SmallRig Lightweight Fluid Video Head 3457
Review of SmallRig lightweight compact mini fluid video head 3456 features, specifications, and practical use.
Physical specs
- It is made from Aluminium alloy and it has a high build quality feel to it.
- It weighs 512 grams.
- It has a load capacity of 5 kg.
- It is 10.4 cm tall.
- The bottom base diameter is 4.6 cm.
Quick Release Plate
- The top quick release plate is 5 cm long by 3.8 cm wide.
- The quick release plate is Arca Swiss compatible
- It has two 1/4" 20 screws that can be tightened by hand without the need for additional tools. But they can also be tightened using the supplied Allen key wrench, or any flat screwdriver.
- It is possible to remove the screws from the release plate if you want to only use a single screw. All you have to do is to move the screw to the end of the plate and unscrew it until it comes out.
- The quick release plate has two small protrusions which should stop the camera from falling forward or backward if the release plate isn’t fully tightened however the protrusions on the release plate are very small and the notches on the clamp section are very shallow so I am not convinced that they will function as a security mechanism. Also when I compare this to the Ulanzi U-190 fluid head, it definitely appears to be less safe.
- It has a knob for tightening or loosening the clamp which holds the quick release plate in place.
Mount rotation/pan
- On the opposite side of the clamp know, there is mount rotation adjustment screw which allows you to lock or loosen the rotation tension in order to rotate the mount so that you can mount your camera in any direction which is required depending on the release plate or cage that is being used.
- The mount rotation can also be used for panning even though this is not its primary function.
Mount slide
- There is a mount slide lock which lets you move the mount section of the video head backward or forward to adjust the balance for centre of gravity. This is an easy way to adjust the balance after the camera has already been mounted.
- So there are three options to adjust the centre of gravity on this fluid head:
1. Refine the location of the camera on the release plate before tightening the screw, since the screw location is adjustable.
2. Place the release plate slightly forward or backward before tightening the clamp on the release plate, and
3. Use the mount lock lever on the side to unlock the mount section which allows the mount section to slide backward or forward, which includes the clamp and release plate on top.
Accessory mount
- There is an accessory mount which has a 1/4'’-20 threaded hole for attaching devices such as lights, microphones or anything else with a magic arm.
- I like the idea of using a small magic arm to connect a directional microphone here because that means when I move the fluid head to point the camera at a moving subject, the directional microphone will also point in the correct direction and pick up the sound from the correct location.
- Also, this means that I can use the cold shoe mount on my camera for attaching something else such as an external monitor or an external recording device.
Tilt
- There is a lever for the tilt lock so that the camera can tilt forward or backward.
- The fluid head can tilt from -60 degrees to +90 degrees so 90 degrees forward and 60 degrees backward.
- The tilt lever seems to be a friction lock so there isn’t sufficient control for adjusting the tilt tension.
- This seems to be a known issue which is mentioned on the SmallRig website. The SmallRig official website states that: “Heavy cameras and lenses may affect the tilt experience of the head.”
Pan
- 360 degree panning is supported on the fluid head, and there are two panning sections:
- One for rotating the mount section which includes the clamp section with the release plate. This is primarily used for adjusting the location and orientation of the clamp section for the quick release plate and the camera, which provides flexibility if you are using a cage, or a release plate which needs to be mounted in a different orientation.
- Also, there is a panning section at the bottom base of the fluid head which is what is primarily used for the panning motion when shooting video.
- Both the mount rotation section and the pan section have markings for 360 degrees, with a visible line for every 5 degrees and a visible numeric value for every 15 degrees.
- There is a knob for adjusting the damping tension of the panning movement but it cannot be made completely loose, and if you turn the knob too much, it will fall out of place and expose the grease inside the fluid head. This knob acts as both a pan lock and for adjusting the panning tension, therefore the adjustment granularity for dampening the tension is limited.
- Nevertheless it seems like the panning movement on this fluid head can be made slightly looser than what is possible on the Ulanzi U-190 video head, which is particularly good for lighter setups.
Bubble spirit level
- There is a bubble spirit level which can be used to make sure the fluid head is levelled correctly.
Telescoping Handle Grip
- There is a handle rotation adjustment lever which allows you to set the angle of the handle and lock it in place.
- The handle grip angle can be adjusted but the handle is completely straight unlike most handle grips which have a grip section that is slightly bent at an angle for easier holding.
- This is a telescoping handle which means it can be extended or collapsed as necessary.
- It is 33 cm long when extended and 14 cm when collapsed.
- It appears that the mechanism used in the telescopic handle is identical to the mechanism used in the “Velbon Ultra Stick Super 8 Monopod”. I am not 100% sure about this but the locking mechanism feels exactly the same.
- It is possible to remove the handle altogether for a lighter and more compact setup but that means you need to use the camera itself for movements which is likely to result in a less smooth video footage.
Allen key wrench
- A hexagonal wrench also known as Allen Key is provided with the fluid head which fits into a magnetic slot on the fluid head. So it is easy to place it there and ensures you always have it with the fluid head.
