Novoflex release the world’s first “reversible” tripod ball heads
Apr 24, 2017
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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Novoflex have just announced some new ClassicBall ball heads and they look pretty interesting. Why are they interesting to me? Well, they’re reversible. This means that you don’t have to shots that go off-level when you pan. Great for video and landscape shooters.
The new ClassicBall comes in three sizes for different load capacities. They have a tension adjuster, as well as a greaseless design, which should make maintenance a doddle. They have three 90° notches in them instead of the typical single slot. Although, they’re not exactly cheap.
I use ball heads quite often on things like sliders, suction cup mounts, etc. But for tripods I often tend to avoid them. I shoot stills on location where the ground isn’t exactly level, and I also shoot video. On a tripod I find that ball heads often present more problems for me than they solve. If you want to slide on a slider, they’re great. They stay level the whole run. But if you need to pan on a tripod, they don’t.
Even for stills, if you want to make a stitched panoramic, for example, ball heads are a pain. Right now, I often use video tripods with bowl heads for stills on location due to this reason. Level the bowl, and if I’m shooting a panoramic, I can just pan the head and all the shots are lined up. Video pans also stay level the whole way through the shot.
A reversible ball head, though, means that I could ditch the big clunky video tripod when I’m only shooting stills and use something a little more manageable. With the rotating section of the head directly below your level camera, and not on top of the wonky tripod top plate, they’ll be level for the whole pan.
They come in 3 sizes, each with a different load capacity.
- CB2 – 5kg (11lbs)
- CB3 II – 8kg (17.64lbs)
- CB5 II – 12kb (26lbs)
Each head has a removable thread on the top, which turns it into a standard 3/8-16″ tripod socket mount for placing upside down. The screw you just removed can now be placed into the bottom (now the top). Onto this you can attach a quick release plate.
This versatility doesn’t come cheap, although having owned several Novoflex products in the past, they’re probably worth every penny.
I do find it curious that the CB3 II costs less than the CB2, given that it has a higher load capacity. But, still, they’re a little out of my own price range for now. Perhaps, though, if my video tripod ever dies, I’ll take the plunge.
If you want one for yourself, they’re available now at the links above. Or if you want to find out more information, check the Novoflex website.
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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18 responses to “Novoflex release the world’s first “reversible” tripod ball heads”
So like Acratech has been doing for a while. But I suspect Acratech does it better. And for less money too. And they make them in America.
It is German engineering.
Novoflex makes great products, MADE IN
GERMANY, with very smooth and reliable handling. The dont have to hide
behind Acratech. If you have the possibility, compare thost to each
other. Novofley might be expansive, but it is definitely worth it and
the modularity allows to build a complete system from scratch and only
use those parts, you really need
Oh, it’s MADE IN GERMANY? No need to yell.
It would appear that maybe the author wasn’t aware that the reversible feature was already available from at least one other brand. But I don’t see the advantage of going with Novoflex. They weigh more, cost more, and for all but the most expensive one, they have lower capacity ratings. Although they are grease-free, it looks like they still wouldn’t fare well in wet, dusty, or muddy conditions. I’m sure it’s a fine product for someone with money to burn.
If you want the same features, with a higher load rating, the ability to work as a gimbal, plus a maintenance-free design, the Acratech GP at $399 is certainly worth a look. http://www.acratech.net/ballheads/gp/gp
Witha ll the respect, I dont do no yelling, I simply write in capitals. In addition, I dont see no difference to madin in America or in Germany, both can work in these area and are not new to the game.
However. The Acratech might be a nice tripod head and is already reversible, but it has no friction control like Novoflex. It is not a copycat, it is simply designed for a different user. I use some stuff from Novoflex and know their load values are rather conservative. Other vendors just put astronomical values and you can see how your camera comes slowly to the ground, because the structure is nowhere near as solid as adverticed.
The better question here is… what has this to do with DO IT YOURSELF photography?
Summarized, If you wanna have nice functions and an “affordable” tripod had, you can use in the dessert too, get your acratech. If you still wanna have nice functions but are also into video and need nice panning and to get your fast action an adjustable friction, go for those affordable Novoflex heads, because it is still cheaper then buying all those options of quality gear in single units, like the panorama plate, the ball head, the levelling base and so on.
I have had my Acratech GP now for 11 years. Novoflex is somewhat late to the game here. The Acratech GP and GPs does have full friction control, gimbal, ability to invert for level panoramas, and the ability to mount a rail for parallax control, along with supporting the Arca-Swiss style of quick release. It’s also rated to 25 pound carry capacity while weighing only 1 pound.
I do not see any additional advantages that Novoflex heads bring to the table, other that providing another option for photographers to select from.
My question would be why… is there a specific reason why a ball head should be used upside down?
When a ballhead is reversed like that it works like a leveling base for panoramic shooting. Allows you to level your camera before panning so the output panorama will require far less cropping
Confusing. It does not explain why you need a “reversible” ballhead.
Aha! But if you level the tripod in the first place, you get exactly the samr
No they didn’t Acratech did with thier GP series ball heads
I have an Acratech leveling base ($150, 25 lb load capacity) under my conventional ball head that I use for panoramic shots. Seems to work perfectly well ;)
More expensive than the camera :p
The first one was released a few years ago by acratech.
One doesn’t need that stuff to pan “horizontally” with à “conventional” tripod, even on a non horizontal surface: you just have to check that the central column is vertical, by adjusting the lengh of two from the three legs… Just sayin’…
Once that said, if you’re panning to stitch the shots to make a panoramic view, this gadget won’t make the job, as you have to pan around the lens nodal point if you don’t want stitch issues…
http://laurentroy.deviantart.com/art/Versailles-034-494497514
I know might not be as fancy, but this tripod head plate will do pretty much the same for 1/10th of the cost!!! and without having reverse anything:P
https://smile.amazon.com/CONXTRUE-Panoramic-Panning-Release-Photography/dp/B01M1HBJE0/
As others have said, Acratech have had a similar product on the market for years which I own and have used happily for 2 years.
Plus, it works as a gimbal in a pinch. I like their stuff enough that three of my five tripods have Acratech heads.
Quick tip: I hardly ever shoot panoramas or stitch. So I have never purchased a panorama head or plate. But I understand the need for ‘nodal point’ roatation to avoid stitching issues. In a pinch I use my Manfrotto 460MG 3D. Perfect for use with smaller cameras (Works great with my X100t). The trick is that the camera platform can ‘swing outwards”, so you can make it rotate around the center column from the outside. By using the “2 poles” alignment method (Let me know if this needs explanation) you can make very good stitched panoramas, even with some DSLR’s and wide angle lenses.