There are lots of different types of camera heads to choose from that can have a huge impact on the style and type of shot you can achieve with your camera and shoot stabilizer, whether it is a monopod, tripod or a gimbal. Manfrotto have established a reputation for providing excellent quality in their products and delivering innovative solutions to problems that photographers and filmmakers face when trying to achieve the best possible angles and framing for their shots. When it comes to buying a geared head for your camera, there are two that Manfrotto produce that were worth careful consideration – the Manfrotto Geared Head 405 and the Manfrotto Geared Head 410.
Geared camera heads are attachments that allow you to pan and tilt your camera on the x and y axes so that your can roughly position the camera and then you can fine tune the camera’s position using the gears, even when making the tiniest of adjustments.
Manfrotto Geared Head 405
The Manfrotto Geared Head 405 offers photographers and filmmakers smooth and accurate adjustments to your camera position when you have positioned it in the rough place that you want it. The Manfrotto Geared Head 405 gives you the ability to pan through 360 degrees so that you don’t have to reposition your tripod if you want to shoot a different aspect of the same location. This particular gear head has a frontal tilt with a range of +90 degrees to -30 degrees.
The Manfrotto Geared Head 405 comes with a quick release safety system on the camera mount so that you quickly and safely remove your camera from the camera head. There is also a system on the ManfrottoGead Head 405 that allows for quick disengaging of the gearing so that you can release and readjust the position of the camera head by hand and then re-engage the gears in order to fine tune the camera in its new position. The gears function on all three axes so that you can be certain that you are getting the ideal shot you want and that your camera won’t slip out of position once you have engaged the gears.
The Manfrotto Geared Head 405 is quite heavy, as most geared heads are, weighing 5.5lbs so it isn’t an ideal solution for those who are planning to travel or backpack and want to take camera equipment with them. The Manfrotto Geared Head 410is a replacement head for the Manfrotto 3275 Geared Head and improves on the design of it. Like the Manfrotto Geared Head 405, the Manfrotto Geared Head 410 has a built-in quick release system so that you can remove your camera from the mount quickly and easily. The gear system in the camera head offers the same positioning and fine tuning abilities that the Manfrotto Geared Head 405 provides.
Manfrotto Geared Head 410
The Manfrotto Geared Head 410 is designed to work with SLR and other medium sized cameras. It is a much lighter camera head model, weighing only 2.7lbs compared to the Manfrotto Geared Head 405, so it is a much more suitable option for those who want to go backpacking with camera equipment.
There is a 3/8 standard screw thread for mounting your camera on the Manfrotto Geared Head 410 as well as the ability to pan through 360 degrees as well as tilt and side tilt, the gears allowing you to fine tune the position once the gears have been engaged.
The Manfrotto Geared Head 410 also comes with a built-in bubble level to help you align your camera and make any necessary adjustments. This camera head gives you so much precise control that you don’t have to reposition the camera by hand after you have taken a series of shots as it doesn’t drift. Both camera heads are suitable attaching to variety of different tripods, monopods and other pieces of stabilization equipment.
The Final Verdict
Both the Manfrotto Geared Head 405 and the Manfrotto Geared Head 405 are suitable for use when taking photos of interiors, architecture, portraits, product photo shoots and fixed position filming, making them extremely versatile. The quick release systems on both the Manfrotto Geared Head 405 and the Manfrotto Geared Head 410 have safety knobs to prevent accidental releases so you won’t end up removing your camera halfway through a shot and having to reset the frame and shot.
If you are looking at experimenting with different types of camera head, the Manfrotto Geared Head 410 will give you a good indication as to what geared head is capable of providing.
The Manfrotto Geared Head 405 does have a higher load capacity and 3D geared functions that make it a great choice for those who are looking to invest in a new camera head to use for their hobby or in a professional setting.
Click here to purchase Manfrotto 405 on Amazon!
Click here to purchase Manfrotto 410 on Amazon!