Manfrotto Video Head with Flat Base, Video Head for Compact Video Cameras and DSLR Cameras, for Filming, Videography, Content Creation, Vlogging, Live Streaming

READ THIS: Be cautious about who you order this head from. I ordered it from Ornem first and the 502 I received was obviously used and scratched up by the previous owner or maybe it was a demo/showroom model. I feel like Ornem was hoping some schmuck wouldn't have cared about the condition and I ended up receiving it. When you order something that is described as BRAND NEW, that is what you should expect and what you should receive, no questions ask. I returned it that same day and ordered it again through CaMan and the new one I received was, you guessed it, brand new. Before I sent them my negative seller feedback, I noticed that they had a couple negative reviews in the past 30 days. So I went ahead and put together my review and it was live in about 10 minutes. NOT EVEN 15 MINUTES LATER, my review as well as the other reviews left by unhappy customers had been deleted! How is this possible? Amazon should be the only one that is capable of deleting reviews because now, Ornem has a 100% unblemished record and customers will never know about situations like mine. THE ACTUAL REVIEW: This head is a beast. It's a solid build and the fluid drag system will give you buttery smooth panning and tilt footage. The only concern I had going into buying this head was the fact that it's made in China. Not to say that stuff made in China is bad, I've purchased plenty of great products made in China, it's just that Manfrotto chose to have it manufactured in China vs. Italy like the majority of their products that got me thinkin. I also ordered the 190 go tripod which is made in Italy so I was able to get a good idea of the build quality between the two. The 190 is flawless 5/5 no problem. The 502 is a 4/5, it's constructed very well but it appears they took some shortcuts on the finish. The one thing I noticed about the 502 is that as you're adjusting the fluid dials, there is this odd popping sound. My guess is it's the fluid within the head as you adjust it accordingly. Not a huge deal breaker as the head pans and tilts consistently in all directions but I am hoping that it will eventually go away. There is some play in the dials too but I was aware of that when I was doing my research on this head. VERDICT: In the end, I'm super stoked to have added the 502 and 190 to my setup and I highly suggest ordering either of these products if you are in the market for some sweet gear. Once again, BE AWARE OF WHO YOU ORDER THIS THROUGH.

I've seen a bit of griping about this head being 'clunky', not smooth. I've used it for taking video of birds and natural surroundings and it not only was smooth as silk, but noiseless as well. However, I think I understand the complaints on its clunkiness; it comes (or mine came) pretty well tightened down (perhaps to keep it from flexing too much during shipping...?), and you need to loosen the bindings that cinch the ball bearing mounts which I believe are only on the pan mechanism, and use the fluid mount adjustments to fine-tune the fluidity of movement instead. Once I did this, that little choppy, clunky chatter (which you skateboarders, or anyone familiar with ball bearing joints, will recognize as problematic if tightened too tightly) will go away. The result is a nice, smooth, quiet movement. I had it too loose at first, and was having trouble keeping the movement fluid, but after adjusting a few times I found it to be awesome! I got really nice movement on the pan, the rise and lowering, and both in unison, as it should be. At this point, you're on your own to develop the feel it takes to make those smooth movements. As a fledgling filmmaker, I'm working on my control of all things involved in my filmmaking, but this help immensely in making what would otherwise look like a handheld, YouTube vlog video look very professional. One suggestion would be to always allow a second or so to begin and end your movement so that the jerky beginning or ends of your clip, if any, can be edited out in post. Other than that, I find this to be the perfect tool for what I need to make my videos look really nice! Like anything else, it's not something that will do all the work for you, and since you'll most likely use it to smooth out DSLR/Mirrorless footage, you aren't going to have the added weight of a big, heavy camera to help slow erratic movements. It is capable of holding one of those cameras; there are two mounting screws included, a 1/4" and a 3/8", so attaching any DSLR-type camera is a breeze, and either screw can be removed so it's not in the way or rattling around on the slider plate. The slider plate allows for easy balancing of your camera on the head so whatever lens you're using, it'll balance nicely. I've used it on a Peak Designs Travel Tripod with a Canon EOS R and a Canon 70-200 zoom with spectacular results, even without using the lens' mount for additional balancing! For the price, I'm really pleased with this purchase!

