Ball Head
A tripod head using a single ball-and-socket joint, allowing the camera to be aimed in any direction with one locking knob.
Measured in
kg (load rating)
In depth
Its speed is the attraction: one knob loosened, the camera swung to any angle, the knob tightened. The weakness is that all three axes move together, so levelling a horizon while adjusting composition means fighting both at once. A separate friction control and a drop notch for vertical shooting address most of that.
Examples in practice
A ball head lets a landscape photographer recompose from horizontal to vertical in two seconds without moving the legs.