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Opteka SW-1 Sidewinder Joystick Pistol Grip Ball Head with Quick Release Plate for Tripods & Monopods | Home » Opteka SW-1 Sidewinder Joystick Pistol Grip Ball Head with Quick Release Plate for Tripods & Monopods | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 7.5 inches | | Product Width:
| 1.5 inches | | Product Height:
| 7.5 inches | | Product Weight:
| 1.69 pounds | | Package Length:
| 6.9 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.2 inches | | Package Height:
| 2.4 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.0 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 21 reviews |
| | | You may also like ... | | | | | | | | Opteka T-Mount Adapter for Canon EOS Rebel T3i, T3, T2i, T1i, XS, XSi, XTi, XT, 60D, 50D, 40D, 30D, 20D, 7D, 5D, & 1D Digital SLR Cameras | |
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| | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 21 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Seems Like a Decent Ball HeadOct 16, 2010
By Mark Druziak
The Opteka SW-1 seems very well built, it is all metal and features a nice quick release plate. The relase plate can be attached to either the end oposite the ball or the end with the trigger. It is attached using an allen screw so it isn't the kind of thing you will be moving between mounting positions frequently. An allen wrench is included. The SW-1 also has a tension adjustment that helps hold the head in place when you have a heavy load on it. It also comes with a tripod/monopod screw insert so you can use the ball head on either a tripod or monopod. The ball itself is pretty large, I'm guessing around 1.25"
When the head is locked into place, surpisingly, it is very stable. It easily holds my Canon 7D with battery grip and 300mm f4 lens. The spring loaded trigger works smoothly, but you can tell there is a strong spring in the head. This may cause problems if you have arthritis in your hands or have very weak fingers, but most people should be able to easily operate it.
Now here is why this isn't a 5 Star Review: When I first used this ball head it was VERY sticky when you tried to release and move it to a new position. It was usable, but it wouldn't move smoothly and it felt like you were using a very cheap ball head. It seemed like it needed some lubrication but I was thinking that grease wouldn't be a good thing to use for the long run. I wound up moving the ball head to the 90 degree position so most of the ball was exposed and then took a #2 pencil and "colored in" the exposed area of the ball. Then I exposed a different area and repeated the "coloring in" process. Guess what? Sticky problem solved! The head moves VERY smoothly and is a pleasure to use! No 5 stars because I'm not sure how long this fix will last.
Given the low price, this ball head is an excellent value if you are looking for a pistol grip type ball head.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
not badJun 20, 2011
By kate
I've used pistol-grips on my tripods for years in the studio. This one I purchased for myself. It is really solidly-built and mostly well thought out. It even comes with the tools needed to install it and adapt it for different sized tripod mounts. It is a bit sticky, but I'm assuming that it will loosen over time.
There are two reasons that it didn't get five stars. The first is the configuration of the ball head itself. Other pistol-grips that I've used have a socket that only half covers the ball in all directions, allowing a quick switch to a 90 degree angle in any direction. This one covers the ball almost completely, except for a slot on one side. That slot is the only place where you can drop the grip 90 degrees. That's fine if you're always aware of where it is and don't have to do it in a hurry. The other shortcoming is a speed impediment too. The quick-release... isn't. Most others that I've used have a thumb lever that you flip to release the plate from the tripod. On this head it's a two-part system. First you have to release the tension with a screw which is, mercifully, large. Then there is a button that you depress to allow the plate to slide all the way out. It works and it's very sturdy and probably less likely to let your camera go flying. I envision it being a pain when trying to shoot quickly, though.
Oh! One last thing. There were no instructions. Good thing I've used pistol-grips before.
All in all, I like it and I will keep it. You certainly can't beat the price. Wish they'd change those two itty bitty things, though. Then it would be perfect.
5 of 6 found the following review helpful:
 Works for what I need - Great PriceNov 17, 2010
By James Paccioretti
I decided to get this ball head due to the multiple mounting configurations, and the great review by Mark. Everything he said is true, so I won't reitterate his points.
