Manfrotto 500AH fluid head

[Mike G]

Recently purchased the Manfrotto 500AH fluid tripod head + the Kirk Enterprises replacement bridge piece!  The Kirk Bridge piecewas actually more expensive than the the fluid head

Nikon Z6 + Nikkor Z 50/1.8S  f/1.8

[pluton]

Looks nice.  The standard Manfrotto sliding plate quick release is not as nice as the Arca compatible system.

[Erik Lund]

Very clean solution! Never seen or heard of it before, thanks for posting

[tommiejeep]

Nice Mike and I still have a replacement Kirk Acra hanging around somewhere 
Tom

[Ilkka Nissilä]

How is the head working for you?

[Mike G]

Nice Mike and I still have a replacement Kirk Acra hanging around somewhere 
Tom

Tommy, I’ve had the tripod for a few years now using a Manfrotto ball head, always awkward to adjust for level!
The Kirk replacement plate provides a “ARCA” platform as arca is becoming the de facto lens mount for tripods. The Kirk plate is actually more expensive than the 500AH  fluid head!
P.S. it also makes a super video head I’m told!

[Mike G]

How is the head working for you?

Ilkka, I’ve had the tripod for several years, the new Fluid Head I find quite easy to use, when the resistance is adjusted the head will balance the camera and lens nicely, point the camera at your subject and it will stay there. Panning is super easy either vertically or horizontally, very smooth to use! The secret is to get the camera tripod horizontal.
There is quite a good YouTube video by Henry Hudson.

[CS]

Ilkka, I’ve had the tripod for several years, the new Fluid Head I find quite easy to use, when the resistance is adjusted the head will balance the camera and lens nicely, point the camera at your subject and it will stay there. Panning is super easy either vertically or horizontally, very smooth to use! The secret is to get the camera tripod horizontal.
There is quite a good YouTube video by Henry Hudson.

No way I would give up my ball head setup that I can level before you can say "Bob's your uncle!". 

[simsurace]

Mike, I'm assuming that you went in and removed the counterbalance spring?

[Mike G]

Mike, I'm assuming that you went in and removed the counterbalance spring?

Sorry Simone, I have no idea what you are talking about? Would that be on the fluid head?
There was a spring in the Manfrotto camera plate, which when I removed that to swap bridge plates it fell off! It was part of the Manfrotto camera plate!

[Seapy]

Mike, in most video heads there is a counterbalance spring which compensates for the top heavy effect of having the video camera mounted well above the pivot point to provide a self correcting anti gravity effect when tilting the camera back and forth.

[simsurace]

I'm talking about the spring that is acting to level the head when the friction knob is loosened. It seems that on this fluid head the spring tension cannot be adjusted. If I'm not mistaken, normally one can balance the rig on the head by sliding the plate back and forth. But since you replaced the bridge by the Kirk bridge with a fixed clamp, the spring tension might get in the way when one is trying to put the head at an angle and intends it to stay there. I think one can open up the head and remove the spring. How do you deal with this?

[simsurace]

Mike, in most video heads there is a counterbalance spring which compensates for the top heavy effect of having the video camera mounted well above the pivot point to provide a self correcting anti gravity effect when tilting the camera back and forth.

Exactly, this is what I meant.

[Mike G]

Mike, in most video heads there is a counterbalance spring which compensates for the top heavy effect of having the video camera mounted well above the pivot point to provide a self correcting anti gravity effect when tilting the camera back and forth.

Kirk supply three different lengths of sliding plates also with panorama arca plates!

[simsurace]

Mike, what happens when you tilt the head and then let go? Does it return to a horizontal position? It would be great if you could try this with and without camera.