Hello can you please update me on this,is this still a good tripod to buy?(considering the new oil fact and etc) ..I Really need to get myself affordable(yet good working) set of fluid tripod,dolly and sliders,if you would recommend me something I would appreciate very much (I use canon 550d if this matters)
yeah that's completely normal. the counterbalace isn't supposed to bring it back to place, it's there to remove the effects of gravity. so for example, you tilt the camera forward, without the counterbalance it will want to to continue falling down, wit the right amount of counterbalance you're not fighting against gravity when you tilt, you can even let go of the handle and it would stay in the same place.
yeah I use it with 1m sliders. I'll soon post a video about how to connect everything together nicely. Basically, you want to attach the slider directly to the tripod's legs and then use an adaptor to attach the head on top of the slider.
Had mine for a couple of weeks now. Really like it. Falls short in a couple of ways to other tripods i have used, but is by far the best tripod i have actually owned. Especially for the price you cant beat it. Considering getting a second one some time after i get my slider.
Yes, the 270A always comes with the head. If the photo in the listing shows the head then it's definitely with the head. I have a giottos mh-631 and 621 quick release systems on all my rigs, since there's no way i would want to use one company for everything. glidecam for flying, fancier for tripod, plus my shoulder rig and cage. So I have four in total, even though I only really need 3. They're about £20 on amazon and the quality is superb.
Thank you so much for this informative review. I am looking for a tripod for my new Sony CX900 (1Kg) camera, because the Vinten Vision 8 I had has enough counterbalance to lift an elephant at zero setting! So hard to find out what will work with such a LIGHT payload, but your review answered that question, and helped me not make the mistake of getting the "better specification" 03H head! I will probably buy a 75mm bowl adapter to mate the 02H head to my nice 100mm bowl carbon fiber legs. Yay!
There aren't many better ones than this, especially not the head. It's one of the best around. The legs are also very sturdy and long lasting, but just a bit limiting on minimum/maximum height. I'm still using the same head on my new manfrotto 535 tripod legs that cost $700 :)
go to a shop and try some legs you really like. btw if it's a height issue, you can get these in a longer version with this head on ebay. when you look at legs, give them a good twist/shake/pull/press in the shop, most people aren't rough enough when testing legs. Hope that helps.
I prefer this head to any manfrotto, including their expensive ones like the 504hd, which i find have pretty bad fluidity in comparison. I've owned a few and used a lot more that didn't belong to me, and so far none of the manfrottos have impressed me at all. so yeah i can definitely recommend this as an alternative. Try it and see, you will most probably want this instead of your manfrotto stuff, and it's far cheaper too.
Mine arrived today. First impressions were good other than the stickers for each leg (lock/loosen) were not placed on properly just dumled on to the legs which was sloppy and meant I had to peel them all off to stick them all on again. Will be doing some comparison tests soon against my manfrotto sticks and head. However the legs are fantastic and although the heads release plate width is tiny (compared to my 501pl plate) the movment seems sweet.
Hi i have seen this on ebay for £145. That looks really smooth. Do you know if they have changed it or not like they did with the varavon 815 or is it still exact saem design ?
yeah, on my one I lost the tripod's own QR plate so I had to drill into the tripod head's top and bolt the QR system to it, but it would have been easier to just screw it on with the original QR plate if i had it.
yeah, you can buy the FC-02h head on ebay but it's not worth it really, best to spend a bit extra and get it with the legs. I think it is about $50 extra.
Oh ok. So you have to set it just right so that it won't come completely back. Cause I can see where that can get annoying (i.e. You want it tilted forward but it keeps coming back). One more question (you're the man). The panning lock is pretty tight but when I tighten the knob for tilting, I can still tilt with some resistance. Is that normal? I would think they would both lock pretty tight so it wouldn't accidently move if you leave the camera and someone bumps it.
Right, just so you know, that's specifically a complaint about the shop, not the tripod. These are sold by many shops. Thanks for sharing though, i'll be sure to avoid that shop!
i've not used it but i've never seen any tripod beat the 270a and i'm not expecting the magnus to do so. also, it looks really plasticky and has a fixed counterbalance intended for a 4kg camera, which would be far too strong for most cams.
Hey Nitsan, Love all your reviews. Purchased the kovacam CF stabilizer monopod b/c of your videos, so thanks! Question...have you compared this to the Davis & Sanford PROVISTA 7518XB Tripod? or any of the D&S video tripods? i'm stuck between the two! Thanks:)
i have three 701 heads (one on my current manfrotto tripod, one on my monfrotto monopod and one on my glide track slider). Recently however my manfrotto tripod which although excellent for travel use is starting to struggle now with the additional weight of my new cage, monitor, matt box and follow focus. I was planning on simply purchasing a set of legs and the 75mm half bowl adaptor to fit under my 701 heads (i'm fed up with having to adjust legs to get the head level and really want a bowl..
