Gimball Heads

[MicroWyred]

DP Snapper and myself have been going to Upton Warren over the last few months. On our resent visit one of the guys there suggested that to get good sharp images of BIF you had to use a Gimball head.

I have looked into getting a gimball head but the cost puts me off (at present).

Question - As my/our lenses are not that heavy and have IS would a gimball head make that great a difference to the final image?

How easy are they to use against hand held especially in a confined space ie hide?

The guy we were talking to had a Beike head which is on E-bay for £70 would this be a good starting point? has anybody heard of
this make or used it?

Thanks for your help in this matter.

Cheers

Dave.

[antoeknee]

Re: Gimball Heads

Well if they are of the size in this vid then you'll need a good tripod as well. Looks like they aren't light weight either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcOX76FNpeU

[Guest]

Re: Gimball Heads

I have one of these and while not perfect it will do the job, the more expensive Gimbal heads have smooth (ball bearings I think?) bearings the ones on this are plastic, I had to "lube" them and run them in IE spin them for ages until they ran free, I have even used it with a Canon 400 f2.8 L IS and while not perfect (it's actually too small - the Gimbal) it will work and for the amount of times I use it it's fine, I would buy one again!

[colin C]

Re: Gimball Heads

Gimbal heads are quite an expensive way to get the job done.

In my early days of wildlife photography, I used to shoot with Andy Rouse on occasion and on the subject of Gimbal Heads, he said why bother when video heads do a better job at a fraction of the price. At the time he put me onto the Manfrotto 501, which he also used, even though he had a full Wimberley set up with a Kirk pro ball head in his bag.

Video heads use fluid as the damping medium and the latest versions are partially spring loaded, so that when you stop pointing the direction, they slowly return to the neutral position. I currently use the MVH 502 AH and on a strong tripod, I wouldn't use anything else for hide work.

Whoever suggested you needed a gimbal head for sharp BIF shots was talking out of their nether regions. What you need are appropriate settings on the camera and good technique from the photographer. Over 90% of my shots are taken hand held and I would only use a tripod in a hide, where you are generally sat down and your movement is restricted.

[Stan]

Re: Gimball Heads

Whoever suggested you needed a gimbal head for sharp BIF shots was talking out of their nether regions. What you need are appropriate settings on the camera and good technique from the photographer.

just what I was thinking and unless you have a really heavy lens, such as the 500 f4, then you don't really need a tripod and any sort of head for any wild life

Stan

[MicroWyred]

Re: Gimball Heads

Thanks antoeknee , dobedogg, Colin and Stan for your comments.

Colin - your advice as always is sound and put a smile on SHMBO face and a big sigh of relief, not begin happy about another large expenditure on camera equipment. I will follow your advice and look into a video head but probably in the future. In the mean time I will buy a nice cushion to support my elbows on the wooden ledges of the hides as I practice my technique.

just what I was thinking and unless you have a really heavy lens, such as the 500 f4, then you don't really need a tripod and any sort of head for any wild life




Stan

Stan - That was my thoughts and prompted these questions which have confirmed what we thought.


Thank you all for your advice.

Dave.

[colin C]

Re: Gimball Heads

I don't often bother with a full tripod in a hide. I use a column clamp to fix onto the shelf in the hide, then use the centre column from the tripod, complete with video head.

Raise or lower the column to a convenient height and start taking photo's. Manfrotto make a separate short column for the 055 series of tripods and using that, you wouldn't need to keep stripping your tripod down. I keep meaning to get one, but it hasn't quite happened yet ............... for the last 10 years!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-349-Column-Clamp/dp/B000LY2ZGM

[MicroWyred]

Re: Gimball Heads

I don't often bother with a full tripod in a hide. I use a column clamp to fix onto the shelf in the hide, then use the centre column from the tripod, complete with video head.

Thanks Colin for the tip and link. I was wondering if we all turned up with tripods(camera and scopes) how we would all fit in. That certainly is a good solution to both space and my poor elbows!!!

Cheers

Dave

[colin C]

Re: Gimball Heads

A friend of mine uses a Skimmer in a hide.

About the size of a dinner plate and rests on the shelf in the hide. He uses it with a ball head and a Wimberley, but no reason why you couldn't use it with a video head.

It seems very convenient and while I am still setting up by clamping to the shelf, he is already up and running.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-naturescapes-skimmer-ground-pod-ii/p1026858

[MicroWyred]

Re: Gimball Heads

A friend of mine uses a Skimmer in a hide.

About the size of a dinner plate and rests on the shelf in the hide. He uses it with a ball head and a Wimberley, but no reason why you couldn't use it with a video head.

It seems very convenient and while I am still setting up by clamping to the shelf, he is already up and running.

Thanks Colin you have certainly given us plenty to think about. Thank you for all the advice very much appreciated.

Dave.

[mistral105]

Re: Gimball Heads

Hi Dave

Following on from Colin's info re the Skimmer - some of the pro nature photographers use a frying pan base with a tripod screw in the centre and then attach a ball head or gimbal - I have made one from a 24cm cheap frying pan (£5) bought from Robert Dyas with a 1/4 UNC fitted in the centre. The handle is removed!
Regards John

[MicroWyred]

Re: Gimball Heads

Thanks John for your input. This thread has certainly given us plenty to think about. So far the wife has gone with your suggestion and has scrubbed the old frying pan clean.

Cheers

Dave.

[Illy]

Re: Gimball Heads

Been thinking about a gimbal for sometime, trying to keep the Sigma 120-300 on track is very difficult!!! Anyway I have one on its way and here's the link if anyone else wants to lose some weight.... :)

http://www.lensmaster.co.uk/rh2.htm

Illy