Really Right Stuff Suggestion (BH-40, BH-55)

Andy · June 2, 2008

So, I just spent some time with RRS on the phone, speaking with their engineers. Marc Muench and I were musing, that for landscapers, having a BH-40 with the cool knob from the BH-55 would be sweet. The Lever on the BG-40 is nice, works fine. But the knob on the BH-55 is soooo much smoothererererer and easierererer to use, especially if you are making a lot of fine adjustments all day long :deal We landscapers don't often use the heavy telephotos that the BH-55 was designed for (400 f/2.8s and larger, typically with the gimbal head, etc).

BH-40 on the left, BH-55 on the right:

So, how about you? Would you like to see the BH-40 with the knob?

DavidTO · June 2, 2008

Ding, Ding, Ding!!!

Manfr3d · June 2, 2008

Andy wrote:

So, how about you? Would you like to see the BH-40 with the knob?

I do have alot of stuff from RRS (pano, macro, plates but no ballheads sorry)
and they shure make sume fine stuff. So yea, I would like to see it, but I would
not buy it

Simply because I already have an ergonomicaly perfect
(subjective, subective!) ballhead which has a insulating rubberized knob.
The Acratech:

Sorry for not being super supportive here :hide
but I bet ppl who buy the BH-40 would like another
knob.

Marc Muench · June 2, 2008

Manfr3d wrote:

I do have alot of stuff from RRS (pano, macro, plates but no ballheads sorry)
and they shure make sume fine stuff. So yea, I would like to see it, but I would
not buy it Simply because I already have an ergonomicaly perfect
(subjective, subective!) ballhead which has a insulating rubberized knob.
The Acratech:

Sorry for not being super supportive here :hide
but I bet ppl who buy the BH-40 would like another
knob.

SUBJECTIVE here.......

I have used this exact head for an entire day and found the knob insufficient compared with that of the BH-55. I could not get my fingers around that small little rubber knob. I will often reach down for the knob while piering through the view finder and the large knob of the BH-55 is that much easier to find, wrap my fingers around and then with all the little grooves, actually turn.
I guess I am just a snobb about my knob

jww · June 2, 2008

Andy wrote:

So, how about you? Would you like to see the BH-40 with the knob?

YES! ...especially on the one I already have! The lever works nicely, but it has also gotten in the way more times than I would have thought. :cry

Good idea!

Tango · June 2, 2008

did rss indicate they would mod as you requested or were you just suggesting this to them? :lurk

is it a simple thing for them to do?

Andy · June 2, 2008

AaronNelson wrote:

did rss indicate they would mod as you requested or were you just suggesting this to them? :lurk

is it a simple thing for them to do?

Add your feedback here so they can see it.

Manfr3d · June 2, 2008

Marc Muench wrote:

I guess I am just a snobb about my knob

I believe you. A big ballhead with a big premium knob will always win

I wonder if they would just stick the big knob on the bh-40 or make it
smaller.

Andy · June 2, 2008

Manfr3d wrote:

I believe you. A big ballhead with a big premium knob will always win
I wonder if they would just stick the big knob on the bh-40 or make it
smaller.

I'd not mind a smaller knob

Cuong · June 2, 2008

A knob on the BH-40 would be ideal since the lever in an upright position does get in the way of the plate. For those of us who already have the BH-40, it'd be nice if RRS offered modification for a reasonable fee.

Cuong

Andy · June 2, 2008

Cuong wrote:

A knob on the BH-40 would be ideal since the lever in an upright position does get in the way of the plate.

Just FYI, you do know the lever pulls out, and can be re-adjusted so that it'd not hit the plate,yes?

Tango · June 2, 2008

Andy wrote:

Add your feedback here so they can see it.

i was just asking...

me nozz haz feedback

my reasoning is since ive been eyeing new ballheads maybe i can wait a little to get a new improved bh-40

jww · June 2, 2008

Cuong wrote:

A knob on the BH-40 would be ideal since the lever in an upright position does get in the way of the plate. For those of us who already have the BH-40, it'd be nice if RRS offered modification for a reasonable fee.

Cuong

Yup.. I agree. I really like the BH-40 for the size and would be great to have it modified with a knob rather than the lever. I already have a bit of $$ credit at RRS, so I wouldn't mind an upgrade fee...

Cuong · June 2, 2008

Andy wrote:

Just FYI, you do know the lever pulls out, and can be re-adjusted so that it'd not hit the plate,yes?

Thanks, Andy. Yes, I know the lever can be pulled out and adjusted, but I like to cover it up (when not used) with the canvas pouch and it's annoying to have to adjust the lever each time to fit it inside the pouch.

Cuong

Andy · June 2, 2008

Cuong wrote:

Thanks, Andy. Yes, I know the lever can be pulled out and adjusted, but I like to cover it up (when not used) with the canvas pouch and it's annoying to have to adjust the lever each time to fit it inside the pouch.

Cuong

Hm, I don't seem to have that issue but I do know they're sending out a larger pouch now.