- The Allen Key protrudes slightly from the opposite side of the fluid head so you can press on the protruding part to pop it out. This is substantially easier than having to pull it out while working against the magnetic slot.
Tripod Compatibility
- The bottom base diameter is 4.6 cm, with a 3/8th inch 16 tripod mount which can be used to attach this fluid head to any standard tripod.
- It is worth mentioning that most table-top tripods and vlogging tripods typically have a 1/4 inch 20 screw which means you need to purchase an adapter separately.
- So if you intend to use this video head with a small tripod such as the Manfrotto Pixi mini tripod, you need to purchase an adapter separately since that mini tripod has a 1/4 inch 20 screw.
- SmallRig sells these adapters under the name “SmallRig 1/4 inch to 3/8th inch screw adapter 1610”.
- The model number is CF-FM01–1610 or 1610 for short.
https://www.smallrig.com/smallrig-1-4-to-3-8-screw-adapter-5-pcs-1610.html
- Because the majority of table-top tripods and vlogging tripods have a 1/4 inch 20 screw instead of the 3/8 inch 16 screws that are found on standard tripods, some video heads such as the Ulanzi U-190 video head come with a converter so you can immediately mount it on any type of tripod, however with this tripod you need to buy an adapter separately which is very cheap and lets you achieve the same results.
- Some tripods and monopods have a retractable 3/8 inch 16 screw with a 1/4 inch 20 screw underneath it, which means either thread size holes will function on these, such as the iFootage Cobra 2 series tripods and monopods.
My thoughts
This fluid head is better than a ball head and any other small fluid head on the market. Also, the panning motion seems to be looser than the Ulanzi U-190 however it is not a good fluid head in terms of controlling the smoothness of motion nor does it have the lightness and compactness of a very small fluid head.
Nevertheless I don’t believe there is currently anything better on the market so I intend to use it with a monopod for casual video shooting but for any professional work I will revert back to using a tripod with a substantially larger video head.
When designing a fluid head a lot of compromises have to be made and it is impossible for a video head to serve all purposes. So in my opinion there are two approaches that can be taken. One is to create a good video head but the compromise will be that it is large and heavy. The other option is to create a compact and lightweight video head but the compromise will be that it has less control over the smoothness of motion.
This fluid leans towards the compact and lightweight option, but it has favoured some luxury features over having a smaller size and lighter weight. I believe the additional weight would have been better used to improve the motion smoothness control of the video head instead of non-necessary features that add weight and size to the fluid head without improving its performance, even though those features contribute to better usability.
For example I would have preferred if some features were left out in order to make this video head smaller and lighter, such as the mount slide feature, since the quick release plate can be used to serve a similar purpose. Also, the mount rotation feature is a luxury not a necessity. Removing these features would have made the video head smaller and lighter.
These are typical features to accommodate camera cages and larger setups however anyone wanting to use a larger setup is more likely to use a larger and better video head so in my opinion these design decisions are not in line with the target audience for this video head.
Aside from my personal perspective on design decisions and compromises, I have two minor complaints:
1. I really dislike the fact that the knobs used to adjust the damping motion can be completely unscrewed and fall out which exposes the grease in the fluid head.
2. This video head is being marketed as a “lightweight” video head, however a reduction in weight hasn’t been prioritised over other features, so there is some discrepancy between what has been built and what is being marketed.
- Although the discrepancy is not as bad as the Canon R5 being marketed as a camera for 8K video recording when it overheats quickly and cannot perform its primary marketed function.
Anyway, those are two minor complaints that I have about this fluid head.
For my portability requirement, I prefer the minimalist approach of the Ulanzi U-190 video head which is smaller and lighter, however the panning motion is looser on this fluid head which makes this video head more suitable for shooting video despite its disadvantages such as larger size and heavier weight.
Anyway, please let me know if you have any questions about this video head or want me to demonstrate a certain aspect of it in more detail.
To my knowledge this video head is the best compact mini video head that is currently available on the market, but if you know of any other one please let me know as I like to keep my kit as compact and light as possible.
Specifications SmallRig Lightweight Fluid Video Head 3457
Brand: SmallRig
SKU: 3457
UPC: 6941590006543
Material: Aluminium alloy
Product Dimensions: 104 x 77.5 x 62mm
Net Weight: 512g
Load Capacity: 5kg
Tilt: +90°/-60°
Handle grip: 14cm — 33 cm
Folded Length of Telescopic Handle: 14 cm
Max Length of Telescopic Handle: 33 cm
Compatibility: Fits tripods with 3/8 screws
Base Diameter: 46mm
Designer: Tracy Joy
*Note: Heavy cameras and lenses may affect the tilt experience of the head.
What comes in the box? Package Includes:
1 x Lightweight Fluid Video Head
1 x Quick Release Plate
2 x 1/4'’-20 Screw
1 x Allen key wrench tool
What comes in the box? Package Includes:
1 x Lightweight Fluid Video Head
1 x Quick Release Plate
2 x 1/4'’-20 Screw
1 x Allen key wrench tool