I don't know...I try to read as much user feedback on anything I buy before I buy...I'm also very skeptical of most feedback that I read as I assume a majority of it is planted, positive feedback by employees or friends of the company selling the products. And of course, you are always going to find exceptions to the rule, positive and negative. That said, I don't work for Manfrotto nor have I even heard of the brand really prior to purchasing the 502 head. All I can say to you know is that, yes I've pretty much read every negative, or even kinda negative feedback on this item. I've watched videos and read as much as I could. But, I bought it. And, I think it's friggin' sweet! I think it is soon smooth panning in all directions. The adjustments for drag up/down, left/right are just fine. The motion is smooth. You can tweak to your satisfaction and preference for your needs. Its sturdy. Looks impressive. And it's like my favorite camera accessory. Considering, I'm just staring and have no idea of what I'm really doing, the 502 head is a wonder product. Paired with my Ravelli APGL4 Tripod, I have one super solid base for my Ax33 camera. If you need to get a nice pan head, and have a few hundred you'd like to spend...I say do it! Just do it!

This is the best option for both photo and video users. I am primarily a still photographer and use a gimbal. However, this fluid head has replaced my gimbal at a much lower price. The only problem is the manfrotto type plates. However, several manufacturers sell adapters that allow Arca swiss plates to be used.

I was looking to upgrade my tripod for video work and this baby comes highly recommended. After alot of research and Scratching my head going back and forth with the "Should I spend that much or shouldn't I" question I finally decided to go for it. I got this and the Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 tripod and the combination of the two is just smooth and like a dream. The fluid head is great for those paning from Left to right or up to down product shots especially. Extremely sturdy build and the quality packaging and delivery were amazing from amazon and the seller especially with prime shipping. Now in terms of practicality,this fluid head is one of the best out there.However if you are someone who travels alot and carries a ton of gear already,then this is definitely going to add some extra kg's.Its heavy. The money and the weight though is totally worth the investment.Anyone looking to get great video footage and photos wont regret this buy. Hope this helped.. Peace

以前にも使ってましたがやはり使いやすいです♪ 買ってよかった商品ですね✨

Fault reported below resolved with replacement order. This item proved to be of exceptional build quality and thus great value for money at this price. As smooth as silk on both the vertical and horizontal planes under finely controlled continuous adjustment to produce languid cinematic effects while panning and tilting. Solid independent locking in both planes along with acutely angular positioning for those Dr Caligari's Cabinet weirding shots. Paired with a Manfrotto half bowl leveller, this rig was quick and easy to set up for any shooting scenario with confidence that it would all stay in place, all day, even under a hefty load. A 3/8" threaded hole at each side of the camera platform allow accessories such as field monitors and microphones to be rigidly stabilised off the camera body creating a more stable platform for sharper filming with less camera shake and cleaner audio. If there are better fluid heads available at even twice the price then you should buy one right away for a fabulous bargain. This is merely a very highly regarded piece of professionally engineered equipment at a very reasonable price. But it's a whole new level above its junior partner and streets ahead of the rest and many if its much more expensive competitors. Altogether, a bit of a photograhic and cinematic revelation. Original review: Red continuous fluid drag adjustment ring for panning function was seized on arrival and would not budge despite best efforts without putting it in a vice. Locking mechanism engaged and disengaged without issue and panning function itself worked very freely, probably set near minimum drag. This fault has previously been reported among earlier comments by another unfortunate buyer who was spot on. I'm giving Manfrotto another chance since this is my first brand purchase. Looks and feels very sturdy though and all functions otherwise perfect. Spring-back counterbalance on this model well suited to heavier DSLRs (eg. D850) and bulky lenses such as Sigma Art series with the automatic 4kg setting. Hoping for a better outcome after a further wait.

Beautifully made head with quality feel and very good functionality!