Tripod, Ball Head, Gimbal

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Pat M

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Hello All,
My first thread, so another newbie.
I am in the market for a tripod, bullhead and gimbal. I am very interested in Really Right Stuff TFC-34L Mk2 for the tripod and Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head with Lever-Release panning clamp. Not sure on gimbal as yet but will be in the Wimberley WH-200 class. The question is: Will the ball head be suitable to mount a gimbal on it? With the panning clamp you will be able to level it. The ball head is rated for fifty pounds. I was interested in the ball head with the panning clamp to avoid buying a Really Right Stuff TA-2U with Lever-Release Clamp leveling base that is rated for 25 pounds. To me mounting a RRS BH-55 without the panning clamp on the leveling base defeats the ball head's fifty pound rating. Trying to go cheap with expensive equipment!
Thanks,
Pat
 
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I agree that mounting a full gimbal on top of a ball head doesn't sound like a great idea.

FWIW, I use Leofoto 77mm leveling bases beneath my BH-55 as well as my Wimberley WH-200. They clamp down really tightly with their winged collar design and don't come loose in transport. I have one of these for my Gitzo series 3 tripod and have one with just the 3/8" threaded mount for my big tripod: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088433DKB/?tag=backcogaller-20
 
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Hello Pat.

I would concur with Steve about not putting a gimbal on top of a ballhead. RRS (and probably others) sells a dove tail plate that I mounted on the bottom of my BH-55 and my Wimberley WH-200 gimbal. With an arca -swiss lever release clamp mounted on my tripod base plate, I can switch between the two in a moment and still have a rock solid platform. The dovetail plate for those two is: https://www.reallyrightstuff.com/th-dvtl-55
 
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luckmurph said:
Brilliant Steve, do you know if this fits the Gitzo tripods & heads?
Thanks
Andy
Click to expand...


I have both a Gitzo and a RRS tripod, and the B2 clamp mentioned in Steve's video works on both. For the heads, you just have to make sure of the width of the base of your ballhead or gimbal. The dovetail designed for the BH-40 has a little lip, so you would not want to use it on something with a greater diameter. The dovetail for the BH-55 will work with pretty much any size.
 
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Thank you all for your replies. They were very helpful. Now I have a path forward. I believe I will purchase the Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head with Lever-Release panning clamp. I also will purchase the release clamp and dove-tail plate. I will address the leveling base, if needed, when I am ready for a gimbal. I am patiently waiting for Nikon's next generation mirrorless camera.
Thank you again for your inputs.
Pat
 
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The OP didn't mention what camera/lens rig is intended for the ballhead and/or gimbal.

An alternative to a full gimbal is the Wimberly Sidekick gimbal arm that mounts in a ballhead clamp.
I use a Sidekick with a RRS BH-40 ballhead for my D500+200-500mm and have been happy with it. YMMV.
 
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frdjohns said:
I have both a Gitzo and a RRS tripod, and the B2 clamp mentioned in Steve's video works on both. For the heads, you just have to make sure of the width of the base of your ballhead or gimbal. The dovetail designed for the BH-40 has a little lip, so you would not want to use it on something with a greater diameter. The dovetail for the BH-55 will work with pretty much any size.
Click to expand...
Thank you ill have a measure up!!
 
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NA4M said:
The OP didn't mention what camera/lens rig is intended for the ballhead and/or gimbal.

An alternative to a full gimbal is the Wimberly Sidekick gimbal arm that mounts in a ballhead clamp.
I use a Sidekick with a RRS BH-40 ballhead for my D500+200-500mm and have been happy with it. YMMV.
Click to expand...

I also have the Wimberly Sidekick. I use mine with the BH-55 D750+200-500mm too. I'm still new to using a big lens and the setup, but I like it so far.
That's the difference with Landscape Photography, nothing is moving! :)
 
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Hello I am back!
I presently have a D750. The longest lens I have is a 80-200 Nikon ED AF Nikkor 80-200mm 1:2.8 D. I have had limited luck with BIF handheld. About 1 out of a 1000. But it was fun. They are not great but very enjoyable to view on the computer. My next camera will be a mirrorless. More than likely a Nikon Z8 or Z9. And the native lenses. To prevent one massive hit on the wallet I am in the process of planning a tripod setup. So far a RRS TVC-34L or RRS TFC-34L. tripod. Cannot decide on which one. A RRS TA-2U Leveling Base. A RRS BH-55 Ball Head. More than likely a Wimberly 200 gimbal. All components will have lever release clamps. From what I have researched RRS has a proven track record. So there is the updated plan for now. A great way to enjoy your surroundings!
 
