Manfrotto Fluid Head Shootout 

Hey Dave, Quick tripod tip for you. If you want smoother pans try using the middle of the palm of your hand and place it on the end of the tripod arm. Might feel weird at first but with practice you will find you will have smoother pans as well as tilts when tracking objects or people. I've been using this technique for about 2 years filming broadcast horse racing.

Thanks Dave. You're great. Thanks for doing these.

I'm pretty certain the reason the Manfrotto 70HDV head was jumpy is because that model does not have a tension control, just a lock knob for pan and tilt which effects the head differently. The knob you were twisting to adjust tilt was the lock knob which is why it was probably jumpy. I don't have any of these heads but am looking to buy one, and Manfrotto states in their product descriptions that tension control for pan and tilt isn't implemented until the 502 model, which has both lock and tension knobs for pan and tilt. Very informative comparison though.

Thanks for all the awesome videos in 2012!

I actually went with the 270A Fluid head tripod. I absolutely love it. Such a huge improvement over a typical pan head tripod. For 150 bucks, for me it was a great investment. Thanks for your channel Dave.

Best review! This should be the role model of any review.

Thanks for this test. Fancier seemed to do the best job. Even though it doesn't have a lot of adjustment, the default settings seems to work well.

Thank you for the video and videos. Seems every time I want to compare some equipment you have a video about it discussing the concerns I would not have thought of but would have discovered later in filming. Amazing job once again.

Nice review Dave. Thank you. I have the Fancier and whilst it's OK in warm conditions it's not at all good in the cold. Anything around zero degree Celsius and the head freezes. Not only that the head locks onto the tripod and you'll need a large spanner/pliers to get the thing off. So whilst practice is important gear needs to work when you work.

Finally somebody did a field test. You did fantastic job. Please test more of them. I have two pick to purchase and I'm not sure which one. There is at least a few dozen of heads which are considered to be god but only field test like this one can tell the truth.

That counterbalance button (on the 591HDV) really freaked me out, too! Thought I broke it, but that's how it is designed to work. The spring-loaded plunger moves outward when you push the button upward, and snaps into the counterbalance mechanism only when the head is tilted to the level position. The counterbalance mechanism remains level inside the head when it's disengaged, and the button releases the pin to engage the mechanism. :)

I agree, I got the FC-270A and it is amazing.

Thanks so much for this. I've been looking for a new head. Great job!

Thanks for review been filming MX and had a some trouble with other heads so i have not put a order in for a Manfrotto MVH502AH Pro Video Head...

i ordered a 502hd a few days ago can wait for it to get here..thx for the review Dave

I own the 502 head and for the price it is a good head. At a recent video show I played with the Miller fluid heads. Miller heads were the best I have ever tried. If I had the money I would invest in a Compass series. The Miller heads were like night and day compared to the Manfrotto's.

"Was this a good way of testing fluid heads?" Initially, yes. But that would also imply you have an equal amount of experience with each of them. I thought the first one came out best, no doubt, but i do not think it is the better one.

I have the 501HDV, and it works great. Also I didn't have the issue with the balance system knob like you did, maybe shipment or packaging did something to it. Finally, this Fluid head works great on a Monopod Manfrotto 562B, it works wonderful

Nice one Dave, clever use of the car / road great subject for the tripod.

I realy like your videaos dave! ,15 years old and trying to learn about dslr you explain it simple and clear and use cheap stuff which i really like! keep up the good work!

Yes, this is a good way to test fluid heads. The real issue I've found is starting and stopping. If you are static, and then have to go into a pan/tilt that initial bite, or jump can be rough on the cheaper models. Same is true for going from a pan/tilt into a static shot. That settling motion again is rough on cheaper models.

The Fancier FC-270As Head is a major step up from the 717 head that he is using. It is extremely smooth and cheap for low budget people.

Thanks for another helpful video Dave! I have the 100mm Canon Macro, it produces a lot of my best photos, just a very unique and cool bokeh and look.

you have really great video ideas. please keep them coming. very enjoyable to watch.

New video :). Makes me happy!

Thank you for this awesome review. I was having a hard time choosing a tripod and fluid head since I'm on a budget. I decided to go with the fancier because its so much cheaper and you had great results with it. Better than the more expensive ones actually. I think this will be a good choice for my first tripod. Thanks again

Thanks for the info, very helpful Dave!

