Wimberly/ Cobra Head

[phili1]

This weekend I had the opertuniy to see the Winberly head at work and all I can say is wow.

The price is really high and found that Bogen makes one for half price. has anyone used it and is it as good.

Second, does anyone know of any others on the market. I have done a search and can't find anything.

[snowbird]

This weekend I had the opertuniy to see the Winberly head at work and all I can say is wow.

The price is really high and found that Bogen makes one for half price. has anyone used it and is it as good.

Second, does anyone know of any others on the market. I have done a search and can't find anything.
I recently returned form a two week winter vacation, driving through Utah (Bryce Canyon), Colorado, New Mexico (a wonderful two days at the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge), and Arizona (the Grand Canyon).

At Bosque Del Apache, there were eight serious/professional photographers at the Flight Deck in the pre-dawn. Six were using Wimberleys with the Canon 600mm f/4 (both IS and non-IS versions). I think that says a lot. One chap was using a Manfrotto ball head and a Nikon, and one, a sports photographer, was using a monopod and a Canon 400mm f/2.8 and a 2X.

The sports photog said he used the Manfrotto head when photographing the symphony, but the last time I checked, violinists do not fly. To me, the Bogen just seems clumsy, whereas the Wimberly is simply elegant. I wouldn't be without it and my Gitzo 1548.

Others that you might want to consider, at least for lenses that are lighter than the 400 f/2.8 or 600 f/4, include the Mongoose M-262, the Wimberley Sidekick (which must be used with a robust ball head), the Kirk King Cobra, and the Jobo Black Widow. All of these are side-mlounted designs. I recently ordered the Mongoose for use with my 100-400 and a lighter tripod, when both the 600 and a shorter lens are needed. You might also consider a Really Right Stuff ball head with the additional panorama adapter. One pan head would be used for right/left movement, and the second one (with the ball locked in the vertical position) would be used for up/down movement. But this would mean that the camera and lens would be off-centered on the tripod , so a heavy tripod and some addition weight would probalby be necessary.

BTW, there is a wide-spread belief that the Wimberley cannot be used with short, collarless lenses, except by turning the platform upside down, locking the arm in the fully upright position, much like a Popsicle on a stick. This is ridiculous. Simply attach an Wimberley M-8 perpendicular plate (or the equivalent from Really Right Stuff) to your Arca-Swiss camera plate, and you are in business. I've used everything from the 10-22 up to a 100mm macro and the 90mm T/S on my Canon 30D this way, with great results.

[phili1]

I hate to pop your dream but as good as the Wimnberly is The Bogen is not clumsy, it is smooth and I have seen it used with the Sigmonster. For $300 dollars less it is one awsome head. Hey it is like everything else, it is what you want to get used to, that is why some like NIkon and some like Canon. Which one is right answer, both.