We have prepared three charts (broken down by load capacity) comparing some of the most popular ball heads. We do not advertise ball heads on our web site, but we do carry and sell several of the models listed below. Please call us if you are interested. Important Information for Non-Wimberley Clamp Compatibilty

Important Information for Lever Clamp (Flip Lock) Users:
If your ball head has a lever-style clamp, please click here.

—  High Capacity Heads (Will support the largest lenses: e.g. 600 f/4, 400 f/2.8)  —

Ball Head	Weight (lbs)	Arca-Swiss style QR Clamp	Retail Price	Available Through Wimberley	Comments
Arca-Swiss Z-1 (with Wimberley C-10 Quick-Release Clamp Installed)	1.5	Yes (Wimberley C-10)	$335.00	Temporarily not for sale	Temporary halted the sale of the Z-1. Please see Arca Swiss Z1 Warning Update Details. Arca Swiss Z1 UPDATE June 3, 2008 Arca Swiss Statement June 20, 2008
Linhof Profi III	2.8	No, Must add Wimberley C-10 Clamp ($79.00)	$615.95	No	Very nice ball head. Friction control not as smooth as Arca-Swiss, but doesn't have lock-up problems found with the Arca-Swiss. Cons: very expensive, does not come with an Arca-Swiss style quick-release.
Foba Superball	2.6	Yes	$534.95	No	Excellent load capacity, average smoothness. It uses a lever rather than a knob to lock the ball. The lever is quick to operate, but bulky and difficult to adjust.
Graf Studioball	3.7	Yes	$314.00	No	Excellent load capacity, very good smoothness. The panning base uses ball bearings, and is very low-friction. If you are not concerned with the weight, this head is a good option. The knobs on this head are plastic and they are not captive. Broken or missing knobs are not uncommon on these heads.
Markins M-20	1.3	Yes	$390.00	No	This is the lightest head in this group, but it will still hold the largest lenses. It is basically a smaller version of the Arca-Swiss B-1, but unlike the B-1, it doesn't have an aspherical ball. As far as we know, it does not have any lock-up problems. It is very nicely made and has excellent variable tension (virtually no stick-slip).
Really Right Stuff BH-55	1.9	Yes	$415.00	No	This is a very attractive ballhead that will hold a lot of weight. It does not have the smoothest variable friction, but the variable friction control knob is very easy to use and intuitive. The quick-release clamp has a built-in bubble level.

—  Medium-High Capacity Heads (Will support 500 f/4 sized lenses)  —

Ball Head	Weight (lbs)	Arca-Swiss style QR Clamp	Retail Price	Available Through Wimberley	Comments
Kirk BH-1	2.0	Yes	$355.00	No	Very capable ball head. Slightly heavier and less smooth than Arca-Swiss B-1 and holds slightly less weight. Does not have the lock-up problems of the Arca-Swiss. Click here for more details.
Gitzo 1377M (With Wimberley C-10 QR Clamp attached Installed)	2.0	No (Requires Wimberley C-10GZ)	$224.00	No	Similar to Kirk BH-1, but with slightly less load capacity. Will hold the weight of a 500mm f/4, but not as well as other similarly sized heads. Click here for more details.

—  Medium Capacity Heads (Will support 300 f/2.8 sized lenses)  —

Ball Head	Weight (lbs)	Arca-Swiss style QR Clamp	Retail Price	Available Through Wimberley	Comments
Kirk BH-3	1.25	Yes	$255.00	No	Slightly better load capacity than other heads in this category, but not quite as smooth as the Gitzo 1277M or the Linhof Profi II.
Gitzo 1277M (With Wimberley C-10 QR Clamp Attached Installed)	1.3	Yes (Wimberley C-10)	$214.00	Yes (please call if you are interested)	Excellent smoothness and very economic. Slightly less weight capacity than the Kirk BH-3, and slightly less range of motion (without dropping the stem of the ball into the slot) than the Kirk or Linhof heads. Click here for more details.
Linhof Profi II	1.6	No, Must add Wimberley C-10 Clamp ($79.00)	$409.95	No	Excellent smoothness but expensive and does not come with an Arca-Swiss style quick-release clamp. Click here for more details.
Acra-Tech Ball Head	1.0	Yes	$290.00	Yes (please call if you are interested)	Very lightweight, decent smoothness, and good load capacity for this category. Unique slanted sleeve for holding the ball can make it more difficult to position the ball without repositioning the pan mechanism. Click here for more details.