Cuong · June 2, 2008

Andy wrote:

Hm, I don't seem to have that issue but I do know they're sending out a larger pouch now.

Yes, Andy. I need the knob upgrade or a larger pouch.

Cuong

Pindy · June 2, 2008

I ordered my BH-40 LR 15 minutes ago, so if RRS would like to ship it to me modified, I wouldn't get angry and send it back

Knob Jockeys every one of us.

dmmattix · June 2, 2008

+1 on the knob. The lever really reduces the amount of fun one can have with the BH-40 (at least it does for me).

Regards

Mike

ian408 · June 2, 2008

Marc Muench wrote:

I have used this exact head for an entire day and found the knob insufficient...

I have a leveling base with these same knobs. I hate them. You can't get
enough torque to sufficiently secure the thing and like Marc says, when you're
reaching for it, it doesn't cut it.

I'd like to vote for RRS leveling base so I can get rid of the current one (use
the knob Joe

).

As far as the BH55 knob on the BH40, that would be awesome

Manfr3d · June 2, 2008

ian408 wrote:

I have a leveling base with these same knobs. I hate them. You can't get
enough torque to sufficiently secure the thing and like Marc says, when you're
reaching for it, it doesn't cut it.

I'd like to vote for RRS leveling base so I can get rid of the current one (use
the knob Joe ).

As far as the BH55 knob on the BH40, that would be awesome

Strange. I've never had such problems not with the V1 nor the V2.

gluwater · June 2, 2008

I second the knob. The current lever is sufficient but I've used the BH-55 and like Andy already said, the knob is smoothererererer and easierererer to use.

Completely off topic I was tightening my BH-40 at a wedding a week ago and it broke. The lever no longer tightens :cry. I wasn't even putting much pressure on it as I torqued it down. I have to talk to RRS and see if it's fixable. I hope it is since I really can't afford another right now.

DonnaLu · June 2, 2008

My .03...
Since the BH40 is the only podhead I've ever used, I don't have any basis for comparison, but the lever has been little/no problem for me. There have been a few times that I've had to make other adjustments to compensate for the lever being in the way, but for me it wasn't a major issue. Now that I see it can be adjusted, I will definitely look into it. Maybe ignorance is bliss, but I love my rig (did I admit to chimpin' every time I use it?)

A knob would work fine, but I wouldn't want to see one on the 40 the size of the knob on the 50.

A bigger bag would be groovy...put me on the list

Either way, I think it's cool as hell they're listening to the users. And that Andy is out there being the voice of the users.

claudermilk · June 3, 2008

I also only have experience with the BH-40, but I originally looked at the -55 because of the knob. I would definitely prefer a knob over the lever. An option for current owners to modify existing heads would be super.

aktse · June 9, 2008

I don't think this will soon.

Since I needed to pick up a new body plate, I decided to call them and ask about the time frame for this head. And according to the nice lady on the phone, they haven't really discussed this internally yet and it's not a trivial change due to re-machining of BH-40.

Hopefully, this lady was incorrect and someone else knows more...

(one can hope!)

Andy · June 9, 2008

aktse wrote:

I don't think this will soon.

Since I needed to pick up a new body plate, I decided to call them and ask about the time frame for this head. And according to the nice lady on the phone, they haven't really discussed this internally yet and it's not a trivial change due to re-machining of BH-40.

Hopefully, this lady was incorrect and someone else knows more... (one can hope!)

I never said anything about timing

I just wanted to give RRS some feeback

Mitchell · June 10, 2008

I own the BH-55LR. I'd be interested in purchasing another ballhead if the BH-40LR had a knob. I'm looking for a lighter setup and this would be perfect.

schmoo · June 10, 2008

I'd be all over it like white on rice.

I love the ease and findability of the knob when you're looking through the camera, but my teeny paws wanted the smaller ballhead for general use.

The idea has my endorsement.

marlof · June 10, 2008

I want that knob on my Acratech GV. It has several knobs, all different in feel and size, but I sometimes keep wondering when I'm looking through the VF if I'm unlocking the ball position, or something else. It was this knob that had me looking at the RRS BH-55, which I found too big for my general use. The lever of the BH-40 didn't look as nice to me.

LiquidAir · June 10, 2008

I have never used the RSS ball heads, but I have a Markins M10 which I am really quite fond of. Its light weight, has a very smooth movement and a big, easy to find knob.

gus · June 10, 2008

This is pretty weird. I was only looking at their site the other day thinking how nice the unit is & as im up for a new head shortly i would go with this new idea no problems at all.

pathfinder · June 10, 2008

I'm with Andy and Marc. I own and use both the BH-55 and the BH-40, and find the lever of the BH-40 much less satisfactory than the knurled knob. The lever is harder to adjust smoothly, and harder to identify tactilely, without removing my eye from the viewfinder.

I think the large style knob on the BH-40 is a great idea, that I do prefer.

If I could have my current BH-40 modded with a new knurled knob I would do that also.

Really Right Stuff Suggestion (BH-40, BH-55)

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