I need a small fluid head for mirrorless cameras with cage and accessories. I have the $145 Manfrotto MVH500AH and it’s really not good enough for more than the a7rii and a lens. No counterbalance settings or drag control just pan and tilt locking knobs. I decided to give another Benro a try since I have the $249 Benro S8 and for the most part I like it but the large platform os so wide with hybrid cameras you have to take the camera off the head to replace the battery. If you shoot with a Sony mirrorless you know how bad the cameras are with battery life.
I have had my eye on the new Benro fluid heads so I bought this Benro BV4 head for $249. That’s pretty cheap for a fluid head. The specs are pretty good.
- 8.8 lb Load Capacity
- 75mm Ball
- Flat Base by Removing Tiedown Stud
- 6-Step Counterbalance
- Independent 4-Step Pan and Tilt Drag
- Manfrotto 501/504PL Type Sliding Plate
- 2x 3/8″-16 Accessory Mounting Threads
- Adjustable Length Pan Bar Handle
In this test video I put the hefty and sharp Sony 90mm Macro on my A7rii with SmallRig cage & SmallHD 502 and shot some product shots. These are the most difficult type of pans and tilts to do since the shot is telephoto. all the imperfections of the moves show.
The counterbalance is pretty good on the BV4. I set the camera up in the the perfect position on the head so it was balanced then dialed it in and did some test. Not bad at all. When the camera is balanced you can get very minimal backlash if none at all.
I’m working on a full review of the Benro BV4 soon but wanted to share this little test I did. One thing I’m not sure about is the all plastic body of the BV4. I haven’t seen a fluid head made with plastic like this. I know plastic can be very strong like Pelican cases but it’s hard to know the quality and durability of all plastics. Still testing with different weight setups and will have a full hands on review soon.
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B&H had a special price on this head with a set of carbon legs for $400, so I grabbed it. The BV4 head works well with my SONY FS5, but it won’t balance perfectly when I add a Canon 70-200mm lens. I can get the BV4 to balance and counter balance quickly with all my other lenses. Its one of those things you just have to try with your gear to see if it works or not.
The overall feature set is pretty good for the price, but I also wonder about the durability of the plastic body. I think most of the structure is actually metal with some plastic parts. Regardless, I’d be concerned about the BV4 in extreme temperatures.
For me, the B&H price was an affordable risk, and the legs are good enough if I have to replace the head. Someday I’ll own a proper tripod/video head, but for now this is working out pretty well.
Thanks for the feedback David. For heavier loads the BV6 might be better. Holds 13.2 lbs. not much more but might be safer.