I have downsized my gear from the Nikon 500 F4 to the Nikon 500 PF, and z8. My gimbal is HEAVY and I no longer need that much support. Looking for recommendations for lighter gimbal heads. TIA
Lightweight gimbal recommendations
- Thread starter EileenMJ
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aolander
Well-known member
There's the ProMediaGear Katana Jr. at 2.4# or the Jobu Design Jr.3/Jr.3 Deluxe at 1.5#. The Jobu doesn't give you much adjustment vertically so it may not balance like a gimbal that does.
promediagear.com
www.jobu-design.com
ProMediaGear GKJr Katana Pro Gimbal Head for DSLR & Mirrorless Camera
Buy ProMediaGear GKJr Katana Pro Gimbal Head today. Get yours for a smooth, made-in-the-USA gimbal head. Products come with a 5-year warranty. Shop now!
promediagear.com
Jobu Jr. 3 Deluxe Kit | Jobu Design
The Jr.3 Deluxe kit weighs in at 1.5 lbs, 680grams. This is the lightest, best functioning gimbal head on the market, capable of supporting and balancing a 500F4 and Pro body comfortably. We still recommend a bigger HD4 gimbal for daily use, but if weight is your primary concern and you are...
www.jobu-design.com
Take a look at the thread on the Flexshooter Mini. One person is even using it with the 800PF. I will be using its with the 180-600 as well as my 100-400. Only 1lb and easy to cary. I went for a larger tripod (34ml legs instead of 24) with a smaller Apex with this and its a great combo.
Flexshooter mini weighs only one lb. But I would suggest using the very robust Flexshooter pro which is only slightly heavier at 1.5 lbs.
Why if he is clearly downsizing and want's weight savings and a smaller setup?
FB101
Well-known member
The only reason could be that the mini is not available with the lock lever - it's only available with a knob right now. Otherwise, for a z8 + 500pf, the mini is more than enough.
FB101
Well-known member
There's the ProMediaGear Katana Jr. at 2.4# or the Jobu Design Jr.3/Jr.3 Deluxe at 1.5#. The Jobu doesn't give you much adjustment vertically so it may not balance like a gimbal that does.
ProMediaGear GKJr Katana Pro Gimbal Head for DSLR & Mirrorless Camera
Buy ProMediaGear GKJr Katana Pro Gimbal Head today. Get yours for a smooth, made-in-the-USA gimbal head. Products come with a 5-year warranty. Shop now!
Jobu Jr. 3 Deluxe Kit | Jobu Design
The Jr.3 Deluxe kit weighs in at 1.5 lbs, 680grams. This is the lightest, best functioning gimbal head on the market, capable of supporting and balancing a 500F4 and Pro body comfortably. We still recommend a bigger HD4 gimbal for daily use, but if weight is your primary concern and you are...
The Katana Jr is a great gimbal and one of the lightest but for the gear listed, I'd go Flexshooter mini. That is as compact and light as it gets.
It is available directly from the mfg as well as Birds as Art in the US. In fact I got them to lower their price from $669 to $629.
I'm using the Flexshooter Pro with my bigger Gitzo for handling the 500 f4G with or with out TC and combined with either a gripped D850 or D4s and I never missed my Gimbal since changeover for a single moment. When having to go light I use the 500PF with either of my bodies. If support is needed under special circumstances I use my travel tripod with a Flexshooter Mini and it's a breeze to use.
Not sure what you currently have, if it’s a Wimberley WH-200 then they’re about 3.2 lbs. The Sunwayfoto GH-02 is a full gimbal and weighs just over 2lbs.
As others have suggested, there is the Flexshooter option or you could go to a Wimberley sidekick at about 1.3 lbs or an Acratech gimbal ball head.
As others have suggested, there is the Flexshooter option or you could go to a Wimberley sidekick at about 1.3 lbs or an Acratech gimbal ball head.
Alnitak
Member
Just to throw out an idea, if you really want to downsize, get rid of the bulk and weight of a tripod and go to a monopod with the MH-100 mono-gimbal head. Unless you really need the fixed tripod, it might be an option. The combination will easily handle the 500pf, as well as larger lenses. Check out Steve's video here:
I use the Leofoto version MPG-01 (got a great deal on sale) with the 200-500 and it is a joy to use! If you go the Wimberley route, look in their blemished items to get the MH-100 for only $152 or so.
I use the Leofoto version MPG-01 (got a great deal on sale) with the 200-500 and it is a joy to use! If you go the Wimberley route, look in their blemished items to get the MH-100 for only $152 or so.
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arbitrage
Well-known member
Jobu Jr 3. I use with with gripped A1 and 600GM....no issues....nice and smooth. It is the smallest and lightest you can buy and there is no reason to spend anymore on a more expensive, larger and heavier one as it won't get you better results.
