| Brand: | Bogen | ||
| Average Rating |
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Same as the 486 but equipped with a 200PL-14 quick-release camera plate. The 486RC2 is a direct replacement of the 308QR and 168S ProBall and Heavy-Duty Double Action Ball Heads.A strong die-cast construction, precision machined aluminum housing, and an extremely hard phenolic resin ball provides smooth movements across all tilt positions.The 486RC2 features a single ratchet locking knob for 360? pan and a double groove for +90?-90? tilt movements. Camera plate has a 1/4-20 male thread, and head to tripod attachment is 3/8 female. more info
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Great little ballhead
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended. I use this with a Manfrotto carbon-fiber tripod and Cannon 40D, it works very well. Great ballhead for the money.
486RC2 for the Serious Amatuer.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I puchased the 486RC2 for my D60 coupled with the Nikkor 55-200mm VR. I coupled the head with the Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod Legs.
Pros:
- Super smooth movement of the ball head
- One lever release allows for quick and easy adjustment
- The head will securely hold my D60 and 55-200mm VR in the upright/normal position when 055XPROB tripod neck is placed in horizontal arrangement
- Sturdy design, well built
- RC2 quick release system allows easy/quick dismounting of camera for hand-held shots
- Grooves in the swivel base allow for quick and secure vertical positioning of the camera
Cons:
- Does not allow for accurate fine tuned adjustments, would need to go with a geared head instead
- A little heavy, at 3lbs, which adds to the already heavy 055XPROB Tripod Legs
Summary:
I love this head, almost as much as I love the Tripod/Head combination. I am more than satisfied with my purchase.
great buy
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
solid construction, great movement and feel, especially for the price. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat.
Awesome head.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Very sturdy, quick release works beautifully. it holds my D40 with my 55-200 VR Lens + Sb-600 speedlight at any angle with no issues.
i highly reccommend this.
Great product but alot heavier than I thought
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a great head for your tripod or monopod with a few improvements that could be made. There is no easy way to get this back to center or even level. Use your eyes and it made my monopod more than twice as heavy as without it. I wish they made a lighter version as it seemed pointless to buy a lightweight monopod with this thing attached.
It is very easy to attach and detach your camera from this which is another great feature.
A Perfect Match for a Nikon D50
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I debated about getting a heavier head, but then settled on this head since I really never use a large lens and only mount a Nikon D50 with a Tamron Macro Zoom lens. I mount it on a Manfrotto Pro Tripod. It is such an easy head to adjust and quickly switches to the portrait view from the landscape view. Keep it loose and you can also pan with a little practice. I have owned it now for about a year and it has worked flawlessly. This is my first ball head and there was a slight learning curve. It would be a good idea to work with it for a while before you wanted to use it where you needed to change orientations quickly. I love the RC2 Rapid connect system, but I am still a little wary about leaving the camera attached when I sling the tripod over my shoulder. It does have a locked position, but I still take it easy when relocating for another angle.
Nice ball head
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I find this ball head easy to use. This is my first one and I love using it. I’m sure the more expensive heads are better, but this one works great for me.
Great for motorcycles.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this to mount a video camera to my motorcycle. Works well, and I can take camera easily when I stop. Very rugged and heavy.
Edit: This thing has been on my bike for three months now. Much rain. It still moves as smoothly as when it was new. It appears to be weatherproof. Very high quality.
An excellent all-rounder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This ballhead is an excellent compromise when you need a wide range of adjustment but don’t want the hassle of the extra size and heft of other models. One lever, when loosened, allows you to turn the entire head 360 degrees in either direction as well as adjust the ball to tilt and swivel to however you want it.
It could use a bubble level, as others have mentioned, but getting a cheap bubble level to fix on your camera’s hotshoe is just as good a solution. Also the lever itself is repositionable, so if you have adjusted the head so the camera is at an angle that interferes with the lever movement, you can adjust the lever’s position so that is not a problem. Note that this head uses the RC2 Rapid Connect System. Most of the tripod heads I’ve used from Manfrotto use this system, and it’s very secure – you must release two levers before the camera can be removed, eliminating the possibility of an accidental bump of one lever causing a catastrophic release.
The build is solid and sturdy, but I don’t find it to be too heavy, and the price is very reasonable for what you get. A dependable product you won’t regret purchasing.
Great for outdoors
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The primary advantage of this head is its light weight which makes it a great fit with the light carbon fiber tripods. Despite the light weight it is strongly built and has all the basic functions. The single lever means you have to keep one hand on your camera or it will flop in ways you will not like. The trick is to loosen the ball just enough to rotate the camera (while holidng it with your other hand) to the position you want and then tighten. A level here would have been nice. All in all this is a great, sturdy ball head that won’t weigh you down on the trail.
Manfrotto 486RC2 Compact Ball Head with RC2 Rapid Connect System
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this product. It works flawlessly and I will be purchasing from this seller again.
Worth the money
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I upgraded my tripod to a Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 and needed a head. I knew that I wanted a ball head with the RC2 connector plate. I chose this one and am glad that I did. It holds the camera like a rock on the top of the tripod.
First, you attach the mounting plate to your camera. I would suggest getting extra plates if you have multiple cameras, or have zooms with their own mounts. The RC2 locking plate attached quickly. There is a release lever, and then a second small safety lever. When the safety is engaged, the quick release lever will not move. This will prevent the lever from snagging and your camera releasing at an unplanned moment.
There is only a single lever on the ballhead. Release it a little, and the entire head will rotate on the base. This will allow you to take a panoramic shot. Release it more, and the ball will have less resistance and the camera can be positioned. Lock it down, and the camera is rock steady. I did not detect any movement with the camera when locking down the head.
