Dear Stephanie,
I don’t normally write companies to give them Kudos but I thought it was deserved. I had been keeping my eye on the Studio Titan 360-MK-2 on B&H’s website as well as your own. B&H site said the product should be available sometime in mid-July. I buy a lot from B&H and would always check back and was very surprised to see the MK-2 showed available in stock. Figured it was a mistake but ordered it never the less after I ordered it it went back out of stock . I wanted the upgrade so that is why I was waiting for the MK2. Still showed unavailable on your site. But figured it is possible they are imported a few at a time.
Two days later I received two cartons or shale I say corrugated cabinets I checked the outside of the box and it did say MK2.
Before becoming a professional product photographer I was in the family musical instrument business that had been around 75 years prior to me and have lots of experience with imports and shipping within the US. I have seen products from Germany, England, Italy, France, Japan, Korea and China and there always was a hierarchy in engineering and build quality. So when I saw your product was built in S. Korea I was pretty sure I would not be disappointed.
When the two boxes showed up I was pretty sure what was inside was going to be in perfect condition and I was correct. The packaging was not placed it was designed and installed. I think the cardboard was probably over 500 pound test. The main carton was covered in a corrugated plastic housing. Inside everything was polypropylene high density foam blocked instead of Styrofoam junk that can’t support heavy weight (and yes most companies ship steel and aluminum in molded Styrofoam and its drives me nuts).
I was laughing when I saw the packaging include leather gloves for assemble. I said to my son I am not going to get crushed or pinched but if I need leather gloves to protect against burs I am not going to be happy. I put them aside I can do assembly with heavy leather gloves I used to be a machinist many years ago.
The instructions were pretty clear and I could tell who ever wrote them was being extra cautious to prevent someone from getting injured. I did not need an extra person other than to carry the larger box in.
Assembly was simple all parts were well machined and smooth to the touch. Other than the stickers on the locking knobs if I did not know any better it could have been made in Italy or Germany.
Summing up I was looking for a good studio camera stand at a reasonable price. I am sure some people would think $1799 is a lot for what they think is a glorified tripod but it’s not a tripod and obviously they have never looked at Hasselblad , Phase One, Broncolor or Profoto
Anyway great product I tried to leave a review on B&H but for some reason it’s not allowing me could be its new?
Best Regard
Joel Nachman