Value for money Markins alternative ball head


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hokkaido88

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Dec 29, 2007
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Is there any other ball head that could do the following :-

i) Ability to do fine adjustment without the setup dropping.

ii) Won't creep while tightening

iii) Durable and won't has problem tightening as the years goes by.
 

What is your setup?

How about the Benro B3 (latest version)?

Half the price, but not half the performance of Markins.
 

There will be a new brand coming, pls wait awhile more if you can... by november.
 

My setup is 5d Mark II +70-200mm and a flash.

silvergetz, is the Benro ballhead is durable and could last as long as the Markins?

B3 is the largest and highest model from the B series. If not mistaken it's as large as the Markins M20 head.

I read somewhere from the internet that it's predecessor (KS series) is not durable.

Theoritically my setup weight would be 3kg and thus if I follow the 3x formula the max load of the ball head should be 9kg.

But I wonder why some said even the markins Q3 with 30kg max load not suitable for 300mm lens or longer?

And if that's true then what about those China made ballhead with much lesser max load capacity?

jnet6, may I know what brand is it? Is it a new China made brand but has all the Markins features?
 

Similar Quality but Cheaper Alternative to markins shd be kangrinpoche

higher quality and expensive alternative is arcaswiss
 

i'm researching for ballheads because my current setup won't allow me to compose precise 1:1 macro as the ballhead always creep...

just to share with you my research results after my week long research... mainly from the big 4 brands, i.e. Arca Swiss, RRS, Markins, and Kirk... please note that this is the result of my research reading forum, website, and even products comments by buyers...

if you want ballhead to lock up and the creep to count by pixel (NOT MM), then RRS, Arca Swiss, and Markins... RRS BH-55 shifts by few pixels, Arca Swiss Z1 in between, Markins M10 shifts max 60 pixels... those are first tiers... (Note: a lot of people don't really lock Markins ballhead as the tension load (if set correctly) could actually hold the camera and lens without creeping... also, Markins as the smoothest of all to provide very fine adjustment to the ballhead for macro composition...)

Kirk's biggest ballhead BH-1 would shift up to 1mm... Acratech Ultimate and GV2 would creep quite a lot, more than 1mm, but some said that Acratech creeping is predictable that you could compensate the creep... Ultimate is having a free movement advantage if paired with Horizontal capable center column on some tripods...

Manfrotto ballheads creep... unless you use the geared head which is heavy... this is quite true for Gitzo ballhead as well... not sure about other brands because can't find reviewers to use those brands for 1:1 macro...

hope this helps...
 

i'm researching for ballheads because my current setup won't allow me to compose precise 1:1 macro as the ballhead always creep...

just to share with you my research results after my week long research... mainly from the big 4 brands, i.e. Arca Swiss, RRS, Markins, and Kirk... please note that this is the result of my research reading forum, website, and even products comments by buyers...

if you want ballhead to lock up and the creep to count by pixel (NOT MM), then RRS, Arca Swiss, and Markins... RRS BH-55 shifts by few pixels, Arca Swiss Z1 in between, Markins M10 shifts max 60 pixels... those are first tiers... (Note: a lot of people don't really lock Markins ballhead as the tension load (if set correctly) could actually hold the camera and lens without creeping... also, Markins as the smoothest of all to provide very fine adjustment to the ballhead for macro composition...)

Kirk's biggest ballhead BH-1 would shift up to 1mm... Acratech Ultimate and GV2 would creep quite a lot, more than 1mm, but some said that Acratech creeping is predictable that you could compensate the creep... Ultimate is having a free movement advantage if paired with Horizontal capable center column on some tripods...

Manfrotto ballheads creep... unless you use the geared head which is heavy... this is quite true for Gitzo ballhead as well... not sure about other brands because can't find reviewers to use those brands for 1:1 macro...

hope this helps...

Good info!:thumbsup: I guess they won't do review for Benro.
 

a bit of update for TS:

i was leaning towards RRS after week long research, yet i tried the Markins ballheads at some photography shops... the ballhead is hella smooth with right tension set, can do fine adjustment by nudging the camera / lens, and don't really need to lock up to prevent creep... if the reviewer didn't lock the main knob just to compare difference between RRS and Arca Swiss, Markins is actually having zero creep with tension properly set and not locked up...

also, the pan base lock problems reported in most of the forums don't quite frustrate me, just need more force to lock and unlock, still very smooth (at least for the Q3 and M10 i tried)...

if TS is having budget constraint, i think the Markins Q3 could really hold up to 15kg to be conservative (vs 30kg listed on their website)... but for your gear to reach 15kg you need medium format, heavy lens, and few strobes mounted on the camera already... ;p

i personally think used Markins Q3 at Buy and Sell less than SGD400 is a very good buy...
 

egnaro, kangrinpoche price is not much different from Markins despite being cheaper. I heard it's from Korea. Is it a Korean brand but made in China?