Mine came in the mail! It's truly amazing! Love it! However, I'm not sure if the counterbalance is doing what it should do. I remember in the other video, you said that if you lock it to a position, you can tilt it and it will go back to that position. However, while mine does begin to go back, it never go right back to the position. It stops way before. Is this normal? What would be useful about a counterbalance? Thanks!
I was considering the manfrotto legs 570b but they are like $350! Watching your review of this tripod makes me think this is the way to go. I can simply get the manfrotto 75mm bowl adaptor for $45 which will allow me to use my current 701 heads with these legs as well as the fluid head this tripod comes with. How do you compare the 270A head against the 701HDV head in terms of fluidity and also load bearing? May consider selling my manfrotto 701 heads and quick release plates if this is better.
Great review as always, but I have some questions. If I order a tripod from one of your links do I only get the FC-270a tripod? or do I also get the FC-02h head? How could I then match the quick release plates with for instance my shoulder rig?
Nitsan, I sent my two head: Varavon, and Fancier -- to China for an oil change for heavier oil. I have just received them. I have a few questions: How heavy should the oil be? Is the Fancier very slightly lighter overall than the varavon? as this is the result I have observed. It appears to work nicely, but I'm not sure... I will have to shoot some tests...
Hi, I tested this tripod in the store and found that the pan/tilt levers on the head shaking it. They are not released smoothly. Do you not lock the head during the shooting? Or do you just stop the movement and do not touch the head? Then how to press the buttons on the camera, to adjust focus and so on? Maybe your tripod has no such problems.
yeah. if it's a huge piece of crap with a tight pan and loose tilt, you have the thinner oil. If it's butter-smooth with heavy drag in both directions, you have the thicker oil.
Also, just to be clear, all of these names for the heads, all come from the same maker in China, right? Cause my head starts spinning, with all the names (and their variations), prices, legs, etc. Even the look of the one you have in this vid, shows the label as being almost inset into the front of the head (Fancier). do all the after market companys, dress them up with their own look, or are they just stickers and painted labels, made to look customized? I just want to get the one you seem to like so much, get an oil change, as you recommended, with a tall set of affordable sticks. Thanks again!
hey. I've never seen any fake ones so if it looks the same you should be getting the correct thing. fancier, weifeng and e-image are the same company. the other companies buy from them and sometimes add their own names to it. like cowboystudio or varavon. a LOT of companies sell tripods from fancier under different names.
Nitsan Simantov Hi, thanks. I didn't mean; are there any fakes. What I meant was, are there different variations of this same head? I've seen a lot of different adds on eBay, where they give many different options, and or letters associated with this head, and many of those, include comments relating to your reviews, blogs, etc. So, are there variations on this head, or are they referring to the legs? Ive seen many adds, that use different letters and variations, but seem to look very similar. Is there a step up, in heads, by this company? I have a dslr rig Im putting together, based partially on reviews from people like yourself, who seem credible in reviewing different products, etc. So my rig is probably 8-10 lbs. As far as a budget for a tripod, I have between 200-300 dollars (US), to work with. Its hard to trust other peoples opinions, but at some point, I have to pull the trigger on some of this stuff and make something happen. Ive seen what appears to be this head, with the same legs, but 72", instead of 53" tall. They go for close to two hundred. Then Ive seen one from like Switzerland (?) and they have put a different plate and metal replacement parts for the handle, etc., supposedly to improve on the design and make it more compatible with other brand name components (I thinks), and include wheels. I have seen (on eBay) lists of options that seem to be from this same manufacture, but are a bit more expensive, with variations on the head, leg height, and spreaders, etc. Im getting sucked down rabbit holes and just need the right info and not make the mistake of ordering the wrong stuff, for more money, that I dont have to spend.
I really like the head and I know you recommend the legs but i would like to use it on other legs. Do you have any suggestions? Something like manfrotto? Preferably less than 200 dollars.
Just got a FC-270A (ET-70 legs and FC-02H head) and am having issues. Not sure if it's my technique or what but it's not as smooth as your demo. I kinda get little stutters when pushing against the friction here and there. Kinda hard to tell really though. Definitely not framerate to display (running 23,976fps in 24P mode @1/50 on a Canon 70D) The tilt is also looser than the stiffer sideways pans. It's much better than my crappy old tripod but not sure it's as good as what you have there. Maybe I got a fake? I got mine from Ebay.
Hey I think for some reason you can't see my annotation on top of the video? I'll copy the same thing to the description. It's not a fake, Fancier changed their design and F'ed it up. You can send it in for a free oil change to get it back to the way it used to be, although it still costs you the delivery cost and waiting time.
