Sirui KX-Series Aluminium Tripod Head incl. TY-Series Quick Release Plate - Black (K-20X)

I bought the petite Sirui K-20X to mate to an equally petite SIRUI T-1205X 5-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod , aiming to create the perfect travel and hiking tripod. BUILD: Most parts are machined aircraft aluminum and stronger and lighter than cast components. This 90mm tall head has an attractive satin (semi-gloss) enamel and appears durable. Without a plate, it weighs 395g, slightly heavier than the similar sized SIRUI G-20X (320g). The base is 68mm in diameter and tapped for a 3/8 inch tripod mount thread. CONTROLS: The larger the ball the smoother the roll and the finer the control, and this 38mm ball is extra jumbo for a small head. Operation is simplicity incarnated: a single large knob controls drag and lock. Ball action is liquid smooth but locks tight with my EOS 6D and EF 70-200 4L IS USM, even at a steep angle in the drop slot. The K-20X also has an independent panning function with lock knob. Action is smooth but highly dampened. Definitely designed for carefully positioning for stills and not for action or video panning. CLAMP: The 55mm Arca-compatible clamp sports silky knob action and safety pin with push button release. The pin lodges in the bottom of milled out plates, preventing the works from siding out if you neglect to tighten down. The spring loaded pin retracts if your plate isn't milled. It's a simple but effective safety feature. Unfortunately, this clamp is incompatible with safety stop screws on small plates--60mm or less--due to a lack of grooves on the clamp's top. The workaround is to remove the safety stop screws. Safety stop screws on larger plates works fine but, of course, must be top loaded. My 90mm long RRS L-plate is fine since screws have plenty of clearance on both sides of the clamp. The bubble level on the side of the clamp is larger than most head levels and handy if you shoot panoramic photos: level the tripod with the ball, mount a nodal plate and pan clamp topside and you're ready to go. PLATE COMPATIBILITY: All of my Arca compatible plates--RRS, Sunwayfoto, CamAdapter, Promedia and Kirk--can top load and tighten down securely. My 140mm Neewer nodal plate also fits perfectly. As mentioned above, safety stop screws on smaller plates need to be removed. The included universal plate, while of decent quality, lacks a hand strap loop or anti-twist flange, so I suspect most buyers will prefer a fitted or dedicated plate on their camera or lens foot. USING THE K-20X: With a little practice, I could easily top load the clamp by feel in the dark: open clamp, sit camera with plate in the slot and tighten. The mounting process takes 5 or 6 seconds. I wish the clamp knob were a little larger but the ribbed rubber makes for a sure grip. Fast free form head adjustments were also a snap: loosen the tension knob while looking through the viewfinder, move it any direction and lock when satisfied with the composition. I found the K-20X/T-1205X combo ideal for hiking, travel and shooting waterfalls and coastal waves with my 6D MKII and 24-105 4L IS USM or EF 70-200 4L IS USM. One to 30 second exposures were pin sharp. LAST BLUB: All in all a well designed lightweight ball head: excellent fit and finish, smooth operation, rock steady and reasonable price. Paired with a SIRUI T-1205X tripod, it becomes a kickin' travel and hiking combo: light, compact and easily slips into a carry-on.

I've owned the sirui k-20x ballhead for nearly a year now and really like it. The heaviest equipment I've used on it is a canon 7d and 70-200 f/4 L lens with a 1.4 extender. I bought it to upgrade the head on my dolica carbon fiber tripod i got at costco and it fits on there nicely. It comes in a little soft fabric bag which is nice although the tripod/head fit into my tripod bag attached so i don't really use it. There are 3 knobs: 1 for tightening the plate, one for the ballhead movement and one for panning, as well as a screw in the larger knob for adjusting the friction of the ball. I have found the ball action to be quite smooth and stays in place when locked down with no creep; also the knobs are easy to find and adjust in the dark. The price is nice and the finish still looks as good as when i bought it. It comes with one quick release plate although one of these days I really should pick up another one.

This is it, the sweet spot of quality and value. It works smoothly, beautifully, at a price a third or less than comparable models from other models. There is a gradual release of pressure on the ball so you can make adjustments without letting the grip go completely, like with some ball heads. Very few people will need anything bigger, but if you do, Sirui has that for a few dollars and ounces more. You can find something cheaper but it won't work nearly as well. You can find things with more exotic designs for 3 or 4 times the price, but if they're better it's so marginal it doesn't matter. Like I said, this is the sweet spot of quality and value.

