NEEWER Video Tripod Fluid Head with Quick Release Plate, Telescopic Handle & Panorama Scaled Base (⌀55mm), Max Load 13.2lb/6kg, Heavy Duty for DSLR Video Cameras, GM001

I purchased this head for both photographic and hunting purposes, and so far it's stellar for both. Paired up with an old set of Manfrotto legs, I can support my Sony rig, a spotting scope, or an 11lb rifle without feeling rickety and overloaded. It has nice fluid motion, controls that work smoothly and make sense, and the build quality is very nice. If you've used a high-end video tripod, you'll for sure see some differences. When I need a good one, I often rent a Sachtler Ace for instance. If you put them side by side, you'll feel that a high end head is noticeably smoother, has more adjustments, and has pro features that are missing on this NEEWER head. But the point is that it's astonishing that a ~$50 head can even be compared to a ~$600 one. For the money you spend, it's a really nice head, is smooth, sturdy, and adjustable, and doesn't feel cheap at all. My guess is that this head will be a great fit for 90% of folks and use cases, and is a huge upgrade over plastic heads, for a very modest price bump.

I bought this head for two reasons: first, I needed a fluid head for shooting video with my new Nikon Z7 camera and, second, the head on my existing tripod was failing. I installed this head with no problems and found that it seems to be of high quality build. That said, this head is NOT for professional use if you need something that does smooth pans. I will say it tilts very smoothly but the pan isn't much better (it's a little better) than a regular photo tripod head. That said, I am happy with it because I got what I paid for. I am looking forward to using this at family get togethers and my kids' school concerts. If you need something that is cheap and functional for your personal use, look no further. If you are a professional looking for professional results, you'd probably be better off looking elsewhere.

I've begun doing more and more video recording and live streaming. I have a few tripods but I didn't have a good fluid head. I got a mini fluid head from Smallrig but it didn't pan nearly as smoothly as I had hoped. Then, I saw a YouTube video where a videographer recommended the Neewer Fluid Head as a great inexpensive model. The model he referenced was no longer available but this one looked the same and the reviews were very positive. I took a chance on it and am really happy I did! This works very smoothly. It's really solid! In fact, it is so solid and substantial that I had to pull out my old heavy-duty aluminum Amvona tripod to use with it because my carbon fiber travel tripods were dwarfed by this head! The quick release plate is a little long to use with my mirrorless camera as this is designed for true video recorders (as opposed to hybrid cameras) but it hasn't been an issue. I did notice that someone complained that the camera blocked the knob that tightens the release plate onto the head but, apparently, he didn't realize that the knob pulls out and can be repositioned. All in all, I think this is a remarkable fluid head for less than $50 (when on sale, which it seems to be regularly).

I've only had this product for a few days so this is NOT a long term review. If I have issues with it in the future I'll try to come back and update the review. Anyway, as far as I can tell NEEWER only had one minor (but very annoying) miss with this product: the plate that attaches to the camera requires either an allen wrench (provided) or a coin or large flathead screwdriver to attach it to the camera. I personally feel that NO camera product manufacturer should take this route. EVERY single product that attaches to the camera needs to be removable by hand without tools. The solution is extremely simple... put one of those screws that have the metal half ring you pull out and can tighten/loosen by hand. Sure, also go ahead and provide a means to tighten the heck out of the accessory for those who want that... the screw part can have a screwdriver slot, a hex socket, or BOTH on top of the half-ring. For the record I replaced the screw with one from a cheap arca swiss clone plate I had lying around that has the half ring so mine is fixed. I will also add that NEEWER had a second minor fail here by not providing somewhere on the head for you to store the allen wrench. Many manufacturers who require allen wrenches do this. I personally find this to be inferior to providing the hand option but if you're going to require a tool then it's mandatory to provide a very safe place to store it. In case you think I'm being excessive about this, keep in mind that on some cameras and with some accessories (for instance in my case) you might not be able to open the battery compartment without taking the plate off... that could spell disaster at a shoot if you misplace the allen key. Now you probably noticed I gave it 5 stars, even though I wrote war and peace about the plate attachment. That's because I'm very mad at NEEWER for this (admittedly small) miss because the head is just plain fantastic. There just isn't another word. It has FAR exceeded my expectations. I could write a lot of words about how fantastic it is but they come down to this... the head is fluid like a delicious southern italian olive oil... I am garbage at taking videos and now my films of my son look like they were lifted off ESPN... The plate is sized so well and the head grabs it at so many different positions that every lens i have balances amazingly... so I can tilt up and down with precision that I would have never expected. The materials look and feel top notch. the telescoping handle is SO MUCH BETTER than any others I've tried (and I tried many). I've never tried a head that is 2x the price but I'd have a hard time coming up with any way (other than you know what LOL) that one could improve this for a camera within the weight range of this head. RUN don't walk to checkout. And buy yourself the cheapest tripod plate you can find that has the thumb thinghie so that you can cannibalize the screw :P

