Leofoto LH-36 ball head with QP-70 quick release plate

Leofoto LH-36 ball head with QP-70 quick release plate: when you just want it to stay put

You know the situation: you’ve got the subject, the light is right, and then the tripod head goes “oh well, I’ll just slip a tiny bit.” Annoying. That’s exactly where the Leofoto LH-36 ball head with the QP-70 quick release plate feels like a small relief. Not loud, not flashy, but very reliable. In short: it holds what you set up. Period.

At 0.41 kg it stays pleasantly travel-friendly, yet still has plenty of reserves. The maximum load is 18 kg, which in practice means: DSLR, mirrorless, telephoto lens, even medium format, and you don’t have to start sweating. And yes, let’s call it like it is: that feels reassuring, especially when it gets windy outside or you’re standing on uneven ground.

Stable, compact, cleverly built: dimensions and construction

The LH-36 is a ball head, exactly the type of tripod head many people like for everyday use and demanding work, because it can be both fast and precise. The ball has a diameter of 36 mm, which doesn’t sound like much, but you notice it immediately in your hand: it moves smoothly, not wobbly, not “cheap-slippery.” Add to that the height of 8.4 cm. This keeps the center of gravity lower, and that’s one of those details you only miss when you don’t have it. A bit like a good car seat. Unobtrusive, but important.

The base measures 5.2 cm in diameter and thus fits very well on many tripods. It is mounted via a 3/8 inch UNC internal thread, the common standard, no fiddling, no “sort of fits, but only with an adapter.” And the material stays pleasantly straightforward: aluminum, CNC-milled from aircraft aluminum and partially black anodized. That’s not just marketing talk, it’s simply clean, robust manufacturing.

Operation that doesn’t get in the way: friction, locking, tilt

What we like about the LH-36 is this mix of control and speed. The friction can be adjusted separately so that the ball is neither “too loose” nor “too tight.” Especially in reportage photography this is worth its weight in gold, because you can track quickly without the camera suddenly tipping over. And in landscape or architectural photography you want exactly the opposite: millimeter precision without surprises. Both are possible. Depending on how you set it.

Locking is done via a screw clamp. Old-school? Maybe. But also wonderfully unambiguous. You can feel when it’s tight. No guessing. There are also two cutouts for 90-degree tilt so you can get portrait orientation or unusual perspectives cleanly. And yes, sometimes it’s exactly these two cutouts that save the shot. That’s just how it is.

Panorama and precision: separate 360-degree panorama base with bubble level

At the bottom sits a separate panorama base, rotatable 360 degrees and adjustable independently. This is practical when you’ve aligned the camera and then only want to pan without having to readjust everything. For panoramic photography it’s one of those things you’ll be glad about later when it all runs smoothly. And so that you don’t have to work “by rough estimate,” a bull’s-eye level is integrated. One. That’s enough. And it’s quick to read, even when things get hectic outside.

QP-70 quick release plate and Arca-style compatible clamp

The QP-70 quick release plate is included, and the clamp is Arca-style compatible, specified by the manufacturer as a 38 mm dovetail. What that means for you: you can use many common ARCA plates and L-brackets without locking yourself into a proprietary system. And honestly, that just makes everyday use more relaxed. Travel photography today, telephoto work tomorrow, the day after that a setup for reportage photography. It fits.

Recommended for many genres, without drama

The Leofoto LH-36 is recommended for mirrorless and DSLR cameras, for travel photography, reportage photography and landscape photography, as well as architectural photography, telephoto work, panoramic photography and even medium format. That sounds like “for everything,” and well, it’s kind of true, as long as you’re looking for a compact, high-capacity ball head that doesn’t slow you down.