Really Right Stuff is an organization that’s well-known for producing among the highest-quality tripod and equipment for creatives, and the lately up to date PG-02 MK II Pan-Tilt Tripod Head isn’t any exception.
Whereas pan-tilt tripod heads usually are not as generally seen as they as soon as have been due to developments in each digital camera and post-processing know-how, for many who care about “getting it proper” in digital camera, Actually Proper Stuff’s up to date head is a really thrilling improvement because it presents a variety of options excellent for full-frame, medium, and enormous format methods utilizing super-telephoto lenses. The Actually Proper Stuff PG-02 MK II Pano-Gimbal Head, which prices anyplace between $750 to $950, is designed for photographers who want to have the ability to shortly and simply alter the pan and tilt of their digital camera whereas taking giant batches of photos, and the system greater than delivers.
I had the pleasure of utilizing the PG-02 MK II pan-tilt head (paired with the Versa mk2 Tripod and TA-3-LB Series 3 tripod leveling base) for a couple of weeks (in between storms) and I used to be truthfully very impressed with its construct and efficiency. As soon as assembled, the pinnacle is insanely clean and straightforward to make use of and is ready to deal with {most professional} photographers’ gear with none points. Throughout my testing, I used the system with each my wide-angle and telephoto setup (70-200mm sadly, I undoubtedly want I had a bigger zoom lens to have messed with whereas testing this head), and whatever the lens mixture, the pan head was capable of preserve a superbly secure stability each time.
Throughout my testing with I used the PG-02 MK II Pano-Gimbal head with the Versa MK2 Tripod and TA-3-LB Series 3 Tripod Leveling base together with my Nikon Z6ii and a wide range of lenses together with the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 F-mount lens and FTZ adapter and the Nikkor Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Large Angle lens.
RRS PG-02 MK II: Design And Construct High quality
Product of CNC-machined aluminum and brass elements which are each manufactured and assembled in the USA, the pan-tilt head options quite a few progressive design parts that make it simple to make use of and journey with. This features a single-hand simultaneous pan and tilt lock, an built-in dovetail within the horizontal base, and a bubble stage that has been repositioned for higher visibility.
The pan head has (successfully) 4 foremost elements: a horizontal arm, a vertical arm with drop rail, a cradle clamp, and a management arm which may all match neatly within the included softshell case for straightforward journey and transport. The entire system assembles and comes aside in simply seconds, making it impressively simple to arrange and tear down should you’re in a rush.
The machine itself is constructed to carry a most load capability of fifty kilos and can be utilized with virtually any digital camera system and mounts together with Arca-Swiss, Gitzo, and Manfrotto. The pinnacle’s pan and tilt locks are designed to allow virtually any drag stage desired with an extremely easy-to-identify “no parallax level” permitting for excellent alignments.
The small silver lever on the top of the arm permits for about 90 levels of motion from the locked to the unlocked place to permit for utterly clean panning movement or utterly static and safe (unmoving) positions.
The vertical arm, which clamps onto the horizontal arm utilizing a screw-lock Arca-Swiss suitable clamp, options one other set of laser-etched measurements for place monitoring, in addition to a sequence of 1/4-inch holes that can be utilized for a wide range of extra digital camera equipment, like mounting a monitor and microphones for video manufacturing, and even a further digital camera.
The vertical arm’s tilt lock knob was changed by a lever, which is supposed to make it simpler to regulate the lean rigidity with one hand. The pan-tilt head additionally contains an built-in dovetail within the horizontal base that permits for direct mounting to a clamp in addition to a 3/9-inch socket for mounting to conventional tripods.
Along with these adjustments and enhancements, the bubble stage (discovered on the horizontal arm) has been repositioned from the primary technology of the pinnacle for simpler visibility and is supposed to behave as a nodal level index. This arm could be mounted on to a tripod or clamped into the quick-release clamp of a ball or leveling head. What makes this specific system fulfilling is the locking and unlocking of the pan and tilt are separate units/levers, which means it’s successfully a two-step course of the place you alter one axis at a time.
In line with Actually Proper Stuff, one of many foremost targets of this Mk II redesign was to scale back the general measurement and weight of the System which they’ve performed by about 10 to 12% in comparison with the Mk I and Mark 1.5 Pan heads. The newest model weighs about 1.45 kilograms or 3.25 kilos. This discount in measurement and weight might not be huge, however it’s nonetheless value sufficient to make it match just a little higher in most digital camera luggage and will assist when decision-making about how a lot gear to pack with you on a specific journey.
