Manfrotto 460MG Magnesium Tripod Head
Manfrotto 460MG Magnesium Tripod Head Review
April 2009, by Woodyjnr
| The Manfrotto 460MG magnesium tripod head is a high quality head offering some significant benefits over most normal 3 way heads. Being made from magnesium the head is both light - weighing a scant 1.1lbs (0.5kg), yet is extremely durable. It is capable of supporting up to 6.6lbs (3kg) which makes it ideal for DSLRs and some lighter Medium format rigs. During the testing period the tripod head successfully supported the weight of a KM 5D, Sony A300 and Nikon D3 with various pro lenses on. The unique design gives the photographer superior control in positioning their camera and the conical joints allow the head to move in virtually any direction. It can be used as normal on a tripod centre column or adjusted so that it can hold a camera vertically or horizontally on a horizontal centre column. The rubberized locking nuts provide a quick and simple solution to secure the camera with just a few turns being enough to support the camera. |  |
The tripod head also scores extra points for its inclusion of a quick release plate allowing the photographer to quickly and easily mount/unmount his or her camera to respond to ever changing conditions.
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The photos above show some of the ways that the head can be positioned and as you can see it really is a versatile head. If you are familiar with ball and socket tripod heads it will take a little while to get used to a 3 way head, but once accustomed to them they are quick and easy to operate.
I am very impressed with the 460 MG magnesium head and it will be my head of choice for my personal and professional work from now on. Time will tell if the head is up to the rigors of daily professional use, but upon initial impressions it would appear so.
The 460MG head can be purchased from a variety of stores or online and is available for around £50. Whilst not the cheapest of heads this can be considered extremely good value for the versatility and general quality of construction.
If you are after a high quality, light weight but versatile tripod head the Manfrotto 460MG comes highly recommended. The AlphaMountWorld rating is 8.5 out of 10 as befits a high quality professional product.
-A. Woodhouse
I use a Manfrotto 410 head
I use a Manfrotto 410 head and the 3 similar geared dials/knobs are a joy to use. It too has a super-precise and smooth movements without any jumps/steps... and that's what the 3 knobs are all about. We can tune the camera angle until we're happy. This 3-knobs head is indeed perfect for slow work such as shooting products, people sitting/standing and equivalent. (It's not for fast stuff like panning race cars/bikes, birds or pets:))
Very Good Review Andrew
Nice that you are doing reviews like this that are alternatives to the normal camera and lens reviews we are used to typically seeing on the net.
C