Tag Archives: Manfrotto 498RC2 Ball Head

Best Manfrotto pro ball head

Posted by on March 27, 2012 No comments

The best Manfrotto pro ball head, dedicated to 190 carbon fiber tripods. An extremely precise ball head, providing extra smooth movements thanks to state of the art materials and technology. Innovative and unique features like the exclusive 90-105deg. portrait angle selector allows for better camera control for advanced precise settings. Innovative, compact, ergonomic, powerful and made of lightweight magnesium- it is the ideal tool for durability, high performance and accuracy. The new magnesium Q2 quick release system is compatible with RC2 standard plates and offers increased ergonomics, speed and reduced weight.

 Manfrotto ball head review:

This is my first ball head. Well that’s not entirely true. I actually bought the Manfrotto 496RC2 before this one. The 496 was nice for the price. It didn’t impress me though. The ball itself seemed kind of small. Maybe it was just me but it seemed a little overpowered when my Canon 7D was mounted with a large lens. The safety release on the 496 appeared to be an afterthought on Manfrotto’s part. The whole unit just seemed kind of “no frills”. I think this made worse by the fact that I had it mounted on the 190CXPRO3 carbon fiber tripod. Please don’t take this as bad review of the 496 — it’s not. The 496 is great for it price range.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the 054! Literally a few days after I received my 496, Amazon offered me 5% off the Manfrotto MH054M0-Q2 054 magnesium ball head. At $185 it was a lot more expensive that the 496 and I wasn’t sure if it’d be worth the extra $$. I went ahead and tried it though. I’m glad I did. It is awesome!

The first thing I noticed about the MH054M0-Q2 is, well — everything! Hahah The 054 is a BIG upgrade from the 496; better by almost every metric. It’s got two bubble levels, built-in panning control with degrees dial, 90 – 105 degree portrait angle selector. The ball is super smooooth! It feels so much nicer and precise than the 496. And the ergonomics are great. The levers are larger, the magnesium head itself has a nice textured surface. And it looks sexy…if a ball head can look sexy lol. I’m referring to the red lining around the ball and the red portrait select lever and the fact that all pieces and knobs are finished in textured matte black (unlike some bare aluminum pieces on the 496). Also, it was made specifically for the 190CXPRO3 carbon fiber tripod so they look good together.

Most important of all, it holds my full-sized 7D body with any lens — no drooping — rock solid. This includes portrait position. The 054 is happy to hold the camera in portrait with no fuss.
So yes, I’m very pleased with the MH054M0-Q2 054. It is more than twice the cost of the 496 but worth it in my opinion. Search my name on Flickr if you’d like to see more photos.

Feature Highlights:
* 100% magnesium
* Built-in low-angle adapter in the center column for ground-level shots
* Dual levels
* Independent pan lock
* Redesigned, more ergonomic flip locks
* Portrait orientation range of 90-105°.

Specifications:
* Load capacity 22.05 lbs
* Weight 21.47 oz
* Working height 4.61 in  

Manfrotto ball head related products:

Manfrotto 498RC2 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 488RC2
Manfrotto MH054M0-Q5 054 Magnesium Ball Head with Q5 Quick Release
Manfrotto 732CY M-Y Carbon Tripod (Black)
561BHDV Video Monopod with Fluid Head (Black)
Manfrotto 391RC2 Junior Head – Replaces 390RC2
Manfrotto 496RC2 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 486RC2

Manfrotto 498RC2 Ball Head review

Posted by on March 27, 2012 No comments

A ball and socket joint allows movement on all axes at the same time with a single locking mechanism, ideal for faster framing changes. Some heads in our range have double 90° grooves for portrait-landscape orientation on either side of the head. Friction can be applied to larger ball heads to help balance heavier cameras.
The Manfrotto 498RC2 Compact Ball Head with RC2 Quick Release and 200PL-14 QR Plate is constructed of die-cast aluminum, strong enough to support an SLR camera with a medium lens, and light medium format cameras. It has a single repositionable locking lever for 360° panoramic rotation and ±90° tilt movements, plus a friction control for precise positioning. Cameras are attached to the ball head with the 200PL-14 Plate and RC2 Quick Release with 1/4” male threads. The head to tripod attachment has 3/8” female threads. Additionally, the Quick Release has a safety system to prevent an accidental detaching from the head.

Manfrotto 494RC2
A new design friction control knob allows the photographer to achieve superior control when handling the camera and making micro movements without having to totally lock and unlock the ball head. The knobs have been redesigned to be more ergonomic, easier to handle and more user-friendly. The ergonomic shape allows the user to better lock the ball securely. A repositionable Locking lever allows the user to place it in a comfortable position in order to use it in the most convenient way. Just pull it outwards, put it in the best working position and then release it. This model features a RC2 quick release plate including an additional safety system that prevents the accidental detaching of the camera from the head. The locking lever securely locks the head both in the +90° -90° ball positioning and in the 360° pan movements. With solid aluminum construction, manfrotto quick release plate is nice .this head is the ideal support for all traditional or digital small or medium format cameras weighing up to 17 pounds. This replaces the Manfrotto 488RC2.

customer review of Manfrotto 498RC2 Ball Head
Four rather than five stars because the $400 plus ball heads are smoother. Also own the 322RC2 Joystick which costs a few dollars more. This 498 is smoother and sags less BUT since there is no handle like the Joystick you need to push/pull on your camera and or lens to point the camera. My Joystick tended to stick when I tried to pivot in the wrist turning direction and sags a little when I release the handlever. You can compensate by aiming a little high so it sags to where you want but it can be frustrating.

This new model 498RC2 requires some fine adjustment which is provided. A heavier lens will take more friction on the smaller knob. Aim and give a slight tighten on the larger adjustable level for solid no slip positioning. This new head is only a little lighter than the Joystick but I like it better for the no slip and smoother positioning. Separate lower lever for pivot is nice for multiple horizontal shots not on the Joystick.

The RC2 quick connect/disconnect camera mount works well even if it looks less finely machined than the rest of the ballhead. And Nice little safety locking lever so you are less likely to drop your camera when mounting or removing.

Over all I prefer this 498RC2 to the Joystick because it is smoother with little or no slip. Using the camera and lens to pivot and aim is easy once you get used to it after using the Joystick. For the money I prefer this ballhead to the MUCH More Expensive “Right Stuff” ballheads. Pros will disagree. Perhaps if you need to use a ballhead for hours everyday then you need to pay for the Right Stuff. I am pleased with this new Manfrotto 498RC2 and will sell my Joystick.

Manfrotto 498RC2  Ball Head releate products:

Manfrotto 496RC2 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 486RC2
Manfrotto 498RC2 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 488RC2
Manfrotto 682B Self Standing Monopod (Black) 
Manfrotto 234RC Monopod Head Quick Release – Replaces 3229
Manfrotto 494RC2 Mini Ball Head with RC2