The pan tilt head i have weighs twice as much as the one pictured and holds the D300 plus the 50-500mm...
I dont know how the Vanguard would be but their equipment is usually pretty good....
Here are a few pics of mine...
Part of the shot appears over exposed....Have you tried taking other images with the filter screwed on properly
Here's one of mine F5.6 shutter 8 seconds...
Couldn't get a shot at it Sunday night because of cloud...so had a go this morning at 6.28 AM...
Nikon D300...Aperture F5.6...Shutter speed 1/1000...ISO 200...300mm F4 AF
You mean like this example...This done in CS5 but I think any of the PS are capable of doing it...
This was done with the Horizontal Type Tool...Just select the colour you want then the tool and write away..