For all you photographers- here is my new horizontal tripod head! This little attachment will allow you to use your centre column on its side, which is fantastic news for macro photography, photographing papers and documents flat on the ground, positioning over parapet walls, and importantly it helps people to use a tripod with more ease whilst seated or in a wheelchair.

This is the 2nd version of the head which now allows a full 360 degrees of horizontal rotation and can usually be locked in any position. It fulfills my original objectives of being easy to use, simple in operation, low in cost and reliable. This is thanks to a simple design with only 3 components, and the body itself being machined from a single aluminium billet.

Spefically designed for use with Red Snapper tripods, this will fit any tripod with a removable 28mm diameter centre column, preferably with a keyway (square shaped groove) running down the length of the column.

Here are a few pics of the 2nd prototype in test, not the prettiest pics but no false editing! It happily supported a 25kg weight hung from 2kg of steel tube at a 700mm radius. A typical working radius is approx 300mm, and for example, a Canon 5Dmkii + 180mm L macro lens weigh in at 1.9kg.

The last 2 pictures below show the head does not easily induce camera shake, the 30second exposure is as good if not better quality than the 0.8second exposure.

My non-destructive test showed that the head can easily support 54kg at 350mm radius, 108kg at 175mm and so on and still perfectly useable with no signs of stress. I do supply a hook with each horizontal head for hanging weight from so you can stabilise the rig, (I'm afraid common sense and checking your tripod limitations will dictate how much weight you can hang!)

Please note- I did not test any tripod in any way, this was done in a heavy steel jig in a vice, unfortunately I can not guarentee tripod stability in any way. Please also note that you may void a tripod warranty by using this if the tripod was not designed to be used in such a way, also use common sense and do not try to defy the laws of gravity- I can not be held responsible for broken equipment because it tipped over!

I will replace any of my horizontal tripod heads that have broken due to poor design or manufacture, though I am confident that either will not be an issue!