Benro GH2 Gimble Head and Monopod combo? Hi all, I have trolled through the search results for using a gimble head on a monopod and the results are pretty scarce on this combo. Plenty...

GarryBB Loc: Buckingamshire, England

Hi all, I have trolled through the search results for using a gimble head on a monopod and the results are pretty scarce on this combo. Plenty of results on gimbles and plenty on tripods or monopods

I have a Nikon D7100 with a Sigma 150-500 lens and Benro GH2 Gimble head. I use this combo on a tripod when sitting in a hide shooting wildlife mainly birds like Kingfishers, so my subject is often stationary with minimal movement as well as quick sudden movement. I also like to shoot motor sports and aircraft displays

My question is: Has anybody experienced any problems with the combo of large telephoto or prime lens and Benro GH2 Gimble head or any main J type Gimble head? I think this combo would suit me best whilst moving around because when walking around as I would prefer the monopod to a heavy tripod.

thank you

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

I have gone through this. I have heavier setup. What I have ended up is the mono pod with Sirui L-20S. This combo is much easier to control than mono pod with ball head or gimbal head. Hope that it helps. Thanks!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

GarryBB wrote:

Hi all, I have trolled through the search results ... (show quote)

Never used a gimbal with monopod - I imagine it to be somewhat awkward. I do use and recommend a simple tilt head or a video fluid head for tracking motion. You will appreciate the mobility of the monopod !

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

I have used a gimbal on a monopod but I don't recommend it. All you need on a monopod is a tilt function since you can rotate the monopod freely. The extra weight of a gimbal doesn't buy you anything.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=monopod+tilt+head&sprefix=monopod+til%2Caps%2C195

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Go Big or Go Home. Really Right Stuff MH Series. Call them with your Camera/Lens combination, and they will recommend which monopod head to use. I have the MH-02

jrb1213 Loc: McDonough GEorgia

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

Go Big or Go Home. Really Right Stuff MH Series. Call them with your Camera/Lens combination, and they will recommend which monopod head to use. I have the MH-02

Sometimes this means "Go broke then go home"

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

jrb1213 wrote:

Sometimes this means "Go broke then go home"

:thumbup:

Linda Ewing Loc: Lincolnshire,UK

I don't know if it is of any help to you, but I have just purchased the manfrotto 393 (like a gimbal) for my monopod, it takes all weights, it is very robust but it is heavy, nearly 2kg. It is made especially for a monopod but I am sure it could be used on a tripod also. Nice piece of kit.

GarryBB wrote:

Hi all, I have trolled through the search results ... (show quote)

GarryBB Loc: Buckingamshire, England

rwilson1942 wrote:

I have used a gimbal on a monopod but I don't recommend it. All you need on a monopod is a tilt function since you can rotate the monopod freely. The extra weight of a gimbal doesn't buy you anything.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=monopod+tilt+head&sprefix=monopod+til%2Caps%2C195

So if I lock the rotate function on the Gimble Head and just leave the tilt function free then I would imagine that would be a similar thing? A bit overkill using a Gimble Head I suppose but at least I would get more use out of it by using the Gimble with both tripod and monopod.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

GarryBB wrote:

So if I lock the rotate function on the Gimble Head and just leave the tilt function free then I would imagine that would be a similar thing? A bit overkill using a Gimble Head I suppose but at least I would get more use out of it by using the Gimble with both tripod and monopod.

This is correct. The gimbal will be bulklier and heavier that most the other tilt options though.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

imagemeister wrote:

Never used a gimbal with monopod - I imagine it to be somewhat awkward. I do use and recommend a simple tilt head or a video fluid head for tracking motion. You will appreciate the mobility of the monopod !

Agree :thumbup:

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

[quote=GarryBB]Hi all, I have trolled through the search results for using a gimble head on a monopod and the results are pretty scarce on this combo. Plenty of results on gimbles and plenty on tripods or monopods

I have a Nikon D7100 with a Sigma 150-500 lens and Benro GH2 Gimble head. I use this combo on a tripod when sitting in a hide shooting wildlife mainly birds like Kingfishers, so my subject is often stationary with minimal movement as well as quick sudden movement. I also like to shoot motor sports and aircraft displays

My question is: Has anybody experienced any problems with the combo of large telephoto or prime lens and Benro GH2 Gimble head or any main J type Gimble head? I think this combo would suit me best whilst moving around because when walking around as I would prefer the monopod to a heavy tripod.

thank you[/quote
I find the use of a gimble on a monopod very awkward, a lens like you mentioned is best used handheld, a gimble is way overkill!!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I don't think a gimbal would be all that useful on a monopod.

I use a full size gimbal on one tripod and a gimbal adapter on another....

but on a monopod, a simple, single axis tilt head would serve the same purpose (you can just rotate the monopod to pan with it).

Haydon

imagemeister wrote:

Never used a gimbal with monopod - I imagine it to be somewhat awkward. I do use and recommend a simple tilt head or a video fluid head for tracking motion. You will appreciate the mobility of the monopod !

Have to agree with Larry & Alan, a fluid head is the ideal partner when using a monopod.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

jrb1213 wrote:

Sometimes this means "Go broke then go home"

You have to see RRS gear to understand the quality of the finished products. I have had shots ruined due to a wimpy tripod, ball head that creeps, etc.