Nitsan Simantov Is the email in the annotation the people who fixed yours? I live in the UK so it might work out expensive to send abroad. Also the counterbalance does not work as advertised. It only returns to a partial position from either side but never the correct position you locked it at. It feels like the counterbalance is tighter on one side compared to the other too.
I emailed a seller of this item on Ebay asking if they could sell me this with the older thicker oil, I got this response: "I have contacted to manufacturer regarding about the oil changing but who told me they never ever changed it since they start producing the tripod. Thanks"
I've had several units of this head and the varavon version (same thing with a flat base). And I've actually sent two of them directly to Fancier for an oil change, so I have no doubt there are two different oils. Either the seller or the manufacturer is lying.
Nitsan Simantov Thanks I have ordered one anyway just to see what it is like, I will send it back if it is crap as the selling accepts returns. If I do send it back what one do you suggest I try and pick up? (I know you are finding new heads all the time) I'm six foot three inches so I need to find one that comes with long legs. The Provista 18 looks great and is very cheap; if you live in America but if you try and order to the UK you have to add at least £50 on top of that.
Daniel Mccarragher cool. I'd say the Velbon dv7000 which comes with a basic head, but sell that head on ebay and get a Jie Yang JY0506 to go with the varavon legs. Total should be £150 or so, plus you can sell the velbon's head on ebay for £30 or so.
Nitsan Simantov Thank you for your advice! The Fancier 270A came yesterday. It is ok if you are just panning or tilting separately but trying to go diagonal is too hard to get right every time. I am sending it back. I found a Manfrotto 055C on Ebay for very cheap, that with the JY0506 should be a good option.
Huh. I have a 701 fluid head but its getting old and sticky (use over 2 years skiing haha). I have manfrotto 190xprob legs. Should I get this head, or just buy a whole new tripod with the ft 270 or whatever
don't get this right now. It's currently got some issues. I made a note about that in my main video, but i forgot to copy the note onto this video. I'll do that now. Get yourself a JY0506 for now.
Hi Nitsan, any idea of a good source for this exact tripod...there seem to be many names for it....and I am very, very confused. Your help would be appreciated :)
I really need to make an updated video. let's keep things simple, get yourself the varavon 815fh head (same as this but confirmed by varavon that it's now made with the better oil) with a bowl adapter if needed. then any good metal legs like the 717 from China or the Velbon dv7000.
Hey Nitsan, was wondering if this would work natively with the manfrotto 577 (just the plate. same size as giottos mh-621). It'd be nice to not have to screw on another adapter and just slide it straight onto the head. Cheers !
Nitsan Simantov thanks for the response. Actually, giottos and manfrotto share the same size as I interchange them frequently, and was just wondering if this was also the same as it'd save me from adding a quick release adapter to the head.
Nitsan Simantov I ended up going with the kingjoy 3500 as that works with manfrotto plates apparently. Should arrive soon...hope I have made the right decision :O
Hi, Ebay specs for the head show only a 2kg payload. Not sure that would be enough for a motorised slider and dslr. What max weight have you had on it do you reckon?
do you know as to whether its worth buying one ?? , looking at getting one just after Christmas ...or is it not worth it due to the new design ?? but I don't fancy sending it back to them for an oil change :/ any help would be much appreciated :)
not with the current oil. I'm ordering more tripods to review. Meanwhile the best cheap head i've seen is the JY0506, see my review. add some nice legs to that and you're good to go. :) And maybe a varavon leveling base if that's in your budget, it's an alternative to a bowl mount head like the fancier.
Nitsan Simantov ahh okay , I just watched that review later today of the head ( its very good by the way :) ) ill have a look around for some legs maybe and how big of a problem is the bad oils ? does it leave the tripod unusable ?? cheers james :)
Hi nitsan, i have a question, I want to buy this tripod in Amazon, does this tripod comes with the oil that you consider that is the best or it comes with other kind of oil, ( I'm talking about the one that sells Amazon nowadays)
Nitsan i bought the Weifeng WF-717 tripod head a year ago but how do you set the level perfectly? There is a spirit level in a place where it is totally ineffective. The best i can do is to try and level it by hand but as yet i can not get a perfect horizontal pan on the horizon. Please show me how you do it?
Hi 1. I wouldn't worry about getting a perfect horizontal pan movement, it's more important that the image looks straight. The horizon itself is almost never perfectly straight unless you're in a huge open area with flat ground. 2. Personally I go by how the image looks on screen. If your bubble level is broken or in the wrong place you can buy another that goes on the hot shoe or something, that can be useful. 3. You can also add guide lines onto your screen from the camera's menu, and then use those lines to get the shot looking straight. 4. Look at vertical lines more than horizontal lines, they usually make a bigger difference to the shot looking straight. I hope that helps. :)
Thanks Nitsan, what i meant by horizontal pan was the ability to be able to rotate the head left and right 180 degrees and have it be flat... i have tried using the guide lines on the camera but it only sets the camera level on one axis. As soon as you rotate the camera more than ten degrees it needs to be reset. If you guys can do it then i must be able to learn how --- i will persevere.
