Bogen - Manfrotto 3275 / 410 Compact Geared Head with Quick Release - Supports 11.1 lbs

I got this tripod head to help me get more precise camera position adjustment, especially with macro photography (by no means the only application for this head), and it quickly became my favorite tripod head. The head gives you two different kinds of control in three different planes of adjustment - you can adjust the camera to tilt back or forward, side to side, or flip over from horizontal to vertical. You can turn the knob for incremental changes, or turn an interior dial on each knob for a larger movement (usually to get you to a general position you want to be in, in preparation for using the finer adjustment). A built-in bubble level also greatly aids in making adjustments.

The quick release plate system that works with it (you get one of the plates with the purchase of the head) is very sturdy with a wide base, larger than another of Bogen's quick release systems that I use. Using it, I have no concern at all that the camera might work loose and fall off the tripod.

One downside for me is that I've still not clearly memorized which knob allows me which plane of movement and sometimes my adjustments are trial and error before I get to the knob I really wanted; that may be more my fault than Bogen's, but you might find that it's a good idea to mark each knob somehow to indicate which plane of movement it controls - I can't seem to make sense of Bogen's labeling. But I'll stress this is a relatively minor problem, easily overcome with memorization or the label workaround I mentioned.

Compared to my other tripod heads, the standout feature of this one is the precise control capability. Some disadvantages of this tripod head is that it is bulky and very heavy - that makes it sturdy, an advantage to be sure, but it also makes it less likely you would carry it on your tripod for an outing. The one time so far I took it on a trip, I actually kept it separated from my tripod in my bag, so I could carry my tripod around with a simpler, lighter head on it, but have access to the other head if I needed it, which worked out ok, but can quickly become inconvenient, if how much time you spend getting the tripod ready is a major factor for whether you get the shot you want or not.

Despite some (for me) minor limitations, this has become the tripod head I rely on most. If you want speed of adjustment, get a ball head, but for precise adjustments along more planes than other heads usually allow, this one can't be beat.

I am very very satisfied with this product. I have used this before back in my home country and it was reliable. This time, I bought one for myself and it is indeed very reliable. The performance is just awesome!!!

This IS the head you need for astronomical viewing on the fly with a camera or (very) small scope. I bought this for solar/lunar eclipse photography coupled with a sturdy tripod. The quick release functionality allows one to find and center the object of study: though not smoothly, as this is not a smooth pan head. Then, using the slow motion controls, one can steadily follow a slow-moving object, Sun Moon Stars, easily and sturdily. I have a Nikon D200 with 200mm telephoto and extra battery pack on my Bogen head, and there has been no problem at all. Highly recommended for astro imagers needing a portable manually tracked solution.

Recommended for bird watchers or action scenes: nope. The head doesn't allow for fast & smooth action coupled together.

Simply fantastic. It's heavy, though, because it is sturdy. This head is my replacement for a much lighter 3-way head. Using this head, and a two-way hotshoe level ($12), you can make panoramas very easily. I love how sturdy it is, and the quick release levers are easy to use. Mounting the camera is easy once you know how - just look at it - and quick, too. This is exactly the head that I needed for architecture shots, for long exposures and panoramas, for control. If I didn't need the tripod, I would just go handheld! This head is everything that I wanted.

Most of today's tripod heads are great for quick settings, but for those who want to tweak the frame in tiny increments like i do, this is the one to get.