The 327 is a ball tripod head allowing easy camera movement by squeezing the locking leaver. A joystick type handle can be used to move the camera to a new location where it can be locked by releasing the locking leaver. Infinite number of positions can be easily set or the 327 can be used to pan the camera with a moving object; this is something I have not tried yet.
Requirement
My requirements for the replacement head were
· Fast and easy to pan, tilt and change the orientation of the camera between portrait and landscape.
· Supports 5.5kg of hardware.
· Secure camera attachment with a quick release plate.
· Quick release plate is compatible with the other tripod heads I own, which are all Manfrotto.
· Weight must not exceed 0.65kg, so the weight is similar to the current head.
· Preferably the head will have an integrated spirit level.
The final shortlist was the 322RC2 or the 327RC2. The 322 was eliminated due to only supporting 5kg of hardware, in spite of being called heavy duty, and the weight of the 322 is 0.7kg compared to 0.62kg for the 327.
Final Decision
I was not able to get a touchy-feely look at a 327 due to the demonstration model being stolen from the local branch of Jessops.
The 327 is not a cheap tripod head so I researched the head before purchasing. I found videos posted on YouTube to be very informative when selecting the 327. The YouTube videos gave a good feel for how easy the 327 is to use and what other user thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biY3pjAclG0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTB0EYP6xTk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7XOKio0rlA
Now I own a 327
Has the 327 met my expectations and the requirement? Well, yes. Fully.
Easy and fast to use, but I have been told ball tripod heads can be hard for ladies with small hands to use, due to the force need to release the locking leaver.
Build quality appears to be the normal very high standard you can expect from Manfrotto, so I do not expect any issues from this magnesium alloy tripod head.
My only issue
The only issue has been with Jessops due to a mix up with the delivery and being told incorrect information by their staff on the phone. To put this into context, this is the first issue I have ever had when purchasing items online with Jessops. But still a pain.