I haven't used the flex shooters but it is probably another good option if you like fiddly, expensive things. I have MH-100 and don't like it with big glass but maybe it would be okay with 500PF.
Jobu Jr 3 is 1lb 8oz and you can pick up a Factory refurbished for $300CAD which is peanuts in USD. https://www.jobu-design.com/product-page/jobu-jr-3-kit-factory-2nd-no-bag
The only unknown I can't answer is how well such a lightweight lens like 500PF can balance on the Jr 3. Jobu customer service is very good so may be able to answer that.
I haven't used the flex shooters but it is probably another good option if you like fiddly, expensive things. I have MH-100 and don't like it with big glass but maybe it would be okay with 500PF.
Jobu Jr 3 is 1lb 8oz and you can pick up a Factory refurbished for $300CAD which is peanuts in USD. https://www.jobu-design.com/product-page/jobu-jr-3-kit-factory-2nd-no-bag
The only unknown I can't answer is how well such a lightweight lens like 500PF can balance on the Jr 3. Jobu customer service is very good so may be able to answer that.
I’ve been a diehard gimbal and ball head user for many years, but recently acquired a used Flexshooter Pro Head for an upcoming trip to Alaska. I’ve been practicing using the Flexshooter with my D850 and 200-500 f5.6 mounted to my Gitzo tripod, and have been extremely pleased. It handles the weight of a relatively heavy camera and lens with no issues. We’ll see how it goes in AK, but if it operates in the field as smoothly as I think it will , I may even give up my gimbal & balls heads entirely. The Flexshooter definitely is worth a hard look.
ajrmd
Well-known member
Can attest to the utility, convenience, and relative compactness of the flexshooter in any iteration. It has not let me down after tens of thousands of miles of trips across multiple continents in conditions ranging from rain forests to deserts. While it isn't as "smooth" as a gimbal, it allows complete user access to every part of the camera and can be employed in almost every photographic situation. Additionally, it is much easier to achieve acceptable balance than a gimbal though if I were shooting a lot of video, I might look towards a specialty fluid head for that application.
RonNikon
Member
I have the Leophoto PG-1 gimbal it’s a carbon copy of the ProMediaGear Katana Jr and is only 458 dollars plus Leophoto is always having sales so you can probably get it at 20% discount, it works very well and is nice and smooth. If you want to go even lighter ProMedia Gear has the Tomahawk GT-2 that can be used on both a monopod or tripod I have it also and it works great. https://leofotousa.com/products/leofoto-pg-1-lightweight-gimbal-tripod-head-w-plate-black-camo
Cheap because Leofoto infringes copyrights regularly like you just said they do. People just consider that when you buy.
The Wimberley Sidekick with a good ballhead is perfectly fine for a 500mm PF. It works for the larger 500mm f/4, but is at the edge for that combination.
Whatever you get, I'd encourage you to do some serious testing with a laser pointer while the item can still be returned. A friend had an older Jobu Jr. with Manfrotto legs and we observed noticeable visible vibration while my RRS legs and Wimberley Sidekick on a RRS BH-55 showed no vibration at all. That vibration meant he could not make sharp images at a distance of 75 yards and longer - even with a new 500mm f/4 VRII lens. The same lens and camera on a better tripod and gimbal was very sharp.
Whatever you get, I'd encourage you to do some serious testing with a laser pointer while the item can still be returned. A friend had an older Jobu Jr. with Manfrotto legs and we observed noticeable visible vibration while my RRS legs and Wimberley Sidekick on a RRS BH-55 showed no vibration at all. That vibration meant he could not make sharp images at a distance of 75 yards and longer - even with a new 500mm f/4 VRII lens. The same lens and camera on a better tripod and gimbal was very sharp.
Calson
Well-known member
I like using the Wimberley Sidekick that attaches to a ball head. Takes me seconds to turn a ball head into a gimbal head and back again. For a light lens like the 500mm PF a ball head like the Kirk BH-3 or the Feisol CB-40D is more than strong enough to support the leveraged load of the Sidekick. Much more convenient for travel where one head and the arm provide double duty for wildlife and landscape photography or shooting in the tight confines of a blind.
Roy
Well-known member
Its hard to go past a gimble for birding/wildlife action.
Look at some of the newer lightweight ones...
uday592
Active member
I saw this video and have been using the Wimberley MH100 monopod head for more than a year. Happy with it works well. Many places I go involves travelling by vehicle with frequent in and outs. Difficult to use tripod. Also while travelling in open jeeps monopod is much easier to handle.
When using monopods with large lenses I make three point contact for stability. The monopod on ground, left arm on the lens barrel and my face against the viewfinder.
uday592
Active member
I have been using M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head for my tripod for many years now. This was recommended by Arthur Morris. Lightweight (1lb 8 ounces) and works well.