accurate.

[geesbert]

i really want to save on weight here. this tripod is for when i am out without assistant, who carries my manfrotto triaut with geared head, which is a great tripod once set up, but a royal pain to carry around...

[jimhuber]

I would get the BH-40 LR II that has the spirit level on a lever clamp. The BH-40 Pro II is the same thing but with a spirit level in a screw clamp.

When I bought my ball heads from RRS they didn't have the spirit level option. I have a BH-40 LR (lever clamp, no spirit level) on a Gitzo 1348 tripod and have been very pleased with it. The lever doesn't clear the base on a 1300 series Gitzo tripod, but you can move it to one of six positions, and mine has plenty of room to tighten and release without repositioning the lever.

I also have a BH-25 LR on a Gitzo 1128 tripod for minimum weight scenarios. But I use it very seldom compared to the 1348 & BH-40 combination.

I've used the panoramic tools from RRS, and I expect their spirit level would be very accurate, both in relation to the camera (I'd recommend a RRS L plate) and it's accuracy for actual horizon level.

RRS isn't cheap, but it is fantastically functional, absolutely reliable, and aesthetically pleasing. If it was cheap, too, I doubt anyone else would still be in the ball head - clamp - plate business.

[geesbert]

as i am also using non-rrs plates i think i cannot get the lever clamp. i wouldn't consider using a ballhead without a l-plate! the rrs l-plates are fabulous!