7D + 500L tripod help

[ErnieT]

I already have a tripod for traveling which is nice and light, but i need a tripod for my nature setup. It goes, 7D + 500 F4L, and i'm most likely going to pick up a Jobu BWG-HD2 for the tripod head. Now what tripod to go along with it? I'd be interested to hear the carbon vs. aluminum differences, and what the options are. Of course i'd like not to overly break the bank, but understand that you need something of great quality for a fairly heavy setup.

Lemme know what you think, and the most reasonable options.

[P51Mstg]

Toss the Jobu head.........

Get the CUSTOM BRACKETS CB GIMBLE........ MUCH MUCH MUCH BETTER, no comparison between it and Wimberly or the Jobu knockoff of the Wimberly..... (I had the Wimberly and switched)


Aluminim is OK, CF is much better, way way way stronger and less prone to damage. Weight isn't a whole lot of an issue (a pound or two), but I look at CF as being impact resistant. A dent in an AL leg and it doesn't work anymore or will collapse. CF is much tougher....


Mark H

[ErnieT]

So why is that head better than the others? Not to say they are all the same, but i'm sure that the Jobu, and Wimberly heads are quite well made.

What model's of CF tripods give you the best bang for your buck?

Thanks for your response P51, some more detail would be great.

[P51Mstg]

Without looking I have a GITZO 2541 or 3541 Tripod. Very nice, really strong. Its a lifetime item, you buy it once

A trick nobody uses is that if you are in a high traffic area (or VERY WINDY), where you are in a crowd and there are lots of heathern kids running wild (where they could tip the tripod over), get a nylon tie down strap (motorcycle $10 or less at WalMart) and a tent peg. Stomp the peg into the ground and tie the strap to it to the tripod... Makes the tripod about IMPOSSIBLE to tip. Also leave the pan setting loose if its windy and the camera will weathervane vs tipping over....... Of course hang onto it too.

I always looked at the Jobu as a knockoff of the Wimberly. They are cast aluminum (both of them) and somewhat limited in adjustments.....

The CB has hit the market in the last 2 years or so. It has real roller bearings in it, its all machined. There is no comparison in the construction quality between them. If you think Wimberly is nice, CB is about 2x nicer...

CB has a built in level which comes in handy (nice touch Wimberly doesn't have). CB comes apart for travel (and yes they take up some space if they don't)... If you get some wild idea about another feature you might like on your head, CB will make it and it will not cost you a fortune (want it higher or lower? for example)....

The roller bearings (I thought it was BS at first) are so darn smooth, there is no comparison....

There are seperate lock and drag controls on them.... The base is graduated for panoramas (which I use once in a blue moon, but they are there....). Last I never used the warranty on the Wimberly II but CB gives 5 years vs 3 which must mean something....

Pricewise at B&H I think the CB is about $20 less for whatever thats worth. Of course they use the same plates for the Lenses.....

Also if you get CB plates, they don't make you use a thread adapter (the 2 holes on the 500 Canon are different sized).. The CB comes with properly sized screws. Also you don't need an allen wrench to put the plate on the lens....

Take a look at the CB site........
http://custombrackets.com/scripts/gimbalcomparison.asp

More questions, ask.....

Mark H

[Starved]

You can try out my setup if you want I have the wimberly II and 5541LS but I don't have a plate for your 500. Just send me a pm.

[5Dmaniac]

I use the full Wimberley and a 5xxx Gitzo CF tripod - super stable. I debated between the 3xxx series and the 5 and finally decided that the minor price difference wasn't worth taking a risk - so I went with the 5xx. I am very happy with that combo.

[Candor]

Here I thought I had it all figured out with getting the Gitzo 3541XLS and the Wimberly Gimbal II next month but now more food for thought. I haven't heard about CB before but their gimbal seems to be a nice piece of equipment. Thanks.

[P51Mstg]

One last thing.......

Looking a the Jobu...... The drag for the pan is on the right side....... You have to take your shooting hand off your camera to adjust it..... Plus you have to fit your hand into a small space between the camera and tripod to get at it.

Much easier with the drag on the left.

