Markins M20 vs Feisol CB-50H ballhead


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Agetan

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Dec 31, 2004
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Hi guys...

Thought doing a small review on the above 2 ballheads. This review is purely my own opinion.

Markins M20 (US$390) Origin: Korea
Specs can be found Here

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Max loading for this ball head is 45kg, hence it will very happy to support any DSLR or SLR system with any lens mount on it.

I find the M20 is very easy to use, smooth in operation and able to position the camera combo very well. The control is spot on. I like the way the friction control is build into the main locking knob. You only need to adjust the friction once for the given combo you are using at the time.

Nice touch to the seperate pan base control. The layout of the knob is very nice. Since it is close to each other (but not too close), it enable the user to change one variable at a time while keeping the eye on the viewfinder.

Is it worth it?
Having using many manfrotto ballhead, this ball head is really outstanding for what it is. It is on the higher end of the price for a ballhead. But for its smooth operation and ease of use, this one is definately worth every single cent.

Big plus here is the weight and the precision operation.

words of warning... Plate is very expensive, but well build.

Following is the review for my latest addition, Feisol CB-50H ballhead
 

Feisol CB-50H

Specs:
HEAD HEIGHT 9.5cm
WEIGHT 540g
BALL DIAMETER 50mm
MAX LOAD 19Kg
THREAD SIZE 3/8"

Price: US$159

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After using Feisol CF tripod for some time, I am very happy with it. Hence order myself this ballhead just to try it out.

You can use the plate from feisol on Markins ballhead but not the other way round as the CB-50H has a safety locking which makes other plate from "Arca Swiss" style non compatible.

I am not sure if this will help feisol. However, the plate offered by feisol is cheaper than other.

When I receive this ball head, it looks stunning... CF look... I like it.. but is it practical? CF look merely a cosmetic apperance which won't reduce the weight of the ball head.

It is very well made and very precise in control. I think this ballhead is as smooth as the M20.

The 3 knobs is a bit troublesome in the beginning and it works in very strange way...

One knob control the friction of the ball head, which is ok, you set once then forget about it.

Then there is another knob for Ball lock, which is funny. I think most people will think this will be the base lock, but this knob actually lock the ball head. Hence when you release the main control knob, the ballhead stays but the pan base is activated.

If you release the ball lock and main lock, you can move the ballhead as well as the pan base.. I don't know if I want to move 2 things at once. There is no provision to move the ballhead only without the base moving.

Having said that, in terms of precision and smooth operation, I think this ballhead is as good as M20.

Bottom line:
If you want a cheap yet comparable to Markins M20, this is the answer for you, but you need to put up with the 3 knobs operation, which is not very practical in the field.

Last but not least, here is the picture comparing the two ball head.

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Regards,

Hart
ps. All images are copyrighted. Should you want to download a copy for your own reference, please do let me know. Just a matter of courtesy.
 

Interesting... my Manfrotto is a little bulky to say the least... but its still a pretty expensive ballhead this Feisol...
 

yeocolin said:
How would you compare the above 2 ballheads with Acratech's Ultimate ballhead?

Hi there,

I never put my hand with Acratech Ultimate Ballhead, hence can't compare them.

I am using M20 mainly and absolutely love it!!.

I was using Manfrotto 468RC2, it is about 1kg in weight... carry about 10kg... I don't think Manfrotto ballhead have the quality that these two manufacturers have. It is not as precise as these 2.

Still recommend Markins M20, but if you are in budget and desperately need a good ball head, Feisol CB-50H is great.

Hart
 

Great review on both products?
Did you buy the M20 directly from Markins' website in Korea? If so, how much was shipping?
 

Where can u get a Feisol?
 

Woah... pretty expensive considering that I still need to add a quick release plate and US$23 shipping...
 

Nice review! Feisol does have a 2 knob version, the CB-50.
 

I will get around to do a personal review on my Benro KS-2 when I have the time. Can we have the others do a personal review on their own ballhead? I know there are a number with Kangrinpoche, Acratech, Markins, Kirk`s, Gitzos and Manfrotto`s. Time to start a CS review thread for this.
 

Kangrinpoche is another excellent product. Some users find it better than Markins.
 

av98m said:
Nice review! Feisol does have a 2 knob version, the CB-50.

CB-50 has 2 knobs but don't have the pan base. Hence not very nice.

CB-50H is the updated version as far as I know.

Hart
 

canonfan said:
Great review on both products?
Did you buy the M20 directly from Markins' website in Korea? If so, how much was shipping?

Cathay got sell... no need go Korea...:)
 

3 knobs is a bit too much to bear... and if the ball and pan base cannot be separately manipulated then it's not worth the trouble... :confused:
 

TME, try the smallest kangrinpoche one. very small, light, nice to operate, and strong enough for up to medium-size lenses.

it seems largely based on the markins one, but smaller. independent panning base with degree markings, adjustable tension knob - even better than the markins one cos got numbers on the knob. i suspect it also uses the elliptical ball technology, which makes the ball tighter the further it tilts from the centre. uses normal arca-swiss type plates, and newest version has a lever-clamp quick release system.

cathay displaying the small one at $555, don't know what the actual price is. can go there and play play. but someone in B&S was selling at around $400+ new. yah lah, it's still rather steep, but to me it's a one-off cost lor. very light, and no more grease ;p
 

Don't need to start a new CS review for ballheads. Just go to www.photographyreview.com for all sorts of reviews from all over the world. Much better cos they already have a wide range of feedback on a diverse product coverage.
 

pai said:
TME, try the smallest kangrinpoche one. very small, light, nice to operate, and strong enough for up to medium-size lenses.

it seems largely based on the markins one, but smaller. independent panning base with degree markings, adjustable tension knob - even better than the markins one cos got numbers on the knob. i suspect it also uses the elliptical ball technology, which makes the ball tighter the further it tilts from the centre. uses normal arca-swiss type plates, and newest version has a lever-clamp quick release system.

cathay displaying the small one at $555, don't know what the actual price is. can go there and play play. but someone in B&S was selling at around $400+ new. yah lah, it's still rather steep, but to me it's a one-off cost lor. very light, and no more grease ;p


But that still very steep... my tripod legs cost less than $150... my entire Manfrotto setup cost less than $300...:sweat:
 

heehee, then buy new legs lor. feisol and benro ones quite cheap for a strong cf setup. heeheehee.

kidding lah. in the end this kind of thing is personal choice, up to you how you want to spend your money also. but it can really cut quite a lot of weight out of your setup. if you want, let me know, next minolta outing i bring for you to try.

personally, i got to test the $600 acratech before... in the end i prefer the kangrinpoche in almost every way. it's really very very similar to a scaled-down version of the markins.
 

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