A ball head that should not be on the left.

This ball head shines through a good and robust workmanship. Everything except for the two actuating handles are made of hard plastic, is made of solid metal. The level of the highest point is 10.5 cm at its widest point 9.5 cm. With a net weight of more than 400 g of the spherical head leaves a very solid impression in his hand. The load capacity is 6 kg (according to the manufacturer), I myself have so far the ball head with the Nikon D60 + 300 lens and an SB 600 used (as a test), this weight does not even drew him a weary smile.

He settled well and easily adjusted to a different position, if the fine adjustment (small screw labeled -FRICTION-) was previously set up correctly with this unwieldy package. With the small screw to blaspheme the runnability of the ball, and the rotational movement of the head 360 degrees, provide tighter or easier, the large screw (labeled -LOCK-) fixes the spherical head then finally in the set position, firmly. The ball with the attached camera can be tilted up to an angle of 90 °, and rotated in all directions.

The ball head 496RC2 is equipped with quick-change system 200L. Here, a metal plate with a single screw under the camera is fastenings, (again removable), this disc snaps onto the counterpart which is on the ball, and is thus firmly connected. Even now after 5 months, the quick-change system has lost none of its maintenance. Only the release of the camera from the quick release is tricky in many a situation but not an obstacle. They secured the ball head by screwing on the base plate of the tripod and fixed him with three screws, at least on the tripod from Manfrotto 055XPROB.

The ball head -Manfrotto 496RC2- has in my opinion a very good price-performance ratio and can be recommended by me only.