MagnusGH-M1 Gimbal Head

Having read some of the other reviews, I was somewhat concerned about the operation of this head, but my fears were laid to rest with my first few shots. I'm using an inexpensive tripod with an inexpensive head, and it was nice and solid while I was photographing bald eagles. Operation was smooth with one caveat, if the horizontal panning screw isn't loosed sufficiently, it seems to cause drag in a few specific spots. This is simply resolved by giving it an extra 1/4 turn out, then it pans smooth as butter. Tilting is very smooth and I had no problem balancing my Tamron 150-600 G2 and my Z6II. It locks up nice and tight when you want as well, and I had no issues tightening it down and moving my camera and tripod together. There are obviously cost saving measures on an inexpensive head like this, but they seem minor such as the rubber ring around the knob for tightening the arca-swiss style mount feels cheap and loose. The mount itself doesn't open wide enough to drop my lens foot into either, I have to slide it in, but all in all, for the money, it's very good. For photographers that don't want to spend $300+ on a head, I would say I'm very happy with mine and would absolutely recommend it.

I don't regret purchasing this gimbal, considering the costs of name brand gimbals. But be warned, you will want to modify the assembly. The grease that the manufacturer uses is incredibility thick. As such, smooth motion of the gimbal can be difficult, especially on cool days. Almost all reviewers recommend a DIY breakdown and regreasing. I totally agree. I did it and it's changed everything. It's super easy and there are lots of videos on YouTube teaching you how to do this. This is a solid, heavy gimbal that will hold up to all sorts of outdoor wind conditions and abuse, but you'll want to do the mod. It's quick, it's easy, and it'll save you a lot of money..

Very good gimbal head, easy ajustment for balance and precision.

As an amateur wildlife photographer I didn’t want to break the bank with a gimbal head purchase and reading some other reviews here I figured this one might be a good shot however it will not suit my needs and I am sending it back.I’ve been through two of them the first one the tilt knob wouldn’t function so I returned it and had it replaced. On the second unit. the tilt knob does unlock however, even with that the gimbal tilt is so sticky that I can leave my camera tilted at a 85° tilt completely unbalanced and it’s still basically locked in place. If the tension worked better on the tilt I would keep the unit but it seems too have two settings extremely tight and locked.I’m giving it three stars because I do believe it functions well for what you pay for however I am going to save my money and purchase a more expensive option.

Excellent value for the price, the product looks perfectly fine. Holds the lens well, can be aimed easily, I find the product very useful for me with large and heavy lenses

You gotta get one of these! I have never used a gimbal head but this thing is way less expensive than the benifits I get from it. Extremely smooth with my 70 - 200 f2.8 and no reason to think it wouldn't work with heavier glass. I did have to invest in quick releases for the tripod and for the gimbal itself but at these Amazon prices it wasn't bad

Seems very sturdy. Textured surface is nice. Action is smooth, but stiff. Tilt control is either on or off, nothing in between. Arca-Swiss clamp works well on RRS lens foot. It works. I didn't want to spend $200-$600 to photograph birds in the backyard. The Magnus GH-M1 Gimbal Head will be adequate for that purpose. If I was going on safari or a high-end workshop, I'd probably spend more and get a better gimbal.

I just went on my first serious birding trip with this gimbal and all I needed was a platform for me to track the moving birds, and able to mount and dismount my heavy camera/telephoto (10 pounds). I used the Arca-Swiss plate which allowed me to quickly mount and dismount the camera between shooting and chasing after the birds. I would highly recommend this product for a beginner photographer based on my usage this trip.

Highly recommended product