Considering a fluid head - A7Riv and Tamron 28-200

Craig Gillette wrote:

I've read about this one, haven't seen it in the wild, so to speak. I'd have to set up with anRC2/Arca Swiss adapter. Plenty out there. Might want two, one primarily for use with L brackets and maybe one oriented for a long lens foot, too. From the various reviews, mixed comments or impressions on the pan and/or tilt performance - which is pretty common. Not really a surprise that sub $200 heads don't perform up there with professional high end models that cost many hundred if not thousands of dollars.

I don't recall having come across anything that got universally poor comments. I think the Manfrotto MVH502AH gets the most intensely divided sets of comments. It seems the placement of the pan and tilt controls don't bother a fair number of users and are completely unacceptable to many as well. (For me, not having experience, I don't know how awful the placement is/isn't. Otherwise aside from it's size and weight, it gets a lot of very positive commentary.)

I think Manfrotto missed an opportunity with the mvh502ah, as it seems to be a very popular head for the last few years, and the one i originally was planning on getting....and hoping i would find using the pan-bar the opposite way around satisfactory.

I suspect if they had made two versions, with one being a mirror image of the other, regarding the tilt/pan lock positions etc...i reckon they may have sold/sell even more.

With regards to panning with the lower end heads {with no adjustments, apart from the sliding plates}, it is a good idea to film multiple pan clips of the same subject/scene, if the situation allows it {not always possible, obviously}...as it will increase the chance of keeper.

I suspect the better class of heads will help reduce that need....among other pros and cons.