Overall I’m pleased with this purchase. I would have liked to seen a separate release for panoramic shots (available on the next model up). A couple of accessories that you may need/want would be extra quick release plates. Useful if you have multiple cameras or zooms with their own mounts. Also would be a hotshoe mount level. I level the head, but I have no way of knowing if the camera is level.
Really good
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This was my 1st Manfrotto item, and got me to buy 2 more. Quality, functionality, and price are hard to beat.
Best Value for a Ball Head
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is clearly the best value for a Ball Head on the market. I’ve used many and nothing out there comes even close as far as value. This head is beefy enough for a 300 f2.8 yet it’ll work great on a big Joby.
A bargain – perfect first ball head
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This ball head is highly-reviewed by so many people because it truly delivers a LOT of value for the money. I looked into it after reading suggestions in Scott Kelby’s excellent “The Digital Photography Book”.
My tripod came with a pan head – a very good one – but I wanted to find out if I would prefer ball heads. Didn’t want to spend a fortune (expensive ones run upwards of $200-300), but wanted one that was solid enough that I could really decide if ball heads were for me.
As it turns out, the 486RC2 was perfect for this task. It is solid and easily holds my 40D with even a 70-200mm lens without sagging. And for my style, a ball head seemed easier than a pan head atop my tripod.
The RC2 quick release plate is solid and reassuring, and I do like the mechanism. You won’t accidentally release the plate and drop your camera onto the floor – the little latching lock is excellent in this regard. I will look for a similar plate on my next ball head.
The only improvement I would ask for is the step up to the 488RC2, which has a separate release for panning/rotating. I want to do some basic panoramas, and it’s just a bit easier to have a separate release for horizontal motion. Had I known I would be a ball head guy rather than a pan head guy, I’d have bought the 488RC2 right away. But since I didn’t know and wanted to make sure, I got this one first. Even when I eventually get the 488RC2, I’ll keep this one to put atop my second tripod; that way it’s easy to swap cameras around, as both cameras and both ball heads will have the RC2 system.
For the excellent price, you get a SOLID ball head and a great quick release system – you’ll appreciate it.
Heavy duty ball head
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This a a heavy duty ball head that adds weight to your tripod; however, it is worth it. This provides much mobility, stability and options.
Reliable quality
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Just confirming what all the others have said: this is an excellent ball head. It’s maybe a bit on the heavy side, but that’s the price you pay for stability. Excellent precision engineering.
Quality Product
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have this ball head mounted on a Manfrotto 190XPROB 3 Section Aluminum Pro Tripod and it is a fantastic combo.
The quick release system makes attaching or disconnecting the camera from the head quick and painless, and the lever makes it easy to reposition/rotate the camera a breeze with one hand.
An excellent Ball Head for the money..
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A little on the heavy side which makes it an excellent choice for those on a budget, Choosing between this and the 488RC2, is the 488RC2 $40 better? probably, but the single ratchet locking knob’s just fine for my needs right now. One thing i think Bogen forgot is the level, not a deal breaker but would be nice to include. All in all a must buy for those looking for an excellent priced ball head.
Ball Head used with a Monopod
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great product. I bought this product in conjunction with the Manfrotto 681B Monopod. The 486RC2 is fairly light but does add a bit of weight to the top of this setup. This unit suited my needs well, I didn’t need all the bells and whistles, especially when using it on a monopod.
These are the first Manfrotto products I have bought, but will not be the last. I would also recommend this to friends and family, as well.
Well made but has Downside
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This product is sturdy and well made. However, as both the vertical and horizontal setting are controlled by one lever, it is difficult to really make sure your shots are level horizontally – independent of the tripod which oftentimes has a bubble setting to assure horizontal alignment.
Also, I have a EOS 1D Mark III plus a zoom lens, if you want to take vertical shots (as in turning the camera to its side), it seems that no matter how hard you secure the lever, the camera will droop down.
Good Ballhead
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I use this with my Bogen 055pro tripod and DSLR. Simple ballhead, works really good for its intended purpose. Good product for the price.
Very solid ball head
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a really nice ball head that can hold a lot of weight. I am able to use this head with large four pound telephoto lenses and the head shows absolutely no signs of stressing to hold everything solidly in place. The single lever to control tightness of the ball and rotation of the head is dead simple to use, and clamps down hard with ease…you can easily use one finger to clamp down enough to hold firm.
My only minor complaint is that the RapidConnect plate has a little bit of play in it when locked into the head. It’s not enough to move on it’s own, but you can definitely wiggle it if you try. The plate is the perfect size to fit a tripod ring on a telephoto lens, and can go relatively un-noticed when mounted directly to the camera body. The little lock lever to prevent you from releasing the quick release accidentally is a nice feature, but I always forget which direction is locked, and which is open. It would also be nice to have a bubble level on the mounting plate of the ball head, but it’s not that big of a deal to just look through the finder and compose your shot on your own.
This is a very sturdy ball head, as evidenced by it’s heft, weighing in at around 1 pound. It gets the job done, and seems to be able to hold up to trail abuse quite well…I see no signs of grinding or other wear caused by dust from hiking.
convenient and easy to use
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Really easy and convenient to use instead of the standard head that comes with most tripods.
Good, sturdy, basic ball head.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought this as the mounting ball for my Manfrotto 190XDB3 tripod. It is very solid/sturdy. The rapid release feature is great/convenient. The head is able to rotate 360 degrees and will also tilt over 90 degrees for vertical shots. I guess my only complaints could be (1) there is no built in level if you are set up on an uneven surface, and (2) it would have been nice if there was some way to know when you have the top of the head back in the straight upright center position again, like a groove or click that lets you know so you don’t have to guess.