Nothing to worry about. It's still the best head i've seen (if you order one with the thicker oil, or get the oil changed by the factory after buying.) And there's no compatibility issue with the 70D.
Nitsan Simantov In case i'd bought the new "bad" one and couldn't have the oil changed (i live in Spain and i really need the tripod this summer) is the head so much worse? Could i consider buying another tripod + head? Thank you Nitsan!
Is there a mount block adapter available to raise the height at which the camera mounts to the head as there seems to be a concern over the lack of height available? The taller versions are not currently available by Amazon and I am not comfortable with using an ebay seller at this point.
+Allen LeBlanc Ebay is one of the safest places to purchase in my experience. There are things that will raise a tripod but that's gonna be really expensive and bulky and complicated. Best to just buy different legs separately and the head separately.
+Nitsan Simantov Understood and thanks. Btw just today I pulled the trigger on this tripod from Amazon which has it at $129.99 currently.. Yay! Can't wait to receive this along with the Canon T5i video creator kit also from Amazon for $649.99 which includes their back pack and 2 extra batteries w/car charger. You video reviews made me feel sure of the quality of the fluid head and panning smoothness, thanks so much!
yay!!! thanks :) i want to pick it up, but shipping is 80$ to canada and free to the US! Americans save 80$! I could buy a lens with that kind of money! Life is unfair!
Even when you were shaking it, I hardly noticed. Just a testament of how good it is.
I bought this tripod and head per your recommendation about a year ago and I've been extremely happy with it. Thanks for the posts.
Hello can you please update me on this,is this still a good tripod to buy?(considering the new oil fact and etc) ..I Really need to get myself affordable(yet good working) set of fluid tripod,dolly and sliders,if you would recommend me something I would appreciate very much (I use canon 550d if this matters)
yeah that's completely normal. the counterbalace isn't supposed to bring it back to place, it's there to remove the effects of gravity.
so for example, you tilt the camera forward, without the counterbalance it will want to to continue falling down, wit the right amount of counterbalance you're not fighting against gravity when you tilt, you can even let go of the handle and it would stay in the same place.
yeah I use it with 1m sliders.
I'll soon post a video about how to connect everything together nicely.
Basically, you want to attach the slider directly to the tripod's legs and then use an adaptor to attach the head on top of the slider.
Had mine for a couple of weeks now. Really like it. Falls short in a couple of ways to other tripods i have used, but is by far the best tripod i have actually owned. Especially for the price you cant beat it. Considering getting a second one some time after i get my slider.
Yes, the 270A always comes with the head. If the photo in the listing shows the head then it's definitely with the head.
I have a giottos mh-631 and 621 quick release systems on all my rigs, since there's no way i would want to use one company for everything.
glidecam for flying, fancier for tripod, plus my shoulder rig and cage. So I have four in total, even though I only really need 3. They're about £20 on amazon and the quality is superb.
Thank you so much for this informative review. I am looking for a tripod for my new Sony CX900 (1Kg) camera, because the Vinten Vision 8 I had has enough counterbalance to lift an elephant at zero setting! So hard to find out what will work with such a LIGHT payload, but your review answered that question, and helped me not make the mistake of getting the "better specification" 03H head! I will probably buy a 75mm bowl adapter to mate the 02H head to my nice 100mm bowl carbon fiber legs. Yay!
Another fine PRACTICAL review. Always prefer real world usage to stats and figures, thanks again...
great video, thank you for taking the time to do the test.
There aren't many better ones than this, especially not the head. It's one of the best around.
The legs are also very sturdy and long lasting, but just a bit limiting on minimum/maximum height.
I'm still using the same head on my new manfrotto 535 tripod legs that cost $700 :)
yeah, same here, things can be quite expensive compared to US.
ask one of the ebay sellers, they might give you a discount on shipping.
Nice, now i'm sure i'm getting one, hopefully it will work as well as yours. Thanks for posting this !
go to a shop and try some legs you really like.
btw if it's a height issue, you can get these in a longer version with this head on ebay.
when you look at legs, give them a good twist/shake/pull/press in the shop, most people aren't rough enough when testing legs.
Hope that helps.
I prefer this head to any manfrotto, including their expensive ones like the 504hd, which i find have pretty bad fluidity in comparison. I've owned a few and used a lot more that didn't belong to me, and so far none of the manfrottos have impressed me at all.
so yeah i can definitely recommend this as an alternative. Try it and see, you will most probably want this instead of your manfrotto stuff, and it's far cheaper too.
