Have you heard of the UniqBall tripod head? In this free video, professional outdoor photographer, Ian Plant, shows you why he favors the UniqBall to make his photographs.
The UniqBall combines two ball heads into one. The outer ball head is used as a conventional ball head or as a leveling head for the inner base. This combination allows for panning and tilting while keeping the horizon line level. Although lightweight, the UniqBall can still support a heavy telephoto lens. “I like the versatility,” Ian says. “I use it both for my wildlife and landscape photography.”
Join pro shooter, Ian Plant, as he shows you the features and benefits of the UniqBall tripod head.
I use a Panosaurus for pano shots. It ensures the nodal point is correct. I’m sure you get this. Will the Uniqueball do this job i.e. get the nodal point correct?
Hello Charlie,
Although it is a great product I do not think the Uniqueball is a good match for critical pano work with nodal points. if you have the Panosaurus
I’d go with that and/or you could mount it on the Uniqueball for leveling. Hiigh end versions of the Panosaurus are offered by
Really Right Stuff: http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/Heads?see-all=true&_ga=2.233665565.209208583.1504201409-1818381386.1494360098 <http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/Heads?see-all=true&_ga=2.233665565.209208583.1504201409-1818381386.1494360098>
Happy Shooting!
Steve OPG Video Membership
Thanks Steve, – that’s very useful as my Panosaurus is on its way out! Just one other question – I’m mainly a wildlife photographer and often use a monopod on a vehicle and boats with a sidekick style gimbal for stability and support. Would the Uniqueball do the same job on a monopod?
Hello Charlie,
Glad I could be of assistance! The Uniqueball is a unique device (sorry I could not help myself). As you know, it’s big feature, the ball within a ball,
is that once you set the legs down for the tripod you level the camera with the outside ball and control the other aspects of tilt with the inner ball.
This is exactly what happens when you use the “ball and bowl” features on a cine style tripod (for your reference: https://bhpho.to/2iN1Wi3).
The ball on the bottom of the head lets you level and lock the head into the receiver bowl of the tripod and this allows for a flat horizontal line
when panning. The big difference is that classic video heads do not allow for a center shaft for elevation.
Because it allows for the center shaft it makes the Uniqueball a good head for stills and/or video. All that said it’s best feature, the inside and
outside adjustment balls are only really handy on a stable base to set the level on. With a monopod you really could not take advantage of the
feature as it is not locked into a single stable placement.
I could see the the Unigueball being handy for still/video shoots, if you are using a heavy rig/really long lens, or doing digital image stitching with panning
that does not involve nodal points, or if you just like the idea of another adjustment point for your ball head.
Happy Shooting
Steve OPG Video Membership
Where can we purchase the Uniqball Tripod Head.
Please advise. This is my second request.
Thanks
Hi, Mario. I did a Google search and got thousands of hits:
B&H: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1132076-REG/uniqball_ubh45x_ubh_45x_ball_head.html <https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1132076-REG/uniqball_ubh45x_ubh_45x_ball_head.html>
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/UniqBall-Ballhead-Leveling-Pan-Tilt-Capacity/dp/B00JO0HDF2 <https://www.amazon.com/UniqBall-Ballhead-Leveling-Pan-Tilt-Capacity/dp/B00JO0HDF2>
It did look like there are other sellers in the UK as well.
Where can we purchase the Uniqball Ball Tripod Head?
Please advise.
Thanks.
The Uniqball has sufficient tension so that it is easy to pan side to side without the head tilting up or down.
Am I missing something. If it can tilt up and down, how do it work as a panoramic head? You would have to be careful when moving it side to side not to let it go up or down.