Ball head, silly question.

[robtattoo]

Does ball size matter? (Stop it......)

As long as the head is rated at a max load of more than I be putting on it, is there any advantage to, say, a 44mm ball over a 28 or 30?

I'm looking to set up my first non-Bog-Pod shooting tripod. Budget is a big factor & it seems like if there are several sizes of the same model head, smaller is cheaper. Lighter usually too.

 

[RobHazmat89]

Does ball size matter? (Stop it......)

As long as the head is rated at a max load of more than I be putting on it, is there any advantage to, say, a 44mm ball over a 28 or 30?

I'm looking to set up my first non-Bog-Pod shooting tripod. Budget is a big factor & it seems like if there are several sizes of the same model head, smaller is cheaper. Lighter usually too.

Bigger ball head generally means stronger clamping system, more surface area for the clamp to lock down on. Obviously more weight bearing capabilities.

 

[Marbles]

Does ball size matter? (Stop it......)

As long as the head is rated at a max load of more than I be putting on it, is there any advantage to, say, a 44mm ball over a 28 or 30?

I'm looking to set up my first non-Bog-Pod shooting tripod. Budget is a big factor & it seems like if there are several sizes of the same model head, smaller is cheaper. Lighter usually too.

Yes. You cannot compare load rating between manufactures. DP Review (digital photography review) is a great resource for tripod and ball head information, it also dovetails well into your question.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

I think shaft size is more important. But the ratio of one to the other needs to be appropriate or it probably looks weird.

 

[kpk]

It's purely speculation on my part, but I think the larger ball is easier to adjust the friction. It's not so much an on/off switch like the small ones tend to be.

 

[Camera Land]

The larger the head, the longer the plate which could help in balancing on the tripod