I'd be willing to have a go at one of these:
<http://cgi.ebay.com/PRO-CAMERA-TRIPOD-ACTION-MAGNESIUM-ALLOY-BALL-HEAD-H96_W0QQitemZ200004092752QQihZ010QQcategoryZ30095QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem>
Actual selling prices have ranged from $26-61 so don't get yourself in a
bidding war. They are multiples of these up for sale all the time.
The ebay seller is Amvona. The only thing I've bought from them are
some sand bags for weighting down light stands. Promptly delivered,
very inexpensive and very well made. A fraction of the cost of the
Manfrotto equivalent and they hold up to 18 lbs. of sand. The only
Manfrotto sand bag I've seen also had a snap hook on it for hanging
which the Amvona bags do not. But the Amvona bags are actually two
separate pockets with a strap across the middle. They're designed to
drape on the leg braces of a light stand and do that very well.
If you dig down in the ad you will find that Amvona has "ratings" from
users. I don't know if they're using "shills" or not but the 4 users of
this ball head express satisfaction with their purchases. I know they
do query the customers on satisfaction since they sent me satisfaction
emails on the two sand bag purchases I made.
I doubt that you could go much wrong for something that has more feature
and function than the Bogen ball and which you may be able to pick up
for as little as half the price. I'd risk the purchase. Might be a
good deal until you can afford the real thing.
I risked a $10 bid on a smaller Bogen QR plate compatible ball head from
a much different seller. I knew it was cheap and I got what I figured.
<http://cgi.ebay.com/Ball-Head-with-Quick-Release-Plate-New_W0QQitemZ120003117169QQihZ002QQcategoryZ3325QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting>
The ball doesn't operate very smoothly and the fluid in the bubble level
has since leaked out or evaporated. But I didn't lose much since I got
another compatible QR plate that's actually made a little better than
the Manfrotto QR plate at about the same price I'd have had to pay for
the Bogen plate at B&H. Actually, this $10 ball might be much more
usable if one was willing to spend some time with some valve grinding/
lapping compound to smooth out the action.
Let us know how it works out if you decide to have a go at it.
Chuck Nocutt
Komtanoo Pinpimai wrote:
> Thanks for all replies to my question. After researching for a while,
> think I would buy a standard tripod like bogen 3001 or 3021 on the
> bay. For the head, I still have no idea, good ballhead seems to be
> really expensive, while tilt and pan is affordable, but doesn't look
> as comfortable as the ball one. If I could find a head that you guys
> have recommended on the bay with the right price, I would jump at it.
>
> -kem
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|