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Vanguard Alta BH-250 Ball Head

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 174 ratings

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Alta BH-250
Ball Head
Colour Gray
Brand VANGUARD
Compatible devices Camera
Product dimensions 13.5D x 11.9W x 9.7H centimetres
Item weight 590 Grams

About this item

  • Never Waver – 3 independent knobs (easy-to-grip main ball lock, ergonomic friction control, and 360° panning knobs)
  • Rapid - Intuitive positioning in a matter of seconds and Robust - Aircraft aluminum for lightweight and long-lasting performance
  • Precise: 2 Bubble levels and Smooth: Oxidization anodized surface
  • High Workload Performance – 44 pound safety payload for multi-gear options
  • "Arca-Swiss" quick release system compatible and a built-in safety pin

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Product details

  • Is discontinued by manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.67 x 10.67 x 11.68 cm; 589.67 Grams
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ 1 January 2024
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Vanguard
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B071FR6FRH
  • Item Model Number ‏ : ‎ ALTA BH-250
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 174 ratings

From the manufacturer

Vanguard Alta BH Series of Ball Heads for Tripods and Professional Cameras

tripod ball head

Vanguard Alta BH Professional Tripod Ball Heads

Arca-Swiss Ball Heads

Alta BH is a series of photo tripod heads that are designed for the more advanced to the pro level user. Whether you’re shooting indoors, outdoors, in studio or on location, the Alta series heads has your gear supported. The ALTA is Vanguard’s top of the range and is crafted to perform in all conditions.

Series Overview

ALTA BH Series heads is a collection of ball heads which work with camera loads as low as 8.8 lbs or the largest unit in the series can easily hold some whopping 66 lbs of gear. The Alta BH-100 has 3 knobs to give you great head movement while the Alta BH-250 and Alta BH-300 models incorporate 4 knobs to give you unparalleled performance, the ultimate head movement range and control.

VANGUARD Alta BH Photo Ball Heads

camera ball head

arca swiss ball head

ball head camera mount

Robust Build Construction

The Alta BH ball heads are built with aircraft aluminum which provides lightweight construction and long lasting performance.

Arca Compatible

Alta BH heads Use an 'Arca-Swiss' quick release system with built-in retractable safety pin positioned on the top of the mounting plate of the head. Double security for your valuable equipment. The included quick shoe- QS-60V2 38mm is a universal Arca compatible plate. It is also compatible with all Vanguard BH series Ball heads and many other photo heads.

Precision Alignment

Dual bubble levels allow for easy quick fine tuning and seamless positioning.

ALTA BH-100 Ball Head ALTA BH-250 Ball Head ALTA BH-300 Ball Head
Customer Reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars
174
4.3 out of 5 stars
174
4.5 out of 5 stars
86
Price $177.01 $236.04
Load Capacity 22 LBS 44 LBS 66.1 LBS
Base Plate Diameter 2.3 Inches 2.4 Inches 2.6 Inches
Ball Diameter 1.3 Inches 1.5 Inches 1.7 Inches
Width 3 7/8 Inches 4 1/8 Inches 4 1/8 Inches
Height 4 1/2 Inches 4 5/8 Inches 4 5/8 Inches
Weight 1 LB 1.3 LBS 1.4 LBS
Ball heads for tripod
vanguard tripods

About Vanguard

Vanguard is a global company that designs and manufactures tripods, bags, sporting optics, and accessories. For over 30 years, our drive to disrupt mediocrity and commitment to innovation has allowed us to create the highest quality products for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts at an affordable cost.

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Product description

ALTA BH-250 is a multi-action ball head that features three independent knob adjustments. The micro adjustment fine tuning knob gives you total control over ball friction for precise adjustments when composing your images. Reposition your camera quickly, easily, and accurately with the main locking knob which has an easy-to-grip lever that is oversized and ergonomic. The ALTA BH-250 has durable aircraft aluminum housing which weighs only 20. 4 ounces, and features a 44 pound safety payload, 2 bubble levels for precision adjustments, a built-in safety pin to prevent accidentally releasing your camera, and QS-60 V2 universal 38mm Arca compatible plate with 1/4” D-ring screw, making it compatible with any "Arca-Swiss" type quick release system. The ALTA BH-250 provides totally secure locking so your gear stays in place, no matter the angle. An oxidization anodized surface on the ball ensures it will remain scratch-free and provide ultra-smooth and precise movements. ALTA BH-250 s unwavering accuracy and precision for the photos that matter.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
174 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Top review from Australia

Reviewed in Australia on 27 September 2023
Style Name: Alta BH-250Pattern Name: Ball HeadVerified Purchase
After shopping around I decided to buy the Vanguard Alta BH-250 Ball Head for my manfrotto, so eager to use this as I really did not want to spend too much and I was eager to try out my tripod.

