redlegfrog

Some time ago a video was posted about tripods with a bowl for fluid heads which caused a bad case of GAS.

To add to my troubles there isn’t a camera store within a hundred miles of my home anymore so hands on shopping won’t come easy.

I’m hoping you Hogs can help me narrow down the choices for a tripod and head and tell me your Pro's and Con's. It needs to handle an older Nikon 500 f4. I would like to go carbon fiber to save weight and I don’t need any more that 66 in height so it doesn’t need to real big.

Thanks everyone, Any help would be appreciated.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Why would you want a bowl head with a large telephoto lens like that? A gimbal head would be a much better choice.

Fotoserj Loc: St calixte Qc Ca

Tripod can’t be too high, it may get you a shot where shorter one will leave you wishing.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I totally agree with MT Shooter. A gimbal head is definitely the way to go. Make sure you get a good one, like the Nest gimbal MT Shooter has on sale. Cheap gimbals will wear out quickly. A good gimbal will last a very long time and make your life a whole lot easier. Also, unless you want to spend some big bucks on the tripod, inexpensive carbon fiber tripods can be fairly shaky. If you are triggering your camera with a wireless remote, you may get away with a less expensive carbon fiber tripod. I do have one carbon fiber tripod; not a cheap one but not real expensive either, and I don't use it with a big lens, I stick to my aircraft grade aluminum alloy tripods. They are a wee bit heavier than the carbon one but a whole lot sturdier.
A trick I do with my metal tripods, if I'm shooting outdoors on dirt, is drive a large aluminum spike, or tent stake, into the ground and hook a bunch cord to the spike and tripod. Works great and dampens the tripod.

redlegfrog

Sorry guys, I'm not looking at any and all tripod and heads, I'm looking at fluid heads.
But thanks

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

I've found gimbal heads fighidity to balance and set up. I thing the Acratech Long Lens Head:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/736364-REG/Acratech_1160_Long_Lens_Head.html

A lot easier to use and adjust.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Bingo!

You don't need a "bowl" or a fluid head. Those are for large video gear, heavy and expensive.

Get a solid tripod like a Gitzo Series 3 or Series 3 Systematic or the equivalent Nest or RRS.... no center column, so buy a leg set that's tall enough for you. Get a good gimbal head or a heavy duty ballhead/gimbal adapter setup. If you wish, get a leveling platform to put between the leg set and the head.... that makes for faster setups.

There are three or four different types of gimbal heads:

1a. Full size or single "J-post" with a bottom mount.
.... 1b. Full size/J-post variation that's side mount (some can do both or can be converted back and forth).
2. Gimbal adapter that's used in conjunction with a heavy duty ballhead.
3. Dual post or "U-shape" for extra heavy gear.

All three types are more than sufficient for use with a 500mm f/4 lens, which typically weigh around 7 or 8 lb.

For close to twenty years, I've been using a Wimberley Sidekick adapter in conjunction with a Kirk BH-1 ballhead, on a Gitzo G1325 Mk II tripod. Some years ago I added a Gitzo G1321 Leveler under the head, which allows quick adjustments when using the tripod on uneven ground and makes the gimbal work better. I use it with up to 500mm f/4 Canon lens (as well as 300mm f/2.8, 100-400mm zoom and others), typically on a camera weighing about 2 lb. and sometimes with a 1.4X or 2X teleconverter and/or a flash... works great! An adapter such as the Sidekick provides the tilt movement, while the ballhead provides the panning movement. Nice thing about this arrangement is that the tripod can quickly be swapped back for "normal" use with smaller lenses, simply by removing the Sidekick. (The Gitzo models have all been superseded by newer models now... this is intended just as a general guide.)

Full size/J-post gimbals with the bottom mount are able to handle more weight, work similarly except that the gimbal head completely replaces any other head on the tripod, making it sort of "long lens only" while it's installed. To use with short lenses (i.e., no tripod mounting ring), you basically need to swap out the entire head for another one (a ballhead or a pan/tilt... whichever you prefer). There are "adapters" that can be fitted to this type of gimbal to allow a camera w/short lens to be mounted... in horizontal orientation only. Side mount full size/J-post gimbals are pretty much the same, except with the adapter you can only attach the camera/short lens in vertical orientation (unless you also have an L-bracket on the camera).

I simply wouldn't recommend the U-shaped gimbals because they are big, heavy and way more than you need with that lens.

Here's a summary of a lot of the gimbals currently on the market, with illustrations of the four different types mentioned above:

http://www.carolinawildphoto.com/gimbal_list.htm

With all these, you need to install an Arca-Swiss compatible lens plate on the foot of your lens' tripod mounting ring. In some cases, an alternative is a replacement foot or even a replacement tripod mounting ring, with the Arca-compatible dovetail built in. This Arca-compatibility is necessary to fully utilize the gimbal, because you need to be able to adjust the lens/camera combo slightly forward and backward to achieve equilibrium. Once that's done, you can move the entire rig rapidly and smoothly with a very light touch. Arca-compatible plates are widely available.... just needs to be a bit longer than the tripod mounting foot of the lens. Replacement tripod mounting feet and rings are less common. Check with Kirk Photo, Hejnar Photo, Wimberley (tripodhead.com), Really Right Stuff, and a few others.

