robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Hot days can cause leakage, esp if you leave it in a car truck or such. But building one that doesn't leak would be at least double the price. And it isn't like it puddles or anything, just a bit of stickiness around the interface between the moving parts.
As to getting stiff when cold - there is an "Arctic" version of the Nest for those in cold places. It will sometimes get a bit stiff just sitting but just rotate it a few turns and work the camera/lens up and down a few times and it goes away. Just like any other kind of movable joint with thick lubricant that isn't moved for a long time.
It only takes a few seconds and every time I get my tripod and head out to use I do it. It isn't rocket science.

The Nest is very good and works great. Now I saw something about using a gimbal on a monopod. Something else to try and maybe learn to do.

Zenmonkey

Hi JW,
I'm a professional wildlife photographer (chrisdei.com) and have the Wimberley Gimball I for sale, which is fantastic for long lens wildlife shooting and has served me well. I'm also selling my Canon EF 500 f4 L IS I with hard case and Think Tank glass taxi case for it, if you're interested. Happy to send photos of all and could do pkg. deal or just the Gimball. Could also send photos. Only reason I'm selling at all is because I've changed from Canon to Nikon and have ordered the Nikon 500 PF which I'm currently waiting for. Ive done some of my best work with the the 500 +Gimball combo...(check website) ...and let me know if you're interested.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Side mounting is NOT exclusive to ball heads !.....
.

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

I have to post a clarification - I was reading sidemount gimbal but was totally thinking Sidekick - Thanks to Bill de for the catch!

jwreed50 Loc: Manassas, VA

Thanks for all of your replies here!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I cold not find it ! - link ??

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Try this, Larry. It took me a while, but I think these are the ones.

https://backcountrygallery.com/?s=gimbal

clint f. Loc: Priest Lake Idaho, Spokane Wa

👍

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

He never compares different gimbals ....

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Those were the only links I could find. I follow Steve rather closely and I don’t recall ever seeing or reading a comparison of different gimbals, so there probably isn’t one. Sorry ‘bout that!

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

TheDigitalPicture.com has some reviews including Wimberly and RRS...

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Deleted.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

There are actually more choices of gimbal heads than you describe... Which one you choose depends upon 1.) how heavy the gear you will be using on it, and 2.) any other planned uses of the tripod.

The types of gimbal are:

- U-post (two upright posts), bottom (cradle) mounting platform.
- J-post (single upright), bottom mounting.
- J-post (single upright), side mounting.
- J-post, convertible (can be set up for either bottom or side mount)
- Gimbal adapter (side mount, use w/ballhead)

U-post have the greatest weight capacity, but are large and heavy. They are usually much more than is necessary for DSLRs and their lenses. A couple highly unlikely exceptions, lens that would require this super heavy duty type of gimbal, are the Canon 1200mm f/5.6L and Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 lenses, each of which weighs about 35 lb. and exceeds the capacity of the other types of gimbal listed here. Larger, heavier video gear also might require this type of gimbal.

J-post with the bottom mounting platform are probably the most common "full size" type of gimbal. They tend to be rather expensive and can handle all but the most extreme DSLR lenses. 600mm and 800mm lenses, other lenses up to around 10 lb., and camera/lens/accessory combos weighing 12 to 15 lb., no problem. It's a little easier to set up a really heavy kit on this type of J-post gimbal. A few J-post, bottom mount are "fluid dampened". This is an added feature primarily needed when working with non-Internal Focusing (IF) or non-Internal Zooming (IZ) lenses. Those lenses change length when focused and/or zoomed, changing the balance of the lens. On the other hand, IF/IZ lenses that don't change in length can be set up to near perfect equilibrium and will stay there even when zoomed and/or focused. The dampening might help handle the non-IF/non-IZ lenses a bit more smoothly. But generally when using a gimbal the fluid dampening isn't necessary. In fact, one of the primary purposes of a gimbal is to allow a very light touch to easily and smoothly pan and tilt large, heavy gear to track moving subjects.

J-post gimbals with side mounting aren't as common, can be a bit lighter and slightly more compact and are sufficient for all but the heaviest gear. It's a little more difficult to adjust a lens to achieve equilibrium in a side-mount. But once that's set the operation of the gimbal is very similar. Finally, in order for a side mount to position a lens properly right above the panning axis, a different tripod mounting ring, different mounting foot on that ring, or a spacer of some sort may be needed.

Convertible J-post gimbal heads are simply designed to allow them to be set up either way, at the user's discretion. In many (most? all?) cases this involves buying additional accessories. The head itself is supplied either as a bottom or side mount, while the alternative mounting is sold separately. This will probably mean a higher total cost. Obviously this will also mean carrying additional weight and bulk, to have both options available in the field.