Very well manufactured. Feels great, looks great. Purchased because of it's price and the weight I'm carrying (Canon 6D w/ 24-105mm, battery pack, = medium rig). If I had more money and more lenses, or used a large format as much as I wished, I would get a larger head. Only gripes are the vertical spirit level is useless, the bullseye level is useless unless the QR release knob is pointed towards the lens which is inconvenient with a telephoto but not a deal breaker (I prefer flip switches to knobs). The pan knob is small, works well (as in if I apply heavy force it turns while locked but that really shouldn't be an issue for normal use), but hard to use with gloves/cold weather. New, the pan feature is a bit stiff but better stiff than not. I was looking at the Desmond DB-44, after getting the Sirui K-20X I'm not sure the money is worth the difference. I haven't tried the Desmond DB-44 but all my largest irritations with the K-20X are from the clamp that camp with it. Nothing about the whole kit is terrible or even unsatisfactory. For the price ($120) it is probably the most well constructed piece of metal of a ball head. It will last a lifetime but will have slightly annoying features opposed to either: a cheaper ($80), lesser build quality product with a maybe better design that won't hold as much, or an expansive ($300) high quality build and design product that will hold any amount of weight. Everything depends on what you need. For now, this is perfect for me.

I have not racked up many miles on this yet so I'm hesitant to speak, but so far in its limited usage, I am impressed. First of all, the machining and anodizing of the aluminum is just great, I can find no fault. Add two levels, one of which is admittedly concealed by a mounted camera, and a third one on my tripod, and I think there is enough. The quick release isn't Bogen/Manfrotto fast (did I just date myself?) but it is fast enough, and maybe more secure (than my old Bogen/Manfrotto-there I go again). Screwed atop an Induro carbon fiber tripod it seems a perfect combination for most of what I use it for. I also like the ball head tension provision within the locking knob. Great! And the small but significant safety pin with the spring loaded button for retraction is a really nice feature, not found in the same manner on at least one lesser SIRUI ball head. Price wise, I think this ball head is a bargain. Adhering to the bigger is better when it comes to, uh, ballheads, this is a great compromise size. I don't care for smaller, and admittedly my dream ballhead is a RRS contraption that just looking at causes drooling, but for everything else, perhaps even price notwithstanding, this is a great camera mount in my opinion. I say buy it!

This is a well built, smoothly performing, sturdy, and no drift locking tripod head. I have used it with my K-3II and a Sigma 150-500 on it, and with my K-5IIS and a Pentax 16-85 on it, and the head handles them well. You have to show respect for what position it is in depending on angle and weight distribution, but it is strong and really dependable. I purchased an Arca Swiss L-Plate for use with my K-3II/Pentax 16-85 in case I want to use it, and an approximately 4 inch Arca Swiss Plate to use with my K-5IIS/Sigma 150-500 in case I want to use it, but the original Arca Swiss Quick Release Plate that comes with the Sirui K-20X will handle both of those combinations without a problem as long as you are careful. I use this tripod head with a Sirui EN-2004 tripod and it is an excellent combination.

I ordered the K-20X version sold by Amazon Japan. The only difference I see is the plate is a (49 x 60 mm) TY-60 instead of the TY-50, and likely no USA warranty. I purchased this for my no-name Desmond tripod, and also have an older Sirui K-30 for my Photo Clam. I have some other ball heads, including Giottos MH-1000; Sunwayfoto FB-36II; Demon DB-46; Leofoto LH-25; and older Bogens. I’m quite happy with my Siruis and Leofoto, while the others are not quite up to the same standards. For my non-professional needs, I saw no reason to test the high end products like RRS that cost twice as much as my tripod legs. There are two features I like about the Sirui K series. The nested friction adjuster makes the interface much cleaner than having a separate dial. And, the red security pin release button makes un/mounting the plate much faster since one only needs to turn the locking knob a small amount — traditional knob operated clamps have a different safety mechanism and require more dial turns to release the plate. Photo Clam also uses a security release button on their ball heads, but their products are hard to find. The panning (base) action on the Sirui is really smooth. Overall, it feels like a quality product, as I assumed since I have the larger version of this model. I think the K-20X is a good match for my Desmond tripod, which has a 1.25” top leg diameter (Gitzo series 3). I used to have the K-30 on there, but it seemed large, and would also not allow the legs to reverse fold if I so desired. The K-30 would be useful for longer telephotos.

