Anyone using a Beike BK03 ball head?

They seem almost too good to be true!

Less than £16 on eBay, 8kg load capacity and arca swiss compatible quick release.

Just wondering if anyone has first hand experience using them?

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Gareth
Welsh Photographer

My outfit: K1 gripped - Pentax D FA 24-70mm - Sigma 70-200mm OS HSM - Pentax modified DA* 60-250mm f4 - Irix 15mm Firefly - Pentax FA 35mm - FA 50mm - Tamron SP 90mm macro - Pentax AF 540 FGZ II

My Flickr
My PPG
My 500px

Hi Gareth,
Have had one for a few years and a nice unit. The Swiss Arca quick release plates are readily available on ebay for additional camera bodies.

No problems in using. However, the main securing rubber knob requires a couple of turns to secure the ball head really tight.

Well worth the money and it appears to be solidly built.

Regards
Malcombe

^^^^ +1

Absolutely no complaints.

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Cheers
Brian.
LBA is good for you, a Lens a day helps you work, rest and play.

Looking at the product pad=ge, it's a direct knock off of Sirui ball heads. A high standard to start with Though having purchased one recently...I still marvel at the smoothness original product delivers....

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'Photography...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten....' (Aaron Siskind)

Cool, may just take the plunge!

Thanks all

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Gareth
Welsh Photographer

My outfit: K1 gripped - Pentax D FA 24-70mm - Sigma 70-200mm OS HSM - Pentax modified DA* 60-250mm f4 - Irix 15mm Firefly - Pentax FA 35mm - FA 50mm - Tamron SP 90mm macro - Pentax AF 540 FGZ II

My Flickr
My PPG
My 500px

I've got 3 or 4 (might even be more) of these - some beike branded, some other. They all cost me between £12 and £15.

Not had a single problem with any of them - all serving me well, which is more than I can say for the crap red snapper ballhead.

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Mike

Pentax K5 / Pentax K5 11/ Pentax K200D / Canon Rebel T1 i / Canon 650D / Pentax MX-1 / Fuji XF1 /Fuji X 10 / Canon EOS-M / Canon G10/ Pentax Mz-7 x 2

Considering what you pay for cameras and lenses it's silly to use cheap ball heads when you can now buy top stuff from Tiltall, Feisol or Sirui for £60 to £110. You can even buy a tripod from Amazon for £90 that includes a £70 Sirui C-10X head

REVIEW SIRUI C-10X

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

That's like saying don't buy a new Ford of you can afford a used Mercedes or don't buy a M 300mm f4 as there is the DA* 300mm

If the reviews are good and people first hand say they're good then why spend any more?

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Gareth
Welsh Photographer

My outfit: K1 gripped - Pentax D FA 24-70mm - Sigma 70-200mm OS HSM - Pentax modified DA* 60-250mm f4 - Irix 15mm Firefly - Pentax FA 35mm - FA 50mm - Tamron SP 90mm macro - Pentax AF 540 FGZ II

My Flickr
My PPG
My 500px

My old Aunt Bessie used to swear by Kodak 126 Instamatics she used to say the pictures were brilliant.

Qualified technical reviews using scientific equipment to measure vibrations etc. are much more reliable.

I'm a bit pissed off that my £200+ Novoflex Magic Ball 50 isn't rated as highly as 3 ball heads costing below £100 I also have the Novoflex 5 which isn't included, but probably gets beaten as well.

The Tiltall BH-07 (90%) even beats mega expensive stuff like Arca Swiss No wonder they used to be marketed by Leica

http://www.traumflieger.de/desktop/ballhead/ballheads2.php

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

Let us know what you think of the head if you go for it gareth

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Mike

Pentax K5 / Pentax K5 11/ Pentax K200D / Canon Rebel T1 i / Canon 650D / Pentax MX-1 / Fuji XF1 /Fuji X 10 / Canon EOS-M / Canon G10/ Pentax Mz-7 x 2