Flex Shooter Pro Ball Head

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

I have been using the Flex Shooter Pro for quite some time. It is my choice when travelling and keeping weight down. It is important to get it balanced correctly, which is not a problem. If weight and space are not an issue, I would still prefer my Wimberley gimbal. However, the Flex Shooter is my choice 80% of the time. What tips the balance for me is that I also shoot landscapes, so I was carrying the gimbal and a RRS BH55 as well. The Flex Shooter does both well but if I had no need for a ball head, I would probably stick with the gimbal.
that is the combo I have been using and looking The flex shooter pro looks like it will work better inside the light wearable blind I got :)
 
The flex shooter works really well. I sold my gimble and just use my flexshooter 100% of the time...Its just easier to carry and fits into smaller spaces such as hides etc.... I don't know if a gimble might be better in any way , but if there is any difference its insignificant.....to me at least.
I would be happy using it with any camera / lens combinations including 600mm f4 etc... it can handle anything.
I highly recommend the quick release version....allowing me to quickly release and hand hold the camera if the action dictates.


View attachment 28243
Looking forward to mine arriving !
 
Ivor,
Do you have the Flexshooter Pro with the lever release ??? I found a good article for othere members to check out here on this if they like. https://birdsasart-shop.com/flexshooter-pro/
I will buy one of these and use it for my Wild Horse photography

Yes it works very well. You adjust the tension of the quick release clamp with the black knob on the top right of this picture....... a strong, quick and simple mechanism. The silver knob on the bottom of the photograph adjusts the tension of the panning motion or if tightened further, to lock the camera in one place for use in landscape photography or when leaving the camera fixed on the tripod when not in use etc. You can see that there is writing on the top indicating "lens direction", but actually, in use you can use it with the lens pointing in any orientation.
IMG_7358.JPG
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
Last edited:
I am looking at this too. Though more than happy with my Jobu gimbal, I am thinking about the Flex Shooter as a hybrid for use when travelling and then also, with its levelling head, for landscape work. Limited commentary and video review out there so far. Sure looks like a well designed product. Any observations and feedback you could share? Thx.
Hi! I had the Jobu Jr and have now mounted it on my monopod without the swing arm. VERY similar to a rig that Steve thought was great on his monopod. I got the Flexshooter Pro Mini and use it with a gripped D850 with the 500pf and 1.4 TC, plus L-bracket. I have written several times before that this rig requires a long lens plate in order to balance on a Flexshooter. With the longer foot it balances like dream. I went for the smaller Flexshooter because I can not fund a 500 or 600 prime and with advancing years the weight would be a problem compared with the 500pf.

Try Art Morris's video on the Flexshooter:
 
My Flex Shooter Pro with lever is in the mail it has not been available in the US for some time so I finally ordered it from MrJan Gear where I got my long lens carrier that took about 2 weeks but with the time of year it is this may take longer.
Glad to hear you are getting a flex shooter pro
 
If anyone is looking for a less expensive option I have a used FlexShooter I’m selling that’s in great shape here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1730256/0#15779403

I have used it with a Nikon 800mm 5.6/D5 and Sony 600mm w/ teleconverter / A1combos with zero issues. I also find it easier to balance than any gimbal I’ve used. I haven’t used my Wimberley since I purchased it—only selling it because I bought the FlexSooter with the lever release.

If I’m out of line with this post stating my sale item then Steve/site administrator please delete my post. Thanks.

Steve
 
Hi! I had the Jobu Jr and have now mounted it on my monopod without the swing arm. VERY similar to a rig that Steve thought was great on his monopod. I got the Flexshooter Pro Mini and use it with a gripped D850 with the 500pf and 1.4 TC, plus L-bracket. I have written several times before that this rig requires a long lens plate in order to balance on a Flexshooter. With the longer foot it balances like dream. I went for the smaller Flexshooter because I can not fund a 500 or 600 prime and with advancing years the weight would be a problem compared with the 500pf.

Try Art Morris's video on the Flexshooter:
Thanks so much for the info. I've seen this video too. I have since ordered a Flex Shooter Pro with the lever directly from Hungary. Availability almost everywhere seems challenging. Funny, I have a Jobu monopod too so looking forward to experimenting with a couple of different permutations. I have a fairly long foot plate on my 600 mm f4 so hoping it'll mate well with the Flex Shooter.
 
