Manfrotto MH057M0-RC4 057 Magnesium Ball Head with RC4 Quick Release

This is an amazing piece of kit. I have a number of other Manfrotto heads that are ok but this one is solid as a rock when you tighten it up, the others nearly always had a small amount of play and I would spend time repositioning to get the shot I wanted. The panning function is also very goos and I have done a number of panoramic shots with this and had great results. The only 2 real issues are the price (it's just a head) and the weight. I used it extensively in the Lake District last week and it adds a significant amount of weight to the already heavy camera kit, however, this has forced me to be more thoughtful of what I actually need in my rucksack. I would definitely recommend this to anyone.

I have been a photographer for forty several years since I emerged from the womb almost (painful for my mum getting me and the camera out), and have used Manfrotto tripods and Monopods for many years. In my opinion they are a wonderful balance between affordability and quality, plus there is that Italian design and eye for detail in features and use that I really love. I would not even contemplate using another make, and am very much at home with Manfrotto features which I love.The 057 series tripods are made for the serious amateur ( exatcly what is that, I like to think of myself as a jovial amateur, or a happy amateur rather than a serious one..), and pro's (remember that Taxi drivers are Pros and it doesn't make them good drivers!), and they really are built like tanks. You could fend off grizzly bears or muggers with these Carbon fibre jobbies, they are so tough (the Mother in law is an entirely different kettle of fish however).I found that my Manfrotto 055Xpro rated at 7kg payload, was naturally struggling a little with my Nikon kit. I shoot with a Nikon D800, MB-D12 battery grip pack, Nikon GP-1 gps unit and lenses including the wonderful Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED IF VRII, and a recent session shooting the moon had me floundering like a mad thing as the Manfrotto 327 pistol grip head was slipping aven at it's tightest setting. Not Manfrotto's fault, mine in using a head and tripod rated at 7kg, when my gear was hitting 9kgs (I skipped maths at school to stalk Louise Smith!). With the D800, you need stability assured, otherwise the slightest blur will test those 36 beautiful megapixies and make your Raw files look like they've come out of a childs toy camera.Time for a change, and the 057 tripods and heads ticked all the boxes for me. If you've used Manfrotto before, then you know just how good they are. If you have not used Manfrotto before... where the hell have you been, on Mars! Mine are always in the sea on the West coast of Canada and theLochs and Lakes of the UK shoreline, and with regular cleansing and oiling (a wash and then liberal dousing with WD-40 does the trick and also works on the Manfrotto gear too), they stand up to all of my nonsense and have never let me down. The new 057 tripod is completely fantastic, rock solid, lovely features, easy to use and still portable unless you have the muscles of a sparrow, in which case it will crush your scrawny body and deflate your ego at the first outing!I added an 057 ballhead with the quick release RC4 plate, which is massive and gives reassurance when fitted to my battery grip that it will hold it in place and not tip or feel unbalanced, and the kit now holds my equipment perfectly and feels like I could knock down steel girders with it.... should I ever feel so inclined... such is the quality. The 057 tripod and head can take payloads of 18kg and 15kgs respectively, more than I will ever need, so I am very happy. They can literally hold Kate Moss after a meal at McDonalds, so you will have no worries regardless of the weight and size of you kit and lenses.Simply the best Manfrotto kit I've owned. But, shop around. I saved over £250 of your 'Lorks a lummy Guvnor English pounds just by scouring the web. The rrp on the 057 tripod was £585 and I paid just £378 on Amazon. A bargain, worth every peny. Five stars to Manfrotto and also to Amazon for brilliant service and delivery.DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES[...]

I have it only a couple of months and already a series of problems occurred. First day the allen screw that holds the plate casing went loose making camera rattling on top of tripod without a chance to fix it as I didn't have the allen keys with me. Then recently the spirit level moved resulting in a series of crooked pictures, and now what I didn't see in my old manfrotto ballhead after many years of using is the problem that when I tighten the head it moves a bit as there was some kind of hall made by the tightening screw in the ball... I think I will sell it and buy some other brand. Sorry manfrotto

Needed Ball head for 055 legs but with RC4 plate. This fits the bill well but is a bit of overkill for the legs. Very sturdy very well built so well pleased with head.

Manufactured Along the same lines as the MT 057 tripod , this head is robust. Landscape photographers will love it, it is a solid as a rock coupled with the MT 057 tripod, you won't be disappointed. It has a sliding catch to allow putting the head at 90 deg' and when this catch is not used a higher angle can be achieved. Very sturdy.

No serious photographer should be without this product. It gives total flexibility when positioning the camera for the perfect shot. Since I bought this product I use my tripod far more than I ever used to .Great addition to my photographic arsenal.Sensibly priced and beautifully engineered.

Good, solid, stable, secure. Everything you want and expect from Manfrotto.

Good solid piece of kit. Very easy to manipulate and the quick release is good. If I was to find fault it would be it's weight, but I knew it was heavy when I bought it. Would recommend this item