All the above gimbals fully replace any other type of head on a tripod, pretty much making the tripod "large-lens-only" as long as the gimbal is installed. If you also need to make use of the tripod with some other type of head for use with shorter lenses on your camera (i.e., lenses that don't have tripod mounting rings), you will need to carry that other head separately and be prepared to swap out the heads in the field. Tools may be necessary to make this swap, too. There are accessories that allow a camera w/short lens to be mounted in a gimbal (examples: Wimberley's Module 8 https://www.tripodhead.com/products/WH-Accessories.cfm or Kirk Photo's Multi Purpose Rail https://www.kirkphoto.com/rails/multi-purpose-rail-lrp-2.html). Those will be limited to landscape orientation only with a bottom mount gimbal pr portrait orientation only with a side mount gimbal... unless the camera is also fitted with an L-plate (example: Kirk Photo's camera-specific and universal L-Brackets: https://www.kirkphoto.com/camera-mounting.html/).

A gimbal adapter is an alternative to swapping heads or additional accessories such as those above. A gimbal adapter works in conjunction with a medium or heavy duty ballhead that remains on the tripod full time. Simply removing the gimbal adapter from the quick release platform returns the tripod to "regular" use, rather than dedicated long-lens-only use. Gimbal adapters are generally rated with a bit lower load capacity than full size gimbals, but the beefier adapters still can handle 8 lb. lenses such as 500mm f/4. Although it wasn't recommended, I've even seen them used successfully with heavier 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 lenses without any problem. Note: The load capacity of the ballhead used with a gimbal adapter must also be taken into consideration. Large, heavy lenses will require a heavy duty ballhead with approx. 50 lb. load capacity. Smaller lenses might use a medium duty ballhead with approx. 30 lb. load capacity. When using an adapter, all of which are "side mount", it provides the tilt axis... while the ballhead provides the panning axis.

There are relatively few gimbal adapters. The Wimberley Sidekick and the Induro GHBA are a larger and beefier type that can accommodate bigger, heavier lenses, when paired up with a heavy duty ballhead. The Jobu BWG-M1 is a compact, lighter weight gimbal adapter that should be limited to use with more moderate size and weight heads.

Almost all the above gimbals require use of Arca-Swiss quick release compatible gear: lens mounting plates, replacement tripod rings or feet, ballhead quick release platforms and camera mounting plates or L-brackets are all necessary accessories. The ability to adjust the quick release mounting slightly is essential to achieving equilibrium that allows a large, heavy lens to be moved smoothly and easily with a light touch. (I think there may be some U-post that use other QR mounting systems, incompatible with Arca-Swiss. Those are the only exceptions I know of.)

Here's a photographer's reasonably comprehensive, illustrated list of gimbal heads of all the above types: http://www.carolinawildphoto.com/gimbal_list.htm

Wimberley made the original gimbal head that everyone else is now copying: https://www.tripodhead.com

Kirk Photo is another major manufacturer of the heads and related accessories: https://www.kirkphoto.com

Really Right Stuff (RRS) is another manufacturer of heads and accessories: https://www.reallyrightstuff.com/

Nest products in the U.S. are exclusively offered by Camera Cottage (MT Shooter, here on UHH): https://www.cameracottage.com/apps/webstore/

ProMediaGear is a relatively new manufacturer with some good, if pricey products... including both full size J-type heads and "Tomahawk" gimbal adapter: https://www.promediagear.com/Heads_c_117.html

Hejnar Photo is another source for some related products and accessories: hejnarphoto.com

There are numerous other manufacturers and sources.

Personally I've been using a Wimberley Sidekick gimbal adapter for more than fifteen years, usually paired up with a Kirk BH-1 ballhead (both on a Gitzo G1325 Series 3 Systematic tripod). I've occasionally used it with up to 800mm lens and regularly use it with an 8 lb. 500mm f/4 lens (plus 2 lb. camera, and sometimes 1.4X or 2X teleconverter, flash or other accessories).

I also use a cheap, no-name Chinese-knockoff J-type (bottom mount) gimbal on another tripod. It's okay but I don't expect it will last very long and plan to eventually replace that with something better.

With both the above, I also use Gitzo Leveling Platform between the head and tripod. This allows quick, safe adjustments leveling up the head when using it on uneven ground. While not mandatory, it is generally best that the head be relatively level. It's possible to adjust the tripod's legs to level the head, but that's usually slower and may be a bit riskier when manipulating hefty gear.

Another use for the Sidekick or Induro gimbal adapter, or one of the side-mount J-post gimbals is that it can also be used to directly mount a camera in a vertical/portrait orientation (instead of using an L-bracket). With the adapters, this is preferable to "flopping" the ballhead off to one side, which isn't very well balanced. Instead using the adapter this way positions the camera more directly above the panning head and makes for a more stable and secure setup. With the gimbal adapters, horizontal/landscape orientation is also easily done, simply by removing the adapter from the ballhead (a side-mount J-post, on the other hand, would require other accessories to do so). All this assumes the camera has an Arca-Swiss mounting plate installed.

Tamron has begun incorporating an Arca-Swiss compatible dovetail into the design of their lenses' tripod mounting rings. Fuji (and maybe some others?) has incorporated a similar A-S dovetail into the base of some battery grips and other accessories.

Have fun shopping!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Whoops! I included an incorrect link for Hejnar Photo....

The correct link is: http://www.hejnarphotostore.com/default.asp

I use their replacement foot with built-in Arca-Swiss dovetail on my Canon 100-400 II lens.