Tomohiro Takahashi | Markins Ball Head

The first thing that surprised me about the Markins ball head was how light it was. I was skeptical about whether it would hold the camera firmly before I used it (lol), but as soon as I started using it, my worries were immediately resolved. This is because you can feel an amazing sense of grip just by turning the smoothly rotating ball fixing knob a little. Even though it is so small and lightweight, it holds the camera without any rattle, which is the best performance of any head I have used so far.

For reference, the model I chose this time is the Q20i-BK, which weighs only 553g even though it is for large format.

Until now, I have mainly used 3WAY heads, but while shooting at various locations, I began to wonder if there was a head that could control the camera in each direction more freely and swiftly, and that's how I came across Markins.

Since there is also the method of holding the camera by hand, some people may think that a tripod is not necessary if you use Olympus' excellent image stabilization function. However, to carefully work on the composition and adjust the exposure and aperture to take several shots with the exact same composition, a tripod is still necessary.

In addition to landscape photography, I also take pictures at disaster sites, so it is very important for me to make my equipment lightweight. Of course, it is not enough to just be light, but it is also important to use equipment that you can shoot with confidence, and the Markins ball head has solved these two issues brilliantly.

As for operability, the limit dial that limits the movement of the ball fixing knob is very useful in a hectic shooting scene. When I wanted to work on the composition a little more after deciding on it, I accidentally loosened the ball fixing knob too much, which caused the composition I had worked so hard to decide on to deviate significantly, so I started using this limit dial, and when I set this dial, the knob does not loosen any more than that position, so I no longer have to be disappointed and say, "Ahh!!!" (laughs).
I see, I was impressed that the design is able to address the needs of the user.

As I have been using the Markins, I have come to want to actively use a tripod even in situations where I had hesitated to use one before because it was too much of a hassle.

If you are considering buying a tripod head, I highly recommend you try out the Markins and experience it for yourself. You will not regret it!