The Manfrotto 502AH Pro Video Head with Flat Base is an affordable yet remarkably fully featured professional head that represents an advance over the popular 501HDV, with sturdier construction and featuring Manfrotto's patented bridging technology (inherited from the 509 and 504 heads). This head is designed for executing cinematic moves with compact camcorders and DSLR cameras. The 502AH comes in two versions—the "AH" flat base version with a 3/8"-16 mounting hole such as this one, and the "A" ball base version, which is separately available.

The weight capacity is 22 lb and the counterbalance supports 8.8 lb. The balance plate's 3.27" range allows you to correct for uneven payloads due to matte boxes or DSLR rig configurations.

The bridging technology ensures that the pan friction control is intuitive and easy to set but is also protected against knocks. There are independent locks for pan and tilt, and drag for both is selectable in a continuous range from zero to the maximum level. This allows you to operate the head in a confident, smooth manner using the included pan bar.

The Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 Aluminum Tripod is a three-section support that replaces the 055XPROB tripod. It has a load capacity of 44 lb and extends from 3.5" to 67". Its legs are secured by the Quick Power Locks. These updated flip locks increase the tripod's rigidity by 50%, and its load capacity by 4.4 lb over its predecessor.

A redesigned center column has a "one finger" operation, and includes an Easy Link attachment for attaching accessories such as an LED light or a reflector. The center column can be positioned horizontally, allowing for low-angle and macro photography. The upper disc where a tripod head is mounted has been redesigned as well, and now has a bull's eye bubble level that rotates 360° so you can locate it where you can see it. This allows you to level your camera on both the horizontal and vertical planes.