Testimonials

Pole extension unit Product: Pole Series 1 - Lower Unit Extension (F7104) Posted By: Jook Leung - Pricey but excellent design and construction except for the 2 pairs of anti-twist tube locking collars. They are thin and brittle and made from poor materials. One pair was cracked and unusable. I do like the fact that Fanotec does supply extra replacements for small parts like screws and o - rings. This Fanotec Pole product will now replace my Agnos Pole.

Great overall but weak details Product: Google Ultimate R10 Static Tilt Head & Rotator Mini Package(GTPPKG) Posted By: Fredrik - Build quality and function is great. Easy to put together and good instructions. The only thing to complain about is the compass, cant trust it at all. If i rotate the ball head the compass get stuck in some places and will not move until i give the tripod a shake. And yes its perfectly levelled before rotating.

Moderator note: The compass only needs to be used once to reference North on first shot. It does not need to move as you rotate the head. If you feel the compass is defective please return for replacement.

Does everything well at a welcome savings. Product: NN4 Starter Package Factory Irregular (F9419) Posted By: Riley Iwamoto - Honestly I haven't closely scrutinized the unit but can't tell from casual use what made this a factory irregular. It's worked perfectly since I received it. Fanotec shipped promptly and it arrived quite swiftly although UPS gave me some grief. The included rotational increments on each rail are well matched to every setup I will use and most conventional users' needs (though now I can see why a leveler would have been a good investment). It's sturdy yet lightweight with no fluff. The one issue I've had in use is more to do with my tripod's weak locks: the NN4 seems leverage my small D5200's weight, causing my tripod's upper pivots to flop around, but I suppose that's a caveat of panoramic heads in general. I'm sure once I start using a stronger tripod head I'll be happy as a clam. In all, a great piece of equipment for beginning pano photographers.

Clean, simple, functional. Product: Nadir Adapter for NN3 NN4 NN5 (F9125) Posted By: Riley Iwamoto - Works as advertised. Craftsmanship is solid. As Unknown stated, the short distance it moves the camera away from the tripod does not completely eliminate the presence of a leg or two in your shot and it places considerable leveraged stress on your tripod head (mine has relatively weak locks in the top so it tips when even my compact slr is swiveled out). Still, it's a rather inconspicuous addition to my NN4 setup, fitting in the case while attached to the vertical rail, and I expect it will be useful when I want to bracket a nadir shot.

Works as Described Product: Nadir Adapter for NN3 NN4 NN5 (F9125) Posted By: N/A

Nice head, works fine Product: EZ Leveler II no Case (F3138) Posted By: Zepedro Russo - NN5 is a nice head, but NN4 is simple perfect for this kind of head. Is very precise and is all you need for 360. The starter rotator works perfect. RD's is just for Gigapixel when you get NN4 Starter. 

Ultimate M1-L w/RD16-II Product: Ultimate M1-L w/RD16-II (F8102) Posted By: Wolfgang Fuchs, Germany - Usually I do not write reviews, but for this article I am so impressed that I'm writing it to word! - Long I have considered whether I opt for Novoflex or Nodal Ninja. The latter system I have now and am amazed about the stability and functionality of the Ultimate M1-L w/RD16-II. The Nikon D700 with battery grip and the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70 mm 1:2,8 G ED is already a difficult combination, but the weight is a problem in any way and the RD16 rotator-II runs smooth. I wish to highlight even the excellent craftsmanship and the full Arca Swiss compatibility was very important for me. So I can the system without restriction and with full marks recommend. In der Regel schreibe ich keine Rezensionen, aber von diesem Artikel bin ich so sehr beeindruckt das ich mich doch zu Wort melde! Lange habe ich überlegt ob ich mich für Novoflex oder Nodal Ninja entscheide. Letzteres System habe ich nun und bin überwنltigt über die Stabilitنt und Funktionalitنt des Ultimate M1-L w/RD16-II. Die Nikon D700 mit Batteriegriff und das AF-S NIKKOR 24-70 mm 1:2,8G ED ist ja schon eine schwere Kombination, aber das Gewicht ist in keinster Weise problematisch und der Rotator RD16 - II lنuft butterweich. Hervorheben mِchte ich noch die exzellente Verarbeitung und die volle Arca Swiss Kompatibilitنt die für mich sehr wichtig war. Somit kann ich das System ohne Einschrنnkung und mit voller Punktzahl weiter empfehlen.

Good product - Product: Nadir Adapter for NN3 NN4 NN5 (F9125).

Posted By: Dariusz - This is one of those products that saves you time and makes your life easier. It is well built. I highly recommended it.

Superb rotator Product: Advanced Rotator RD16 (F1150) Posted By: Dariusz - Amazing product. The quality is first class and it works exactly as advertised. I wanted to save a few bucks and bought the factory irregular one and I don't regret it. I highly recommend it. -

Solid pano head Product: NN4 No Lower Rotator Factory Irregular (F9422) Posted By: Dariusz I was looking for a quality pano head. I was considering different models from different manufacturers. Nodal Ninja 4 is a well designed and built pano head. It feels solid and quality is outstanding. I wanted to save a few bucks and decided to buy a factory irregular one and I don't regret it. I highly recommend it.

EZ Leveler II with Case (F3140) Posted By: Dariusz - EZ Leveler II is a great, well built product. It is a must have add - on for anyone who needs to quickly and precisely level a pano head. I would give it 5 stars if the locking knob in the middle of the EZ Leveler II was bigger and easier to turn (lock). Highly recommended.

