If you’re just getting into videography or a professional looking to expand your arsenal we’ve got a great bit of kit for you today. The Manfrotto MV502AH, a professional fluid head from the camera accessory giant. Professional build quality and a great look is what you get from all Manfrotto products. The black and red styling will help you tell Manfrotto products apart from the competition.
One of the major factors which sets this head apart from all the others out there is the Bridging Technology. It was developed for better handling of different weight variations commonly seen with the multitude of cameras and video cameras out there today!
Starting at the back moving round from left to right there’s a quick release plate safety catch button. Below is the spirit level placed conveniently in the centre of the “bridge”. On the left side we have a mount for the grip followed by the fluidity adjustment knob for tilt actions and a 3/8 accessory slot. The front sits bear with just the pan lock sitting central in the “bridge” section of the head.
Moving round to the right we have another 3/8 accessory slot, tilt lock knob, quick release plate tightener and another grip mounting slot. On top there is, as you would expect a quick release plate complete with 3/8″ and 1/4″ screws. Which can be stored in one of the accessory slots. Finally running round the bottom of the head we have the pan fluidity adjustment, in classic Manfrotto red!
The overall build quality of the head is fantastic. The head will screw on to any flat tripod top with a 3/8″ screw. The pan and tilt adjustments are great ranging from incredibly stiff and little finger loose (professional terms), furthermore my only slight concern with the head is to do with the tilt adjustment knob. When you reach half way it makes this crunching noise. As yet this has had no impact on the use of the head, but over time I’m not sure what it’s doing to the ball bearings inside.
In conclusion, this is a great head. The colour scheme works well with my current setup and makes my shoots much smoother and more professional looking. A great investment for the professional or hobbyist videographer. I picked my MV502AH up from amazon, get yours today!