ARCA-SWISS Monoball Z1 SP Single Pan with Quick Set Device "Flip-Lock" , Supports 132 lbs. (Requires Plate)

I don't think I've ever purchased a more solid-feeling product in my life. This thing will last forever. It's so close in price to similar ball heads, but will hold nearly ten times the weight. Why bother with anything else? They're attachment plate technology is copied by everyone!

I'm now wishing I purchased their traditional screw down mount!I'm using this ballhead with a Canon 5DS with a battery grip and Kirk L bracket installed. The top mount needs to be adjusted so that the Kirk L bracket will fit securely into the mount. That's accomplished by a little knob that you can just see in the Amazon product image on the left of the retaining screw. However, if you turn the screw too much, the mount will literally fall apart with its springs that were previously under load flying out! The safety pins do not work with my Kirk L bracket, either. I did not have this problem with off brand arca swiss compatible mounts.

This is somewhat lengthy, as it is meant to be a comparison of two ball heads. But you can extract the Monoball-Z - specific information easily.Ball head comparison: Arca-Swiss Monoball-Z (ASMZ) and Really Right Stuff BH-55 LR (RRS55), both with quick-release lever clamp, not a screw-mount clamp.So, here's my dilemma: I love my Nikon D4 camera and wouldn't want to miss it, but it is one super heavy beast. Despite manufacturer claims to hold 15 to 20 pounds of weight, normal ball heads (that is those priced below $200) can't hold it vertically (with the head rotated through one of the notches to the side), (the D4 is about 3 pounds!).My solution to this was to use L-brackets on both D4 and D700, which enables me to simply switch the camera vertical, with the ball head remaining in its upright position. This works well, because it is like runinig your camera to the left, your right hand and the shutter on the upside makes for a natural adjustment using camera controls. But it is an undertaking that gets really old if you do this many times per photo shoot. Screw-screw-screw-screw-screw-screw-screw (yes, it takes you about as long as reading this out loud!) until the L-bracket is loose enough to be tilted out, turn camera and screw-screw-screw-screw-screw-screw-screw until it is tight.Because of this, I was looking for a ball head with (1) a mounting plate that holds Arca-Swiss style L-brackets and doesn't have some proprietary plate design and (2) has a quick release clamp instead of a screw mount. There are only two on the market that I am aware of and that are sturdy enough to hold a heavy camera with confidence, the ASMZ and the RRS55. Both heavily overpriced, I think, the ASMZ goes for $400, the RRS55 for $450 (plus shipping).I ended up ordering the RRS55 ($30 S/H!), looked forward to getting it, but was very disappointed to find out that both of my L-brackets didn't get held in the clamp securely enough, I was able to move them back and forth when clamped down. A call to their customer service revealed that I'm out of luck, as these cannot be adjusted. They do have distance rings in them to fine-tune the clamping power, but it would be a warranty voiding operation to put one more in to make it tighter. Plus, the clamping mechanism is made such that there is no extra space between the moving and the static part of the clamp. CS suggested I could use (their heavily overpriced) RRS clamps (no L-bracket available) or the screw mount type, which tightens more. Geez, thanks for those options.Getting ready to return the RRS55 to the manufacturer, I ordered the ASMZ from Amazon (free Prime shipping for me) and was equally excited to finally get something useful. Alas, I was disappointed again. Even though this mounting plate is adjustable and allowed me to tighten it such that both L-clamps were securely held (with different adjustment settings!), the clamp doesn't open wide enough to enable tilting out the camera, I can only slide it out to the side, even with the clamp all the way open. No way to have both wide opening and secure grip. Baffling that such high priced items cannot be made to accommodate everyone and be most useful.So, in the end, I decided to keep the RRS55, because it feels beefier and more solid, albeit at a $80 premium. Here is a Pro/Con list for both:Both:- very sturdy construction- 2 inch ball for heavy load and very secure grip (if the plate fits)- both very & too expensive- both very heavy (unavoidable with the beefy construction)Arca Swiss Monoball-Z:Pros:- Only two adjustment knobs for ball head and panning (the damper for the ball head is built into the main knob)- slimmer in design, more in line with other ball heads- Biggest pro: adjustable clamp width to accommodate probably any AS-style clamp on the market- the panning lock is a lever type and cannot be mistaken in the dark with any other knob. Quick 1/4 turn release, too, good idea.Cons:- the damper for the ball head is built into the main knob and very awkward to adjust, also doesn't seem to stay put, as with most such ball heads.- only one slot to drop the camera and the main knob will be pointing at you (to drop left) or away from you (to drop right)- panning is not as smooth as with the RRS55Really Right Stuff BH-55 LR:Pros:- Feels beefier, sturdiest ball head I've seen.- bigger main ball knob for easier tightening- has two drop slots, about 90° apart, main knob faces you when dropping left or faces left when dropping right. This is the preferred orientation, but dropping right makes camera operation just plain awkward- shorter than ASMZ (and others) by about half an inch- comes with a nice, padded pouch with drawstring and hook, but I don't really see the point for this.Cons:- three adjustment knobs, the panning and the damper knobs can be mistaken for each other in the dark- overly wide and bulky, looks ridiculous on tripods without supporting base of same width.

I like Arca Swiss, and I like their new security pin stops. Of course you have to buy new lens plates, as these stops only work for the lower deck of the double decker.It woud not be a huge modification for all manufacturers who do Arca Swiss "compatible" plates (Wimberley, Kirk, etc...) to modify they stops so as to use the lower deck security pins, which are slightly off-center, when, say, a Wimberley plate is put in this clamp.(That plate only fits the upper deck). It is obviously an attempt by Arca-Swiss to redefine their standard, creating an incompatibility with competition.It may work in Europe...but I doubt that this attempt at modifying the so called Arca-Swiss standard will succeed. I have been privy to an analog attempt, by a huge company, to do the same thing, many years ago, creating what it thought to be a "new" standard, incompatible with the "old". But it did not work. The "old" standard stayed THE standard. the "NEW" never took on.

After dismissing ARCA-SWISS heads as over-hyped, over-priced and merely a status-brand for snobbish photographers, I finally TRIED one. Wow...THIS is the way to go!Feeling like the ignorant idiot that I was, I now humbly join the chorus to sing the praises of this product.Don't waste time (and money) like I did on other heads...get the best from the start!

I've held off for years to invest in a quality head and now kick myself for waiting so long. The Z1 is everything it claims to be in build and functionality. The flip lock adjustment could be a little easier to work with but not a sow stopper.One suggestion to Arca Swiss ---- provide some instructions.

The ball head is solid. A precision machine. One big decisive mistake: the quick release, that is annoying and difficult to operate and to adjust, so much so that I returned it. I am thinking of getting the simple screwing plate release.

Compared to RRR BH-55: This is lighter, taller and looks plain when compared tosnappy design and markings on RRR. Pan lock semi adjustable and not as smooth as RRR. Cheaper and free shipping a plus. Complaint with small release lever and "complex" release procedure (pull small button foward for half release, then slide small rod back to full release). Plus is adjustable tension on release lever.