Really Right Stuff PG-02 MK2 Pano-Gimbal Head with Side Mount

As a landscape photographer, my feedback on the PG-02 MK2 is based on my experiences within that genre. While the product excels in wildlife photography, it presents several drawbacks for landscape photographers.The PG-02 MK2 had been on my wishlist since its release, but I hesitated to purchase it initially due to its high price point and weight, making it unfriendly for travel. After years of coping with the less-than-ideal ergonomics of using a traditional ball head with a 100-400mm telephoto lens, I finally switched to a panoramic head (pan and tilt) paired with a leveling base last year. This switch significantly improved my experience compared to a ball head, as there was no longer a need to account for roll each time I recomposed a photo along with better vibration support for heavy lenses. The panoramic head allowed for independent control and locking of the pan and tilt axes. It also features a separate tension control on the tilt axis which is a necessity in my opinion.Despite the improvement over a ball head, I was curious about whether the PG-02 could handle the 100-400mm lens better. One drawback of the panoramic head was the absence of tension control on the panning axis, making it slightly challenging to nail down compositional adjustments on that axis. Unfortunately, the PG-02 MK2 did not meet my expectations and was different than what I had envisioned in my head. First, the lack of tension control on both the pan and tilt axes made it difficult to make micro-adjustments without the camera frame skipping around. RRS mentions that you can adjust the tension by turning the lock levers on both the pan and tilt axis half way and in practice, this does not work as well as it sounds. Both axes are either completely locked down or unlocked. I was disappointed that RRS didn't add independent tension controls which are available on their ball heads. While the build quality is outstanding, the product feels heavier than necessary due to some parts being large blocks of machined aluminum. It seems that RRS could have reduced the weight by 10-20% without compromising stability by shrinking the round parts on both axes and removing the crossbar sections on the back of the panning component. Maybe we will see a follow-up to the PG-01 where it is a miniaturized version of the PG-02. Weighing at 2.5 lbs, the PG-02 is a heavy photography head compared to others on the market that range from 1-2 lbs. I wish RRS had designed the PG-02 to fold up rather than two pieces that need assembly. The assembled head looks awkward on a tripod and strapped to a photography backpack because you have a giant L-shape sticking out drawing unnecessary attention. It means you need to disassemble the head when walking around and assemble it when ready to shoot. This is not feasible for a landscape or cityscape photographer who is running and gunning from one location to the next.The most frustrating aspect of using this head is that unlocking the panning axis causes the camera to shake violently, resulting in the loss of the last frame's position which is unacceptable for shooting panoramas. In the end, I decided to return the product and will stick with my panoramic head.If you are considering this product, RRS and both have a generous 30-day return policy so you can try it out. It's perfect if you are a wildlife photographer but not practical for a landscape photographer.