RRS Loc: Not sure

Hi Doug, I reread your post and have an added thought. I use the gimble head for BIF or whenever I use a long or heavy lens camera combo. I spent a lot of money for a CF RRS tripod and couldn't see changing different heads to get the benefits of that tripod. Hence the quick release and added plates to ball and gimble heads. The ball head is very steady and I use it for all other shots . A lot will depend on what lenses you have or plan to buy in the future and what you shoot.

redhogbill Loc: antelope, calif

put a space between the link and the " ) " and the link will work

Straight Shooter Loc: Newfoundland, Canada

I have one of the lighterweight Jobu heads, rated for a load of up to 15lbs - lots more than my 60D + Sigma 150-500. It works fine. However, had I known about the Nest NT-530H before buying it, I would almost certainly have gone for one of those. It's a lot cheaper than a Jobu or Wimberley, it's rated for a high payload, and includes a quick release plate - an extra with the Jobu, around $50. I would say it's a no-brainer. The Next will handle just about any weight of body & lens combination you can come up with. A gimbal head is definitely the way to go with long lenses.

bioteacher Loc: Brooklyn, NY

What do you mean by a "Sidekick"

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

I purchased the Nest from MTshooter who is a UHH guy. I am really pleased .

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Wimberley Sidekick (SK-100)... http://tripodhead.com/products/sidekick-main.cfm

Instead of replacing the ballhead completely, the way a full size gimbal head does, the Sidekick slips into the quick release platform of the ballhead to convert it into a functional gimbal mount. So, instead of making your tripod "long lens only" with the full gimbal, the Sidekick leaves it quickly and easily switched back for standard use.

You do need to have a fairly sturdy ballhead to utilize a Sidekick with it... and the ballhead needs to have an Arca-Swiss type quick release platform. But if you have those, a Sidekick works great with lenses up to 500/4 or so. (Larger/heavier 400/2.8, 600/4 and anything bigger are more likely to need a full size gimbal head.)



Hi Doug,

Some good info in the previous responses, but I think we've overlooked the very most basic of questions... What lens/camera combos are you using that you feel you'd benefit from a gimbal head?

Gimbals are not necessarily about "preventing vibrations".

They are a means to rapidly and smoothly track moving subjects with big/heavy lenses that otherwise are hard to handle. The gimbal (and Sidekick) are typically used "loose", on either or on both horizontal/panning axis and vertical/tilt axis. The lens must have a tripod mounting ring to be practical to used in this manner on a gimbal mount. The tripod ring's "foot" is fitted with an extra long Arca-Swiss mounting plate that allows the lens to be slid forward and backward until lens and camera are adjusted to a balance and this point of equilibrium allows for smooth, easy, "one-finger" movement of the whole rig.

So, this isn't about being "sturdier than" or "better preventing vibration than" ballhead. It's about a different way of handling big/heavy lenses, especially during movement and tracking. Ballheads are not great at this. Pan-tilt heads do better, but are bigger and have protruding knobs and handles. Fluid heads such as videographers use are the ideal and quite smooth operating... but are heavy and typically very expensive.

I think full size gimbals such as the Jobu and Nest are all copies of the original Wimberley head.... http://tripodhead.com/products/wimberley-main.cfm

This type head completely replaces whatever you have on your tripod now. It really helps when trying to handle the biggest and heaviest lenses, such as 400/2.8, 600/4 and such. It sort of makes the tripod "long lens only", since in order to use the tripod more normally with short lenses and such, you'll need to swap out the gimbal for a ballhead. (Note: there are adapters to allow a camera with short lens to be mounted on the gimbal, such as Wimberley's M-8). The Arca-Swiss type platform of a full size gimbal is positioned below

The Sidekick style gimbal is a bit more limited in lens size and weight, but simply slips into an existing heavy duty ballhead to modify it for gimbal-style use. The ballhead still provides the horizontal/panning axis, while the Sidekick gives the vertical/tilt movement. I've used a Sidekick for over a decade, along with a heavy duty Kirk BH-1 ballhead, especially in conjunction with my 300/2.8 and 500/4 lenses. (It also should be adequate to support 200/2, 400/5.6, 400/4 DO, 200-400/4 1.4X, and 800/5.6 Canon lenses.) It's not recommended for, though I know people who use it with 400/2.8 and 600/4 lenses.

The Sidekick attaches to the tripod mounting ring foot off to one side or the other of the lens, rather than "cradling" the lens from underneath. Because of this arrangement, I've found it also is useful when wanting to orient a camera a QR plate and fitted with a short lens vertically (so I don't need a bulky, expensive "L-plate" on my cameras).

I have a full size gimbal (looks just like the Wimberley, but is a much less expensive clone) on another tripod, pretty much only use that with my 300/2.8 and 500/4 lenses.

I do not find either type of gimbal mount particularly useful with shorter & lighter lenses - 70-200/4, 70-200/2.8, 300/4, 100mm macro and 180mm macro lenses, in my kit. These are too light and too short to balance as well as the bigger/heavier lenses do. So although I'll occasionally use them on a gimbal, I'm more inclined to use these lenses directly on a ballhead, or on a monopod, or simply handheld. My macro lenses are fitted with extra long A-S QR plates to act as "sliders" for focusing purposes.

Hope this helps.

Caysnowman Loc: MN & SC

Straight Shooter took the words right out of my mouth. I currently use the small Jobu with a D7000 & Nikon 300 F4. I recently got a Tamron 150/600 but have not used it to the extent I have the 300 F4. While I am satisfied with this set up, had I to do it again, I'd go with MT Shooter and the Nest Gimbal. When I bought my Jobu, I had to get a plate to adjust the lens. I believe this is included with the Nest product. Jobu wants $50+ for theirs. I bought a knock off and while it works, I'm wishing the rig would work just a bit better when adjustments need to be made. Even without the plate, I'd go with the Nest offering next time.

Bill