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Hi, I have a medium sized Gitzo ball head and I'm thinking about replacing it w ith a Giotto MH 2000 Dual Ball Head. I haven't heard much about this ball head but the price is right ($150US from B&H) and it looks like it'll hold my 8x10 B& H as well as my heavier medium format camera. Anyway I'm wondering if anyone ha s any horror stories or reservations about this head.
I have very serious reservations about this head.I field tested a version of it a couple of years ago definitely would not use it for an 8x10 and perhaps not even for a heavy medium format (Mamiya RZ or RB or Pentax 67) camera. You'll get what you pay for and a Linhof, Arca, Kirk, or larger Gitzo ball head will be a much safer choice.
We would not recommend the MH 2000 for 8x10 but the new MH 3000 would work.
Does the MH2000 (and Bob, the 3000) have normal (single axis) pan capability? One of the large double-ball heads I played with recently at a store--I thought it was the 2000--didn't have independent pan rotation; loosening the second (lower) ball control allowed the whole head to dip, changing the axes I'd already set by the first (top) ball control. But it may not have been a Giotto I'm thinking of.
Of course, if you have a center column and it rotates (not the new grooved Gitzos) then you technically don't need pan in the head, but it's nice to have.
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The 1000, 1001 and the 3000 have 3 controls.
1 for the ball 1 for the tension ' 1 for the pan
The 2000 has 2 controls 1 for the lock on both balls 1 for the tension on both balls It has no pan lock for either ball.