Part 1: processing and function
The Mantona turnaround consists of a heavy metal design with very good workmanship. Works really very professional. It makes a 360 degree turn in 60 minutes. Of course, portions are possible, which then correspond to a panoramic image. A finer scale I do not need, as I usually, select them the area to be traveled on the subject and not on the degree or minutes at the turnaround.
Ticking: Of course, the turnaround is ticking like an egg timer. But that's no problem for me, because the sound is anyway not usable. If you want to catch a glimpse of the acoustic environment, simply a non-moving picture takes up 30 seconds and operates it later to the Timelapse recording the video program. The end is made acoustically clear with a ring. One can therefore part without any problems in the kitchen use and it does not look that bad times.
As I have improved the turnaround:
I have fixed the grub screw with some glue on the thread, so you can not lose it. Also, I use a quick release bracket. This has two functions. Once she does not scratch on the camcorder base, which can already arise from the bare surface of the turnaround. Secondly, I have my camcorder always a quick release plate, which I therefore do not need an extra break down when I'm using the turnaround.
Part 2: Einsatbericht and tips and tricks
1) First you should look at how the exposure changes at 360 degrees recordings. An area can for example show a dark forest, while the other side is filming directly at the sun. Here is to consider whether the camcorder to make the exposure automatically, which can of course take care of variations in brightness, or whether to set up an intermediate value manually. Good conditions have of course at night or on cloudy days, since not turn the brightness differences quite as drastic. Also on the focus should pay attention. Should the focus be directed to close the camcorder running past people or more on distant landscapes?
2.) The photographs should then be possible in the wide-angle range.
3.) the battery should have enough juice for the recording. 60 minutes are not a problem for camcorders with large battery. System cameras and DSLR have it any more difficult. In addition, sometimes there after 30 minutes Stop the recording and this would have to be rebooted, which of course should then go quite quickly.
4) Of course you should the long recording (eg shorten 360 degrees = 60 minutes) with a video editing program for a few seconds. To speed here by a factor of 200 yields a really great timelapse with 18 seconds.
5.) Some camcorders or cameras offer the ability to directly set a time-lapse function, here you can then save the post-processing on the PC. For all I know, take this camcorder, this function no sound on, why then even the ticking of the turnaround is negligible.
Conclusion: So I think the turnaround Mantona 360 panoramic tripod head super. With the right knowledge and a little planning, you can bring out real professional work from the small thing. I used incidentally built myself from a kitchen timer as a rotating device. Problem was that the camera was too heavy and the mechanics quickly made limp. When turnaround of Mantona it goes immserhin to 800 grams, which should be sufficient for most camcorders, Aktioncams and perhaps one or the other system camera with a small lens.
