Sounds like you might be missing a piece. Which specific head is it?

The ball head is for levelling only. You still need a pan bar for panning and tilting, and your head should have come with one (or two).

That is, if we're talking about the same thing. Can you post a link or a picture? Did you read the manual thoroughly? If you mean that there is a ball joint in the middle of the head that allows for both panning and tilting, rather than how it attaches to the legs, well, they all do that.

Also, are you sure you have legs that can accept a ball head? They're different from the more common type that have a center column and a flat mounting plate where you screw on the head...

(This should be in the tripod forum. Perhaps moderators can move...)

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Adam
Proud owner of 8, no, 7, no, wait, now NINE Sony HDV cams. Checking into rehab next week.
"There are no experimental failures. There's only more data."