I actually didn't realize there was a screw insert for this, so I thought it was an oversight on my part when the head didn't mount to my tripod, so I built my own adapter. C'est la vie, it works now.
The 3-star review is for the "stickiness" and some misalignment:
I noticed the stickiness/stiffness in the rotation, but after moving it around a bit, it loosened up. When you take tension off with the screw, it can be really loose, and squeezing the grip before adjusting the tension helps adjusting it with your hands.
The misalignment is of the seat for the quick-release plate to screw into. More clearly, the release plate is two parts, one screws on the camera, the other screws on the ball head with the allan key. The part attaching to the ball head had two metal guides that are supposed to line up the release plate with the ball head's position, but mine were machined slightly off center, so there's a slight angle to the camera when it sits on top. Nothing critical to the working of the ball head, but panoramic shots may not stitch as easily.
Again, works very well with my Canon 7D and the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 pistol grips/tripod headsSep 10, 2011
By Dennis Ridenour
This head works very well with my rocketfish carbon fiber tripod and creates an economical travel system allowing me to spend less on the tripod and head and more on other camera equipment. It performs exceptionally well for that which it was designed meaning letting me easily get my camera in the position I want, and holding it there while I adjust and take pictures. I enjoy not having to fight the head to get in position and lock. And I like the easy and "sure" method of changing cameras without losing a locked location. In addition the method of changing the camera shoe on the tripod head is easy and "sure". Unlike most heads the method for holding the shoe on the head is twofold. When you first slide the shoe onto the head, it snaps into the head, but still is able to be moved forward and backward to make adjustments in the camera location. This is done without danger of the camera coming off, without intentionally pressing a release button. Then when you get the camera in the position on the head where you want it you tighten it down and it stays. This sounds somewhat complicated, but it is not. Then you can use the "trigger" to easily move the head to any position you desire; release the trigger and the head and camera stay put. The head is equipped with an adjustment that controls how firmly the head and camera are held in place. I use a light small digital SLR and a heavy Olympus E10 with a lens extension (5-6 lbs) and the head can be adjusted to hold either camera firmly or just tight enough that I can move them without pulling the trigger and having them stay where I move them to. I have tried many heads and am most happy with this one.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A great addition to my monopodJul 07, 2011
By Robert Price
I have long wanted a ball head for my monopod and tripod. Regular tripod mounts just take too long to make adjustments. They're fine when you're doing still portraits, but for any other kind of photography, you better not need to change your setup. That's where a ball head comes in. The Opteka Sidewinder ball head has two places to mount your camera. Mounting it on the part with the pistol grip is great because it allows you to take full advantage of additional leverage for squeezing the grip. Why is that important? Because this ball head has a very strong spring inside that can't be compressed with a light touch. That's great for holding the camera's position, but it takes a little getting used to. Mounting the camera on the grip side really puts the camera up high, and makes it easy to shift from horizontal shots to vertical shots. The only downside to this position is that you can't tilt the camera forward at all, only back.
So, that leaves the other mount, which is directly above the ball itself. You still get the same great control and range of motion as the other position, but you can also tilt forward and back. The one thing to keep in mind here is that to go to a vertical position requires you to line up the ball so that you can move in that direction. Not a big deal, and it'll make more sense when you actually see the ball head.
This item is built incredibly solidly, with most of the materials being metal, not cheap plastic. The ball itself is quite large, and it is rated for up to 6 pounds, which should be enough for most cameras with average zoom. As others have mentioned, initially the ball is very hard to move, but I think that's mainly because of the paint that was used on it. I used graphite to lubricate the ball, and as the paint has worn off, I think it's getting better. All in all, I think this is a great deal!
One thing to keep in mind if you've never used anything like this with a monopod: shifting from horizontal to vertical means that your camera is now higher off the ground than it was a few seconds ago. This means you'll have to adjust the height of the monopod itself in order to compensate. Not a big deal, but I thought you might want to know.
Buy one of these if you're in the market for a ball head. This deal is tough to beat!
See all 21 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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