Following on from Part 1 where I took a look at some useful sound accessories for the 5DMKII, this week I’m going to be taking a look at video heads for your tripod. For photographers out there wishing to take advantage of the video capabilities of this camera , there is no getting around the fact that you won’t be able to use your current photographic tripod head. Normally I use a Really Right Stuff BH-40, whilst this does have a separate panning base which might be usable for panning horizontally , it would not allow any vertical panning and i think the horizontal pan would be tough without a handle.
So how does a video head differ from a photographic one and which ones are people most likely to find useful for the 5DMKII?
A photographic ballhead is designed to be easy and quick to position in one place and then lock solid while you take your shot. A video tripod on the other hand has 2 jobs. It needs to lock solid should you wish to to shoot something statically but also move smoothly should you wish to shoot a panning shot horizontally or vertically. As with photographic ballheads you can spend as much or as little money on one of these as you want. I asked around several film guys that I know and it turned out that all of the use the exact same head, the Manfrotto 501HDV. Further investigation showed this head to be extremely popular and surprisingly good value for around $200. It weights 1.6kg and will hold a load of 6kg. But 6kg is a lot more than I am going to need to hold, the 5DMKII only weighs 810 grams and I dont have any lenses that weigh 5kg!
Manfrotto offers a solution to this though….. the 701HDV. Introduced in May 2008 as a replacement to the 701RC2, this is the most affordable true-fluid head on the market today and looks just like a shrunken 501HDV. It has a capacity of 4kg but weighs half the weight of the 501 which is also useful if i need to carry it around as well as all of my usual photographic gear. I ordered a 701HDV along with my 5DMKII which arrived a few days ago and so far I have been very impressed with it. The panning base locking knob is somewhat crude but it does the job and pans very smoothly with an easily adjustable resistance. The vertical panning relelase is via a large knob on the side (see photo) and it locks solidly when 
you dont want things to move around. Construction is also impressively solid, and feels like it will stand up admirably to the harsh environments that I use my equipment in. A spirit level is included on the base and the panning handle is switchable to whichever side of the head is most comfortable. All this for $170! I’m a big fan of this head, for the price I don’t think you can beat it. Considering the relatively light weight of the 5DMKII compared to most other video systems, I think this is the perfect solution.
For those people that are looking for a little bit more weight capacity you might want to take a look at my review for the Manfrotto 503 HDV.
701 HDV next to a 503 HDV
701 HDV next to a 503 HDV
I’m sold.
Here’s a question for you–any plans to do some review work on the best stabilizers for this camera? I am extremely interested in the steadicam merlin, but it seems that no one else is. Am I missing something?
Hi Steve,
Its something i’d like to look into some day. I don’t think I am going to have a chance to do that soon though, I have so many projects coming up right now and I still havent really decided how much video is going to play a part in my business. I’m just feeling it out right now, if it works well then it will be time to invest in more gadgets like that though!
Or the Glidecam 2000 Pro? It’s considerably cheaper…
What’s coming up in Part 3?? Love the blog!
Thanks Brad, part 3 is in the works…
I’m a video guy that dabbles in photography and the best tripod combo out there for about $1000 CAN is the Manfrotto 503 head with Manfrotto 535 legs. The 503 head is one step up from the 501 and the 535 legs might be hard to find but they are fantastic light weight carbon legs that are also quite long. One of my many beefs with prosumer tripods is that the legs when extended are too short to shoot an interview with a tall person if they are standing.
Hi
Can you take vertical shots (photo) with 701hdv? I am also considering, but would like to use it for both photo and video (to economize weight). Thanks!
Hi Steve,
After looking at diff 701HDV review, I’m pretty sure to buy one but I’m still a bit confused with the legs. I’m mostly shooting in the snow and also mountain bike.
chris
BTW – Awesome blog, thanks for sharing !
I guess if skiing and biking is what you do then weight is something of a consideration like me. I use Benro Carbon fiber legs and find them to be great. Not as expensive as gitzo legs but 90% there in terms of quality. Have had no problems with them in snow.
hi, thanks for the review!
what do you mean by “with an easily adjustable resistance”? it isn’t possible to change the strength of resistance for panning, is it?
Yes you can tighten the locking nob half way to give more resistance if you need it.
Great content on here, I’ve been following the blog for awhile.
Anyways I’m looking into a video head for my dslr kit, the heaviest I’ll ever be shooting and what I will mainly be shooting with is 5D MKII with a battery grip and a 70-200 f/2.8 IS. Do you think I can get away with the 701 or would I need to step up?
Thanks
Dan,
What tripod do you recommend to pair with the 701HDV? I bought a Induro CT-114 but it only has one locking screw and I feel like there’s some movement when I pan. I’m looking at the Manfrotto line but not sure what I should get. Some possibilities: 755CX3, 351MVB. They all seem pretty heavy to carry around while snowboarding. Is a bowl level really necessary?
I dont think a bowl is that necessary. But avoid tripods that have an adjustable center column. Honestly I think Induro do some great stuff but I’m not totally familiar with your exact model.