Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

It is definitely a quality video head. It is a little stiff though which takes a little getting use to.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

It doesn't look impressive in the photo, but this is a very sturdy, high quality head! Good buy.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

The FM18 was mated with a Giotto tripod and a Meade 80mm refractor to create a travel telescope kit. My viewing interest, which include terrestrial and sky objects, pulled me towards a fluid head instead of an AZ mount. The FM18 has no problem carrying the 7 lb scope along with a heavy 2" diagonal and 2" eyepiece. Movement is smooth enough to allow the small nudges needed when following a celestial object. The head is not lightweight, but mass is an asset for stable viewing/photography. Other reviews mention the interference between locking levers. While true, the ratchet feature provides a workaround. I'm very pleased with the product.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I bought one of these heads to beta-test it against a Bogen 3063, and wound up fitting all three of my 3035 tripods with FM18's! This head has good balance, actions are smooth, and the quick release plate is a good size for any of my cameras. I use this head in the field, on live shoots outside, in a studio, on a jib-crane, and sometimes on a dolly. Occassionally I forget that the QR plate tightening screw lever is spring loaded, so other than that, a great overall head for the price! On my three heads, there is only one plastic part: the pan lever. Every other knob is metal! Great build.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I now have two of these, one word SMOOTH

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I use this head mostly for my video camera, obviously; however, I have been using it for my DSLR as well in studio-type shooting. It is very stable and smooth (if adjusted properly), and just a very nice item in general in my opinion.

Be aware though, it is fairly large and heavy. It hasn't bothered me so far, but I would rather not have to carry it with my tripod overly far.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

This is a great fluid head with one caveat - it really performs best with heavier weight loads - perfect if your camera is on rails with accessories -

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I am a professional videographer...this head is great for larger video cameras. the double handles are very helpful. very sturdily built. I now own three of these heads

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I was looking for a good, but not too expensive, tripod and head for my Mamiya RB67 camera. Being that Slik 600 monopod worked great with the camera, and that the Davis & Sanford tripods looked a bit bulky, but appeared to have a nice head, I decided to try using the Davis & Sanford FM18 head on a Slik 700DX tripod. So far, I'm quite satisfied with the results. For those of you reading this who are into video, please bear in mind, I have not tested this head on my camcorder, so I can't tell you how well it works for video applications, but for still photography with a big, heavy camera, it's pretty nice. Other people have complained about the knobs blocking parts, or being blocked by parts; that does seem to be one downside on this head, but I think some people don't realize that you can pull on any of the knobs and they'll rotate to a more convenient position with a ratchet-type operation. The knobs will then spring back into place, allowing adjustment. One other issue that you may want to consider before buying is that it only pans left & right and tilts up & down. This head does not have a third axis for tilting the camera left or right, so if you need that feature, this head won't cut it. But if you want a good, solid head for a bulky camera, this head seems to work well.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

Bought this head because of the low price and the dual handle setup. Panning and tilting are very smooth, if somewhat tight. However, my head developed a scraping-like feeling on the pan portion after a few days of use. Although this might be a defect, I makes me wonder. The rest of the head is well made, however.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

Normally I rent high end tripods for bigger shoots, but I wanted to get a low end setup for day shoots, and the reviews about pan and tilt performance tempted me into purchasing this model.

This unit is well designed for shoots where performance is needed over adjustability, and provides solid performance at an unbeatable price but it not as well suited for situations where quick 'adjustability' is vital.

Great pan and tilt performance - on par with $1000 units, but pan and tilt fluid friction are not matched, so it requires a very steady single hand or the use of both hands operating both panhandles for a clean pro diagonal move.

Two full length tripod plates is a very generous touch - most heads at this price offer one short plate and make you pay an additional $20-40 for a longer one.

The down side of this head is ergonomics, or complete lack of... The QR lock runs into the bottom of any wider camera bodies, and often requires a full turn as the QR plate is not a uniform width all the way across, so pull the spring loaded twist handle then reset,then lock tripod plate and slowly ratchet the QR down… making it a 'slow' release.

This QR handle also runs into the right panhandle, sometimes requiring pulling the panhandle completely off to get the QR plate locked - which takes forever - a Gitzo style round twist nob instead of a protruding twist handle would solve this.

Panhandles are very stable and don't slip if loose, like on many panhandles with shallower adjustment teeth. The down side of the deep teeth in the panhandle mount, adjusting a panhandle requires more than 10 full turns of the adjustment nob to loosen, and another 10 or so turns to re-tighten. By this time, actors are asleep, and crew is ready for a bathroom break…

So, for film/video/still shoots where a single configuration works, this is a great tripod head, but once adjustments need to be made, time is lost, and frustrations can rise.

This product could be modified, or redesigned into a super head at a super deal, but for now, I am hoping to find something with more thought put into ergonomics... hopefully something out there that matches the solid performance for 5X the price.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

Works just fine for basic moves. I have a 7D with rails/follow focus. I can do basic pans and tilts and it support the camera, which is all i was looking for it to do.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I have one FM18 fluid head on my tripod and this one goes on the camera slider I built. The advantage is in using the same quick connect plate which come with the FM18. It makes my reconfigurations a snap...pun intended! This head is a great price and is smooth, sturdy,easily adjustable and looks professional. I recommend it to anyone who is a professional or serious amatuer videographer.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

Works OK, but it's really for a larger camera than a camcorder. In fact,it's about the size of a camcorder... Heavy as my tripod (pro sticks). Does a decent job though, but with my small camcorder, don't know about something larger... Comes with 2 plates!

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

i have this head on 2 other tripods purchased from B&H. It only made sense that I put it on a spare set of legs that i had.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I use the FM18 with a Panasonic AG-DVC30, and a PV-GS150. I like this so much, I've ordered a second one. It is similar in use to my old Bogen 3063, and includes two pan handles. The head has a nice heft to it, all actions are smooth, and the quick release plate is a good size. I use this primarily in the field, on live shoots, not so much in a studio, sometimes on a dolly, and have it mounted atop a set of Bogen 3046 legs. My only probelm with this head is the odd shaped QR plate tightening knob. I'd prefer a round knob to a tear drop shape.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I bought one of these to replace a Smith Victor Pro-5 Head that developed a serious wobble. The two heads, FM18 and Pro-5, both appear to be cast from the same molds. The FM18 claims to be a fluid head, whereas the Pro-5 is a fluid effect head. By comparison, I like the FM18 better, as the pan arms are longer, one-piece constructed, and it seems sleeker. My long-time fave, Manfrotto 3063, may have to step aside. The FM18's pan and tilt actions are smooth and solid, and suits my style well. I disagree with other posts on the net I've read that complain about this head. The FM18 is well suited for my AG-DVC30, and smaller video cams.

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

My staff after only using for one day told me why did it take me so long to find a head that was so easy to use and makes their job a lot easier. This head is so smooth it is almost like it follows the stage person itself, there is no sudden start or stops. I would recommend this to anyone needing live production.David, Memorial Baptist Church [@]

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

Bought specifically to match with Canon xh a1. Camera body for this model blocks balance plate lock.
Like the dual arms.
Looks like first rate unit with lots of capability

Comments about Davis & Sanford FM18 Fluid Head:

I'm a videographer and I just needed a fluid head for basic shooting needs. This head had some down-sides...basically when tightening the arms or the tilt, there was always somthing in the way and you had to constantly adjust something to tighten or loosen something. It was kind of annoying, but after awhile you get used to it.

The pan feature on the head - well lets just say isn't made for sports. Very rigid but it's good for still shots.

Overall, I like the product for what I need it for.