I have the 501 and my balance switch does exactly the same thing. Not that this is an issue as I never turn it off. The horizontal pan drag isn't great for a DSLR if you like it light though as you can't seem to back off the tension enough. I was going to switch to a 502 but man that is a big beast. The other option is a Schatler Ace combo which has had rave reviews.

I've been using a 15 pound rig on my manfrotto 501 for a year or so now... the more weight you put on it, the smoother it is to tilt/pan as long as its balanced.

u are an valuable teacher

Great video, thanks for posting

Hi Dave I use the Manfrotto 501 head with the 526 BK legs which is a heavier type tripod. Just add more drag to the head so with the extra weight of the 526BK legs gives it more stability and smoother operation. I have used it with the Nikon D800 and the Nikon 200-400 f4 lens. Have a great Christmas

Doug there is a reason for stiffness. In my experience the stiffer the smoother the pan Thanks for all your work LouWalterWilson

I liked the 502 the best, it looked to me as the smoothest. Merry Christmas Dave, thanks for doing this video, I might buy the 502 soon now! -Chris Vergara

The head is wonderful when properly balanced, feels like it's floating in air. Tilt or pan always takes the exact same amount of pressure to move and when you let go, no matter the angle, it stays put. If you have too much weight it's a little harder to use than the friction fluid heads cause tilting it, even a little, practically drops all the weight forward or back and you feel like you have to catch it when you unlock it. I found a gripped 5D2, 70-200/2.8, 7" monitor and H4n too much for it.

Dave, Having shot with A pro tripod, I found that a much longer head handle reduces shake in the video a lot.

I have the 701. I use it on a slider and it's good quality for the money and compact but I have found the lack of tension control when panning to be quite limiting.

"it just kind of popped out...that's not making me feel too good" ..classic!! haha Hey nice review..I've been eyeing these lately and this has helped...Merry Christmas!!

I have three of the 701s and one of the 501s and LOVE them. You might find putting two handles and weighting your tripod helps. You also have a lot of weight hanging off the front of your tripod.

I am glad you turned the IS off, it's how tripods should be tested and indeed the Fancier is the smoothest. I like it and thanks for the reviews and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

I also have the 502, and I found that you can actually pull the lever outward and turn it without loosening it. The black plastic lever disengages from tightening and loosening, and can spin freely. You can do that, pull it down, and continue tightening till the camera is set nicely. That's a solution if you have a larger camera body and can't simply slide the camera along the baseplate to a position that's clear from the lever, which is what I do with my T3i. I find that solution easier.

Can't wait for the T3i course!

I have the 501 Dave and still don't know how to use the balance system properly. I think your 502 test came out the smoothest. Happy Holidays.

I think the conclusion is that practice is more important than the gear :D

The balance system on the 501HDV when engaged keeps the head from tilting back or forward. It is not meant to return the camera back to a horizontal position. You just don't have the camera balanced well.

It's interesting that some people say that the fluid head on the 561 BHDV-1 is the same as the 701 but upon closer examination my the fluid head that comes with the 561 doesn't have that lower secondary knob for panning which really sucks. 701 is good but can't really support that much weight, thanks for the video Dave. Great stuff always, Happy holidays.

Best way to test and judge the best video head? 1. Set up fluid head and camera and make sure head is perfectly level. 2. Hang or post a 45-degree, 22.5-degree, and 11.25-degree line on the wall or non-moving surface. (this tests pan and tilt!) 3. Zoomed all the way in (so you can really notice the minute jitters), attempt to follow the 45-degree line from start to end as slowly as possible (it is easier to notice when you move the head slowly) 4. Repeat with 22.5 and 11.25-degree lines (this helps you judge if both tilt and pan are of equal quality) 5. Judge This is how the pros do it at all the big trade shows (NAB, IBC, BCA, BIRTV, etc.) and how most manufacturers test their equipment.

502 is the one I liked most. Jim

Hi Dave nice video man. I have one of those you show. My secret in panning is using a rubber band tied up with it and I hold the rubber band to pull it. It is more soft rather than using your hand. Anyway thanks for video.

i love the professional quality of your videos! IMO the best was the 502, but as others have said it is always best to use a rubber band lol

Merry Christmas to you as well.

