My experience with the Giottos ball head and plates...

Hello all,

I just wanted to share with others about my experience with the Giottos MH-3300 Pro Series II Extra Large Socket head and the two Giottos MH-648 90mm Quick Release Camera Plates.

I searched this forum as well as other places to find the right head for my Manfrotto tripod. I decided for this set, I wish I read somewhere on what I am about to write...

Overall, the head as well as the plate are just "fine", but, the issues I have are:

CON.
1. the bottom part of the plates are just not well finished, most of the edges are so shar that I cut my self two times. not just the edges but also, the parts that are scrued to the plate, the spring... I thing they should have posted a warning sticker on it "WARNING, SHARP OBJECTS, USE WITH CARE" or something like that.

2. After using another head, the quick release 322RC2the plate on this GIOTTOS system is just a pain to mount, you need to carefully aligh the camera and the head and also care not to get another cut... the slide snap without a quick alignment guide of some sort makes the head a NOT QUICK FIT/RELEASE.

PRO.
1. as I sead above, overall, the system is just fine but I think the above needs to be addressed. It holds a gripped 40d with 70-200 f/2.8 just fine, no movement what so ever, as well as the 100-400...

Thank you and I hope this helps someone I sure wish I read it somewhere.

Hi Tunin

I have this exact ball head with the same QR Assembly and with two MT-648 plates and the VR L-Bracket. In my case they are mounted on a Giottos MT-7371 leg set.

I checked both my plates for sharp edges that could cut, and neither of mine seem to have any problem in that regard. I ran my fingers along all the edges, and there was no indication of a problem.

I cannot commment on using any other head with these Giottos plates, but I will take your comments under advisement, as I plan to buy some sort of ball head to fit my Manfrotto monopod, and that will have to be usuable with the Giottos QR plates.

Maxdave