Manfrotto 327RC2 Joystick Head

Comments about Manfrotto 327RC2 Joystick Head:

AN excellent tripod head. Easy to fit and adjust. Smooth operation.

Comments about Manfrotto 327RC2 Joystick Head:

On inspecting the Manfrotto 327RC2 head I was more than a little concerned at the quality of the safety lever, referenced as "I" in the instructions.

The movement of this lever into the unlocked position was very stiff and couldn't be rotated through to the angle shown in the instructions of about 90 degrees. In trying to turn the lever in to the unlocked position on only a couple of occasions has resulted in minor scoring of the paint which I felt was either due to a fault with the particular unit or the design is manufactured to too tight a tolerance.

I Compared it to my Manfrotto 486RC2 on which the movement is very easy and the amount of rotation of the lever is beyond 90 degrees together with a definate reces for the lever to click into making it a very sinple function.

I returned the unit asking for a replacement but that also had the same issue so I had a refund.

Comments about Manfrotto 327RC2 Joystick Head:

Product is great, allows for quick, swift movements and no fumbling around with levers taking up valuable shooting time.

However.... I have quite large hands for a woman, and the handle is too big for me after a while of using it. I thought it would be fine at first, but sometimes you don't really know until you get out into the field. There is a friction control which seems fine at first, but as I recently found out while shooting a theatre production requiring quick and often movements to line up the shots, my wrist ached and required extra effort and strength to move for each shot. Because men's hands are naturally larger, I can see it would fit perfectly.

I definitely should have gone for the 324RC2 it would be much more comfortable to use in terms of physical size for a woman's hand & the ease of use.

Comments about Manfrotto 327RC2 Joystick Head:

I previously used the 460Mg 3 way yead but adjusting always took time to set up - with this it is instant with one hand. Well worth it - I said it is a bit heavy but I guess if it was lighter it wouldn't grip as well. Recommended.

Comments about Manfrotto 327RC2 Joystick Head:

I tried the joystick shooting landscapes, where it held my D700 with a 28-300 zoom lens rigidly enough to ensure pin sharp images when shutter speeds went as low as 1 second.
It is very solidly built, giving me the confidence to use quite heavy gear. Very fluid movement. I had the camera in position very quickly indeed.

Comments about Manfrotto 327RC2 Joystick Head:

What a fantastic piece of kit! I bought this to replace my Giottos pan and tilt head. It is so much easier to use, just squeeze the handle reposition and let go, simple. No more fiddling with two separate screw-in levers. It looks and feels like a quality item which you would expect from Manfrotto. You won't want to use this for panning when shooting moving cars motorcycles etc but to be fair the same can be said of any ball-type head, it's not what they are designed for and I would rather do that without a tripod in any case.

Comments about Manfrotto 327RC2 Joystick Head:

Excellent piece of kit, was going to go for the 804RC2 head but decided not to, was so glad. Its first use was at Co. Clare, Cliffs of Mother, where horizontal rain was howling. I simply put the camera on the tripod & 327RC2 head, pulled the release brake and was spot on in seconds, one lever to adjust 3 angles. No messing.

Worth its weight in gold, so glad i got it as with leavers all over the place, I would hve been there ages, would have froze and the camera would have been soaked. The rest of the trip around Galway and Mayo went so well and cut so much time trying to line up - was lined up in seconds.

If you can go the whole hog, do it, you wont regret it.