My Week With The BH-40 Ballhead: The First “Scott Thinks It’s Hot!™†Award Winner!
A few weeks back I mentioned that for Father’s Day my wife bought me the Gitzo Traveler Tripod, along with a Really Right Stuff BH-40 Ballhead, and I’ve had a number of emails, and some posts, asking about my experience with both.
I’ll start with the BH-40 ballhead, which is the first recipient of my new “Scott Thinks It’s Hot!” Award (as seen in the logo above, designed by NAPP’s creative director Felix Nelson as a takeoff on one of my other favorite logos; the “Hot Now” sign at Krispy Kreme). The “Scott Thinks It’s Hot!” award is kind of like this blog’s “Editor’s Choice” award or “Hot Pick” award, and will only be awarded to products or services that: (1) I fall hopelessly in love with, and (b) I actually use myself. So, if you see that logo on a product in my blog, it has to be just about perfect (well, to me anyway).
So, after a week with the BH-40 (the little brother of the BH-55), I’m in love. It feels and works like the BH-55 (my main ballhead), but without the size or weight (which makes it a perfect companion to my new smaller tripod). Despite its smaller size, it performed flawlessly, even with quite a heavy load, and its movement was smooth, fast, and responsive (just like its big brother). The BH-40 LRII sells for around $399, and although I usually buy all my gear from B&H Photo, to get Really Right Stuff gear you have to go directly to their Web site and buy from them direct.
Now, the other part of this “My week with” is my experience with my new Gitzo Traveler tripod. Overall, I really liked it, and it will definitely be my “on the road” tripod of choice from now on (unless I’m doing a photo workshop, and then I’ll bring out the “big guns” and take my Gitzo GT3540 Tripod Series 3 Mountaineer with my BH-55 Ballhead instead). Gitzo nailed the size/weight issue—the Traveler weighs less than I though it would, and it’s so small there’s no excuse for not taking it with you. As much as I fell in love with traveling with it, carrying it, and setting it up, for some reason I haven’t fallen in love with using it yet. I’m going to test it again this week, and I’ll let you know if my love for its light weight and size blossoms into true love, but so far, we’re still just dating. (remember, to get my “Scott Thinks it’s Hot” Award, a product has to be “just about perfect”).
Hey, one last thing: there are FIVE posts today, so scroll down to the next post. 
Hi Scott,
I’m with you on the BH-40 from RRS - a work of art and brilliant at what it does. Very pleased with mine - good weight, excellent craftmanship and easy to use. Covers all bases! Just wondering whether it will handle a 300mm F2.8IS if I ever get one?!
Best wishes,
Jon
I’ve got a 40 as well, and I love it because it locks down so tight even with large L tele zoom on it. Jon: since the 300 has a mounting collar/foot, you can probably use it with the 45. As long as the load is balanced in the middle, there’s really nothing this little head can’t do. Well, except for the 600mm monster from Canon.
Scott,
Will the 40 support a D200 with the 70-200VR lens? I have been holding off because of the price of the 55 and wondering if I should buy the 40.
Thanks,
Kevin
To Kevin:
Absolutely!!! Just use the mounting collar on the lens itself (rather than mounting the camera itself) and it will do just great. In fact, you probably could mount the camera, but since the 70-200VR has that collar, you’re better off to use it.
-Scott
Scott:
Yes, indeed….RRS rocks
I got my BH-40 LR, a BD80-L L-plate, and one of the Gitzo mountaineer tripods about 5 months ago from the RRS website for my Nikon D80. I chose the LR over the LR II because I already had a camera-mounted level (Jobu design) from B&H.
The combination of the L-plate attached to the D80 and the LR’s clamp setup is pretty sweet, because it allows me to switch from portrait to landscape orientation on the tripod in seconds.
Gitzo makes awesome tripods. This was my first professional tripod, and I cant say enough good things about it.
Sorry, I didn’t mention the Gitzo tripod model I got in my last post. It was the GT2530.
Peace.
Scott,
Thanks for the information!! One last question….How do you attach the 70-200VR 2.8 to the BH-40?? It looks like I need a LCF-10 for another 100.00. Tell me it isn’t so…….I should have paid attention to this in Atlanta!!!
Kevin
Hi Kevin:
I use an L-bracket on my camera, so I had to have the quick release adapter on the top of the Ballhead match the L-bracket (and I did buy that from Really Right Stuff). Hey, I never said photography was cheap.
-Scott
Scott,
I just received my BH-40 from RRS and set it up with my D200 & 70-200VR. I must say it is absolutely UNBELIEVABLE !!! I had a trigger mount previously and cannot believe the difference. All of the adjustments work so precisely it has such a solid feel to it!! Does anyone want to buy a slightly used trigger mount!!!
My wife is still recovering from your “Gonzo Holiday Gaget Guide” but just wanted to say thanks for the suggestion!!!!
Kevin
Hi Scott, I’m confused, do you mean the 1540 or the 1550? Is there a difference? I’m going to Thailand and I need a new tripod for traveling. (Santa Fe Workshop trip!) Would you recommend either and the BH- Ballhead for this?
~janet
I meant the BH-40 Ballhead…see above.
I’ve been using the Gitzo GT1550T traveler, with the BH-40 ballhead, and have had no problem with vibration or stability using the Canon Mark III and Canon 70-200mm F2.8 is lens. Reading the weight capacities on the Gitzo specs caused me concern, but the tripod is far sturdier than one might expect from a tripod that is oh, so light. I’m going to Santa Fe next week and can’t wait to bring the traveler with me.
Hi Scott,
Will the Gitzo GT1550T Traveller tripod and the BH40 LRII ball head hold a Hasselblad 501CM with a 100 mm lens and a 45PM viewfinder? I’m getting old and my back is starting to ache from carrying all this heavy camera gear. Thanks for your help.
Dennis
Hi Scott, thank you for this tip. After looking into this product, I compared it against the Markins Q3 Emille Ballhead. The Markins has many pros over the RRS.
Specifications: Weight 385 gr / 13.6 oz
Load Capacity 30 Kg / 65 lbs
Load to Weight Ratio 77.9:1
Height 91 mm / 3.58 in
Housing diameter 48mm / 1.89 in
Base diameter 56mm / 2.20 in
Ball diameter 38mm / 1.5 in
Quick Release Shoe QR-48 (48mm / 1.5 in)
Friction control Bi-Axial, Progressive
Tripod Mounting 3/8†UNC
Colors Black
The RRS BH-40 stands for
Price: $390
Load capacity: 18 pounds (8kg)
Height: 3.0″ (77mm)
Base Diameter: 2.1″ (53mm)
Ball Diameter: 1.6″ (40mm)
Tripod Mount: 3/8″ 16
Weight: 18.3 ounces (519g)
The RRS has more weight, carries (much) less load is and is more expensive (RRS: around 390 USD, Markins around 270 USD). So went for the Markins. I have no experience with the RRS BH-40 (or the -50), but the Markins Q3 works fine so far (I tried it with my D3 with a Nikkor 70-180mm attached -> are easy going for the Markins).
Happy shooting!
I’m about to purchase the BH-40, but I’m procrastinating on the purchase because I can’t decide between the B2 AS II clamp (lever) and the B2 Pro II clamp (screw knob). I’ve read a million reviews, but there seems to be a split decision. I love the speed of the lever, and I will only use RRS plates, but many people still prefer the screw knob. Comments? Really, I’m looking for someone to make this decision for me…the price is not the issue, I just want a ballhead that I can depend on for many years.