Mine arrived today. First impressions were good other than the stickers for each leg (lock/loosen) were not placed on properly just dumled on to the legs which was sloppy and meant I had to peel them all off to stick them all on again. Will be doing some comparison tests soon against my manfrotto sticks and head. However the legs are fantastic and although the heads release plate width is tiny (compared to my 501pl plate) the movment seems sweet.
Looks very smooth indeed. Thanks!
:)
Hi i have seen this on ebay for £145. That looks really smooth. Do you know if they have changed it or not like they did with the varavon 815 or is it still exact saem design ?
I'm not sure. Had lots of mixed reports. See if you can get it sold by Amazon, then easy to return if it's not smooth.
Awesome, thanks so much. Literally just ordered it.
you mean the octodomes, any one you fine on ebay as 110cm is fine to use, but i will have a comparison/review of some of them once i get a change.
Glad you trust me. :)
I've never heard any complaints about it except stickers falling off. :D
naa there's only one place that sells QR plates in australia.
there's various heights for this tripod, so go for whatever version suits you best.
I just ordered this based on your great review. I hope mine will be just as good LOL. I TRUST YOU on this one, haha :)
yeah, on my one I lost the tripod's own QR plate so I had to drill into the tripod head's top and bolt the QR system to it, but it would have been easier to just screw it on with the original QR plate if i had it.
yeah, you can buy the FC-02h head on ebay but it's not worth it really, best to spend a bit extra and get it with the legs. I think it is about $50 extra.
:) glad you like it.
I'm not sure. quite a lot.
the counterbalance is 1.5kg so that's the ideal weight
usually if you message one of the sellers they will ship to you.
i think you can get them from australia but it's cheaper to just get a giottos system and put it on top to completely replace this system.
cool thanks for the feedback.
Oh ok. So you have to set it just right so that it won't come completely back. Cause I can see where that can get annoying (i.e. You want it tilted forward but it keeps coming back).
One more question (you're the man). The panning lock is pretty tight but when I tighten the knob for tilting, I can still tilt with some resistance. Is that normal? I would think they would both lock pretty tight so it wouldn't accidently move if you leave the camera and someone bumps it.
No, but I bought it from the UK.
Many items from china don't get charged much tax, if at all.
awesome.
yeah the stickers are a big complaint, they'd be better off with none at all. :)
Right, just so you know, that's specifically a complaint about the shop, not the tripod. These are sold by many shops.
Thanks for sharing though, i'll be sure to avoid that shop!
I think that might be because they're out of stock in the UK.
i'm not sure. the legs will handle almost anything, the head is tough too but i've never tried lots of weight on it.
i've not used it but i've never seen any tripod beat the 270a and i'm not expecting the magnus to do so.
also, it looks really plasticky and has a fixed counterbalance intended for a 4kg camera, which would be far too strong for most cams.
Hey Nitsan,
Love all your reviews.
Purchased the kovacam CF stabilizer monopod b/c of your videos, so thanks!
Question...have you compared this to the Davis & Sanford PROVISTA 7518XB Tripod? or any of the D&S video tripods? i'm stuck between the two!
Thanks:)
thanks.
I've not tried it, sorry.
i have three 701 heads (one on my current manfrotto tripod, one on my monfrotto monopod and one on my glide track slider). Recently however my manfrotto tripod which although excellent for travel use is starting to struggle now with the additional weight of my new cage, monitor, matt box and follow focus. I was planning on simply purchasing a set of legs and the 75mm half bowl adaptor to fit under my 701 heads (i'm fed up with having to adjust legs to get the head level and really want a bowl..
Great tripod as long as you don't mind the stickers falling off...
yeah, any 75mm bowl tripod.
or a flat mount tripod with an adaptor.
Hey mate, I am eagerly waiting for you to do a review of the octabox. Anytime soon?
no probs! :)
yup. same great head but with way better legs.
Finally i found tripod, thank you a lot!
Is the weifeng fc-207A the same as fancier?
Mine came in the mail! It's truly amazing! Love it! However, I'm not sure if the counterbalance is doing what it should do. I remember in the other video, you said that if you lock it to a position, you can tilt it and it will go back to that position. However, while mine does begin to go back, it never go right back to the position. It stops way before. Is this normal? What would be useful about a counterbalance? Thanks!
