Thanks for the replys. I really dont know the difference between the heads as far as ball and pan. I have looked at the vortex online but it doesnt seem to have the head I'm looking for. I want the head that has the little rod that manipulates the spotter and locks in your elevation setting. Another question is will this style head get in the way on a spotter thats only 11" long. Sorry for all the hassle, this is my first spotter setup and I just make sure I get this right the first time. Thanks again, Tim.