Professional Mini Ball Head Camera Mount
by Giotto
List Price:
Our Price: $12.90
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: GiottoModel: MH1004-320
Product features:
- Weight: 1.8 ounces
- Load capacity: 4.4 lbs
- Base with 3/8-Inch socket with 1/4-Inch bushing
- Top plate with 1/4-Inch thread
- Height: 2.4-Inch
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Professional Mini Ball Head Camera Mount
Customer Review: Advertised load capacity too optimistic
Summary: 3 Stars
This seems to be a reasonable ball head for the price if you stick to very lightweight cameras -- even more lightweight ones than the product specs suggest.
Using the Giotto's 3/8 inch socket by taking out the 1/4 inch bushing, mounting this diminutive head on my Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod Legs (Black) gives me just barely under 2 turns of threading, which is solid enough for most point-n-shoots on this, admittedly, overkill tripod for such a purpose.
Mounting the head to my Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) gives me almost exactly 2 turns; to my Fujifilm Finepix F70EXR 10MP Super CCD Digital Camera with 10x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD, over 2 1/2 turns; and, in a pinch, to my Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Black Gold Special Edition (Body Only), just over 2 1/4 turns. I have no idea how long the threads will last, but all of these connections are well within the sturdy range.
My only negative observation is that the advertised load capacity for this ball head is overly optimistic: this is fine for point-n-shoots, but when I have grabbed this in a pinch for my Nikon D60 with a lightweight lens, the mount is anything but steady, even on the Manfrotto, even though the total weight of the camera, lens (a Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras, battery, card, and camera strap weigh in at ONLY 2lbs, 1oz -- less than HALF of the Giotto's advertised "load capacity" of 4.4lbs. It holds together, but just barely, and it's a bit wobbly. I know this product is not designed for a DSLR, but shouldn't any product perform steadily at _under half_ of its advertised load capacity?
Just in the odd case that someone would consider getting this mount for the Manfrotto tripod mentioned above, I'd recommend against it -- the thumbscrew on the ball head is so close to the wide base of the ball-head mounting surface on the Manfrotto and is so short, that it's quite difficult to tighten. I haven't noticed that problem mounting the Giotto to quick-releases on cheaper tripods, though.
My complaint is that the effective weight rating for this product appears to be under half of what it advertises.
Description of Professional Mini Ball Head Camera Mount
Mini ball head with single knob for ball and pan functions.Tripod Heads
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