The Q20i is the largest ballhead made by Markins. Markins has a history of making high end ball heads, and the Q20i is no exception. Spoiler, the Q20i is one of the best performing heads I have tested in both pure stiffness and on a weight adjusted basis.
Name | Markins Q20i |
Type | Ball Head |
Stiffness About Vertical Axis | 10778 +/- 87 Nm/rad |
Stiffness About Radial Axis | 7616 +/- 47 Nm/rad |
Retail Price | $430 |
Weight | 1.279 lbs (0.58 kgs) |
Manufacturer weight rating | 110 lbs (49.9kgs) |
Maximum Height | 4.0 in (10.2 cm) |
Base Diameter | 2.6 in (6.6 cm) |
Ball Diameter | 48 mm |
Tension Control | yes |
Panning Lock | yes |
Quick Release | Arca Clamp |
The size and weight of the place it on the upper end of what we consider a midsize head. Despite this, the Q20i manages to be the second stiffest head I have tested, only behind the massive Feisol CB-70D. This is a remarkable achievement for Markins. Typically there are small weak points on a head that reduce stiffness. Not so here. Markins seems to have thoroughly eliminated all of the typical weak points to make one of the best performing heads I have yet tested.