If you choose to go with one of the gimbal adapters, you'll need a heavy duty ballhead with an Arca-compatible quick release platform. Again, that's a fairly common feature... easily found on better quality ballheads.
If you go with a gimbal adapter, I would not recommend the Jobu "Micro" BWG because it's designed for smaller/light lenses. The Wimberley Sidekick and Induro GHBA both will be able to handle a 500mm f/4 lens just fine.

MT Shooter sells the Nest Carbon Fiber gimbal head (full size/J-post, bottom mount}. It seems a good value for a quality head and the carbon fiber may even help absorb some vibrations (as does a carbon fiber tripod). Note: I've seen some other "carbon fiber" gimbals that are actually aluminum covered with a layer of carbon fiber, just for appearance and actually end up weighing a little more than plain aluminum!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Here ya go... Video fluid heads with 24 lb. to 40 lb. load rating (3X to 5X the weight of a 500mm f/4 lens for safety margin), for 75mm or 100mm bowl:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2%7c0&sortType=default&ci=3918&fct=fct_maximum-load_4300%7c25-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c26-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c26.4-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c27.6-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c28.8-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c30-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c30.9-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c31-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c32-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c33-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c35-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c35.2-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c37.5-lb%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c39-lb%2bfct_base-type_4301%7c100mm-half-ball%2bfct_base-type_4301%7c75mm-half-ball%2bfct_maximum-load_4300%7c40-lb&srtclk=sort&N=3907816565&ntt=fluid&

Heads start around $400 and go up to $8000. Weights seem to be 5 lb. to 8 lb. or more.

Leg sets that can accommodate 75mm or 100mm bowl, 60" or taller (head adds some 5 or 6" height), carbon fiber, load rated 30 lb. to 60 lb.:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?ci=3910&fct=fct_support-weight_6986%7c30-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c35-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c40-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c50-lb%2bfct_maximum-height_1446%7c60in%2bfct_maximum-height_1446%7c65in%2bfct_maximum-height_1446%7c70in%2bfct_maximum-height_1446%7c75in%2bfct_material_774%7ccarbon-fiber%2bfct_base-type_1499%7c100mm%2bfct_base-type_1499%7c75mm%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c60-lb

Leg sets start at $266 and go up to $3200. Weights appear to start around 5 lb. and go up to around 8 lb.

You might get more for your money buying a leg/head combo... Here are some that meet your criteria:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?ci=3909&fct=fct_support-weight_6986%7c30-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c35-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c40-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c45-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c50-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c70-lb%2bfct_support-weight_6986%7c80-lb%2bfct_material_774%7ccarbon-fiber%2bfct_maximum-height_1446%7c65in&ntt=bowl&ntt=fluid&

Of course, you might look other places to see what's available.

Hammer Loc: London UK

I agree with you, I use this head and one of their GP 2 ball heads which has a “gimbal” head facility built in. Very clever, there are videos on the Acratech website

tcthome Loc: NJ

If your budget allows, go with the Gitzo & Really Right Stuff mentioned above.

pahtspix

Check this one out at Amazon, and read the reviews.. "Carbon Fiber Bowl Tripod,INNOREL RT-80C Heavy Duty Camera Tripod Professional Birdwatching Camera Stand Max Load 44pounds/20kg with 65mm Bowl Adapter." Can be used with or without the bowl, and at $189!! it won't break the bank!..I'm going to get one soon. You will see users that use gimbal heads and video heads with this!

ronichas Loc: Long Island

I have a carbon fiber tripod and last year bought a Fotopro E-6H Eagle Series Gimbal Head. It is absolutely the best head. It can be used for a long lens, gimbal or for landscape images. It folds completely flat and weighs a bit more than a pound.
I didn't buy their tripod because I already had one that I was happy with.
It is a bit pricey but well worth it as it will be the only head needed for all photography needs.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1452509-REG/fotopro_e_6h_gimbal_head_black.html/?msclkid=39de91e849781478a982cc37ff347c17

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1473301-REG/fotopro_e6_carbon_tripod.html/?msclkid=897751fe5df21fd027160c21ebbe53f6

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Yes, I use and recommend a video fluid head for following action with a larger lens. You do not necessarily
have to have a leveling base/bowl for wildlife but it is nice - but heavy. I have a leveling base - but it is used mostly when shooting landscapes with smaller lenses and my 4X5 film camera - and who knows, someday I do hope to shoot video.

I am using the Manfro 502 fluid head with the Manfro leveling base.

The photo shows my monopod head - a Sirui VH-10 with a panning receiver on top and stabilizer bracket for the lens. Later today I will post a photo of my tripod Manfro head.

As for a tripod, this seems to be a very good one - especially for the money ......https://www.ebay.com/itm/Innorel-RT90C-Carbon-Fiber-Tripod-stand-40mm-tube-40kg-load-75mm-without-head/254252958147?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l9372
.

(Download)

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

What is the gizmo attached to your hot shoe that is against your forehead?