Otis Memorial Pentaxian Registered: March, 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Posts: 42,007 | | Review Date: February 1, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $145.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Capacity, price, precision build | | Cons: | Durability issue with originally purchased copy | |
Giottos MH 1301-656
Unlike the title version of the MH1301, most versions (mine included) ship with the slightly smaller MH656 plate. Below is a summary of the text of my initial review posted HERE.
This is the medium-large version of Giottos' series II ball heads. 1301 refers to the head model and 656 refers to the plate-type camera mount.
Specifications- Height: 109mm (4.3")
- Diameter: 50mm (2.0")
- Weight: 515 gm (18.1 oz)
- Capacity: 12kg (24.4 lbs)
Features- Hardened aluminum alloy construction
- Light, extra-large hollow ball
- Vertical and horizontal bubble levels
- Separate controls for ball lock, ball tension, and horizontal pan
- Base has azimuth degree markings for precise positioning
- Single notch for vertical camera position
- Arca Swiss type quick release plate with locking devices to prevent accidental camera release
- Calibrated scale on quick release plate to allow precise positioning
- Release plate camera screw has flip-up ring to allow tool-less mounting
- Release plate has cork face
- Includes quick release plate and soft-fabric pouch
- One year U.S. Warranty
Impressions
The controls on this head are very nice. The control knobs are clad in grippy rubber and are sized to allow easy usage with gloves. The actions are silky smooth and well-dampened and have the feel of a precision instrument. The ball lock is very positive and predictable without creep or notchy feel. Both the horizontal and vertical bubble levels are acceptably accurate despite their small size. The tension adjustment allows for enhanced control of the ball movement and helps avoid accidental damage to the camera or lens due to unintended ball release.
In the last five years, I have used the head under many field conditions including severe cold (~15 F), exposure to salt spray, moisture, and heat. Gloves were not a problem and the head was very easy to position.
The 656 quick release plate is quite adequate for the K10D with most lenses. Larger, heavier lenses may require a beefier plate such as the model 657. In use, the Arca Swiss style plate is somewhat cumbersome to attach to the head. The process involves lining up the rails, depressing the interlock, sliding the plate on, and tightening the screw knob. Other manufacturers have developed single-lever and snap-in solutions that are much easier to use.
One quick note, while the Giottos name sounds Italian, the company is headquartered in Taiwan and has its manufacturing facilities in the special economic zone in Shenzhen, China.
Long-Term Durability
I have owned my MH1301-656 for about five years at this point and have encountered sufficient problems that I am looking for a replacement head. These problems include:- Over time, the ball-tension feature has simply ceased to work
- The CR clamp operation have become very rough with the occasional flake of metal working its way out of the clamp mechanism. Not good.
- The rotating base has become difficult to secure without residual play resulting in a rocking motion and occasional failure to maintain position. On one occasion with the tripod center column in horizontal orientation, rotation resulted in the lens crashing into the tripod leg.
In all fairness, these quality issues may have been resolved with current stock for the product. The current Giottos U.S. warrant is still only offered for one year and should be a factor when considering purchase. My current rating of "5" for this head reflects the issues I have had with durability. The previous rating was "9".
Update:
I contacted the Giottos U.S. distributor (HP Marketing) and told them about my problem. They asked me to send them the unit for evaluation and responded promptly with a replacement. This was despite the fact that the head was well out-of-warranty. Rating changed again to "7" based on excellent post-sales service.
Update #2:
The replacement unit has been in service now for about six years with zero issues and with the head performing as it did when new. I would note that my current copy carried a 12-year warranty too. Assuming that the first head was not representative of the model history, I have upgraded from the previous rating of "7" to "8".
Executive Summary
The MH 1301 is a well-built precision tool at a very good price. That being said, it may not be the best tool for professional use due to durability issues. It is on the basis of the failure of the head after only five years of moderate use that I chose to not recommend this head in this review. I have revised the recommend option to "yes" based on the response from the U.S. distributor to failure. Note: The replacement has continued in service for six years at this point with zero issues with the head performing the same as when new.
Pro- Precision build
- Nicely finished
- Separate controls for lock, tension, and pan
- Relatively light for the rated capacity
- Smooth and predictable controls
- Easy and secure camera positioning
- Arca Swiss type quick release plate
- Moderately priced
Con- Arca Swiss implementation is cumbersome to attach to the head
- Durability of first copy was less than originally anticipated (see above)
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Veteran Member Registered: August, 2011 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 328 | | Review Date: September 14, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $149.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Strength, adjustability, design | | Cons: | None that I can think of | |
Giottos MF-3 series of Ball Heads can be customized to whatever configuration you might want. The 1301 base with the 357 quick release mounting platform works perfectly for my Pentax K20 and whatever lens I might be using. It will securely hold well over 20 lbs. The head locks down very securely in whatever position you might want and the friction adjustment can be finely adjusted. I had been looking at ball heads for some time now. The vertical position bubble level is the feature that pushed me over the edge to buy this particular head. It is a very nice touch for portraits and verticle format architectural images.
The mounting plate is the Arca Swiss type with the retractable slippage flanges (especially nice with heavy set-ups). The plate slides forward and back for 20mm each way. Wonderful for macro set-ups where you want to make slight adjustments in focus and framing by adjusting the camera's distance from the subject. The top bubble level is covered when the camera is mounted, but you simply slide the mounting plate forward a ways to reveal it. Neat!
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