gimbel advice

holty

holty

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looking for a good cheap gimbel to use with my 200-500 nikon lens
anyone reccomend one ?
 
My experience:-
  • Manfrotto 393 - quirky, I found it awkward due to having a 'bar' each side.
  • Calumet own brand - looked good but none too stable.
  • Lensmaster - best of the 'budget' range but has its limitations in stability.
  • Wimberley - the bees knees, super stable and super build ... I got mine used though.
 
Well to put it plainly, there's two options. A cheap gimbal (likes of beike, and similar) and then there's good (Wimberley/Lensmaster). I have a beike, and whilst it's okay and does the job (with a few minor alterations and upgrades), it will never compare to a Wimberley. My advice, is that if you are using it regularly then pay the extra for that added security. If you only plan on using it every other month or so, then the Beike level gimbals will be adequate.
 
Jeeze, someone should put up a FAQ on gimbal heads....

There are two option, a fully adjustable gimbal head and everything else... and everything else is a compromise of some sort. There are many brands that offer fully adjustable models... Wimberley, ProMedia, Kirk, RRS, Sirui, Benro, etc, etc. Of those, the Benro GH2/GH3 and Sirui PH-20 are the "best buys" IMO. Although the Photoseiki TB-101 looks good and is well priced (no experience w/ it). As is typical, as the price increases you generally get minor refinements for exponential costs.

FWIW, gimbal heads were introduced in the 90's. Before that we used pan-tilt heads (friction and fluid types), and many of us are still using them today. I quit using gimbal heads and switch to UniqBall heads for almost everything (it has it's advantages/disadvantages).
 
It depends what you call cheap. The beike is cheap, it's ok for ocassional use but it's built quality is nowhere as good as the more expensive ones (I'm not talking wimberley here either. The likes of benro gh2, manfrotto 393 and lensmaster are good options and not too expensive. A good gimbal will set you back £100-200. The manfrotto 393 and benro 394 are night and day better than the beike (I've tried all 3 but settled on an uniqball as it's one head for both landscapes and long lens wildlife).

There are plenty of options discussed in this thread:

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/lensmaster-gimbal-head.646713/

Any reason why you want s gimbal head? Would a ball head suit you? They are usually a bit cheaper than a gimbal and you can always add a 'sidekick' style gimbal later.
 
I'd agree that for the 200-500 you'd probably be better off with a decent ball head. I had the same debate a while back for a 600mm and went with the Wimberley which does a grand job, but it is overkill in my opinion for anything lighter than a 500mm or 200-400. Brands like Beike are cheaper versions of the Wimberley but are still aimed for the same usage. If you do definitely want the ability to swing the lens around without it dropping and without spending much then I'd look at the Manfrotto 393. It is a bit bulky but it works pretty well and they can also be found used very cheap. A decent tripod is also required as I'm sure you know - I've tried with low end ones and it isn't worth it!
 
Good and cheap holty...Lensmaster rh2, it is as said a lot better than the beike
 
I've just purchased an induro bhd3 ball head and aim on getting either the induro ghba or wimberley sidekick to use specifically with the Nikon 200-500. Bhd3 and ghba come in at £290 new and give the benefit of being easier to carry. For the 200-500 should be fairly light for the ratings of both the ball and sidearm.
 
One thing I've just thought of how does extending the lens from 200mm to 500mm affect balance with a gimbal? Would extending the lens shift the centre of gravity making the balance point different thought out the focal range? If you are mostly using it at 500mm and not zooming it's probably not an issue.
 
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I have the Benro GH2 and it is very good and well made - used up to Nikkor 500 f4 with it,,, just made sure the three legs beneath are up to carrying the weight,
 
I'd imagine it'd be infuriating using a gimbal with a zoom lens. It'd go out of balance every time you zoom in or out.

I have to re-balance my Wimberly by some way even if i just take the hood off my big prime.
 
Werecow said:
I'd imagine it'd be infuriating using a gimbal with a zoom lens. It'd go out of balance every time you zoom in or out.

I have to re-balance my Wimberly by some way even if i just take the hood off my big prime.
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It's not that bad tbh, more so that I tend to stay at 500mm on my Tamron 150-600. The times I do zoom out, my hand is on the lens anyway supporting it for a couple of seconds. It's not really that bad.

@holty I've just bought a second-hand Wimberley MK1. Been using the Manfrotto 393 for the last couple of years but the difference with this Wimberley is night and day. I won't use the 393 again so will put it up for sale.

Moral = Try to get a secondhand Winmberley (y)
 
I have used my gimbal with 5D3 & 100-400mm zoom, used 400mm but I do have a long ARCA plate on the lens foot so easy to slide to balance as required.......though thinking for better ease of handling marking with tippex the common fl's.

PS it is a Whimberly "side mount model". FWIW I did try a Lens master and good though it was, I was not 100% happy so got a refund. The guy that designed/makes & sells them was very helpful in sorting out the refund aok.
 
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wezza13 said:
It's not that bad tbh, more so that I tend to stay at 500mm on my Tamron 150-600. The times I do zoom out, my hand is on the lens anyway supporting it for a couple of seconds. It's not really that bad.

@holty I've just bought a second-hand Wimberley MK1. Been using the Manfrotto 393 for the last couple of years but the difference with this Wimberley is night and day. I won't use the 393 again so will put it up for sale.

Moral = Try to get a secondhand Winmberley (y)
Click to expand...

Yeh the Wimberly really is great.
 
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For my long lenses, I use Gitzo series 5s and
Jubo Design Black Widow Pro 2 gimbal heads.
Made in Canada, they represent, IMO, the better
tools with redesigned bearings systems,

They offer different models and new solutions.
Very hard to get second hand but doable!
 
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