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A Solid Tilt Head for Monopods: Oben VH-R2 Review

Oben's VH-R2 Tilt Head for monopods is a solidly built tilt head that can handle the weight of most telephoto lenses. Here's my hands-on review.

Oben VH-R2 Tilt Head

Categories: Monopods, Reviews, Tripod Heads
Tags: Oben
Last updated about 4 years ago // Originally published about 4 years ago

Tilt heads off a simplified way to mount cameras on monopods. They offer more flexibility than attaching the camera directly to the top of the monopod without a head, but are simpler and quicker to operate with one hand while using a heavy telephoto lens and camera combination than using a ballhead.

The one I’m focusing on here is Oben’s VH-R2 Tilt Head. B&H Photo sent me one to try out, and I’ve been using it on an Oben CTM-2500 5-Section Carbon Fiber Monopod. You can also buy this combination as a bundle.

Oben VH-R2 Tilt Head

The VH-R2 has a load capacity of 11 lb / 5kg. The main components are machined aluminum, while the tilt locking knob is plastic. There’s a bubble level on top, and the quick release plate is locked with a lever that uses a double mechanism as a safety precaution. It comes with a quick release plate.

While there’s no technical reason you couldn’t put a tilt head on a tripod, it makes much more sense on a monopod. The only rotation most tilt heads offer, including this one, is forward and back. That’s all you need with a monopod, but it’s extremely limiting on a tripod.

In Use

The tilt lock is adjusted with a large knob on the side. It’s a lever lock and is easy to use even with cold and damp hands. Once locked, I found it stayed locked. I haven’t run into any issues with it creeping when it should be staying still in place.

Oben VH-R2 Tilt Head

Compatibility

Monopods. It uses the near-universal attachment, so it’s compatible with most monopods. It also comes with a 3/8-16 to 1/4-20 reducer bushing (a fancy way of saying a thread adapter), so you’re covered whether you’re putting it on a monopod that uses the standard large stud (3/8-16) or a smaller one (1/4-20).

Quick Release Plates. The VH-R2 is designed to be used with the quick release plate it works with. It’s not a standard Arca-style dovetail attachment, and it won’t work directly with the kind of long foot plates that are common with large telephoto lenses. You can, of course, attach the RP-20 plate to the bottom of one of those longer lens feet.

Summary

Overall, I’ve found it to work well. I generally prefer tripod and monopod heads that work with Arca-style quick release plates directly, but the different plate that comes with this tilt head works well for the purpose and includes peace of mind that it won’t slide off when using it because the quick release plate is locked in on all four sides.

It’s a solid, straightforward tilt head that is capable of handling reasonably heavy loads such as all but the largest telephoto lenses. It’s been working well for me.

Buy At

The Oben VH-R2 Tilt Head is available from B&H Photo for $34.95.

You can also buy it bundled with various Oben monopods.

You can also pick up spare RP-20 quick release plates separately.

By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on June 28, 2017

Categories: Monopods, Reviews, Tripod Heads
Tags: Oben

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News & Deals

With the holidays fast approaching, there’s some great deals on photography gear and services available. I’ve put together a roundup of Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020 Photography Deals. It’s a running list as new deals are announced, so be sure to check back.

Canon announces new EOS Rebel T8i DSLR. Canon has announced their new T8i DSLR. 24MP APS-C cropped CMOS sensor, 4K24 video, and updated image processing and detection systems. It’s available for preorder from B&H Photo.

New Firmware for the Ricoh GR III. Ricoh has release firmware v1.31 for the GR III. Release notes are: “Corrected — When shooting with the multiple exposure, in rare cases the live view may not display correctly. Improved stability for general performance.” You can download it here.

New Canon 1D X Mark III Pro DSLR Announced. Canon has announced their new flagship model of pro DSLR, the 1D X Mark III. They’re sticking with a 20.1MP CMOS sensor, but it’s a new and improved version and boasts an incredible native ISO range of ISO 100 to ISO 102400 and an extended range that goes up to a jaw-dropping ISO 819200. With revamped autofocus, a new image processor, and all sorts of other bells and whistles, it’s no wonder that Canon is billing it as “The Ultimate EOS.”

New Manfrotto Pro Rugged Memory Cards. Manfrotto, an Italian probably best known for their tripods and studio accessories, has launched a new Pro Rugged range of high-end SD, microSD, and CompactFlash cards. While they don’t have a huge selection of sizes and speeds, the cards are aiming for very fast cards that can put up with rugged demands. For instance, they claim that their V90 rated SD cards can withstand three times the force (20kg / 45 lbs) of a regular SD card. I’ve ordered some to run through my speed tests.

New Sony Alpha a7 firmware released. A firmware update for the Sony a7R IV now lets you control external Sony flashes from the camera’s own menu system. Up to 15 flashes in five groups can be controlled via the camera. It also applies to the a7R III and a7 III.

Comments

  1. Charles Eby says

    January 1, 2019 at 4:32 pm

    How do you change from landscape to portrait? (Oben VHR2 tilt head)

    Reply
    • David says

      January 1, 2019 at 4:38 pm

      You can rotate the quick release plate 90° and then use the head’s tilt lock to move it down so the camera is sitting vertically.

      Reply

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I take photos. I travel. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

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