When it comes to ball head tripod attachments, finding the perfect on to fit your tripod and your photography needs is something that can leave you feeling a little disorientated. Sirui ball head mounts are some of the best products out there, but trying to choose between the Sirui K-20X and the Sirui G-20X can feel a little overwhelming. However, we have taken the time to look at both these ball head mounts to try and help you make the right choice when it comes to your photography equipment.
Sirui K-20X
The Sirui K-20X ball head mount offers users a quick release system so that you don’t have to spend hours trying to remove your camera from the tripod when you are finished with it. Unlike other tripod camera mounts, the Sirui K-20X doesn’t have a positioning handle. Instead to reposition the unit, you simply loosen the ball ever so slightly using the larger adjust met knob whilst holding onto your camera. Then you simply look through your view finder and rotate the camera until it is in the perfect position for your shot then tighten up the knob again.
The Sirui K-20X ball head means that the movement and repositioning of the camera is smooth and can be adjusted to give the minutest corrections to the position of the camera. The bubble level that is built into the Sirui K-20X that operates on the horizontal axis, vertical axis and radical axis as well using an Arca-Swiss quick release system that has a safety button incorporated that prevents the quick release plate for accidentally slipping out when you are using the camera or repositioning the tripod. The safety button is coloured red so that you won’t accidentally press it and trigger a release when trying to readjust your camera.
The Sirui K-20X also has a quick locking mechanism that that makes this ball head mount easy to use as well as an orientation-memory locking dial. The Sirui K-20X offers users the ability to take 360 degree panoramic shots and the ability to take photographs of lots of different shots across a landscape without having to constantly reposition the tripod. The Sirui K-20X has a load capacity of up to 55.1lbs so that it can be used with medium format lens and camera combinations, DSLR cameras as well as digital and conventional cameras.
Sirui G-20X
In contrast to this, the Sirui G-20X ball head offers similar features to the Sirui K-20X but at almost half the cost. Like the Sirui K-20X, the Sirui G-20X has a 360 degree range that allows photographers to take panoramic shots with smooth adjustments. Like the Sirui K-20X, the Sirui G-20X has a quick release Arca-Swiss system so that it is easy to remove your camera from the mount and the tripod. There are also red plugs that prevent the quick release plate from slipping out of the Sirui G-20X mount by accident.
The Sirui G-20X ball head has a lower load capacity than the Sirui K-20X, only being able to support up to 44.1lbs of weight. This means that it is suitable to be used with 35mm and medium cameras, DSLR cameras as well as digital and conventional video camcorders. The ball of the head is locked into place using the interior double bevel locking system so that you can be sure your camera is not going to move and the ball won’t slip out of place once you have locked it.
The Sirui G-20X also has two bubble levels that allow for quick and easy horizontal and vertical alignment. The camera attachment plate comes with a stainless steel screw so that you can firmly attach your camera to the mount. The Sirui G-20X comes with five different control knobs that independently control the base, the panoramic control, the friction control (that can be used to fine tune the positioning of your camera), the ball locking knob and the plate locking knob.
Conclusion
There are a lot of similarities between the Sirui G-20X and the Sirui K-20X that make it quite hard to decide between the two ball heads. For most people the difference in price and the difference in the load capacity of these two ball heads will be the deciding factor. The Sirui K-20X is almost double the price of the Sirui G-20X and though it does come with a higher load capacity as well as some additional adjustment tools to help get a much better and more stable image, for most photographers, the Sirui G-20X will provide them with what they are looking for from a ball head mount without having to pay too much money.
However, those who are professional photographers may want to invest in the Sirui K-20X as its additional features are extremely useful and the additional load capacity is something that will come in useful when changing lenses. For filmmakers, they may find that the lack of adjustment rod is fairly limiting, however the ability to fine tune and easily adjust the Sirui K-20X ball head mount could be something that will delight indie filmmakers who record as well as take still photography.
Click here to purchase Sirui G-20X on Amazon!
Click here to purchase Sirui K-20X on Amazon!