The rotator that handles your manual gigapixel panos with ease. Product: Ultimate M2 with RD8-II Rotator (F8001) Posted By: Gavin Farrell - The circumference of this rotator provides the perfect distance between detents so when you're shooting and need those precise well marked increments/steps you'e got them. Because the detent steps are clearly marked and spaced out more then the other rotators they're EASIER TO SEE and thereby retain your position in the sequence. If you're looking to use a 300mm/400mm Telephoto lens for manually shooting a gigapixel panorama this rotator will speed up your workflow with less chance for error.

Great for 360 Panos Product: Ultimate R1 Adjustable Tilt Ring Mount Package (F6120) Posted By: Archmaster - When I first opened the box and started reading the literature detailing how to setup the pano head, I became very frustrated. The literature was very confusing and I would recommend hiring a professional to give it a makeover. That being said, I worked my way through the setup with my Sigma 8mm lens and Nikon D800. The next day I set out to test the new head taking 4 shot panos with a +5 tilt. After the initial setup, assembly in the field was quick and easy. I liked the rotating set points. A great time saver. I found the head to be solidly built and didn't have any issues with any of my setting shifting while handling the camera during the day's shoot. Once I was back in the office, the stitching results using PTGui were outstanding! If all you want to do is 360 panos, this is a great head.

Rock Solid and easy to use Product: Google Ultimate R10 Static Tilt Head & Rotator Mini Package(GTPPKG) Posted By: Bill Heller - Like every Nodal Ninja product I've purchased (and there have been quite a few) the R10 is made to last. I got the ring for the Canon 8-15 and the stop to preset the exact nodal (or no parallax) point is very handy. Other than Google Trusted Photographer shoots, this will be used when I need to get a walking tour of an area including many scenes in an interior space. As opposed to a single multi - row high resolution panorama of an outside view, for which I would recommend one of the multi row NN heads like NN3 (which I have and use often) or Ultimate M, which I have not used, but looks like an amazing piece of equipment.

Excelent quality Product: T adapter III with 30mm offset (F9213) Posted By: N/A - It was a nice surprise to see the great quality and design this product has.

First impression Product: Ultimate M1-L w/RD16-II (F8102) Posted By: Tom Smider - I just receive my Ultimate ML - 1/L and first impression is fantastic. I can not wait till tomorrow to test it. Thanks Nodal!

GTPs - this what you need to take 360 Panos Product: Google Ultimate R10 Static Tilt Head & Rotator Mini Package(GTPPKG) Posted By: Jeff Finkelstein - Customer Paradigm - If you're reading this review, you're probably in the process of signing up for the GTP program. This is a pretty specific piece of gear for stitching together 360 degree panoramic photos with a fisheye lens. (I'm in the process of signing up to the GTP program, and the Ultimate R10 Static Tilt Head & Rotator Mini Package is amazing.) Bottom line: this is a really solid piece of gear. All metal construction, smooth action, and built for the professional photographer that will be using this in the real world. The built-in level and compass drastically simplify the setup process. The metal build is solid, and feels like it's going to last forever. If you're part of the GTP program, this is the one single piece of hardware that you need. Setting it up was really easy (even without reading the manual). The plastic insert makes it easy for the shoe to fit into the system at just the precise point. And I was never worried about the lens slipping off because everything was built for a professional. It's not a motorized panoramic system; rather it allows you to precisely position your camera for images, and then you rotate clockwise at 90 degree precise angles. Shipping was quick.

EZ Leveler makes it really simple to micro-adjust and get 100% level Product: EZ Leveler II no Case (F3138) Posted By: Jeff Finkelstein - Customer Paradigm - I'm a bit of a control freak, and to use a ball head to level 100% can be difficult, especially when you have a large lens and camera on top that throws it all off. You try to get the bubble, but it keeps shifting. What I love about the EZ-Leveler II is that it's easy to micro-adjust the level, without having to worry about a ballhead slipping and moving. All you need to do is use your thumb to move one of the three dials, and you're all set. I've actually used this, with a ballhead on top of it, and found great results. (I've also not used the ballhead, and just used the tripod legs to level everything pretty closely, too.) The materials and build are outstanding. The whole piece has a solid feel to it. I've spent the $$ on a high - end DSLR, lenses, and a tripod, and this doesn't disappoint. This is now permanently attached to my tripod.

Excellent Package Product: NN4 Starter Package (F4500) Posted By: Lukas Web Programming - The Nodal Ninja 4 starter package works flawlessly, is easy to setup and allows me to take excellent 360 panos. It is an excellent value and the service from the folks at Nodal Ninja is excellent to say the least! Highly recommend this package and the company overall.

Hi Bill, Just said I'd let you know that last Sunday I was awarded the Irish Professional Photographers Association Photographer of the Year for 2010. This is something I could not have achieved without the use of your fantastic Nodal Ninja panorama head. THANKS - Peter O. Ireland

When I purchased my NN3 MKII I commented on this forum that it was a superbly engineered device, but Nick has managed to find room for improvement with the introduction of the Nodal Ninja Anti-Twisting Camera Mounting Plate...... Yes Nick, the enhancement is very helpful. It is clear that when one purchases an NN product you get more than just a great bit if kit. - Hugh - NN forum

When I purchased my NN3 MKII I commented on this forum that it was a superbly engineered device, but Nick has managed to find room for improvement with the introduction of the Nodal Ninja Anti-Twisting Camera Mounting Plate. Thanks Nick, mine arrived yesterday and has made using the NN3 MKII even easier! - Hugh - NN forum

I read the review in Digital Photography magazine awhile back which prompted me to buy your product here in the UK. I've always enjoyed making panoramas and as a professional photographer I have always grappled with the stitching taking endless hours to fix in Photoshop. Having a pano head has made my work easier. I was a bit reserved initially thinking low cost head equals low quality results, nothing could be further from the truth. My Nodal Ninja 5 is strong, robust, and gives me the precision I seek. Excellent product all the way around. Best regards - Robert H. UK (Nikon D3)