3 things: 1) good review 2) I use the 502ah with a lcdvf and its a lot easier with my eye to the viewfinder, compared to standing back and looking at the 3inch screen (way more stable and a lot easier to control) 3) its very rare you would need to be tracking a subject that far away, at least for me, I shoot mainly surfing and the surfers are never that far in the distance, so I won't need to ever have to make those tiny adjustments, panning is a lot quicker for most occasions and its v. smooth

I've tried all three, but bought a Sachtler Ace, and the proper fluid technology and proper drag with the adjustable counterbalance just puts it in a whole new league :) You should try one if you can, you'll be surprised :D

What attributes should a good video head have? 1. Pan and tilt smoothly. 2. When you start to move the head it should not stick or jump. 3. When you stop it should not ease back in the other direction. 4. When you let go of the handle it should continue to point in exactly the same direction. It should not creep up or down or left or right. You only tested #1.

I use the 501HDV with a canon 5D mkIII and lenses up to 600mm excellent head if you take your time to set up and balance it i have never found anything better.

thanks Dave, I have the Monfroto MVH500AH head.My actual tripod is a bit lightweight. Any recommendations on better tripod. I have Canon D5 Mark 3 with 70-200 L 2.8lens. The MVH500AH head seems to flow nicely.....Thanks!!

I recently went out on a limb and bought the 502AH, with a new set of 055XPROB sticks. They should be arriving tomorrow, and from what I felt in the shop the 502AH is definitely worth the extra £30-40 here in the UK, mainly for the fluid drag. The one thing that I notices while researching that you don't mention here is that the 502 has a really long QR plate, and that the 701 has a shorter one, although I think they're interchangeable anyway.

Merry Christmas Dave! :)

Dave, you should also try Fancier FC-270A, or at least fluid head that comes with it: FC-02H. It has almost no "biting point" (the cause of jerk at the beginning of the move), although unfortunately it has no drag control.

I've got the 502 and really like it. If you practice with the exact movement speed you'll shoot you can get great results since as you said in the video, you've got many controls and flexibility. If I'm not wrong, the main difference between the 501 and the 502 it's that the first one can handle more weight so that's good if you are thinking in mounting a shoulder rig or some heavy rig. Thanks for your videos.

I have the 501 and my counter balance thing pops off as well so I don't think you got just a bad one I wonder if they all do now but i never use it anyways. I love my 501 I think you really would need to spend some time with each head to really see how they work. But I think your test is good because its very hard to zoom in and track something.

1st one seems real good, I don't think you need a bunch of adjustments, just something that has a nice consistent drag in all directions, not to stiff and not to loose

You can use a strong rubber band to pull the handle of the head for smoother movement.

thanks for sharing great review :)

Awseome channel dave. Would you consider doing a USB Follow Focus review? Thanks for the videos.

Thanks for the review

Awesome demo samples.... Just need to know the camera settings you applied with that lens.

My 20 year old tripod has a fluid controls for pan and tilt. And I didn't pay anything for it. Mad score!

I have the 701 hdv fluid head, both on a tripod and on a monopod (561 bhdv-1)... with just a little bit of practise you get amazing results. It's really, what you would call, bang for your buck.

you should try close up panning as well. thanks dave. merry christmas

Thanks for this Doug. I'm surprised loose panning. Perhaps you are just used to the stiffness of the cheap one? I have a 1,500.00 Sachtler FSB8, and judge all heads by that, and I recently picked up the 702 for something to use w/a dslr. I found the 702 to be good quality. Mine has a decent range of adjustment for stiffness. Make sure your column is locked tight. Maybe there is a quality control issue, or maybe you need more finesse? A trick is putting an elastic hair tie in the stick to pull.

I got the 502 and I love it

Love this video. Using you as a guide to a lot of what we are doing as we film the first season of "Mile High Low Life" - denver-based show on the denver crime scene (obvious irony)

Hey Dave, I have the 701HDV which I have used for over a year on my video work with my Canon 600D. It's a great cheaper tripod video head and you can get some really great smooth shots with it but it does take time. I've just purchased the 502 as I have bought a Sony FS700. I'll let you know how that goes!

not sure if someone else already answered this but the camera that gave you two different weight numbers one normal and one static. Static would be if you were not moving it at all. Kind of like a static IP address, static meaning that it does not change or fluctuate.