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Just a quick thought: RRS seems to get a lot of love on this forum. I personally still prefer Gitzo over anything else when it comes to tripods. Often available at competitive prices, at least here in Europe, and I've heard bad things about the service for RRS stuff in Europe. My oldest Gitzo is some 40 years old and still going strong ... (y)

Ballheads and so on are a different matter. That's where RRS is really quite a bit better than Gitzo.
 
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Pat M said:
The longest lens I have is a 80-200 Nikon ED AF Nikkor 80-200mm 1:2.8 D.
Click to expand...
FWIW, I'd say a WH-200 is overkill if that's your longest lens. I generally don't break out the big Wimberly gimbal unless I'm shooting much larger lenses and am happy to run the 70-200mm f/2.8 class lenses off my BH-55 ballhead if I'm not handholding. If anything I might use a Sidekick style gimbal with a lens of that size if you really want gimbal action on that lens but it's pretty small to balance well on a big WH-200 and the big gimbal doesn't really seem necessary. But if you plan to move into bigger lenses with your move to mirrorless then perhaps the WH-200 or similar makes sense.
 
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Something I thought about was future proofing. We are more likely to change cameras and lenses over time but trpods, particularly quality ones are a one off purchase that will last years. Heads can change but getting something like a Gitzo or RRS that might initially be a little overkill for what kit you have now but will cater for any additional lenses you may progress to in the future. It will depend on where your photographic interests develop. Wildlife tends to require robust tripod and mounting systems because of the longer and heavier lenses whilst landscapes tend to use smaller lenses but need firm support. Also the output from high res full frame cameras certainly benefits from a steady mount. If your chosen system can take big wildlife glass it will certainly take landscape lenses but not necessarily vice versa. If you are looking to hike a lot then a lighter system may be more suitable. I started off with a keen interest in wildlife and tended to handhold a lot as I invariably worked from a vehicle, I got a lightweight travel tripod that proved to have limited use as I got longer lenses as I got more into photography. I bit the bullet and got a Gitzo 5 series and a Benro gimbal which will last me many years and is getting taken out more as i move to incorporate landscape photography whilst giving me the means for more static wildlife situations. There is a lot of advice out there including Steve’s tripod vides as well as the forums feedback and vast experiences. Good luck on your eventual purchase.
 
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Future proofing is always good to consider, but you also have to keep in mind that you have pay for and then lug all this stuff around with you. If you are not planning on moving into the big exotics (400mm 2.8 / 500 or 600 mm f/4) soon, I think a full Winberly head is more than you need. I shoot landscapes and wildlife (also used to shoot sports). I use a RRS BH55 with the Wimberly Sidekick on top of my Gitzo 1325. My standard rig is a D500 with a 300mm 2.8 and various teleconverters. This more than sufficient. One thing to watch out for if you buy a used older Sidekick is that Kimberley changed the connection point. On older versions, it is a single dovetail design so I added a Wimberly plate for more security. I just looked on the Wimberly website and what they are selling now has a much better double dovetail connection point standard.
 
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I have a question on the tripod selection. What are your thoughts on the RRS TFC-34L MK2 Carbon Tripod vs the RRS TVC-34L MK2 Carbon Tripod. The only real difference I see is the TVC is versatile for video and a center column. The TFC has a smaller apex so packs a little smaller and half pound lighter. Thanks everyone for recommending the Wimberley sidekick. It won a place on the revised list. Replacing the 200.
 
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I have the original rrs leveling base, loved the concept but. With the Wimberley, camera, and a 500mm F4 base would tilt when I would carry it over my shoulder. Finally removed the base and use a second tripod pod for landscape use lighter gear
 
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My solution to ballhead/gimbal head was to carry 2 heads with me. Then I tried Uniqball which is a ball in ball head that functions as both a gimbal head and ball head. It was OK but not great. Then I discovered the new FLEXSHOOTER PRO head. It is fantastic. It is a ball in ball head with an internal spring for pressure. It works very well as a ballhead. And it works beautifully as a gimbal head with the advantage of also being a leveling base. It weighs half as much as the Wimberley head but in my opinion works just as well as a Wimberley with balance very easily achieved. Also has option of putting Twin Shooter bracket on it allowing 2 cameras to be mounted, for example one with 600mm f4 and the other with 80-400mm, still very easily balanced when used as a gimbal. When sitting in blind I can now easily switch between lenses, or even use one as a video while shooting stills with the other.
 

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I am not a Pro, so I was looking for a tripod and ball head that would not break the bank, but also give me good quality for a good time.
After searching a lot, I ended up buying an INNOREL ST344C Carbon Fiber Tripod (no mid column), with a plus that 1 leg converts to a Monopod (big plus in my case as I didn't have a Monopod). It is very sturdy and solid gear for my need.
The ball head that I got was the INNOREL N44, which seems to be a good piece of gear too...
The combo worked well with my D7200 + Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary, and costed me USD $304 + Taxes for the tripod and ballhead.
 
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