I'm trying to like this ballhead. It seems great for holding my d750 and 70-300 lens. Problem is I have to purchase all new arca swiss type plates since the ones I have have the safety bolts on the bottom and it won't fit flat in this head. I've also tried removing the quick release and replace it with one I have so I can use my plates but they must use some sort of industrial glue or white thread locker on it because I've gone thru 2 good allen wrenches trying to loosen it. I've also noticed that if you tighten it tight on the tripod that the lower pano swivel will really tighten up. Happened on a K-30X I had and returned it for this one thinking it was a defect. I tried registering this head and a tripod on Sirui website, but it won't take a pdf or txt file for my bill of sale. Called customer service... emailed.... waiting.... UPDATE: Sirui says they won't register for warranty due to this being sold by Adorama. So... all my Sirui equipment was boxed up and sent back.

Nada más ver la caja, abrirla y ver la bolsa que lo guarda, causa una impresión muy satisfactoria. La rótula es de una calidad absoluta, tanto por el material como por el acabado profesional. La suavidad con que funcionan los ajustes y la firmeza progresiva que adquieren sobre la bola, es algo que llama la atención de inmediato. Controlas un 150-600 con una facilidad tremenda una vez equilibrado y eso montado solo sobre ella, sin haberla fijado al trípode. La zapata de fijación a la peana del objetivo es muy cómoda de quitar y poner, además tiene una gomas que absorben las vibraciones notablemente. Elegí la K-20 porque es la que mejor se adapta a mis necesidades, en cuanto al peso que voy a poner en ella. El precio me parece muy correcto y el envío me ha llegado por medio de Correos, al día siguiente de haber salido del almacén, antes de lo que esperaba. Así que resumiendo, totalmente satisfecho con la compra y el servicio, un 10, sin duda.

I had Manfrotto MHXPRO-3W which is a pan head. I was looking for a compact and light ball head which can carry my heavy equipment and also have an Arca swiss lock. I was a bit worried that K20 can not handle a D810 with Tamron 15-30 or Nikon 70-300 and I was hesitate to choose between K20 and K30 and I finally chose K20 due to its weight and size. the quality is great and It can easily stand beside manfrotto. it does not rattle or shake when using. it has a panorama lock and tension knob. tested it with d810 and tamron 15-30 which are my hevaiest combination with over 2kg! it surprisingly handled it very well without any problem. highly recommend it over manfrotto heads and their stupid quick release system!

Ich nutze den Sirui K 20x als Ersatz für einen Manfrotto Kugelkopf 496 ohne Friktion auf dem Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 Carbon Stativ - und ich bin schlichtweg begeistert. Haptik/Fertigungsqualität - der Sirui macht einen sehr hochwertigen Eindruck. Alles ist präzise gearbeitet, nichts wackelt, kein Spiel oder andere Schwächen sind feststellbar. Funktion - Die Kugel ist mit wenig Kraft absolut fest fixiert. Die Friktion ist sehr gut dosierbar. Probleme mit der Friktion - wie sie in einer anderen Rezension geschildert wurden - konnte ich absolut nicht feststellen. Ich hatte keine Friktion an meinem bisherigen Kugelkopf und habe mich u. a. deshalb auch zu einem Neukauf entschieden. Ich muss sagen, es hat sich definitiv gelohnt. Es gibt kein versehentliches Abkippen mit der Gefahr etwas zu beschädigen. Außerdem kann man die Friktion sehr schön nutzen um bewegten Motiven zu folgen ohne den Kopf ständig zu ent- und verriegeln. Die Haltekraft reicht locker aus, um auch bei 200 mm noch scharfe Bilder zu machen - auch im Bereich längerer Verschlusszeiten. Beim Einstellen des Bildausschnitts war ich platt - nach dem Fixieren der Kugel verändert sich der Bildausschnitt nicht mehr - das habe ich bisher bei keinem von mir getesteten Kopf gesehen. An der Stabilität des Kopfes gibt es aus meiner Sicht nichts zu meckern - soweit ich es feststellen kann - alle Bilder mit der mir größten zur Verfügung stehenden Brennweite von 200 mm perfekt scharf, bis zu einer Verschlusszeit von 1/30 sec. - eine längere Zeit brauch ich in der Praxis nie. Schnellwechselsystem - Superklasse! Endlich ein System, das wirklich bombenfest hält - egal in welcher Position der Kopf fixiert ist. Definitiv den üblichen Klemmsystemen überlegen. Die Panoramafunktion ist auch noch zu erwähnen - ist o.k., brauche ich aber nicht, daher habe ich sie nicht ausführlich getestet. --- U P D A T E 07.05.2012 --- Da ich mir einen Benro Gimbalkopf zugelegt habe, bei dem die horizontale Drehung durch den Kugelkopf vorgenommen wird, brauche ich die Panoramafunktion nun doch. Leider funktionierte diese nicht so wie es sein sollte. Schraubt man den Kopf sehr fest ans Stativ, dreht er nur sehr schwer. Wird er gerade so festgeschraubt, dass er noch hält, dreht er zwar wesentlich leichter, aber es muss immer einen Anfangswiederstand überwunden werden. Das ist nicht so komfortabel und stört beim genauen Einstellen eines Bildausschnitts, da dies bei Nutzung eines 400er Teleobjektivs dann kaum möglich ist. Also habe ich den Kopf nach rd. 6 Monaten reklamiert - vielen Dank an Amazon - alles absolut schnell und problemlos abgewickelt. Ich habe mir dann den K 30x zuschicken lassen - und siehe da, kein Problem mehr - er dreht seidenweich. Ich gehe davon aus, dass ich beim 20k einen fehlerhaften Kopf erhalten habe. An der Empfehlung ändert diese Garantiereklamation nichts. --- Ende U P D A T E 07.05.2012 --- Ich kann den Kopf uneingeschränkt empfehlen - Top Leistung zu einem mehr als angemessen Preis. Die Bewertung bezieht sich auf die Nutzung mit einer Canon EOS 7d mit meinem schwersten und längstem Objektiv, einem Canon EF 70-200mm 1:2,8L IS II USM - Gesamtgewicht rd. 2,3 kg.

