Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg)

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

It broadens my horizons for experimentation.

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

If you are looking for a geared pano head it doesn't get any better. I don't feel like there area lot of companies making heads like this, but regardless for the cost, I'd recommend it.

Also, can't say enough good things about BH!

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

The head works great...EXCEPT..You can't use fish eye lenses with it as part of the head appears in the frame.[...] Fish eyes are very important when making 360 panoramas.

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

This is designed to shot panoramic and virtual tour images- i am using it in tight quarters inside RV's. Durable Manfroto construction-wonderfull design - no con issues

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

I liked to use in a landscape photos and 360 photos

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

Does what its supposed to do: help locate the nodal point or whatever else know-it-alls prefer to call it; doesn't matter what you call it, it works. Only niggle is the anti-rotating pin for big lenses; it falls out too easily if not tightened sufficiently so I expect to lose this one day in the field. Guides perhaps not as tight fitting as perhaps German or Japanese machined surfaces but when tightened up, locks securely enough anyway. And a means to help lock the swivel base to teh tripod would have been a nice to have. None of these minor complaints affects performance though.

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

This panoramic tripod head is top-notch. Nearly every feature you could ask for... to the point of being overkill for all but the professional panoramic photographer. I ended up returning this head in favor of a simpler rig, but only because it was way more than I needed.

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

I purchased this product specifically for shooting digital images to stitch together to create Panoramas.

It was very easy to set-up and the results I have obtained in the first week have been amazing.

Overall, this is excellent value for money.

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

This was a wonderful purchase. I received the package in about 2 days. This panoramic head allows me to do flawless panoramics. This has opened for me a new and exciting was to take photos.

Comments about Manfrotto 303PLUS QTVR Geared Panoramic Head Kit - Supports 11 lb (5kg):

Pros:

The quality of the unit is exceptional. Finely-milled slides with precision screws allow for very minute adjustments.

It's strong enough to hold some pretty heavy glass, which adds to your confidence level. There are numerous settings for selecting the number of "stops" in a full 360° sweep. These stops are quite handy.

Also very handy are the quick-release levers (a PLUS model exclusive, I believe) which allows you to make very fast gross adjustments.

The design allows you to change from vertical (portrait) orientation to horizontal (landscape) orientation VERY quickly without removing the camera from the bracket.

Finding the nodal point is a cinch with this thing. It just takes some patience. The manual includes blank "notes" pages in the back so you can document the nodal-point settings for all your lenses. Once you have it, making super-wide panos is a snap!

Cons:

The slide won't pull far enough back/forward to acquire the nodal point at some extreme focal lengths. For example, a 70-200 f/2.8L Canon lens at 200mm on a 5D body (it gets VERY close). Another example is the 24-70 f/2.8L at 24mm on a 5D. But between those extreme ranges, it's not a problem.

I wish that it came with the leveling base (B&H# BO338). You WILL want to order that base. The base makes it MUCH easier to level the unit.

By nature of its design, it's difficult to pack (for travel). It's just an awkward shape. But that's a nature of the beast and applies to all makes of pano heads.