Dr J Loc: NE Florida

I have a Monfrotto 294 tripod with their 496RC2 Ball Head and their 294A4 monopod with 234 RC Tilt head.... and recently "upgraded" to a Nikkor 200-500 with my D500 for wildlife photography. I think I could get more "keepers" with a gimbal head as fatigue, stability and maneuverability are issues with the current monopod and tripod set ups.
I don't plan getting a camera or lens that weigh more (I'm too dang old) than the D500 and 200-500 (about 7 lbs/3.2kg together). I have mainly used the ball head portraits and is probably not of Manfrotto's highest quality.
Any advise or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much!

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MtnMan Loc: ID

I find myself handholding the 200-500 with my D800 most of the time. Yes it is a load. I've mostly settled on M mode with auto ISO, min shutter 1/500 and min f-stop (5.6). Most of my shots are very sharp even at 500 mm.

I have the same mount on my monopod and a significantly beefier one on my tripod. All Manfrotto. The only problem with that is that the connector for the big ball mount differs so I need to switch if I want to use the 200-500 from one to the other.

I will use the mono or tripod if the situation allows. With critters it usually doesn't allow. I'm going on a whale watch in a relatively small boat next week and will give the mono another try. It didn't work in Africa in May.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

I just bought a Manfrotto Model 393 gimbel head. It's a double-U design. Different from most other gimbels. I use it on my Manfrotto 055CXV3 tripod. The head is very solidly built and very stable. Weighs about 3.5 lbs. Once you have put the quick connect plate on your lens shoe mounting and dismounting from the head is quick, simple, and quite secure. No fumbling or instability that may cause you to drop it. The design allows me to easily pan and tilt with my left hand while running my camera with my right. Tilt configuration can be set in several ways and tilting resistance can be easily set. Panning resistance is factory set and seemed a bit stiff at first but quickly eased up and feels very good to me. It can be adjusted with an allen wrench but the panning cannot be locked in place. With the factory setting it will stay where ever you put it though. Price is very reasonable. $175 at B&H. I looked at pricier ones but am glad I got this one. I use it with my 7DII and EF 100-400 L II lens. Very stable, solid, and smooth. Probably too bulky for a monopod though.
Hog member MTShooter just recently posted info about a gimbel head he has in his store. Light weight with a good price. You may want to check it out.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I use a Pro Master Gimbal on my Manfrotto tripod and it works quite well. It's not the best gimbal out there but for a hundred and fifty bucks it pretty darn good and has not let me down yet. It's aluminum so it's fairly light. I've hiked a few good distances with that head mounted to my tripod swung over my shoulder more than once.

Another option if weight is that much an issue, the Sigma 150-600 C is a pretty good lens for $850, not as good as the Nikkor but still pretty good, has a bit more reach than the Nikkor and is pretty light. I haven't tried out a D500 yet but I use the Sigma C on my D7200 all the time and weight has never been an issue. Sometimes plastic is a good thing. I just don't use it in really nasty conditions, I get out the Canon with the S version for that, and wipe I it down after each use. Haven't got any dust or dirt in it yet.

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

Check out the $300 Nest gimbal at The Camera Cottage. http://www.cameracottage.com/equipment
I've been using one for quiet a while and really like it.
It seems to be every bit as good as the $600 Wimbreley gimbal.
Carbon fiber construction.
The owner of the Camera Cottage is a member here: MT Shooter.
Rick

NealB Loc: Lowell Indiana

I agree. I also have the Nest and no complaints.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Manfrotto 393 is the best, most stable gimbal for the money, which is only $180. If you add an Arca-style clamp - I bought one of these and used the three bolts that come with the Manfrotto to secure it to the Manfrotto clamp, you can use it with any arca-compatible plate or tripod collar/integrated plate you might find. It doesn't lock, but it really wasn't intended to. When adjusted properly, it is smooth as silk panning or moving vertically.

Jim Bob

.
Excellent gimbal for the money.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I use the Manfrotto MH054MO-Q2 ball head, I find it solid and easy to use. I bought from B&H.

Dr J Loc: NE Florida

Thank you MtnMan, LFingar, Rmorrison, NealB, JimBob, fwilson1942, and billnikon for your gimbal advise. I like the sleekness and weight of the Nest and will check out the ProMaster. The Manfrotto looks heavy and bulky but everyone seems to really like them. I read that the horizontal pivot on the Manfrotto cannot be locked so if you move to another area the camera and lens can swing around. Have you found that to be the case? Thanks again Hog friends!