Hi Steve,
I was wondering if you have had any experience with the Flex Shooter Pro Ball Head ? I would appreciate any comments.
thank You very much.
Judy
I've got the Pro and my only wish is that I had gotten it with a lever head…did not know they were available. I'm seriously considering ordering a lever clamp and mount to put on it and leave the screw clamp alone…but given how little work I do with a tripod I'm not sure the investment has enough bang for the buck to make it worth it.
 
I've got the Pro and my only wish is that I had gotten it with a lever head…did not know they were available. I'm seriously considering ordering a lever clamp and mount to put on it and leave the screw clamp alone…but given how little work I do with a tripod I'm not sure the investment has enough bang for the buck to make it worth it.
Hi Neil! Same same! If you want to add another string to your bow the RRS Panning Clamp with lever can sit on top of your Flexshooter. This is if you are thinking of panoramas. However if you have an L-bracket it is very fast to switch between portrait and landscape with shorter lenses. It does not add too much weight to use it with a long lens. To switch portrait / landscape is just the lens collar there of course. The Flexshooter works just the same underneath but you have your lever head. If you do go down this road for panos I'd get a nodal rail as well. Shooting level with just the panning clamp is OK, but the nodal rail will get rid of any parallax completely. Whole thing below with short lens set up for pano but I use my RRS macro rail as a nodal slide. Neil Hickman

Wide angle on Macro Rail_0747 copy.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
RRS Panning Clamp
Thanks…I'll have to take a look at the RSS site and figure out exactly what parts I need…I'm guessing the Arca plate to mount on the FlexShooter and then the lever clamp to go on top of that. My bodies all have L brackets so that would speed up deployment to the tripod. OTOH…I don't use the tripod that much anyway so if the 'add the lever option' gets to be more than it's worth…which with RSS's prices it probably will be…I might just stick with what I have anyway…bang for the buck theory ya know. I do shoot a few pano shots…but not enough to make it worth the expense and weight to carry for the nodal rail and associated parts…it's usually just easier to fix the parallax after merging the files. To be honest…most of my pano shots are hand held anyway and I just rotate the camera because all the setup just takes too long for comparatively little gain over fixing parallax in post.

I see that new Flexshooter heads have the lever clamp instead for another $100…I don't recall if that wasn't available when I bought mine or if I just missed it…or if I was just too cheap to spring for the extra $100..
 
My new FlexShooter Pro Lever Black Ball Head arrived from MrJan Gear (Czech Republic) yesterday 12-11-21 I ordered it on 11-29-21. $556.57 USD with their free freight promotion.

MrJan Gear is where my big lens carrier system came from and they also make a great floating blind that several pros I know use.

I set it up and balanced my D850 with grip and the big EN EL 18 battery mounted on my Nkkor 600mm f/4E with the Kirk arca swiss replacement lens foot. The extra length came in handy besides the built in arca swiss. It seems to work well and balancing took a bit of fine tuning and I can see how a lower center of gravity with the plate they sell that replaces the lens foot could make balance simpler and more effective but it balances more than good enough to fit my needs. Wimberly WH-200 with the RRS Long Lens Support package balances almost perfectly at the lowest setting on the clamp but man that set up is heavy and bulky and will not use the long lens support on the FlexShooter since the higher center of gravity would make balancing trickier and add more bulk that I am wanting to avoid on those rare times I want a tripod and blind set up.
 
I wish I wouldn’t of read this thread! Now I’m looking to order but torn between the pro or the pro mini..Sony a1 with grip and 200-600 G.
I don't know the size of that lens, but I have a gripped D850 and 500pf with 1.4 TC. This is back heavy and I have written in several different posts last year that my setup requires a longer lens plate. Which ever Flexshooter you get MAKE SURE IT IS THE LEVER VERSION!!! If down the track you are considering 500 or 600 glass get the levered larger Pro version. For the 500pf the Mini is perfect, and an L-bracket makes it a breeze to swap landscape to portrait in seconds with the lever clamp when using shorter lenses. ALL on the same head.
 
Back
Top