Gitzo GH2720QR Two Way Fluid Head

Overall, this is an excellent head for spotting scopes. It is very rigid (does not flex or bounce), even when unlocked; I have mine on a hefty set of 3-series Gitzo legs and my scope hardly moves when the wind is howling - I can actually use 60x on a windy day.The friction/locking knob is large, easy to find, and goes from free to locked with a quick twist of the wrist. Most important, the locking knob does not move the scope at all: you can just center your subject up and lock it down. The pan and tilt are good - not as nice as a true fluid head, but plenty adequate for use with a spotting scope, even at high magnifications. There are no balance springs, but tightening the locking knob is rarely necessary unless the scope is at a really extreme angle - the mounting plate lets you get the scope balanced, and there seems to be just the right amount of "stiction" for most situations.Quality issues (minus 1/2 star):I bought a second one of these heads for my wife, and that jammed solid while I was setting it up. After some persuasion, I got it free again, but then the tilt movement was way too loose relative to the pan and could not be tightened fully. I also met a fellow birder using one of these heads and that had a slightly over-loose tilt. Since I purchased from Amazon, I got a replacement (which was perfect) within a couple of days, so no real harm done. Moral of the story - buy from Amazon, and return it if it doesn't feel right.Minor dislikes (minus 1/2 star):* The clamp for the pan handle is plastic, and needs to be tightened down hard to grip the handle. I am slightly concerned how it will stand up to knocks in the field long-term, but Gitzo's customer service is excellent, so I'm sure I will be able to get a replacement if it ever does fail.* The rubber on top of the mounting plate tends to peel up; I plan to put a piece of black tape around that. Interestingly, my wife's example doesn't seem to do this.* The locking knob "clonks" internally as the mechanism takes up slack when you go from locked to free and back again. This doesn't make any difference to the function of the head; it just feels slightly wrong. This is something most people would probably not even notice; I'm just obsessive.A few tips:* I am right-handed, but I switched the handle around to the left side. This means I can move the scope with my left hand and focus/zoom/work the locking knob with my right hand. Some folks simply do without the handle.* Paint a small mark on the locking knob, so you can see at a glance whether the head is locked.* Don't bother with the smaller version of this head - this one is plenty small and light enough.* Put the best carbon-fiber legs you can afford under this head - the latest Gitzo 3-series are great, the next size down Gitzos are adequate. Chinese knock-offs of the Gitzos I have seen were not as stiff/well damped as genuine Gitzo legs; YMMV. 3-section legs are stiffer than 4-section legs (and more convenient most of the time).