The small and lightweight Sunwayfoto EB-36 (Left) and EB-44 (Right) Ballheads.
I’ve been testing both the Sunwayfoto EB-36 and EB-44 Ballheads for almost a year now to test them and also write this review. The EB-36 is part of Sunwayfoto’s ‘Epic’ Series and is an ultra-Lightweight ‘traveller’ Ball Head. It features a special hollow-out design to reduce any extra mass from QR clamp and ball head body making the EB-36 ballhead significantly lighter than other ballheads. The EB-44 is the bigger brother, its slightly larger, slightly heavier, but also has a higher load capacity.
After using these heads for a while, I confirmed my suspicion, that all the bigger, heavier ball heads I have used in the past were just overkill. Both the EB-36 an EB-44 are beautifully-designed and it is clear that Sunwayfoto had one goal in mind, to make an ultra-lightweight ballhead (half the weight of other ballheads) with the load capacity to challenge even the most expensive ballheads which easily cost 5 times more than the EB-36 and EB-44.
Most ball heads are similar in overall design, a big chunky solid ball of aluminium sitting in a clamp. This is where Sunwayfoto changed the norm. Both the EB-36 and EB-44 are hollowed out, giving a massive weight saving compared to other ball heads. All the components of the EB-44 and EB-36, including the knobs, are machined from high quality aircraft grade aluminium for superior strength and a high-precision fit.
Specifications:
Model: EB-36 / EB-44
Ball Diameter: 36mm / 44mm
Pan Base Diameter: 50mm / 58mm
Height: 83mm / 95mm
Weight: 270g / 365g
Max Load: 15KG / 20Kg
Bottom thread: UNC3/8"
Clamp Type: Screw-Knob Clamp
Features:
Ultra-lightweight
Arca Swiss compatible
Compact size
High maximum load capacity
Smooth call movement
Easy to make Precise adjustments
360 Degreed panning function
So how do the EB-36 and EB-44 stand up to the ever-important points of what to look for in a ballhead?
Body
A significant part of any ball head is the body (The clamp around the ball), in all the Epic Series Ballheads, Sunwayfoto have trimmed away all unnecessary weight, this is evident from the shape of the body, but also the fact that there are notches of extra material milled out of the body, including the Sunwayfoto logo.
An infographic from Sunwayfoto’s website showing the various parts and controls of the EB-36 Ballhead.
Ball
More important than the body, is the ball itself, in most ballheads, the ball is solid chunk on billet aluminium, but in the Epic Series, the ball is hollowed out, giving a massive weight saving compared to other ball heads of a similar size. Sunwayfoto recons this alone helps reduce the weight of the ball by 42%, which is reasonable when you see just how much extra material is milled out.
An infographic from Sunwayfoto’s website showing the difference between a regular ballhead and the EB-36.
Ball control Knob
The ball control knob is the large and is covered in grippy rubber, making it easy to use even in the coldest weather. The large knob makes it easy to apply the necessary torque to tighten the ball and avoid slippage.
The control of the ball is sublime. It is silky smooth, and this is especially important when using longer focal length lenses, where minute adjustments are required to compose a shot.
Something that has really impressed me is that there is pretty much no movement / drift or droop when the control knob is tightened.
Ball Tension Knob
Ball tension knobs are becoming more frequent, they allow the user to set the amount of friction on the ball when you loosen the main control knob. This is not something that would be changed frequently, its more something that you set and forget, but it is important to ensure there is enough friction for the ball not to be completely free, with your expensive equipment on top and taking a hit.
The hollowed out clamp of the Sunwayfoto EB-36 Ballhead is one of the reasons it is so light weight!
Drop Notch
Both the EB-36 and EB-44, like all other ball heads, have a drop notch, this is because the maximum amount of rotation of the ball and stem is limited by the body itself. If using an L-Bracket, the drop notch is only really used when shooting at near vertical angles (Both pointing up and pointing down), however without an L-Bracket, the drop notch is required to shoot in portrait orientation.
Panning Base
Most ball heads feature a panning base, allowing the head to be rotated independent of the ball adjustment position, this is intended for shooting panoramas, but is also convenient to rotate the head so that the control knob is in a more comfortable orientation for the user.
The panning function of the EB-36 and EB-44 is smooth and fluid, helping the user to accurately rotate the ballhead to the desired orientation.
Clamp
Ball heads can have different types of clamps fitted to them, whether they are Arca Swiss type or others. The EB-36 and EB-44 have a specially designed, hollowed out clamp to aid in its weight saving. The clamps may be more prone to damage from a significant fall due to the lightweight design, but if taken care of, this shouldn’t be an issue.
The Sunwayfoto EB-36 Ballhead in some heavy rain.
Maximum Load Capacity
The Load capacity of the ballhead is just as crucial as it is for the tripod as it directly impacts the clamping force keeping your gear steady and will dictate what gear that can be safely mounted to the tripod.
The load capacity of the EB-36 is 15Kg, the load capacity of the EB-44 is 20Kg. Putting that into perspective, my heaviest setup is the Nikon D810 camera body, Nikon 300mm F4 Lens and Sunwayfoto PNL-D810R L-Bracket, which add up to roughly 2.53Kg, that’s just 17% of the maximum load capacity rating for the ballhead.
Weight
The EB-36 weighs in an impressive 270 grams (The EB-44 weighs just 365 grams), this is much lighter than the bigger ballheads I have used previously, which weigh 475 grams and 490 grams. This is an incredible achievement by Sunwayfoto and shows they truly are dedicated to making cutting edge products.
Comparison between the Sunwayfoto EB-36 and EB-44 Ballheads.
The Sunwayfoto EB-36 Ballhead and the Sunwayfoto T2C40C Tripod on my f-stop Sukha backpack for a camping trip.
Whats In the Box:
EB-36 / EB-44 Ballhead
Protective Pouch
3mm Allen Wrench
Cleaning Cloth
QR Plate DP-50SR
Threaded Insert (1/4’’ to 3/8’’)
Pros:
Smooth and fluid function
Ultra-Lightweight design
Large control knob with rubber grip
360 Degree Panning function
Easy swapping between horizontal and vertical shooting
Universal Arcaswiss-style clamp
Cons:
Lightweight / hollowed out design might make it more susceptible to fall damage
Does not have the load capacity of bigger / heavier ballheads, but this is an expected trade-off considering the size and weight of the EB-36, and the fact that most users are unlikely to ever exceed the load capacity.
The Sunwayfoto EB-36 Ballhead in a cave whilst shooting sunset.
Summary
The Sunwayfoto Epic Series ballheads have completely taken me by surprise. I am used to using big, heavy ballheads like the Sunwayfoto XB-52 which are rock solid, but they are also bulky and heavy, especially when hiking to get to locations which are off the beaten track.
The EB-36 is a perfect match for the Sunwayfoto T2C40N tripod, and the EB-44 is a perfect fit for my new Sunwayfoto Master Series Tripod T3640CM.
In my opinion, the EB-36 and EB-44 offer the same quality, precision and control as heavier and much more expensive Ballheads. If you need a ball head (and you probably do), you will not likely find any other option which offers more bang for your buck (Value for money) than the EB-36 or EB-44.
Sunwayfoto have also released a third ballhead in the Epic Series range called the EB-52, this is bigger (70mm base diameter) and heavier (532g) than the EB-44 but also has a higher payload (30Kg).
Disclaimer for Transparency: This is not a paid review or product endorsement. I am a Brand Ambassador for Sunwayfoto, and they send me products to test and review, and to provide feedback to their design team in order for them to improve their products. I have used and tested these Ballheads and the above review is my honest opinion about them.