Manfrotto 460MG 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head with 1/4-20 Mount
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7 Years Using this Head
There are lots of nice reviews for this head so I'll say something new. Unlike a ball head and probably other pan heads, this head is offset. This places the center of balance not at the camera plate screw but AT THE PLACE WHERE THE LENS CONTACTS THE CAMERA. That means that when I put my 70-200 lens on my Canon 5D, IT NEARLY BALANCES! No need for a lens collar. Put a little 50mm on my Rebel IT NEARLY BALANCES! And I get zero vibration. You wont b... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
What were they thinking?
Just purchased a new tripod and was going to mount my 3D Junior head on it but though a new head wou,d go well with that so purchased this. The things it has going for it is much lighter (Magnesium?), much smoother overall design and the knobs as well so less likely to hang up on retrieval from my vehicle and it has the RC2 QR with the safety lock which will be important as will be mounting my camera backwards due to doing more overhead and the -... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Mostly good with a few quirks
Three way vs ballhead is a personal preference of course. As three-ways go this has nice capability for its weight and nice compactness for its ability. Under most circumstances it adjusts smoothly and is steady. It can work with my Nikon D90 with 55-300mm at 300mm with hardly any droop. It is not all smooth sailing. The azimuth ring seems to contract in sub-zero (Fahrenheit) weather, making it tight and balky to adjust there. In its normal confi... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Light, Sturdy, Needs Detents
I replaced the normal single-axis head on my Manfrotto 560B monopod with this one. Now I can set the forward tilt while keeping the weight over the monopod. This lets me frame more carefully. I could have bought an L plate and the right head for that, but this solution costs less and is not specific to a camera body. It's light, rugged and works well for people who want to adjust one axis at a time -- and that's probably everybody who uses a mono... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
What were they thinking
This is an upgrade from a Bogen 3D Junior head and mounted it to a new Monfrotto 290 Extra Tripod. Great addition to my kit! It is lighter, the ruberized-rounded knobs are much more compact with the head and it has the QR plate w/safety lock. The adjustments are a bit sticky but it is new and should smooth out with use and the pan is very smooth. My only question is since this is designed to be positioned in virtually any position, why is the lev... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Perfect for This Style of Head
I had read a bunch of reviews about this product before deciding to buy it. That said, I was still impressed when I finally received it. I've owned other similar Manfrotto heads, but the form factor of this one is much nicer. I really like the shorter knobs (in place of the longer handles). It just makes more sense. When you reposition the camera I like to grab the camera body, not a handle. I also like the size and feel of the knobs. They are la... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Old school and very easy to use
I come from more traditional roots as a photographer. I've used many tripods and heads and prefer the more traditionally adjustable head. I realize the trend is to go with a ball head but I like the holding stability of the multi-articulated head. This Manfrotto head has nice, large, rubber knobs that are easy to grasp and turn, either to loosen or tighten. The main reason i like this style of head is that you can adjust the rotation and elevatio... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Solidly Constructed but ...
... it doesn't meet my expectation. For beginners this head is probably fine, but if you want better control, I suggest stick with the old fashioned 3-way pan head or get a ball head. This head does not even have a safety lock when positioning the camera vertically or tilting forward/back. You may seriously damage the camera or your lense if you forget to tighten the knobs then just let go of the camera. The knobs are not smooth to operate. Botto... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Low Profile
I use this lightweight head for hiking into remote locations to get long exposure shots. I chose this head for its close knit knobs that don't protrude while it's attached to my tripod and backpack. I'm not a ballhead fan, so this reasonably priced head fit the bill. It's used with a D7000 w/grip, so quite a bit of weight with no problems of sagging in portrait or downward position. The panning is nice and smooth and the dual lock keeps you from accidentally unlocking the plate assy. B & H is the place for quality products and customer service !!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Light Three Axis Head
You'll be hard pressed to find a more functional tripod head than this one. It's light and works well with my Manfrotto 190 XPROB. I used this for a solid week as I was in the Smoky Mountains shooting fall pictures. I was very happy with the performance using both landscape and portrait alignments. I shoot a Nikon D300 and Nikon P7000. It worked well swapping between both of these cameras. I found this head to be very light but quite sturdy. Once tightened into position, I found it held its setting and worked great.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Features without weight
I was so thrilled to see this lightweight replacement for my wonderful-but-heavy geared head. I still have control of all three axes separately, which I find indispensible for my work, especially macro shots. Once you're used to being able to tweak each dimension, a ball head with it's propensity to move in all directions at once is not an option (believe me I've tried!). So even though this doesn't have screw-thread adjustment, a small learning curve was all that was needed to attain the same functionality.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great head
