The geared movements are a little stiff but may smooth out with use. However, the mount is not centered over the tripod. Any pans will be offset. Why did they do this? If you are trying to do a precise movement the requires a horizontal pan of any kind, you will be frustrated as the camera is not...

I love the geared motion. Its smooth and precise. Whats a challenge is the slack, or looseness around the base pivot point. It gives the head a loose feeling which is the exact opposite of what I want. Its annoying, but Ive learned to work with it.

Things I like:- the quick release plate is great. it is solid and well engineered- great for fine tune adjustments on your shots (it is a geared head, afterall)Things I don't like:- heavy- knobs get stuck and hard to turn at times- the pan adjustment became wobbly after about a year of use,...

Build quality seems good but it didn't last very long. I use my equipment 3-4 days a week for work. After 3 months of use the quick release broke and my camera almost fell off in the middle of a shoot. I had to run out to buy a second one to complete the job.

If one uses a tripod for stability, considered composition and control then a geared head is perfect. This "Junior" head does everything that its "BIG" brother the 405 does but in a smaller. lighter package even though both use the RC4 Q plate.

• +

  Compact, Easily Adjusted, Locks In Tight, Smooth Movement

• -

  Heavy

This piece of expensive junk started to get loose and wobbly after not even 6 full months of use. there is SO much play in the "gears" on both axis's. this thing could be under 100$ for this junk since you have to get a new one every 6-months to a year.

one of the parts driven by the upper worm gear ground itself into uselessness. no heavy use, not professional day-to-day use, just what seems low quality materials (or a defect). lots of online requests for how to tighten up loose fitting adjustments after not a lot of use.

Looks quite sturdy from the outside. Very nice to use but after a while play developed in the gears. When disassembled the 'gears' appeared to be surprisingly flimsy. Product had to be replaced after two years of not very frequent use.

I have quite a few heads . . This is the head I use for most work now. Sturdy, limited in movements, extremely stiff (hard to use all day). On a solids pair of legs it is great, wish it had an arva swiss plate, I hate the manfrotto quick release plate. Will recommend to others.

I really struggled deciding between the 410 and the 405, and even bothering to spring for a geared head at all. I researched the whole thing into the ground and am really pleased with my selection of the 410.