Mark H

[Jon]

One last thing.......

Looking a the Jobu...... The drag for the pan is on the right side....... You have to take your shooting hand off your camera to adjust it..... Plus you have to fit your hand into a small space between the camera and tripod to get at it.

Much easier with the drag on the left.

Mark H
You've got it mounted backwards, then. And I'm not sure where you get that bit about "a small space between the camera and tripod", either. Have you actually used one? It's quite capable. Pan and tilt drag settings are easily adjustable with all the controls close to hand. And personally, I rarely if ever readjust drag settings from my initial setup if I'm tracking a moving object. If it's stationary, and going to stay that way, yes, I'll lock it down, but that's about it.

[P51Mstg]

I'm looking at it based on pictures.......

I set up the Wimberly II and the CB with the mount coming up on the left (as you stand behind it)... Knobs are on the left so you can adjust them with your free non shooting hand.....

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=ProductDetail&A=showItemLargeImage&Q=&sku=404536&is=REG

Photos of the Jobu have the knobs on the other side.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=ProductDetail&A=showItemLargeImage&Q=&sku=419347&is=REG


I'm assuming that any knob that is near the moving part of the mount isn't going to have a lot of room in there to adjust it.

Mark H

[Jon]

Well, I have, and use, one and it does have plenty of room. If you look at the picture you linked you can easily see that the pan lock is on the left hand side of the rig if the photo's taken from the photographer's PoV. And, like I said, I don't see a lot of need to re-adjust tension while panning on a moving subject. I usually work with my left arm draped over the lens around the pivot point anyhow so I don't need to tighten down the pan or tilt controls anyhow - the arm provides controllable damping and means I'm not yanking everything around by the camera, thus giving (me) a more stable arrangement.

[ErnieT]

Thanks for all the help and comments guys! Is there any aluminum tripods that would be good for my application? Or CF that much better? I'm pretty sure i'm going with the Jobu head. It seems pretty awesome! And starved i might take you up on that offer one of these days! Thanks alot!!!

[montanawild]

I use a full Wimberley II and Gitzo 5541 LS tripod. I never even considered aluminum tripods.......its 2010 you know? LOL

[PacAce]

I'm looking at it based on pictures.......

I set up the Wimberly II and the CB with the mount coming up on the left (as you stand behind it)... Knobs are on the left so you can adjust them with your free non shooting hand.....

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=ProductDetail&A=showItemLargeImage&Q=&sku=404536&is=REG

Photos of the Jobu have the knobs on the other side.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=ProductDetail&A=showItemLargeImage&Q=&sku=419347&is=REG


I'm assuming that any knob that is near the moving part of the mount isn't going to have a lot of room in there to adjust it.

Mark H
Take a look at the inset picture in the link for the Wimberley gimbal II you provided. The tilt and pan knobs are on the right side. I have a Wimberley and that's exactly how I use it, with the knobs on the right side and it suits me just fine. As Jon said, when the head is fixed, there's really on need to adjust the tension on the knobs. And when used for tracking, well, the tension would have been set ahead of time so there's no need to adjust it while tracking. So, in a nutshell, I think the location of the knob is a moot point. ;)

[PacAce]

Thanks for all the help and comments guys! Is there any aluminum tripods that would be good for my application? Or CF that much better? I'm pretty sure i'm going with the Jobu head. It seems pretty awesome! And starved i might take you up on that offer one of these days! Thanks alot!!!
Personally, I think the CF tripods are much better because they're lighter. But if you don't expect to be doing a lot of walking while carrying the tripod, then the aluminum one should be just as good.

[ErnieT]

Thanks again for all your feedback. It seems like the Gitzo 3-series would be good for me. Anyone had any feedback with the Jobu BWG HDII gimbal head?

[Jon]

It works nicely for me, using the 300 2.8, 1D3 and up to stacked 1.4x and 2x TCs (yeah, the 500 is on my wish list . . . maybe the Sigma f/4.5 since I really don't see myself trying to hand-hold the monster)

[davebreal]

Benro C-358n6 Carbon Fiber Tripod Legs + Manfrotto 393 Heavy Duty Gimbal Type Head