This is very frustrating.

I have a 503 which i really haven't used all that much and I have an annoying problem.

When I pan left, then pan back right (or vice versa), then change directions it makes a little bump, like it's engaging a gear. It's frustrating because it shows up in the video as a little bump and makes me clinch every time. Once it 'engages' it's fine but then happens again when I change directions

Is this happening to other owners? What are some solutions here ?

What are some solutions here ?

Well, first things first, dismount the head from the tripod and turn it upside down.

The 501/ 503's are flat bottomed heads married (usually) to a Manfrotto 501ball adapter. You didn't mention which way yours is configured, so I'll give you my take on both options.

If it is attached to a 501ball half ball adapter and thus designed to work with a 75 mm half bowl tripod, you will see, on the bottom side of that half ball adapter, 2 small screw heads (slot, from memory) which are to lock the head to the adapter once it's been screwed onto the main 3/8" - 16 central bolt.

These can be, and sometimes are, incompletely tightened, allowing the head to rotate somewhat on said central bolt. Ensure they are both done up real tight.

If the head has been fitted to a standard non bowl tripod (like a standard stills tripod), it will simply have been screwed onto the 3/8" bolt on top of the tripod. If that tripod has a raisable centre column, there is always some slop in the column, which should have a column lock to prevent.

If your tripod is of the latter design and there is no column lock, you're out of luck, it probably isn't the head but the column moving.

If the problem is neither loose screws in the half ball nor the centre column moving and thus pinned 100% to the head itself, the best solution I've found is a liberal coating of e - bay to the entire rig and make it someone elses problem.

Dig deep in the pockets and think Vinten or Sachtler, a magic cure for most support ailments.


CS

Thanks for the reply!

In deed it was the 3 flat head screws that were loose. Orginally i turned it upside down and they looked fine. But after reading your reply (which was excellent) I unscrewed from the softgrip and grabbed a flat head screw driver. Once under found the 3 screws were pretty loose so after a good tightening the 'engaging' is all gone....yay!

One other thing I can hear is when panning I can hear a sound that sounds like it's grinding sand (ever so slightly). It doesn't affect the shot or the movement I just know it's happening. Should I try to add some more oil to this ?

I would really like to get a good tripod and while spending over a $1000 is crazy, I would probably do it. But now I'm using DSLR's so dont need one to handle all that weight and the 503hdv does the trick...for now.

Should I try to add some more oil to this ?

Unless Manfrotto have drastically re - engineered the HDV series over their predecessors (not very likely),

the pan friction material is some sort of thick black goop sandwiched between a couple of metal plates.

Any foreign matter getting into the joint would make a bit of a graunch but once in, it's in for ever.

Any oil will simply dilute the goop and weep for ever and a day.

Enjoy your 503!


CS