This head is awesome. Easy to adjust, precise, and well made. The only thing I wish was different was that the knobs were on the opposite side (I'm right handed) or that the knob that gives the camera the ability to go up and down along with the neck were closer to me instead of farther away so I could blindly adjust without having to fondle for the knob as much. These are small wishes - they aren't necessary and I'm adapting just fine. This head is a must for anyone using Manfrotto tripods.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Look at it from this perspective
I'm using this on a Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod and they fit together like they were made for each other! I read reviews that said they found the fixtures on this head 'sloppy' (and that may happen over time) but the one I received has very good grip. I'm using it with a Canon EOS 5D II and EF 135 f2L lens and I've put it into every position possible, and with this head that's saying something, and it's managed to hold everything effortlessly. I wish that I had designed it.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Perfect for travel
I hate ball heads and have been looking for a pan/tilt compact enough to take when I travel. This head fills the bill. It's light, the knobs are short, and the head partially folds. It's not as compact as a ball head, but still is easy to pack. The knobs are large in diameter and easy to adjust. The head is initially fairly stiff, but the action becomes smoother with use. I use it mostly for bird photography; the independent control of the three axis is wonderful.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Rock solid, slick, and positive
I've never been a ball-head kind of shooter due to the kind of work I do and so when I bought this unit to go with my new Manfrotto 055CXPro3, I had high hopes based on extensive reviews and research.I have to say I haven't been disappointed. The compact arrangements of the knobs is just fantastic and the movement in pan is very smooth. This head is an exceptional unit for price and a fantastic unit overall. The feel is solid and substantial. I'm very happy.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Easy to use, light, but needs time
I was looking for a lightweight head for my 190CXPRO4 PRO CARBON FIBER TRIPOD. I liked the idea of controlling each axis separately, so I got this head. It's very intuitive, a bit larger than I have imagined, but not too big... The knobs feel nice and tight, quick release plate works great. I think this is a great head for macro photography, but the downside is that you need time to undo and tighten one or two knobs if you are shooting a moving subject.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Easy move
Great head for glassing. Loosen knobs slightly and you can move the head left, right, up and down without moving your head away from the binos. Great for scanning a hillside etc. Rigid enough for camera's as well. A little on the heavy side for backpacking into wilderness area's but fits nicely into a backpack along with spotting scope, bino's and tripod. Knobs lock down well for no movement and is perfect for photography and spotting scope use.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Excellent Head!!!
This head is AMAZING. My dad has had it for several years before (as the old #3437). It has lasted so long that he had passed it down to me! I started using it and it just feels and SCREAMS PRO! I used it for video and panning with the D90 and it's great. I also shot outside in the snow for hours. It really just works. If you need a retro head that literally says Magnesium in the header, this is it. no matter how old it is!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Tough, compact, sturdy
This is the second 460MG I've owned. The first burned out after 4 years of very rough use, including backcountry backpacking and 6 months of very hard travel in Africa. I use it on a Manfrotto Mountaineer carbon fiber tripod. I like how compact it is. It's very versatile when trying to set up tough macro shots. And it's nice and sturdy....enough to hold a Canon 40D with 70-200 lens.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
'Good but difficult'
I like this head for it's weight and streamlined profile. One has to be aware of ultimate camera positioning before attaching as camera body can obstruct full axis motion. At first I felt the strength/weight of each axis control was a bit too weak but as I've continued to use the head I'm becoming more comfortable and efficient at adjusting. Great control for ultra-light head.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Excellent Lightweight and Lines Up Right
I bought this on a the advice of a friend and I am not disappointed. It seems to be the lightest of the light and I am less than 2 lbs on top of it. The quick release works great, but the the thing that is the best about it is if it really matters that you get items in the frame to line up just right, micro adjustments to that end are easier than if you use a ball head.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Manfrotto Head a Winner
As a professional glamour photographer, the 460MG 3D Magnesium Head with RC2 Quick Release is all that I need to hold my camera on top of my tripod. The simple 3D feature lets me quickly change from horizontal to vertical format, and the quick release lets me quickly free the camera for those fast-changing outdoor shots at the beach. And the quality is great; I like it.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Ex Head
I use it for DSLRs. Out of the box it felt stiff and not smooth at all, but with a camera on, it works great. So much more solid than the ball head I was using. Maybe not quite as fast, but unles you're shooting sports on a monopod, it's great. And the handles grip without having to clamp down tight..they're short enough that they don't get tangled with everything.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Easy to Adjust
Overall, I am satisfied with this product. I like having seperate controls for vertical and horizontal movements, as I like to adjust them separately, which is why I chose this over a ball head. The only negative is that sometimes it seems necessary to fiddle a bit with the quick release lock to make sure it is locked so the camera won't inadvertently drop off.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