I really do not like the adjustment knobs, once you tighten then they are hard to release

Top reviews from other countries

Leslie Leyh
5.0 out of 5 stars A really, really good ball head for the price.
Reviewed in Canada on 14 September 2022
Style Name: Alta BH-250Pattern Name: Ball HeadVerified Purchase
I use a Vanguard 283CT tripod. When I purchased the tripod it came with a SBH-100 ball head which was actually quite good for my needs. I didn’t have terribly heavy gear in the way of cameras and lens. I had a Nikon D7000 and my heaviest lens was a Nikon 70-300 which isn’t too heavy in itself so this tripod and ball head worked. It is a light weight ball head though. I got a Nikon D500 camera 2 years and recently I got a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 and Tamron 150-600 f/5-6.3 VC USD G2 lens. Both of these lenses are a very really step up in weight plus the 150-600 is really quite long so I felt I needed to move up a bit for a ball head. My research led me to the BH-250 which still seamed not too large or heavy but supports 44 lbs so would easily handle my new gear. Now that I have it and tried it that I have found the tripod & ball head combo to be extremely good. It pans smoothly plus the friction control gives me more adjustment then I had on my previous ball head. The action or movement on the ball is smooth but still firm enough for support. There is no sag when my hands leave the camera and lens. I really like that the mount is Arca Swiss as both new lenses have Arca Swiss tripod collars plus most new equipment for tripod use seems to follow this mount.
Overall I have no regrets buying this ball head. There are newer and likely fancier or better ball heads out there however you spend considerably more also. I do photography as a hobby so money counts big time. This does what I needed and complemented my Vanguard 283CT tripod. I have found that Vanguard produces really good tripods, monopods and tripod heads. Most would be medium range products however for photographers who are hobbyists this is likely in the market we shop in. I would highly recommend this ball head.
D. Cassat
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Value I could find for a lever control head
Reviewed in the United States on 10 August 2017
Style Name: Alta BH-100Pattern Name: Ball HeadVerified Purchase
I wanted a ball head to replace my trigger ball head because of its bulk and weight. I have not made this purchase lightly as much research and one prior purchase/return was involved to get to this ball head. I didn't want a knob but rather a locking lever to control the ball adjustment. The travel distance of the lever and the ability to adjust its starting point are important to ensure it's not a hassle to quickly make adjustments. The build quality is also extremely important to me but I didn't want to buy a $500 head as I believed there must be a better value out there. Before this ball head I purchased a Really Right Stuff BH-25 but it was too small and the lever would run into the plate adjustment screw in some positions. The next step up in the RRS heads was another $100 to $150 above what I already spent.

I own a Vanguard AT263 tripod so decided I would look into their offerings and found this head. I guess I just hadn't seen it before and was pleasantly surprised by the build quality, ease of adjustment, the rather short lever travel distance, the ability to change the starting position of the lever, the ability to control panning separately and the fine adjustment the ball tension control provides. It weighs about a pound but will hold up to 27 pounds or something ridiculous like that! When I tighten the lever, about 90 degrees of travel, the ball is VERY secure, I couldn't move it.

The clamp is ARCA Swiss and works with my existing plate but the head does come with a good plate with a flip down adjustment tab for easy tightening.

Time will tell but this head is the same high quality and great value as my tripod so I don't expect any issues.
21 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great size for my small rig.
Reviewed in Canada on 31 July 2021
Style Name: Alta BH-250Pattern Name: Ball HeadVerified Purchase
Previous heads all wore out because of use with 4-5lb/s. gear.

I got a larger one for my Gitzo nature tripod and the 15Kg head is a dream at the same price as the smaller one

Go bigger or go home.
Star Mapper
4.0 out of 5 stars Strong and smooth
Reviewed in the United States on 31 July 2020
Style Name: Alta BH-100Pattern Name: Ball HeadVerified Purchase
I've been using this ball head for several months and I like almost everything about it. It moves very smoothly, and locks down firmly. The friction control adjustment is excellent, and the locking lever works well. The only issue is access to the camera plates locking knob. With camera body in place, there is very little room to turn the knob to either secure or loosen the plate. A thicker plate or an extended base would go a long way to making this easier to use. That aside, this is an excellent ball head.
D. L. Hammett
4.0 out of 5 stars To tight
Reviewed in Canada on 7 January 2020
Style Name: Alta BH-250Pattern Name: Ball HeadVerified Purchase
found it to be a little tight when panning. I have the BH 100 that isn't as hard to move while panning, maybe wll loosen with use. Other than that I really do like it. More suited for heavier lenses. I highly recommend it.