Used Manfrotto 492LCD Micro Ball Head with Hot Shoe Mount, Supports 2kg, 4.4lbs.

2016-12-27T16:37:20

I bought this because I wanted a simple way to have a little video camera going at the same time that I am shooting stills. Other than the fact that this thing is taller than I would like (ideally, the axes of my vid camera and still camera should be as close together as possible), this thing satisfies the desire. I have read more than once that folks like this accessory except for the fact that it tends to want to rotate axially even when the ball joint is locked. I had that problem also and I found out why and fixed it. There is a black round layer of something between the main base and the aluminum lock ring. When the ball joint is locked, that black round layer is also locked and unable to rotate. When the ball joint is not locked, that black round layer is free to rotate. A problem arises in the interface between the black round layer and the hot shoe thingie. If the screw holding the hot shoe thingie isn't driven *really* hard, it will be able to rotate with respect to the black round layer--which it should never be able to do. So, I took a screw driver and torqued that bugger down hard (carefully). now it holds axially when I want it to--and rotates axially when I want it to. If this solutions doesn't work in the long run, I'm just going to find a thin lock washer to put between the hot shoe thingie and the main base. I like it.

Douglas H.

2016-11-21T10:00:02

This is a very sturdy mount, rock solid. If it's used as intended, that is, up right, you'll have no issues. This has a rotating base so that while the monitor is mounted, you can turn the whole unit to get a better viewing angle. While that's a great feature, the problem comes in when you mount this on a vertical mount rather than the horizontal mount. In the vertical position (or mounted horizontally but you hold the camera vertically), the monitor won't stay in its place. Buy this if you intend to keep the monitor level at all times. Else, if you tilt your camera or want to mount it vertically, it will not stay in its place. I thought about returning it but the rest of it is so solid I decided to keep it and use it with those limitations.

INSUNG H.

2013-07-02T21:00:00

MUCH stronger than the ball head that came with my LED Video Light!

RICHARD K.