I was considering the manfrotto legs 570b but they are like $350! Watching your review of this tripod makes me think this is the way to go. I can simply get the manfrotto 75mm bowl adaptor for $45 which will allow me to use my current 701 heads with these legs as well as the fluid head this tripod comes with. How do you compare the 270A head against the 701HDV head in terms of fluidity and also load bearing? May consider selling my manfrotto 701 heads and quick release plates if this is better.
if someone bumps it your shot is ruined regardless of weather it's locked or not. :)
yeah i dont think it locks down fully, many tripods dont.
he was saying this head beats everything up to 1000p. The whole fancier tripod and head combo cost less than $200
Great review as always, but I have some questions.
If I order a tripod from one of your links do I only get the FC-270a tripod? or do I also get the FC-02h head?
How could I then match the quick release plates with for instance my shoulder rig?
Nitsan,
I sent my two head: Varavon, and Fancier -- to China for an oil change for heavier oil.
I have just received them. I have a few questions:
How heavy should the oil be?
Is the Fancier very slightly lighter overall than the varavon? as this is the result I have observed.
It appears to work nicely, but I'm not sure... I will have to shoot some tests...
The oil should be fairly heavy. This is what gives the super smooth performance.
Hi, I tested this tripod in the store and found that the pan/tilt levers on the head shaking it. They are not released smoothly.
Do you not lock the head during the shooting? Or do you just stop the movement and do not touch the head? Then how to press the buttons on the camera, to adjust focus and so on?
Maybe your tripod has no such problems.
Actually looks nice and size of fluidhead atractive. Maybe you know some sources there I can buy only fluid head "Fancier FC-270A"? Thanks.
Hi Nitsan! Thanks for the review. Is there any test I can do to check properly if the head has a lighter or thicker grease? Thanks!
yeah. if it's a huge piece of crap with a tight pan and loose tilt, you have the thinner oil.
If it's butter-smooth with heavy drag in both directions, you have the thicker oil.
Also, just to be clear, all of these names for the heads, all come from the same maker in China, right? Cause my head starts spinning, with all the names (and their variations), prices, legs, etc. Even the look of the one you have in this vid, shows the label as being almost inset into the front of the head (Fancier). do all the after market companys, dress them up with their own look, or are they just stickers and painted labels, made to look customized? I just want to get the one you seem to like so much, get an oil change, as you recommended, with a tall set of affordable sticks. Thanks again!
hey.
I've never seen any fake ones so if it looks the same you should be getting the correct thing.
fancier, weifeng and e-image are the same company.
the other companies buy from them and sometimes add their own names to it. like cowboystudio or varavon. a LOT of companies sell tripods from fancier under different names.
Nitsan Simantov Hi, thanks. I didn't mean; are there any fakes. What I meant was, are there different variations of this same head? I've seen a lot of different adds on eBay, where they give many different options, and or letters associated with this head, and many of those, include comments relating to your reviews, blogs, etc. So, are there variations on this head, or are they referring to the legs? Ive seen many adds, that use different letters and variations, but seem to look very similar. Is there a step up, in heads, by this company? I have a dslr rig Im putting together, based partially on reviews from people like yourself, who seem credible in reviewing different products, etc. So my rig is probably 8-10 lbs. As far as a budget for a tripod, I have between 200-300 dollars (US), to work with. Its hard to trust other peoples opinions, but at some point, I have to pull the trigger on some of this stuff and make something happen. Ive seen what appears to be this head, with the same legs, but 72", instead of 53" tall. They go for close to two hundred. Then Ive seen one from like Switzerland (?) and they have put a different plate and metal replacement parts for the handle, etc., supposedly to improve on the design and make it more compatible with other brand name components (I thinks), and include wheels. I have seen (on eBay) lists of options that seem to be from this same manufacture, but are a bit more expensive, with variations on the head, leg height, and spreaders, etc. Im getting sucked down rabbit holes and just need the right info and not make the mistake of ordering the wrong stuff, for more money, that I dont have to spend.
it's just a rebranding so i would imagine it would have the exact same issue.
nice. i had a quick look. :)
awesome. You'll like it. :)
I really like the head and I know you recommend the legs but i would like to use it on other legs. Do you have any suggestions? Something like manfrotto? Preferably less than 200 dollars.
brilliant review - wehere can i buy this right now in the UK? the older version? is the newer version much worse?
There are links under the video, but I have no idea if you'll get the new or old oil. The new oil is poop.
Awesome :)
Just got a FC-270A (ET-70 legs and FC-02H head) and am having issues. Not sure if it's my technique or what but it's not as smooth as your demo. I kinda get little stutters when pushing against the friction here and there. Kinda hard to tell really though. Definitely not framerate to display (running 23,976fps in 24P mode @1/50 on a Canon 70D) The tilt is also looser than the stiffer sideways pans. It's much better than my crappy old tripod but not sure it's as good as what you have there. Maybe I got a fake? I got mine from Ebay.
Hey
I think for some reason you can't see my annotation on top of the video?
I'll copy the same thing to the description.
