Nest NT-530H MKII
£249/$350
www.nest-style.com nest’s gimbal just undercuts the Gitzo on weight, and is only beaten by the Jobu head. The carbon construction is also strong, with Nest rating it to support 25kg.
Elsewhere, build quality is fine, if not exceptional. The locking knobs are wrapped in a leatherlook material that’s grippy, but not as easy to use as the more ergonomically shaped knobs on some rival heads. When we last tested an NT-530H MKII its bearings had some unwanted slack, but Nest seems to have addressed this by tightening everything so the head is now far too stiff, and there’s no friction adjustment. Mounting a very long lens gives you more leverage for smoother movement, but you still won’t get the effortless motion offered by the best heads here.