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If the ball and socket holding it are made out of two different materials, they may expand and contract at different rates as the temperature changes. I suspect that the collar holding the ball is contracting faster than the ball as the temperature falls, and 'grabbing' the ball, increasing friction. You could check this by putting the ball head in the ...

I don't have this lens, but from what I read it should have a rotating tripod mount. If I understand that right, you can just loosen the screw on the side and turn the mount around (or rather turn the lens and camera when it's mounted on a tripod). If so, your problem is simply that the mount is not locked in the horizontal position. There should be a ...

Between the 468MGRC4 and 488RC4, the difference is notable. The tightening of the Hydrostatic head is very smooth and applies even pressure which makes the camera stay in the same exact position. With the standard head, there is a slight drift in the order of one or two degrees as you tighten. When I purchased my ballhead I got the standard and eventually ...

I've used a couple of older pistol grip heads (Slik 2100 and Manfrotto 3265), and I really like the idea behind them. Squeezing a handle to free the head for positioning seems like a great idea. The problem I kept running into, however, is that I needed three hands: right hand on the shutter, left hand on the lens zoom ring, and third hand on the pistol ...

I've heard people speak of tri-flow as significantly superior as a lubricant to WD-40. I don't have experience specific to ball-head maintenance, though, one way or the other. They actually have various products... their "superior lubricant" page claims to have a working temperature range of -60 to 475°F, though, which seems like it should work for you. I ...

add me as another person who was intrigued by the concept of the pistol grip, found them awkward and unwieldy in practice, and am now happily and probably permanently a ballhead user again. I talked to one of the guys at the local camera store about them as I was shopping for a replacement ballhead, and his comment was that he sold them to people when they ...

I used an RRS lever clamp for a short while long ago (shortly after the lever design came out, if memory serves). (We needed a new support system at work for some product photography and I convinced them to get this gear.) I had heard that only certain plates were compatible, so gave it a shot. Of course, the RRS plates fit just fine. I have an old ...

Kirk say Our custom machined camera and lens plates are Arca-style compatible P.S. RRS say all Really Right Stuff plates and rails will work in all screw-knob versions of Arca-Swiss style clamps.This includes screw-knob versions of Arca-Swiss style clamps from Markins, AcraTech, Arca-Swiss, and Kirk. BUT only Really Right Stuff and ...

I have the 055CXPRO3 which looks identical except that its carbon fibre. It's fantastic, and very lightweight. So if you are after lightweight, consider the CX version. The main weight comes actually with the head, but a magnesium head also takes care of that (I have the MH054M0-Q2). The combination of the 055CXPRO3 and MH054M0-Q2 is strong, robust, and ...

Using a ball head with a pistol grip is tricky - I have a Manfrotto monopod with a pistol grip, and that isn't exactly easy to use. Pistol grips, no matter what they cost, will eventually start to slip, according to all that have use them professionally - so eventually they go for a video head, and a tripod, but as the tripod must be level to work with a ...

I find most ball heads tend to drift due to camera weight & the securing knob failing to grip tightly enough. I have arthritis in my fingers, which makes it difficult to get the required tension on the ball head. With the pistol grip, it is a lot easier. For moving subjects a ballhead will probably be better, but for composition of a landscape etc, I ...

As first two have mentioned, quality of head and differnce in materials are most likely the reason. Also, check to make sure there's no moisture and/or dirt already existing in the mechanism which would compound the issue. Lastly, you may want to consider lubricating the ball head as mentioned in this SE post: Cleaning/Oiling Ball-Head

I concur with Dan. The classic knob QR, being infinitely adjustable is also the most accepting of Arca-Swiss 'style', plates from all manufacturers regardless of tolerances. Some third party plates are as much as 2mm larger and others are actually smaller. Rod Klukas US Representative Arca-Swiss Int.