Giottos MH1304-110C Professional Mini Ball Head
by Giotto
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List Price: Our Price: $19.99 You Save: $10.00 (33%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $19.00 (click here) Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Giottos MH1304-110C Professional Mini Ball Head
Customer Review: Holds well, if you can tighten it enough
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a very small ball head that is able to hold a smaller SLR with a short lens, but that's about its limit. Any lens that places a bit of torque on the ball head will slip and slide down. Usually if I try a bit harder to tighten down on the locking screw, I can get it to hold into place. I wish the locking screw had a lever instead of a dial shape, as it seems like a lever shape would be much easier to torque down on, and I seem to have trouble getting a firm grip on the dial.
This is a well built little ball head, and I will probably keep it around for use on a monopod, but it is probably not the right choice for long exposure photography or any stand alone shots with a longer lens.
Customer Review: virtually perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
fully meets my expectations
3 modifications would make it perfect
1-extend the side knob about a 1/4 inch to make it easier to turn ... unless one has small fingers and thumbs
2-add little bumps or teeth to bottom surface that mates with tripod to eliminate potential to rotate on tripod's pad if it is not very securely tightened to the pad >> don't want to turn it tooooo tight
3-make top thread/screw that fastens to the bottom of the camera about an 1/8 inch longer >> this screw could then have more threads engaged and perhaps to bottom-out inside the camera then turn to "lock" the wheel with cork pad against the bottom of the camera ... this would be more secure attachment
Customer Review: Does its job just fine
Summary: 4 Stars
I got a Gorillapod SLR-Zoom to replace a normal tripod when I'm traveling, and this compact ball head is what I use with the Gorillapod. I'm not a professional - I'm using a prosumer digital SLR with an external flash and a couple lenses, and I don't want to lug around bags full of gear for the sake of a hobby. It makes for a convenient and compact mounting system, although I'm not using it as much as I thought I would, because I'm not traveling that much. This ball head mount has worked fine whenever I've used it. I make sure everything is securely fastened when setting things up, and I haven't had any problems. It's a simple device that hasn't let me down yet.Customer Review: Must have for monopod
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a simple part but it could have easily been ruined by poor design or cheap manufacturing. This is not the case. The best feature is the effectiveness of the ball lock. Very little force is needed to provide a secure position. When working to catch distant wildlife I keep the screw loose until I locate & frame the image. A fingertip twist is all that is needed to fix the ball. Then brace the monopod & shoot. On a recent trip to Costa Rica I took lots of shots of birds at the extreme of my zoom (560mm effective). The reliabile performance of this ball mount allowed me to capture images that I would have otherwise missed.Customer Review: Perfect for DSLR-monopod combination
Summary: 4 Stars
I use this to mount my Nikon D40x on a Giottos MM9780 monopod. Lightweight and well made. The tension on the ball head is adjustable enough that you can steady your camera but still move it around to frame the shot. It can easily tighten down enough to hold the camera rigid. It is not very tall, so with the tripod straight up and down a vertical shot is not possible (the base of the camera hits the flat top of the monopod). This isn't a problem for me because I don't use the monopod straight up and down, I tilt it and brace it against my leg or hip. No quick release, but very good for the price.