Pan-tilt head
A head that moves on separate axes: pan turns it left and right, tilt raises and lowers the muzzle, each with its own control. Gimbal heads and KJI's Reaper Rail are versions of the idea.
What it means
Where a ball head frees every direction at once, a pan-tilt head splits the motion. One joint turns flat (pan), another tips up and down (tilt), and some add a third for cant. A gimbal head is a pan-tilt head that hangs the load at its balance point, so a heavy rifle or lens stays where you leave it.
What it changes in the field
Separate axes make it easy to sweep a field on the pan while the elevation stays put, which suits watching a bait or a fence line through a thermal. The trade is that a big change of angle takes two movements instead of one.
What to look for
- Tilt range up and down. Shooting from a ridge needs a lot of downward tilt; KJI publishes 21° up and 87° down for the Reaper.
- Cant adjustment if the tripod will not be level.
- What it holds: an Arca clamp, a Picatinny clamp or a grip that closes on the stock.
How we use it on this site
Head pages call these pan-tilt heads and give the pan and tilt range when the maker publishes it.