Just in dewy, the first impression is absolutely positive!

Have primarily bought the head for my monopod and selected with the same exchange system as my 3-way pan head.
The update of the product line at Manfrotto has almost all ball heads brings a friction setting. So also the MA498RC4.
To date, there have been on this exchange system only one head, which weighs almost double and costs almost twice as much. But if it also hold 12kg - but who needs that already for hobby?

The 8kg load capacity of the 498RC4 satisfy fully.
The EOS 5D with the Canon EF 70-200 2.8 L USM on the supplied tripod mount it holds bombproof. The camera is usually leads to the right, ie resolves free the gate with the left - and the real with the left - without having to spend a lot of power sits the new ball head bombproof, the fine friction adjustment, which presses the aluminum sleeve from the bottom of the ball, allows a perfect setting on the lens used or the desired grip even in unclamped, if you want to pan the camera times.

For the alignment, there are 2 small round dragonflies, to facilitate the horizontal alignment, both when the camera plate is horizontal, as is tilted by 90 °. On my Neiger I have much better water levels, and only with absolute panning to 90 ° to the side of the vial. At the ball head is this, of course, no room, so you have to be satisfied. The camera plate snaps usual safe keeping, as I am used also by the head attached.

Processing and feel like. Even if the ball head is advertised as aluminum head, the ball itself is plastic - I suppose unbreakable ABS plastic, perhaps GRP material. I hope he keeps as good as he is now. A few times back and forth slide leaves at least once no scratches in the ball joint.

Advantage over the Neiger: I can not just swing 90 ° to the front, but also 90 ° backwards, since I'm ever encountered with the Neiger against limits, as I wanted to photograph the moon. Since only vertical and thus the pivot associated remained right. In the case no matter, but if it is really serious times, you would have otherwise only the complete tripod regroup and tend accordingly, which again increases the risk of tipping over, if you do not abspreizt legs.