Typically, cheaper tripod heads won't be as smooth or feature-filled; not the case here. It's easy to use, intuitive in its design, and beginner friendly with it's price. It can handle larger camera rigs and let's you adjust it for heavier or lighter setups for panning. It's medium weight compared to it's competitors but worth the compromise for it's price point. It's built well and provides a smooth operation for its price. It's not the best I've had, but so much better than it's competition for the money.

I had given this a 5/5 but I decided to bring it down after the handle broke. I handled it carefully and had only used it a handful of times. Even though there are not many decent heads available at this price point, it’s not worth it if the metal is so thin it can just split randomly.

Very light, compatible plate with other heads I have

I used this tripod head to restore an ancient Star-D photo tripod to service. I mount a four-pound Mak/Cassegrain telescope on it for use in astronomical observation, but it's also solid enough for high-magnification terrestrial viewing with an erector prism. There is a stop in the vertical movement, so to reach the zenith (straight up), the base must be used backward and the handle must be mounted backward, but it is long enough to be of use in that mode. Up to about 45 degrees up, the mount is excellent in its normal orientation. It's solidly built and has a return-to-horizontal feature that is stopped with the elevation lock knob, but is strong enough to overcome the telescope's weight. This head has allowed me to put a sturdy 45-year-old tripod back in service.

Non delude le aspettative, trova il suo posto negli usi professionali, fluidi i movimenti

Very solid construction, movement is fluid and smooth.

This is a very sturdy unit for it's price. I took this for my African safari. Attached this to a clamp and also to a tripod. I was able to get very smooth video.

スライダーを三脚に載せるために購入。 雲台の無い三脚にボール型やZ字型の雲台を取り付け、スライダーを載せてみたがどれも安定せず、いっそのことフルード雲台を取り付けてみた。 この雲台の主要部分は金属製で剛性が高く、ワンタッチシューも金属製で幅広のスライダーがぐらつき無く安定した操作ができる。 ３kg前後の業務用カメラは過積載となり不安定になるが、２kgぐらいのビデオカメラやデジタル一眼ではスライダーを左右に動かしてもぐらつくことはなく、スライダーのサポートバーも必要ない。 雲台のフルードの粘性は柔らかすぎずちょうど良い。スライダーを載せずにカメラを直接取り付けて操作した場合のスムーズで安定した動作は秀逸で、綺麗な動画が撮影できる。 この価格でこの性能は大変ありがたい。

La compré para adaptarla a un trípode de fotografía con una cámara mirorless. Casi todo era planos fijos para entrevistas y sirvió bien. Pero requiere mucha pericia si quiere imitar un tripode profesional Me explico Es la primera vez que uso esta combinación porque siempre he usado trípodes profesionales de cabezas hidráulicas con cámaras "pesadas". La diferencia es grande: un trípode pro, mínimo 900 euros, permite mucha rapidez trabajando, se despliegan las patas y se hace burbuja en unos pocos segundos, los anclajes verticales y horizontales se fijan con palancas de giro corto, la suavidad de los movimientos es ajustable independientemente vertical u horizontal, también el arco del rebote vertical, y su dureza permiten trabajar bajo lluvia, viento o nieve sin problema, y tienes recambio de cada elemento durante años (no cito marcas). Alguien acostumbrado a trabajar de ese modo (tv y documental) con esa herramienta puede minusvalorar este tipo de trípodes sencillos. Debo decir que me ha sorprendido gratamente y permite hacer un buen trabajo, aunque mejor para grabaciones tranquilas que permitan ajustar con tiempo cada plano o movimiento.