RRS PG-02 MK II: Efficiency and Usability
Combining all these options offers customers a surprisingly easy-to-assemble and navigate system (even with out following the directions) that permits for extremely exact image-stitching for panoramic photographs, making the sides virtually invisible. You’ll be able to see within the two examples beneath — apart from me not being correctly “stage” the sides and conventional bowing you’ll anticipate from making a panoramic from a number of frames — the sides are virtually excellent.
Principally, if you set the pan-tilt head up correctly and stability your lens correctly within the system, there must be no edge distortion when creating panoramics because the digital camera will probably be pivoted on the lens. This leaves you with a superbly parallel, straight sew on your photos when capturing giant panoramics, hopefully leaving you with no wasted pixels that should be cropped away.
As you may see within the picture beneath, when making a panoramic utilizing a conventional tripod, the shot will typically depart you with a big crescent or warped form the place the sides curve in relation to the middle of the picture, leaving you with numerous wasted pixels even after you align them or stretch the picture in put up.
Beneath is the assembled pano, cropped to keep away from the curved edges:
And right here it’s once more, captured utilizing the Actually Proper Stuff PG-O2 pan head:
As you may see, you may match much more element right into a stage shot with out a lot Photoshop having to be concerned.
One thing I actually did get pleasure from utilizing was the Management Arm that inserts into the drop-rail of the system. The arm, most steadily used for video shooters, will assist customers make a lot smoother pan and tilt actions throughout video shoots, in addition to make extra exact micro-adjustments for nonetheless work.
Listed here are a couple of extra panoramic shot utilizing the Actually Proper Stuff PG-02 MK II Pan-Tilt Gimbal Head:
Beneath is a panoramic assembled from almost 300 particular person photographs, simply because going extreme was extremely simple with this setup:
A Necessity For Lengthy-Lens Video, Panoramas, and Motion Pictures
The Actually Proper Stuff PG-02 MK II Pan-Tilt Gimbal head is certainly one of the crucial costly gimbal heads available on the market, however, it is usually one of the crucial top-quality and performing methods as effectively, arguably making it definitely worth the funding.
The PG-02 MK2 Pano-Gimbal Head ($750 to $950), Versa mk2 Tripod ($1,100 to $1,245), and Series 3 TA-3-LB tripod leveling base ($220 to $340) will run you a complete of about $2,070 to $2,535. That positions this setup at what I might name the “Rolls-Royce” stage of tripod and gimbal heads.
However that worth isn’t for nothing. The setup is extra light-weight and simpler to journey with than its predecessor and comes with extra equipment and extra options for a wider array of makes use of.
It has been almost six years because the final time I used a gimbal head like this and this beast re-inspired me to get again out and shoot extra panorama and journey photos due to its ease of use and comparatively small measurement and weight. For professionals the place getting it proper in digital camera is critically vital, the PG-02 MK II is an extremely well-built piece of substances that’s meant to final a really very long time, and each severe wildlife, panorama, and motion photographer ought to give it some severe consideration.
Are There Alternate options?
Whereas not precisely a sizzling merchandise to search out on the present market, there are some very strong, and way more reasonably priced contenders within the Pan-Tilt tripod head recreation. Granted, the cheaper variations provide much less weight capability, and most have far fewer choices and options. On the opposite aspect, there are dearer choices that herald some attention-grabbing perks.
On the dearer aspect we have now the $1,970 Arca Swiss C1 Cube Geared Tripod head which is extra suited in direction of structure images and is taken into account by many to be best choice accessible. Subsequent, the $1,225 Proaim Spin-3 Motorized Pan-Tilt head can assist 33 kilos of substances, which is spectacular. Moreover, we have now the $1,971 Foba ASMIA Q Dual Tilting Head that may assist as much as 44 kilos of substances, or the $829 Manfrotto VR & Pan Pro Head that may assist about 11 kilos of substances.
Diving into the extra reasonably priced aspect of issues we have now the $499 Sirui PH-30 Gimbal Head, the $434 Benro GH5C Carbon Fiber Gimbal Head, the $180 Movo Photo GH800 Gimbal Head, or the $99 Neewer Gimbal Tripod Head. Keep in mind, the cheaper you go, the extra concessions you’ll should make.
Ought to You Purchase It?
Sure, if you’re an expert Panorama, Wildlife, Architectural, or Journey photographer. The RRS PG-02 MK II Pan-Tilt Gimbal head is certainly definitely worth the funding, however should you’re a hobbyist and even semi-professional, I’d should say it is a “in all probability not” choice since the price of the setup could be very a lot on the excessive aspect.
