Hello Dmitry, I thinking to buy a fluid head instead of a ball head and a gimbal head for photography. Should I go with the Gitzo 3-way or the Manfrotto 500AH with a Kirk bridge, Arca clamp and slider? Thanks. === Здравствуйте Дмитрий, Я подумываю купить плавную голову вместо шаровой и карданной для фотографии. Что лучше: Gitzo 3-way или Manfrotto 500AH с мостом Кирка, зажимом Arca и слайдером? Спасибо.
Hi! It depends on what you are shooting. If you prefer photography than 3D Gitzo will be better for you. It has more precise control and it is compact as 3D head. But if you shoot video from time to time Gitzo has video heads. To be honest - Gitzo heads are simplier than Manfrotto video heads but they are more compact also! So i prefer Gitzo GHF2W. It has simple counter balance and work as video head. I made a review of it (sorry, in russian): evtifeev.com/70292-obzor-4-h-shtativnyh-golovok-ot-gitzo-gitzo-ghf2w-gitzo-ghfg1-gimbal-gitzo-ghf3w-gitzo-gh3382qd.html#konstruktiv-gitzo-ghf2w Also they have Gitzo G2380 - it's bigger video head. Very robust but size matter. Anyway Manfrotto MVH500AH is even bigger. So if you are going for videography - better to choose 500AH. If you are partly in videography - use Gitzo GHF2W as video head for compactness. But for photo you will need leveling base of second head. And finally, as a photographer better go with Gitzo 3-way. It's very compact for 3D, it's fluid and it's very robust.
This is a joke. Don't buy this. The old 2270M was much better. OLD Gitzo 2270M: only 750g, max 5kg (enough!), only 10cm working height Front Tilt -95° / +50° range Lateral Tilt +100° / -100° range Vertical tilt range -100° / +100° range NEW Gitzo GHF3W: 955g, max 13kg limit, 11.5cm (extra height not the best for stability) Front Tilt (vertical range) -70° / +90° Lateral Tilt -30° / +90° Vertical Tilt range ? - please ask Gitzo, can't measure it While well-made, the GHF3W fluid head has several design flaws that will probably be corrected in later versions. It is usable but is not good enough for professional use. First, the levers do not extend long enough, resulting in some knuckle-cracking against adjacent parts of the head. Second, you need to turn the spindles quite a bit to go from loose to firmly fixed. If you are doing many such movements per hour it can be slow, and may require you to adjust the angle of your hands to make the full revolution. That adds time to each adjustment. Third, and most seriously, the head has an awkward locking mechanism on the handle. It is difficult to operate one-handed. On my unit, the supplied quick release plate wobbled in the head, and there was no way to tighten it down. Although it prevents the quick release from being accidentally opened, that wobble is the last thing you want in a quick release system. I had hoped that this expensive head would solve some of the grabby qualities that other 3-way heads develop over time, but this head has much worse problems. Gitzo needs to go back to the drawing board. I'm going back to my beloved Gitzo 2270M.
I decided to write a review just because the former (and sole) reviewer's note is untrue. Let me explain: the 3rd issue (wobbling) is there yes, but there IS a remedy for it. On the opposite side of the lever there is hole where you can loosen a knob with the included tool and adjust it. So obviously the first reviewer did not notice it. My only complain (and it's the reason for a 4 star) is the price, regardless being a Gitzo. Anyway, overall I do like it. And, oh, by the way, if you loosen the aforesaid knob the included plate will no longer lock firmly, so you'll need to readjust the knob.
Gitzo выпускает очень высокого класса товары. Лет 30 назад познакомился с продукцией. До сих пор доволен.
Hello Dmitry,
I thinking to buy a fluid head instead of a ball head and a gimbal head for photography.
Should I go with the Gitzo 3-way or the Manfrotto 500AH with a Kirk bridge, Arca clamp and slider?
Thanks.
===
Здравствуйте Дмитрий,
Я подумываю купить плавную голову вместо шаровой и карданной для фотографии.
Что лучше: Gitzo 3-way или Manfrotto 500AH с мостом Кирка, зажимом Arca и слайдером?
Спасибо.
Hi! It depends on what you are shooting. If you prefer photography than 3D Gitzo will be better for you. It has more precise control and it is compact as 3D head. But if you shoot video from time to time Gitzo has video heads. To be honest - Gitzo heads are simplier than Manfrotto video heads but they are more compact also! So i prefer Gitzo GHF2W. It has simple counter balance and work as video head. I made a review of it (sorry, in russian): evtifeev.com/70292-obzor-4-h-shtativnyh-golovok-ot-gitzo-gitzo-ghf2w-gitzo-ghfg1-gimbal-gitzo-ghf3w-gitzo-gh3382qd.html#konstruktiv-gitzo-ghf2w Also they have Gitzo G2380 - it's bigger video head. Very robust but size matter. Anyway Manfrotto MVH500AH is even bigger. So if you are going for videography - better to choose 500AH. If you are partly in videography - use Gitzo GHF2W as video head for compactness. But for photo you will need leveling base of second head. And finally, as a photographer better go with Gitzo 3-way. It's very compact for 3D, it's fluid and it's very robust.
This is a joke. Don't buy this. The old 2270M was much better.
OLD Gitzo 2270M: only 750g, max 5kg (enough!), only 10cm working height
Front Tilt -95° / +50° range
Lateral Tilt +100° / -100° range
Vertical tilt range -100° / +100° range
NEW Gitzo GHF3W: 955g, max 13kg limit, 11.5cm (extra height not the best for stability)
Front Tilt (vertical range) -70° / +90°
Lateral Tilt -30° / +90°
Vertical Tilt range ? - please ask Gitzo, can't measure it
While well-made, the GHF3W fluid head has several design flaws that will probably be corrected in later versions. It is usable but is not good enough for professional use. First, the levers do not extend long enough, resulting in some knuckle-cracking against adjacent parts of the head. Second, you need to turn the spindles quite a bit to go from loose to firmly fixed. If you are doing many such movements per hour it can be slow, and may require you to adjust the angle of your hands to make the full revolution. That adds time to each adjustment. Third, and most seriously, the head has an awkward locking mechanism on the handle. It is difficult to operate one-handed. On my unit, the supplied quick release plate wobbled in the head, and there was no way to tighten it down. Although it prevents the quick release from being accidentally opened, that wobble is the last thing you want in a quick release system. I had hoped that this expensive head would solve some of the grabby qualities that other 3-way heads develop over time, but this head has much worse problems. Gitzo needs to go back to the drawing board. I'm going back to my beloved Gitzo 2270M.
I decided to write a review just because the former (and sole) reviewer's note is untrue. Let me explain: the 3rd issue (wobbling) is there yes, but there IS a remedy for it. On the opposite side of the lever there is hole where you can loosen a knob with the included tool and adjust it. So obviously the first reviewer did not notice it. My only complain (and it's the reason for a 4 star) is the price, regardless being a Gitzo. Anyway, overall I do like it. And, oh, by the way, if you loosen the aforesaid knob the included plate will no longer lock firmly, so you'll need to readjust the knob.