Hi, I have a medium sized Gitzo ball head and I'm thinking about replacing it with a Giotto MH 2000 Dual Ball Head. I haven't heard much about this ball head but the price is right ($150US from B&H) and it looks like it'll hold my 8x10 B&H as well as my heavier medium format camera. Anyway I'm wondering if anyone has any horror stories or reservations about this head.

-- David Grandy (dgrandy@accesscable.net), July 28, 2001

Answers

I have very serious reservations about this head.I field tested a version of it a couple of years ago definitely would not use it for an 8x10 and perhaps not even for a heavy medium format (Mamiya RZ or RB or Pentax 67) camera. You'll get what you pay for and a Linhof, Arca, Kirk, or larger Gitzo ball head will be a much safer choice.

-- Ellis Vener Photography (evphoto@heartstone.com), July 28, 2001.

We would not recommend the MH 2000 for 8x10 but the new MH 3000 would work.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), July 29, 2001.

Does the MH2000 (and Bob, the 3000) have normal (single axis) pan capability? One of the large double-ball heads I played with recently at a store--I thought it was the 2000--didn't have independent pan rotation; loosening the second (lower) ball control allowed the whole head to dip, changing the axes I'd already set by the first (top) ball control. But it may not have been a Giotto I'm thinking of.

Of course, if you have a center column and it rotates (not the new grooved Gitzos) then you technically don't need pan in the head, but it's nice to have.

....

-- John (WhitmanDesign@aol.com), July 29, 2001.

The 1000, 1001 and the 3000 have 3 controls.

1 for the ball 1 for the tension ' 1 for the pan

The 2000 has 2 controls 1 for the lock on both balls 1 for the tension on both balls It has no pan lock for either ball.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), July 29, 2001.