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This medium ball head has been totally redesigned for better ease of use. The new friction control knob allows the photographer to achieve superior control when handling the camera and making micro movements without having to totally lock and unlock the ball head. The locking knob on this head have been redesigned to be more ergonomic, easier to handle and more user-friendly. The ergonomic shape allows the user to better lock the ball for security. A smart repositionable locking lever allows the user to place it in a comfortable position in order to use it in the most convenient way. Just pull it outwards, put it in the best working position and then release it. The locking lever securely locks the head both in the +90° -90° ball positioning and in the 360° pan positions. This head is designed to be used with compact 3mm and small digital cameras up to 8lbs. The 494 replaces the Manfrotto 484 head.
having owned a huge number of ballheads over the last 40 years, when i needed a less-expensive head i tried this new bogen due to past experience with bogen heads and reviews of the previous model that this particular head was based on (this version was too new to find much info on).
many folks prefer a QR head that uses a plate mounted to the camera body that's left on all the time. i don't. that's why i chose this basic unit. why? i don''t like hand-holding the body with the plate attached nor the fact that to make use of that feature on multiple bodies require a number of additional plates. plus i dislike the way most plates lock-up (i've even had a couple unlock at the wrong time or fail to lock correctly). i'm old fashion and just prefer threading the screw into the socket each time. slightly slower, but lighter, simpler, smaller, less to lose.
i'm very pleased with it. light, small, flexible. it's smooth, easy to use and adjust. an excellent buy for the money.
there are better heads out there (like the arca-swiss i've owned) that run into the hundreds, but for the average photog this brand makes most of the best-buy heads today.
i added it to Adorama's smallest carbonfiber Flashpoint tripod and it's the perfect mate to it. easily handles my Nikon D300 with 18-200 zoom. fast, quick, small, simple.
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I needed a small ball head for my monopod and landed on the 494: petite, solid build and excellent fit and finish. The body is cast aluminum with stainless hardware and a phenolic resin ball. Phenolic resin is the plastic used for pool balls, so it's tough. Nevertheless, a metal ball would inspire more confidence in the head's long term durability. The body is attractively finished in matte black. Cast aluminum--old timers call it "pot metal"--isn't as strong as machined aluminum but shouldn't be much of a concern as long as you don't toss your gear on the rocks. Unlike some older Manfrotto ball heads, the 494 features a double drop slot so you can save a rotation when you flip the rig to vertical.
The ball mechanism works fine under light to moderate loads but isn't as smooth as my similar sized Gitzo G1177M. I swabbed a wee bit of silicone on the ball with a Q-tip and it helped. The drag adjustment is welcome as otherwise the ball is loose as goose. The ball is small compared to the housing and I suspect a design of less housing and more ball would yield a smoother ride. Nevertheless, it works fine for the limited movements I need on my monopod and table top tripod. A hardcore tripod user may not be as pleased and may want to considered a larger model (054 or 468 series) unless compactness is paramount.
I needed a small ball-head for my monopod, to use with a Canon 5D Mark II. I first tried the Giottos MH1304-110C Professional Mini Ball Head. It was inexpensive and nicely made but very quickly proved unsatisfactory. It doesn't lock strongly enough to support my DSLR.
For almost three times as much money, this Manfrotto 494 unit clearly is made to perform. It has a lever that locks the ball easily; a "drag" adjustment to allow fine-tuning of the friction of the ball when the ball is not locked; and the lock lever may be positioned to personal taste. Overall, this is a superior solution that is worth the extra money if you have a larger DSLR.
The thing I like is that it fits the top of the monopod and is very unobtrusive compared to larger units. Thanks Manfrotto!
You may need the thread adapter if your tripod or monopod has a 1/4" thread:
The Manfrotto 494 Ball Head is amazingly useful for a bunch of situations where your normal tripod won't work. I use mine with the Manfrotto 243 Car Window Pod and with my GlideShot jib crane. Each let me set the level and angle of my shot easily and confidently work away from the camera. Don't expect to be able to get a smooth pan or tilt as you are shooting - for that, you will need your fluid head.
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The ballhead works pretty well, and the friction control is nice, allowing you to do quick position adjustments without fully locking it down. However, panning doesn't work at all unless the friction is quite low, to where the camera would just fall over if you let go, and even then it feels quite rough. I guess I should have gotten one with separate panning control...
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This item: Manfrotto 494 Ball Head Replaces Manfrotto 484
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