Manfrotto Creates New Counter-Balancing Fluid Video Tripod Head

Stjepan: I'm here with Giuseppe in the Manfrotto booth, and we're here to talk about the new Nitrotech Video Tripod Head. Tell us a little bit about it.

Giuseppe: It's completely brand new technology, and we have used the nitrogen piston mechanism in order to have a completely different way to counterbalance the camera. It has a payload of 8 kilos, so it's very versatile. So it can be used with mirrorless DSLR or also camcorder.

In term of technology, how it works, basically: Through this knob is possible to adjust the counterbalance very easily and quickly, so when a videographer has to change maybe the setup because they need lights or they need to change even the camera, it's very easy because they can attach and detach the camera and all the accessories in a very quick way.

In term of versatility, also the head has it camera with a flat base. It's possible to be used on tripod, on slider. So it's very, very versatile and it can be used in different weights of shoot.

Stjepan: Will it work with some of the older legs that Manfrotto makes?

Giuseppe: Yes. It has a diameter of 75, so it can be used with different kind of tripod even if our users an old tripod, it can work even with those. And, if other users, maybe they have other tripods, we have some adapters. So, for example, if they have a tripod that is like 100 millimeters, we have some adapter so the head can be used even on those kind of tripods.

Stjepan: Can you show us, give us little demo of how it works in action?

Giuseppe: Absolutely. So, basically, once the videographer, the user puts the camera on it, then it's just a matter of understanding roughly the payload that put on the camera. And then, with the knob, they just adjust the knob. So, when you see the knob at the top, it means that you have used almost eight kilos of counterbalance. Instead, when you see on the bottom part the piston, it means that you are almost zero level.

And how it works, basically, through this knob on the lateral side, you increase or decrease the head of the piston, and so you are able to adjust the counterbalance mechanism. It's very easily, so just a matter to try to adjust the knob and then do a quick test to see if the camera will move or not.

Once you will see that the camera is completely stopped in a specific position, it means that you are ready to go. Then, if someone doesn't feel comfortable to leave the camera in a specific position, no problem, because there is a lock on the lateral side so they can easily just turn the brake here and then the camera will be completely blocked in that position. If someone doesn't feel comfortable to leave the camera in that position of tilt, then we have here the brake. So it's just a matter of turning this part and then the camera will completely lock in this position.

In term on fluidity, we have the Manfrotto drag system that allows you to have a very smooth movement on both pan and tilt movement. How it works, also in this case, is just a matter of rotating this part to control and to manage the fluid system on pan. And, on the lateral side here, also adjusting and moving this part, you can adjust the tilt fluidity. On the lateral side here, we have this part that allow the consumer to adjust the tilt fluidity, so it's very, very easy and quick to adjust the pan smoothness that they need during the shooting.

Stjepan: It's a very cool system. Where can people go to learn more about it?

Giuseppe: Oh, we have our website, manfrotto.com, where there is a dedicated landing page for Nitrotech where they can see some videos, some technical information, and all different kind of information that they can also find through our social media and our YouTube channel.