It's not a fake, Fancier changed their design and F'ed it up. You can send it in for a free oil change to get it back to the way it used to be, although it still costs you the delivery cost and waiting time.
Nitsan Simantov
Is the email in the annotation the people who fixed yours? I live in the UK so it might work out expensive to send abroad. Also the counterbalance does not work as advertised. It only returns to a partial position from either side but never the correct position you locked it at. It feels like the counterbalance is tighter on one side compared to the other too.
i've not used those, best to see individual reviews.
I emailed a seller of this item on Ebay asking if they could sell me this with the older thicker oil, I got this response:
"I have contacted to manufacturer regarding about the oil changing but who told me they never ever changed it since they start producing the tripod. Thanks"
I've had several units of this head and the varavon version (same thing with a flat base). And I've actually sent two of them directly to Fancier for an oil change, so I have no doubt there are two different oils.
Either the seller or the manufacturer is lying.
Nitsan Simantov Thanks I have ordered one anyway just to see what it is like, I will send it back if it is crap as the selling accepts returns. If I do send it back what one do you suggest I try and pick up? (I know you are finding new heads all the time) I'm six foot three inches so I need to find one that comes with long legs. The Provista 18 looks great and is very cheap; if you live in America but if you try and order to the UK you have to add at least £50 on top of that.
Daniel Mccarragher cool.
I'd say the Velbon dv7000 which comes with a basic head, but sell that head on ebay and get a Jie Yang JY0506 to go with the varavon legs. Total should be £150 or so, plus you can sell the velbon's head on ebay for £30 or so.
Nitsan Simantov
Thank you for your advice! The Fancier 270A came yesterday. It is ok if you are just panning or tilting separately but trying to go diagonal is too hard to get right every time. I am sending it back.
I found a Manfrotto 055C on Ebay for very cheap, that with the JY0506 should be a good option.
sure. :)
Huh. I have a 701 fluid head but its getting old and sticky (use over 2 years skiing haha). I have manfrotto 190xprob legs. Should I get this head, or just buy a whole new tripod with the ft 270 or whatever
that was a broken unit. This tripod is very stable and so is the head. :)
don't get this right now. It's currently got some issues. I made a note about that in my main video, but i forgot to copy the note onto this video. I'll do that now.
Get yourself a JY0506 for now.
I saw the Cowboy 270A that seems to be the Fancier. Any comments on that?
yeah I mentioned that at the end of the video. lol
Am I missing something? Is there a difference between the Fancier FC-270 and the FC-270A?
oh okay. i actually have the 701. i have a question. how much weight can the fancier handle.
hi nitsan , how can i chance the oil of the head, how can i contact the company?
Thats the one im looking at buying. Does it just screw into the QR plate that comes with the tripod?
there seems to be to models of the FC270 A one that is 1.55 meters and another that reaches 1.80. Which one is the one you reviewed?
remember that if it doesn't say A at the end of the 270 then don't buy it.
Mine is the shorter one.
Hi Nitsan, any idea of a good source for this exact tripod...there seem to be many names for it....and I am very, very confused. Your help would be appreciated :)
I really need to make an updated video.
let's keep things simple, get yourself the varavon 815fh head (same as this but confirmed by varavon that it's now made with the better oil) with a bowl adapter if needed. then any good metal legs like the 717 from China or the Velbon dv7000.
Thank You :)
awesome
thanks, and what about legs, will manfrotto 055XPROB Pro will hold good?
What do you think of the Magnus VT-4000 vs the Fancier FC-270A? I'm looking to purchase one of the other.
Hey Nitsan, was wondering if this would work natively with the manfrotto 577 (just the plate. same size as giottos mh-621). It'd be nice to not have to screw on another adapter and just slide it straight onto the head. Cheers !
No the plates are not compatible between manfrotto, giottos and fancier as far as I know.
I just add one kind of quick release on everything and then I can buy any brand I want and have a fast workflow.
Nitsan Simantov thanks for the response. Actually, giottos and manfrotto share the same size as I interchange them frequently, and was just wondering if this was also the same as it'd save me from adding a quick release adapter to the head.
Strange, I always thought my Giottos don't fit manfrotto. The fancier is slimmer than my giottos for sure.
Nitsan Simantov I ended up going with the kingjoy 3500 as that works with manfrotto plates apparently. Should arrive soon...hope I have made the right decision :O
Hi, Ebay specs for the head show only a 2kg payload. Not sure that would be enough for a motorised slider and dslr. What max weight have you had on it do you reckon?
Hi Nitsan, can you fit this fluid head on other tripods, like a Monfrotto or a Benro?
do you know as to whether its worth buying one ?? , looking at getting one just after Christmas ...or is it not worth it due to the new design ?? but I don't fancy sending it back to them for an oil change :/ any help would be much appreciated :)
not with the current oil. I'm ordering more tripods to review.
