Chinese Sirui has listened to our market and produced this further development of the familiar VH-10. Optimal video head for tube use should have adjustable inertia in the panning movement.
They generally only have a locking knob for locked or unlocked and a factory preset stiffness, which is often too loose to offer a smooth enough ride when, for example, tracking stretching seabirds over stormy seas. The VH-10X looks essentially the same as the VH-10, but has a larger "lump" at the bottom. There is a built-in knob with four different steps: 0-1-2-3. At 0, the brake is completely disengaged and at 3, it is a clearly slower movement sideways. In addition to this obvious advantage, the weight of course increases by about three kilos compared to the VH-10. Otherwise, the specification is the same: oil damping and forged metal instead of cast parts. The control lever is flexible in both length (telescope) and angle, you can of course also choose whether you want a right or left grip. The tilt function is continuously adjustable with a large knob on the side and works in the range +70 / -90°. There are two spirit levels to see if the equipment is level. The VH-10X has a built-in counterweight spring that can withstand most of the binoculars on the market. The spring prevents front- or rear-heavy equipment from tipping uncontrollably. Additional balancing options are offered by the quick release plate which is 9cm long and comes with both 1/4 and 3/8 inch screws, meaning owners of certain binoculars (eg Kamakura, Opticron and old Swarovski HabichtAT 80) can have two attachment points, which effectively counteracts "rotating tube". The quick plate can be applied from both sides, another advantage.
Product information
Size (LxWxH): 365x145x130 mm
Bottom plate diameter: 65 mm
Control lever, min-length/max length: 320 / 480 mm
Weight: 1.2 kg
Max load: 4 kg
Counterweight spring, load: 2 kg
Warranty: 6 years