Really Right Stuff BH-40 Pro medium ball head with B2-mAS screw quick-release clamp

Really Right Stuff BH-40 Pro ball head with B2-mAS screw quick-release clamp

If you’re looking for a medium ball head that doesn’t make a fuss but simply works in everyday use, the Really Right Stuff BH-40 Pro fits the bill quite well. It’s compactly built, stays pleasantly low (7.8 cm height) and still supports up to 8 kg. That may sound like just numbers, but in practice it feels like this: camera on, set your framing, tighten, done. No fiddling, no sagging.

The 40 mm ball runs cleanly guided, and you combine leveling and horizon in one smooth movement. Instead of three separate axes as with classic 3-way pan-tilt heads, you get this direct, fast control, and yes, that’s often more stable. You especially notice this on the go, because nothing sticks out and no long levers get caught on anything.

B2-mAS screw clamp: Arca-style compatible and pleasantly precise

Installed is the B2-mAS screw quick-release clamp, designed for what the manufacturer states is an Arca-style compatible 38 mm dovetail. So if you work with Arca-style plates or L-brackets, you’re right at home in the typical RRS universe. We won’t sweep this note under the rug: ARCA compatible means in practice that you clamp quickly and repeatably, without having to guess every time whether it’s really centered.

The clamping itself is a screw clamp. Many people like exactly that because it can be finely controlled and closes in a controlled way, even with gloves. There’s also a laser-engraved millimeter scale on the clamp jaw so you can position your plate truly reproducibly, for example when balancing longer setups.

Operation you can do with your eyes closed after a short time

RRS rarely does things by halves when it comes to details. The knobs are captive and shaped so you can still get a secure grip on them even after hours. The lock mechanism can be secured with a short twist without having to keep tightening forever. And the drag adjustment is designed as a micrometer-precise, repeatable system, so not this “sometimes too loose, sometimes too tight” business, but consistent. Once set, it stays very reliable.

For portrait orientation or extreme angles there is the 90-degree drop notch. You tilt the camera cleanly into the cutout without the whole thing feeling like a compromise. For macro and architecture this is honestly worth its weight in gold, because you can quickly get to unusual perspectives.

Separate panning base with clean scaling

The separate panning base here is truly present, not just “somehow rotatable.” It works with a precise rotating ring, including drum and braking mechanism for locking. The scale is laser-engraved in 2.5-degree increments, which is pleasant for carefully planned pans because you don’t have to rely on rough estimates. For panoramic photography it’s simply practical, and yes, you really will use it.

A small detail that you only appreciate later: the spring-loaded lock knob can be repositioned if it happens to be in an awkward position. You pull it, set it to a new position, and the ergonomics are right again. Sounds trivial, but it saves nerves.

Materials, dimensions and tripod mount: robust, travel-friendly, fitting

The BH-40 Pro is made from 6061 T6 aluminum and stainless steel, materials that don’t get offended easily in tough everyday photo use. At 0.445 kg it remains pleasantly portable, the base measures 5.3 cm in diameter, and on the bottom there is a 3/8 inch UNC female thread as the tripod mount. That fits most high-quality tripods without a chain of adapters.

Which cameras and lenses it suits well in practice

The ball head is recommended for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, for reportage, travel, wedding, landscape, architecture, macro, telephoto work and even medium format. That’s not just marketing fluff, but follows from the combination of 8 kg load capacity, compact height and finely adjustable friction.

Typical combinations that many people use with it are, for example, Canon EF telezooms and teles such as the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS III, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM or Canon EF 400mm f/5.6. For Nikon F you often see the Nikon 300mm f/4E AF-S PF ED VR NIKKOR, Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR AF-S NIKKOR as well as the Nikon 70-200mm variants, i.e. Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S NIKKOR, Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR, Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR and also the spelling Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR as it appears depending on the source.

In the Sony camp it pairs well with the Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS FE [SEL70200G] (2014), Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS FE [SEL100400GM] (2017), Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II FE [SEL70200GM2] (2021) as well as the frequently listed variants without year designation, i.e. Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II FE [SEL70200GM2], Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS FE [SEL100400GM], Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS FE [SEL70200G], and also Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G SSM II [SAL70200G2].

For Canon RF it’s often the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM (2019), Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM (2020), Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM (2020) and Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5 - 7.1 L IS USM (2020). Nikon Z is mentioned with the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S NIKKOR (2021). And if you use Sigma or Olympus or OM SYSTEM: the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM / Contemporary, Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM / Contemporary, Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM / Sports as well as the Olympus 300mm f/4 M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED IS PRO and Olympus 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 M.ZUIKO ED IS also work very well as typical setups.