Looks like the no creep features and ability to make fine adjustment is Markins and no other substiture?
 

egnaro, kangrinpoche price is not much different from Markins despite being cheaper. I heard it's from Korea. Is it a Korean brand but made in China?

Looks like the no creep features and ability to make fine adjustment is Markins and no other substiture?

Kangrinpoche is fr china and it is china brand.

You get wat you paid. If you need markins quality and ability, just get it. And you can forget upgrading ballhead anymore (unless u have much much heavier set up)
 

chalib, that's including the durability? i.e the china made one i.e Benro or this Kangringpoche won't last forever and performance might degrade over the time?
 

chalib, that's including the durability? i.e the china made one i.e Benro or this Kangringpoche won't last forever and performance might degrade over the time?

Never use Kangrinpoche before. I throw away my benro after 2 years usage.

If ballhead with Benro price can last as Markins, then Markins will close down :bsmilie:
 

Kangrinpoche didn't fail me for the last two years despite my heavy setup, of course if set back to back with markin, markin will be a better choice. You get what you paid for. :)

Everyone got budget when spending on hobby, if there is not budget issue, why stop at Markin, there are a few better brands out there to choose from. :)
 

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To TS: Just get the Markins lar. Buy once, and don't look back. :thumbsup: Personally using Q3T, as its one of the smallest ballhead in the market giving outstanding performance/price ratio. Mainly using it for landscapes/night photography, portraits, occasional macro. It can hold a 5DII and 70-200mm with absolutely no problems. My only gripe is the panning base lock issue, but its relatively minor compared to the plus points of this ballhead.
 

To TS: Just get the Markins lar. Buy once, and don't look back. :thumbsup: Personally using Q3T, as its one of the smallest ballhead in the market giving outstanding performance/price ratio. Mainly using it for landscapes/night photography, portraits, occasional macro. It can hold a 5DII and 70-200mm with absolutely no problems. My only gripe is the panning base lock issue, but its relatively minor compared to the plus points of this ballhead.

actually a few good brand got panning base lock issue especially with Gitzo tripod.....i'm using those industrial heavy duty tape by 3M to secure my BH to the base plate, just to be safe.
 

Kangrinpoche is fr china and it is china brand.

You get wat you paid. If you need markins quality and ability, just get it. And you can forget upgrading ballhead anymore (unless u have much much heavier set up)

Never use Kangrinpoche before. I throw away my benro after 2 years usage.

IMO Kangrinpoche is one of the best for china brand. I cant guarantee long last but I will say Benro has no compare to it. BTW I am Markins user, not Kangrinpoche.

I mention above becuz when I was hunting for a BH, I face the same issue.
 

Last edited:
To TS: Just get the Markins lar. Buy once, and don't look back. :thumbsup: Personally using Q3T, as its one of the smallest ballhead in the market giving outstanding performance/price ratio. Mainly using it for landscapes/night photography, portraits, occasional macro. It can hold a 5DII and 70-200mm with absolutely no problems. My only gripe is the panning base lock issue, but its relatively minor compared to the plus points of this ballhead.

Yes.. !!! you are right..!!!
I'm a happy Markins BH user....


Bro... You have ask the same questions before...
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=565121

Anyway to answer your questions..

My setup is as below...

50D with BG
70-200mm F2.8L IS USM. (Lens is mounted on BH)
GT1541T Tripod
Markins Q3

Very stable and my Markins Q3 doesn't shift at all. ;)

Markins BH is good for me....
Will upgrade to another M10 once I have a bigger lens....(If I need that) :sweatsm:
 

markins and never look back...i use it with the same set up as TS. creeping? never happen to mine even with a 70200 f2.8 + 580ex2,5d2 + grip...solid stuff...better than buy some monkey brand...spoilt or not happy change again..and lose money..
 

I used to challenge my frz saying if he/she can move the clamp after I lock it, I will give them the head free..

haha, lucky till today I get to keep my M10
 

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