Suggested test method: Pick two points in a scene. Call them A and B. Tell us what they are. 1. Start with the camera pointing at point A. Start the pan by accelerating smoothly to a reasonable speed. Continue the pan a constant velocity. Then decelerate to a smooth stop pointing directly at point B. Release the pan bar to demonstrate that the camera remains pointed at B. 2. Do the same as #1 (with two new points) only for a tilt. 3. Do the same as #1 that require both pan and tilt.

I have to agree with other comments and say the first one Fancier is the most fluent one!! cheers from Mexico

Great video! How are you keeping your focusing sharp?

In my opinion, the 717-th head is the best choice- has reliable metallic construction, provides very good smoothing, a possibility to increase a handle and has lowest price.

You can use a rubberband around the handel, and pull by the rubberband and you get smooth shots :D

I have the Manfrotto 504 Head and wow it is REALLY smooth. However I am also using a much heavier camera.

I personally use the 501 (not the HDV, or HD just the original) and when in at 200-300mm? (40x on my Vixia HF-G10) tracking a subject moving, it is exceptionally smooth. The main issue I've into with any head when zooming in that far is your heartbeat and breathing need to be controlled or you will get bumpy footage. I looked into the HDV and 502 but didn't find that they preformed any better than my current 501's.

Damn. That depth of field us huge, especially with a 300m zoom.

Great review. This helped me decide I can get away with the cheap one for now. Just to point out the claimed "

Great videos as always Dave, thanks for sharing. What microphone do you use outside in a setting like this, for good, clear audio? lower budget in mind hehe :)

A TIP: If you want lovely pans with a fluid head - just attach a thick rubber band to the handle, and pull that, rather than the end of the arm. With practice, you can get lovel ease-in/ease out, and come to gradual halts. Happy new year!

As far as I know all these fluid heads reviewed use the same "friction plate with grease technology" rather than the "suspended by springs technology" of higher end models. I own a Wei Feng 717 and wouldn't be surprised if it was the best, even with a lot of practice on the Manfrottos. I also have a Manfrotto 501 and a Sachtler ACE; I find the 717 to be just as good as the 501 but the ACE is best when properly balanced. which will then stay at any tilt angle, no memory to center as you put it

On the fancier 717 I think you're forgetting about the tension knob on the right...

You could use a rubber band atached to the lever and pull it with you finger, it can give you more smooth motion.

The fluid heads are cool and all, but man that 70-200m f/2.8 is some SWEET glass. And I'm a Nikon shooter.

I would get the camera and lens balanced on the tripod head so that when you have everything loose, the camera doesn't fall forward, or fall any direction at all.

Interesting comparison but I don't think there is a big difference between them. Results are all quite satisfactory. I just bought and received a Artcise (Innorel) f60 a Chinese product. All metal, no plastic at all even all the knobs are metal. Got it with the 2 regular types of screw for the camera, 2 plates (so one spare) and the handle is telescopic. Great product ! Excellent quality for 77$ Canadian ! Big deal and do the job very nicely. Very happy with it

Please review the Manfrotto 502HD

The difference between a crop-sensor and a FF is a Ful frame has a 35mm sensor, and a crop frame (in the most common size, has an APS-C sized) smaller sensor. It has nothing to do with how many pixels there are in the sensor, its just simply smaller. Since some of the light from the lens doesn't hit the sensor, it is more zoomed, and can have the same amount of pixels. And also, for video, since these cameras sensors have WAY more pixels than there is in 1080 video, it doesn't really matter.

I enjoy using a rubberband with fluid heads but I didn't want to do that here for these tests.

2:55 "Sorry for the wind" I like this guy

A good test is shooting someone going up and down open stairs (from the side). Open stairs like outside of a manufactured home or grand stairways found in beautiful homes. If you can follow the diagonal movement with the camera smoothly, that will say a lot about the fluid head, especially if you are zoomed in tight.

smalltimeR and remko1024 are correct. its a crop not a true magnification. you are just seeing a smaller area of the fov. in a FF you would see a larger area. the magnification would still be the same. the only way to magnify is to increase the focal length, or to bring an object closer. Magnification equation: M=f/(d-f), where f is the f.l. and d is the object distance.

That "Static" value in this definition just means stationary or not changing / not moving.

Hopefully I'm not commenting on something that's already been said, but static weisht is when the head is just sitting in one spot not being moved or adjusted, when the head is like that it handles more weight, static weight.