Is it true that the head of the vinten pro 6 is a re badged Manfrotto head ? If yes which one?

Looks nearly identical to my 501 head - at that price, maybe it's a 503? Might be also that they've OEM'd the bogen and modified it to be smoother, but they sure look the same to me... Steve

Same weight range as the 501.

Both the 503 and 501 don't have an illuminated level bubble while the level bubble of the pro 6 is illuminated. So is the Pro 6 a re badged 501/503 ?

Without actually fondling one, I'd say it's an "upgraded" 501 - as in, "batteries included"... :=) Steve

does the upgrade improve the head overall or is it the 501 with a light bulb added?

If is upgraded at all, it is a 503 because it has counter balance springs.

Mike