To Gimball or Not ?

PolishX

Senior Member
First things first, the set up would be D610/Grip Nikon 200-500 f5.6

I have Manfrotto 055 Carbon Fiber tripod and a 694CX CF monopod. I'm using a Giottos MH1032 bullhead with a load capacity of 13.02 lbs. I think I would really be making it out with a full kit considering the 200-500 is over 5 lbs alone. I was thinking Wimberly Acra sidekick or get a Oben GH-30 ?

Thoughts and ideas old sages of the camera world
 

Vixen

Senior Member
I just bought a monopod and wimberley gimbal MH-100. I'm quite impressed with it. I'm still really getting used to it and use it mostly sitting in a chair at the moment, but it saves my poor old arms
 

Hobbit

Senior Member
I have a Kenro Carbon gimbal , got it cheap as it was OB, it’s light and well made, the bits that need to be alloy are but the main arm is carbon, hold my 150-600c no issue , now I must use it more often lol
 

STM

Senior Member
If you want to be able to easily and smoothly use a long lens like a 500mm then a gimbal head is the only way to go. Trust me, your lens is a "lightweight", my 600mm f/4 ED IF AIS Nikkor is 14 pounds all by itself. I don't nickname it "the beast" for nothing! Add the D850 and battery grip and you are pushing 20 pounds. The camera/grip/lens combination is not handholdable by any stretch, especially since it is manual focus. But put my camera/lens/gimbal head on a sturdy carbon fiber tripod and it is an absolute dream to use and the images are sharp as a needle. I don't really see the point of putting a gimbal head on a monopod. It seems it would be unwieldy and difficult to use.

the beast.jpg
 
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