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502HD head
  • 37 Replies sorted by
  • sam_rides_a_mtbsam_rides_a_mtb

    Anyone using this with full rig including mattebox, follow focus, 5-7" lcd, audio recorder, shoulder pad, and either external battery or counter weight? I know that is going to be right around 8 pounds and wondering if that is pushing it with this head.

    @davidp158 - any pics of your rig setup on this head and have you added any additional gear to what you listed? Some more feedback would be appreciated.

  • ickejohannesickejohannes

    Has anyone used the 502 with just a bare GH2 with the small kit lens (14-42)? Trying to decide between this and the Sachtler Ace.. The fine-tuning of the 502 seems nice, but in the specifactions it says 2lbs minimum weight. GH2 and kit lens would be less than that.. Is it still possible to counterbalance properly?

    @pvjames?

  • pvjamespvjames

    @ickejohannes: Pardon the delay. Just saw this. I've been using my 14-140 with no issues. I've also tried the Ace. Its lighter and feels more 'plasicky'. I would guess it is not a prob with the 14-42. One thing i realized and happy that i bought aluminum sticks. You may want to have that extra weight when out in the field. Its been able to handle some decent wind gusts.

  • davidp158davidp158

    Just following up to an old post:

    I have been using the Manfrotto 502 head with a small/medium size rig, and it handles the weight just fine. My rig includes set of rails with mounting bracket, handles & shoulder pad, GH2 w/multiple lenses (pancakes to 14-140), Feelworld 7" monitor, Tascam DR-40 recorder, external battery pack and sometimes a Sennheiser shotgun mic. The 502 head is very smooth, and doesn't bind or get sticky. In fact, the extra weight seems to make pans and tilts much smoother and tripod (Manfrotto PROB190) feels more solid.

    Q: Does anyone know if there is an alternative mounting plate to the 504PLong? The 504PLong plate runs around $65, which is somewhat higher than only "long" plates from Manfrotto. $65 plate for a $175 head seems overpriced to me.

  • KevinTraywickKevinTraywick

    @davidp158, long-delayed reply - I use the 501PL plate (about $28 at Glazers) on the bottom of a slider I attach to the 504/tripod. Works great, solid. How do you like the Tascom? Kevin

  • labalbilabalbi

    Up today I am using a monopod 560b with a 391RC2 head with my GH3 . Can you guys recommend another one for using with a monopod ? Thanks

  • chauncychauncy

    about the 502 with the 75mm bowl, does the bowl come off easily? Can it then work as flat bottom head as well?

  • brandonmrshbrandonmrsh

    the 502's bowl does not come off easily, and does not work well as a flat bottom head.

  • chauncychauncy

    that blows. I'll have to buy the flat version with a bowl adapter so I can use the head anywhere I want.

  • johnnymossvillejohnnymossville

    I was thinking of getting this head and a fairly heavy duty carbon (photo) tripod for their relatively small size and light weight. Has anyone tried this head on a 26lb class carbon tripod? I want something I can carry around easily that will also be able to use a ball head on for stills shooting.

  • TscheckoffTscheckoff

    @chauncy:

    Why not check out the Benro S8. It´s always a flat base head (and a quite good one). (The 75mm half bowl kits are only coming with an 75mm adapter - So you can use the leveling feature.) Also feature wise it´s WAY better equipped than the 502HD head.

    (Sorry @ Vitaliy to post that here - But it´s just the better option for him ...)

    @johnnymossville:

    The same goes for you - You can get a Benro A373FBS8 kit for around 450$ (sometimes even cheaper with rebates). You get the single leg tripod (very stable stand and stiff connections / base - Used multiple versions already), the half bowl adapter (where you can mount a ballhead or three-way-head for shooting stills) and the flat base S8 head.

    Btw.: Used til now following tripods from benro: C373T, C474T, C4770TN (the new one is actually in use), A373T, A2570T (classic) and the A3570F (classic with leveling mid level collumn). Especially the half bowl tripods (the first four) were EXTREMELY rugged. Even compareable to the Manfrotto (MPro 535 and 536) and even the Gitzo systematic tripods (with half bowl upgrades). Especially the C474T and C4770TN are "Stability-MONSTERS" ^^.

  • johnnymossvillejohnnymossville

    @Tscheckoff Thank you for that detailed Reply. I'm looking at the A373FBS8 right now.

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