Meanwhile the best cheap head i've seen is the JY0506, see my review.
add some nice legs to that and you're good to go. :)
And maybe a varavon leveling base if that's in your budget, it's an alternative to a bowl mount head like the fancier.
Nitsan Simantov ahh okay , I just watched that review later today of the head ( its very good by the way :) ) ill have a look around for some legs maybe and how big of a problem is the bad oils ? does it leave the tripod unusable ?? cheers james :)
Hi nitsan, i have a question, I want to buy this tripod in Amazon, does this tripod comes with the oil that you consider that is the best or it comes with other kind of oil, ( I'm talking about the one that sells Amazon nowadays)
hey. donno, sorry.
So, overall the 270A is the better one to go with then?
Thank YOU for watching. :P
Nitsan i bought the Weifeng WF-717 tripod head a year ago but how do you set the level perfectly? There is a spirit level in a place where it is totally ineffective. The best i can do is to try and level it by hand but as yet i can not get a perfect horizontal pan on the horizon. Please show me how you do it?
Hi
1. I wouldn't worry about getting a perfect horizontal pan movement, it's more important that the image looks straight. The horizon itself is almost never perfectly straight unless you're in a huge open area with flat ground.
2. Personally I go by how the image looks on screen. If your bubble level is broken or in the wrong place you can buy another that goes on the hot shoe or something, that can be useful.
3. You can also add guide lines onto your screen from the camera's menu, and then use those lines to get the shot looking straight.
4. Look at vertical lines more than horizontal lines, they usually make a bigger difference to the shot looking straight.
I hope that helps. :)
Thanks Nitsan, what i meant by horizontal pan was the ability to be able to rotate the head left and right 180 degrees and have it be flat... i have tried using the guide lines on the camera but it only sets the camera level on one axis. As soon as you rotate the camera more than ten degrees it needs to be reset. If you guys can do it then i must be able to learn how --- i will persevere.
Abby Eagle I see.
I don't understand why you don't use the bubble level on the tripod?
Nitsan Simantov
The bubble is hidden under the back of the head. You can't get a verticle line of sight on it.
Abby Eagle you don't need it. Just look at it from the angle you can, ive never had an issue with that. If you really can't, maybe use a small mirror.
Hi Nitsan. How this tripod + head will work with my Canon 70D? I know that this head can hold 2 kg but i'm a little bit worried about that. Thank you!
Nothing to worry about. It's still the best head i've seen (if you order one with the thicker oil, or get the oil changed by the factory after buying.)
And there's no compatibility issue with the 70D.
Nitsan Simantov In case i'd bought the new "bad" one and couldn't have the oil changed (i live in Spain and i really need the tripod this summer) is the head so much worse? Could i consider buying another tripod + head? Thank you Nitsan!
Freshzzo Hey
Yeah it's a bit crap with the bad oil.
There are other decent cheap heads, like the JY-0506. Some manfrottos are okay, some not great.
@WhatTechShow Oh hi there! I'm also thinking about buying this awesome tripod :P
I'm dying to find a quick release plate that's compatible with this head. Does one exist?
How about the Manfrotto 701 HDV in comparison to this one
Is there a mount block adapter available to raise the height at which the camera mounts to the head as there seems to be a concern over the lack of height available? The taller versions are not currently available by Amazon and I am not comfortable with using an ebay seller at this point.
+Allen LeBlanc Ebay is one of the safest places to purchase in my experience.
There are things that will raise a tripod but that's gonna be really expensive and bulky and complicated. Best to just buy different legs separately and the head separately.
+Nitsan Simantov Understood and thanks. Btw just today I pulled the trigger on this tripod from Amazon which has it at $129.99 currently.. Yay! Can't wait to receive this along with the Canon T5i video creator kit also from Amazon for $649.99 which includes their back pack and 2 extra batteries w/car charger. You video reviews made me feel sure of the quality of the fluid head and panning smoothness, thanks so much!
FANCIER fc 270A is not available in my country anymore. I wonder what is the same model in Weifeng brand.
is it made out of plastic?
Did you ever find a quick release plate that worked with this head? Also, what is the height of this tripod because I'm getting conflicting numbers?
Do u know of a quick release plate adapter that fits this tripods plates, that I could mount on my glidecam? Thanks
no, i just have giottos QR systems on top of everything.
Yeah. :)
Which monitor is that in video
yay!!! thanks :) i want to pick it up, but shipping is 80$ to canada and free to the US! Americans save 80$! I could buy a lens with that kind of money!
Life is unfair!
I have a Glidecam 2000 that I need to mount a plate on for use with this head. Any suggestions?