and if you are have you also used the Arca-Swiss B1/Z1 Monoball or Really Right Stuff BH-55, and does this FLM head compare to those?
Hey Ellis, I'm guessing you've read
this group review which includes those heads and the larger CB-58. Then I skipped the 48 and
reviewed the CB-43 in the context of a group of smaller heads.
After using both heads for quite a while, I can tell you that mechanically, FLM is rigidly consistent across their sizes. While the 58 can handle far more weight off-axis than the 43, both are about as solid and stable as a ball head can get. Neither was as smooth as a Markins (or KPS or Novoflex), but they are incredibly easy to adjust, and FLM heads simply don't move when locking.
They're also built like proverbial tanks, and seem to weigh as much, too!
Have you used the FLM CB-48FTR with a multi-row panoramic rig like the ones from RRS , where the mass of the camera & lens is well off axis?
Not with my pano heads, but I tested both FLM heads with a 500mm/4.5 prime lens, well off axis. Neither the 58 or 43 had any problem with the torque. I've also used so many multi-row panoramic rigs in my day (I currently own 6 of them), that I know the mass isn't nearly as much of an issue on a ball head, as it is with a non-gimbaled telephoto prime. Putting your camera and lens over the NPP tends to naturally balance the weight over the center of rotation.
have you used the FLM head with large fast telephotos (400mm f2.8 , 600mm f/4, etc.)?
See above.
how is the dampening and smoothness of the FLM head?
Also, see above. The dampening is extremely precise, and the friction ring controls it directly and easily. The smoothness, however, is not up to the level of a Markins or Novoflex, but still better than the Arca-Swiss and the RRS I tested.
Any problems with the FLM head?
Yes, I unscrewed the optional click-stop knob off the 43 (my bad - it's a user-installable option), and I dropped the 58 off a ledge onto some rocks about 10 feet below. That only produced a minor dent, and did more damage to the rocks than the head!
Have you ever needed it serviced or repaired?
Not due to mechanical issues, but I worked with Ari at
FLM Canada (also serving the US) to figure out the various controls, and to get spare parts. One of the best people/ companies to deal with! That said, if you are buying from outside of the US and Canada, I don't know if the experience will be the same...
N.P. ;-)
!
