Advantages: Basic in design and foolproof Disadvantages: None that I can envisage
I Recently purchased 234RC Head, First time use proved to be either too stiff or too slack in operation with a 50-500 zoom. I dismantled the head for a quick look and found a disc of friction material of approximately 25mm outside diameter x 6mm bore. In a similar manner to another review of this item, I fitted P.T.F.E. shims cut out from sheet material and fitted these in place of the original friction disc. When dismantled, friction disc originally fits in a recess. I used 1 off 1mm shim at opposite end to recess to avoid metal to metal contact, and 2 pieces 1mm shim with a 6mm I/D-25mm O/D washer sandwiched between to make a shim-pack to fill recess. While you are at it, replace the 6mm x 65mm bolt with a stainless steel item.
Similarly with Manfrotto 680 or other model monopod where all 5mm mild steel screws and nuts were replaced ...
Advantages: Ease of use, ease to carry. Disadvantages: load capacity only 1kg
From ease of use, to packing away this is the sweetest tripod I have ever used, it do'es not break the bank to buy, Modo Maxi offers the height you need, but folds up to a compact 43,5 cm. The 785B is ideal for travelling, hiking, sports or even web photo/video applications, and if you need spares or extra parts they are easy to order. Tech spec are as follows:
closed length 43.5 cm
minimum height 17.5 cm
maximum height 150.5 cm
maximum height (with center column down) 127.0 cm
weight 0.9800 kg
load capacity 1.0 kg
panoramic rotation 360 °
color black
built-in head yes
material aluminum legs and technopolymer
lateral tilt -90° / +90°
front tilt 0° / +90°
leg cross section oval
column cross section round
leg sections 5
quick ...
I have one of these heads on my monopod, they're great. I paid £21 formine abotu 7 years ago, and it has performed faultlessly since new.
I don't really see this as a "Tripodhead", as it only pivots in one plane, indeed, it's designed to enable a monopod user to rotate the camera from landscape to portrait format. I don't use mine in this way, I mainly use it when using a long zoom lens with built in tripod collar, and this head enables forward and back rocking to enable up and down elevation as required.
I have modified mine to inlude a PTFE shim, so that I can adjust the friction more precisely, and I often use the head with the lock screw slightly slack, to enable movement.
Th quick release mechanism is efficient and secure, and features a secondary lock lever to prevent accidental release of the camera plate. When ...
Product Information for "Manfrotto PANORAMIC HEAD Tripod head" »
Tripod
Max Supported Weight
14 kg
Manufacturer's product description
The 300N Panoramic Head allows the photographer to take sequential constant-angle shots around a single axis, an essential part of achieving accurate and easy-to-stitch panoramic compositions. The set positions of the 300N give ample choice of rotation angle and also of the number of photos needed to complete a 360° pan. It covers the most common requests of panoramic photographers depending on the camera/lens equipment used. To make angle selection easier, a "click-stop" selector screw is included and attached to a safety cable to prevent it from being separated from the head and getting lost. The 300N also comes complete with a secondary locking screw which stops unwanted or accidental rotation of the head when heavy or off-center equipment makes it less balanced or when the head is used for non-horizontal rotation. The 300N can also be used as a turntable base for object panoramas, or as a means of reading the angle of rotation of camera pan movements in a range of photography. A camera can be mounted on the panoramic unit by adding one of a range of quick release, sliding or fixed plates or a conventional geared, ball or 3-way head.
Related tags for Manfrotto PANORAMIC HEAD Tripod head »
