[Yes] super nice

[Yes] I bought this tripod head as a replacement for my Bogen 503HDV head. I use a 504HD as my primary tripod and use the S8 Pro with my Kessler pocket dolly as the head of choice. Solid and sturdy. I'll use the 75mm adapter from my old 503HDV head on the S8 Pro if I need to put it on some sticks in case I need a 2nd tripod. Great for the price!

[Fluid Head] I don't have a lot of experience with video heads. I have a Manrotto 501(3433) that I have used for a year and a recently purchased Benro S6 that part of a video monopod. This S8 is much better than all of them. I use it with my GH2 and GH3 with a wide variety of lenses including an enormous Canon FD 85-300 mm zoom. I have used this combo for baseball games, a concert and I plan on using on the sidelines for high school football. The head is nice because it can balance the very heavy lens, but can also accommodate light lenses. The accessory sockets on the side are nice because they allow me to easily add an external monitor with adding some sort of rig. The lighted bubble is nice and the pan and tilt drag also work nicely. I am very happy with the purchase.

[Yes] After going to a few stores and trying quite a few fluid heads in person, I settled on this one over the Manfrotto and Sachtler fluid heads in the same price range. It is heavy duty and sturdy but still has very smooth motion and is definitely more intuitive than the Manfrotto with the pan/tilt lock placements. I bought this along with the 75mm half ball adaptor so that I could use it on a video tripod as well as on a slider.

[+75° to -90°] After reading all the reviews, with some trepidation, I decided to leave Manfrotto and try this fluid head. It is amazing! Smooth as glass, both pans and tilts couldn't be better. Adjustments are exactly what you'd hope for and offer the 'right' amount of friction easily. In the motorcycle world they have a term called stiction to convey the added amount of force needed to start movement, as opposed to continued movement, of the forks. I can happily report that stiction on this tri-pod is either not there, or too small to notice. The start of pans and tilts are just as smooth as the continued action with no jerking at all. This is a substantial piece of equipment. There are times when I have my iShark (heavy) slider on it, along with my D810 and a 24 70 lens. It never balks and supports this weight easily, remaining smooth and easy to work with. The spring loaded, adjustable balancer can be an equipment saver and supports this heavy equipment with no problems. Even when I move the camera to the ends of the slider, the amount of tilt is negligible. There's a few 'little' things that deserve mention. The lighted level has proven to actually be an unexpected useful feature and I like that a spare battery is included. The plates are Manfrotto compatible, the handle reflects the quality throughout, and the overall appearance is impressive. Whenever I read at this price, this is a great value I wonder if price is the only selling point. Personally, I'd rather pay a little more and get the good stuff. I can assure you, this is a high quality, terrific fluid head. The low price is simply a bonus.

[Yes] pros: Cost Great pan and tilt smoothness Good build quality Light weight Operator sided controls Cons: No pan drag but it's so smooth anyways it doesn't really matter.

[+75° to -90°] I don't understand some of the reviews. This S6 fluid head is great! Maybe it was upgraded since it came out..? I'm not sure but I love it. The panning is smooth even though you can only adjust by tightening a screw. Either way this is great!

[Yes] This fluid head is very smooth!! I don't see any issues in functionality. Great product.

[Yes] If your looking for a great head with nearly perfectly fluid pans and tilts, this is it. Very solid piece of gear. Only flaw is the tilt lock doesn't lock down so easily, needs a few strong turns. Would be a problem for heavier loads. For lightweight DSLRs and the average lens this would not be a problem.

[Yes] This is a budget, lightweight video head. No, it's not as awesome as a Sachtler or Vinten Vision -- but it's not priced like them. I have two of these, AND several Sachtler & Vinten heads. I use the S4 for stuff like the end of a small jib and on a slider, or for lightweight use when light load is paramount. The pan is smooth as is the tilt. Both lock off. The tilt has some drag control, but not much. Pan is off or on. The QR plate does interchange w/ the Manfrotto of similar size. Though the QR mechanism on the head is secure, it's not as solid as the Manfrotto or as smooth since the S4 has a plastic part instead of metal as on Manfrotto (see the blue button on the left of the S4? That's plastic -- no harm, but it's just not as precise). That is the safety release, not the lock knob; so when it's locked, it's plenty solid. The handle can be removed which is something not all the Manfrottos can do -- an important detail for use on sliders.