Yuya Muto | Markins Ball Head

I've used a variety of tripod heads, but this is my first time using the Markins, and I was looking forward to its arrival to see its reputation for robustness and precision.

The product that arrived a few days later was unexpectedly compact, but being compact is very helpful for a photographer like me who often carries a lot of equipment.

The first thing I felt when I first picked up the Q20 was that it looked like a work of art, and this was due to the beauty of its appearance, which is achieved by the very elegant texture of its glossy and matte paint, and the operability that fits comfortably in the hand.

The precision of the operation is due to the exquisite design of the machined parts, and it naturally comes through to your fingertips.

I was also surprised that the tightening torque can be adjusted, and it is clear that this is not only due to the precision of the craftsmanship of the high-precision machined parts, but also due to the thorough design that takes the user into consideration.

Therefore, it goes without saying that the operability is smooth and good. Although it is small, you can adjust it as you intend in the palm of your hand.

And this is something that is not often seen in the evaluation of heads in the world, but what I look for most in a head is "stickiness". When framing through the viewfinder, I use the stickiness of the equipment to make the final fine adjustments. Of course, if you tighten the grip, it will be completely fixed, but by loosening it slightly, you can make very slight fine adjustments. This state is what I call "stickiness". This stickiness allows you to entrust the operability to an area that is extremely close to 0 (zero). You could say it is a fuzzy part that cannot be understood by digital.

Until now, I have used a 3WAY head instead of a free head because I was worried about blurring, but this time, my previous worries were dispelled by my encounter with the Markins head.

In addition to the stability that is comparable to the 3WAY, I can quickly take a composition. Furthermore, being able to control three axes with a single action is something only a ball head can do, and I was surprised at how convenient it was.

And this compactness is very appealing to me. I would recommend this to photographers who often carry a tripod.

I have acquired a masterpiece that looks like a work of art, is reliable, and satisfies my desire to own it, while also being a very encouraging piece of photography equipment. I am already looking forward to heading to the next shooting location.