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I looked at several including the Manfrotto, since I was mounting it to a Manfrotto tripod. I chose the Pro Master mainly because it is well made and offered the features the more expensive ones did but didn't have their price tag. Sure, it's not carbon fiber but it's also not that weighty either. Best of luck on your search and choose wisely my friend.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

If you are serious about good wildlife photography - especially composition/fore grounds/backrounds and uneven terrain, you will want the mobility and speed that a tripod/gimbal does NOT provide. I use and recommend using a good fluid pan-tilt video head on your monopod to be able to track action/moving subjects.

twillsol Loc: St. Louis, MO

Great advice, I bought one from him last fall.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

If your heart is set on a gimbal, here is a good comparison source - http://www.carolinawildphoto.com/gimbal_list.htm

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I believe your tripod has a standard 3/8" coarse thread bolt used to attach the head... so you can pick and choose among the various available gimbal heads or other option, to install something on it.

There are two main types of gimbal heads. For lack of better terms, I call them "full size gimbals" and "gimbal adapters".

A full size gimbal completely replace any other head on your tripod, largely converting it to "long lens use only". In other words, to use the tripod for other purposes you'll need to remove the full size gimbal and swap back to a pan/tilt or ballhead or whatever you used previously. Full size gimbal typically "cradles" the lens by positioning the tripod mounting foot underneath the lens, at 6 o'clock. This might be needed for the heaviest lens & camera combos.

The gimbal adapter instead converts a standard ballhead for large lens use, making it quicker and easier to swap back to "normal" use because the ballhead remains installed on the tripod. Typically the adapters are "side mount"... meaning the tripod mounting foot of the lens is positioned at the 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock position. Depending upon the ballhead, this is a little limited in capacity. With a heavy duty ballhead, I've used up to 8 lb. 500mm f4 lens (plus a relatively heavy camera with battery grip and full size flash) without any problem. Gimbal adapters generally are not recommended for some of the very heaviest lenses such as 400/2.8 and 600/4... though I know folks who use the adapters with them and don't have any problem.

To utilize either type of gimbal, you will have to convert to the Arca-Swiss type quick release system. The proprietary Manfrotto quick release will not work with gimbals because they don't provide the forward/backward adjustability of the Arca-Swiss, which is needed to be able to set the camera/lens equilibrium on the gimbal. Arca-Swiss compatible ballheads, pan/tilt heads, platforms, camera plates, lens plates and myriad other accessories are made by a large number of manufacturers, in addition to Arca-Swiss themselves. It's easily the most "universal" QR system. (Incidentally, even Manfrotto and their sister company Gitzo have recently begun offering a few items that are Arca-Swiss compatible.... after many decades of using their own QR systems.)

If you decide on a gimbal of some sort and convert your QR to accommodate it, you'll likely want to convert everything else in your kit to Arca-Swiss too for most convenience and flexibility. So factor this into your budget. If you choose to get a gimbal adapter, AFAIK those will only work with A-S compatible ballheads. So your would either need to be replaced or modified with a different QR platform (if that's possible). Then, in order to mount the rest of your gear, you'll need camera and lens plates, too. Those cost between $20 and $55 apiece. There are also flash mounting brackets and other accessories, that you may or may not want.

Personally I use a Wimberley Sidekick gimbal adapter, along with heavy duty ballheads on a couple tripods.... and a full size gimbal head on another, large-lens-only dedicated tripod. In addition to the Wimberley, I'm aware of gimbal adapters from Induro and Jobu. Full size gimbal are made by probably a dozen or more different manufacturers. One that's mid-priced and popular is the Nest, sold by Camera Cottage, whose owner participates and contributes frequently here on UHH.

Yes, Manfrotto themselves makes the most full size gimbal of all... Instead of an "J-shaped" bracket, it's "U-shaped" and looks to be capable of supporting a lot of weight (would be overkill for your 200-500mm, IMO). It also is one of the heaviest and bulkiest... It's relatively affordable, but even it isn't compatible with the standard proprietary Manfrotto quick release systems.

I don't use a gimbal on a monopod... I simply don't really see much reason it would be useful. I do use a small ballhead on one of my monopods (in fact it's a Manfrotto ballhead that's been modified to Arca-Swiss compatibility). The other simply has an Arca-Swiss mounting platform directly installed on it. There are also "monopod heads" which can be used. Those are simple, just providing a tilt movement (since panning movements are largely unnecessary on a monopod... you can just rotate the entire monopod instead).