Sturdy yet light in weight. The ball locking mechanism is stronger and the nobes work well you don't have to use force to close them. The Delivery was prompt.

・横浜の空で太陽系の最果て、「海王星」の姿を見たいという動機で購入した双眼鏡（倍率 8 × 口径42 mm、三脚使用）。 月の縁などに色づきしにくいEDレンズの澄んだ星像が気に入り、スマートフォンで「月」や「星団」などの撮影に利用。スマホのレンズは望遠（70 mm換算）にして、双眼鏡が像を結ぶ「アイポイント」中央にアダプターで固定。対角線の画角は約 4.5 °、周囲が丸く欠けることなくほぼ 500 mm望遠レンズ相当。２つの機器のレンズを通すコリメート撮影と言われます。 最近、初めてポータブル赤道儀を導入。手持ちの自由雲台は、東西方向や天頂付近の角度的に厳しい向きでは、機材を確実に固定できず。アルカスイス互換の自由雲台を新規に導入することに。 この K-20X 自由雲台は「最大搭載荷重」と、「固定つまみのフリクションメモリー機能」、「アルカスイス互換クイックシュー付属」、「ダブル水準器付き クイックシューベース」などが魅力で、赤道儀系の「土台（屋台骨）」として活躍中。 当地は北緯35.3°、磁北の偏角は西に 7°。ポータブル赤道儀の底面をアルカスイス互換クイックシューにねじ止めし、前面パネルにある回転面の垂線を「北極星」に向けるには？ この垂線は底面に平行だから、クイックシュー上面をコンパスの北から7° 東向き、水平線から「約35°」上向きに傾ければよい。 （赤道儀の前面パネルは、底面に対し90°の面にあるので「35＋90＝125°」。180°反対の南の水平線からは「180―125＝55°」上向きの傾斜であれば良い） 機材の荷重は、スマホ・双眼鏡の光学系と取付けアダプターで 1,100 g、赤道儀・雲台（本機除く）系で 1,250 g。合計は 2,350 gです。 固定つまみの使い心地は良く、突然「グラッ」と傾いて焦るタイプもありますが、回転と締め付け具合がよく比例する感覚。磁北の偏角補正は、パンニングベースが回転してくれるので容易。クイックシューベース前面の水準器は、赤道儀系の左右（赤経方向）回転面が地面に水平であると分かりやすく、安心感を与えてくれます。 「北極星」が見えないベランダ撮影では、「微動雲台」が必要かなとも思いましたが、当地の空と撮影条件では問題なし。 レンズの中心や光軸に垂直に取付けるスマホ・アダプターの調節は少々やっかいですが、固定撮影では得られない、11等台の微光星による奥行き感や、苦手だった球状星団も写せるようになりました。