Ramsey, NJ (October 23, 2008) – Gitzo, a world-leading manufacturer of high-end, precision supports for the photographic industry, continued to demonstrate its commitment to pioneering new technologies to support the passion of professional shooters worldwide, with the launch of its new family of center ball heads. Highly-advanced and state-of-the-art, Gitzo’s new center ball heads are crafted from magnesium using exclusive, patent-pending Gitzo technologies which come together to yield the best weight to max-load ratio in the market.

Three new and proprietary technologies, including Gitzo’s Bubble Ball, Spring Assisted Double Lock (SADL), and Advanced Leveling System, are at the heart of each new center ball head. Manufactured to the strictest tolerances and tested under the most extreme conditions, Gitzo’s new center ball heads not only guarantee high max-loads but perfect the key performance factors vital to shooters, including smoothness, minimized drift angle, low center of gravity, greater tilt angles, weight, compactness, ergonomics and safety.

Gitzo Bubble Ball

Indicative of the caliber of Gitzo’s experienced R&D engineers, the new Bubble Ball represents a dramatic step forward in design and sets a new standard by which all manufacturers will be measured. Thanks to a unique manufacturing process, Gitzo is able to produce completely hollow, aluminum spheres, which account for a significant reduction in the overall weight of the head when compared to traditional “full balls.” Besides the benefit of a reduction of weight, the new Bubble Ball also allows Gitzo to increase the size of the ball for each series, resulting in improved locking performance and smoothness of movement. Gitzo’s new Bubble Ball also features a perfected PTFE coating that reduces the surface roughness on the microscopic level, further enhancing accuracy and the shooting experience.

Spring Assisted Double Lock (SADL)

Gitzo’s new SADL is a patent-pending system that combines two locking systems in one. Capitalizing on the locking power of a high-friction metal plate and the smoothness of PTFE treated bushings, Gitzo’s SADL provides unmatched precision and control. The high-friction metal plate makes contact with the sphere on the points of its maximum diameter, ensuring the most powerful lock possible, and the PTFE treated bushings and sphere engage each other for ultra-smooth, precise camera movement.

Advanced Leveling System

Proper set-up can either break or make an image, especially when it comes to ensuring the shot is level. When the need to be exact is of utmost importance, shooters can rely on the new Gitzo center ball heads for accuracy. Featuring four independent leveling bubbles – three on the quick release plate and one in the ball stem – users can rest assured that their shot will be level every time, no matter what the scenario may be.