ProMediaGear GK Jr. Katana Pro Gimbal Head: a Review

GK Jr Katana Pro Gimbal Head for Telephoto Lenses up to 600mm ($649.95)

Specifications:

Length: 8.48 inches
Width: 3.10 inches (including knob)
Height: 9.75 inches
Weight: 2.40 pounds
Load Capacity: 50 lbs (22.68 KG)
Mount Thread: 3/8-16
Mounting Base: 2.36 inches

Features:

Smooth panning and tilt locking mechanism (separate from assembly mounts)
Arca-Swiss compatible lens mount
Hard anodized scratch resistant finish
Sealed, Maintenance Free, Ball Bearings
Lightweight aircraft quality aluminum
CNC Precision machined parts
Rated below freezing (-40 Celsius) for smooth operation without motion freeze
Made in USA

Items Included:

GK Jr. Katana Gimbal Head with Arca Type Cradle
Lens Plate (PX6) (FREE Promotional Item)
GK Jr. Katana Jr. Gimbal (Instructions)
5-year Warranty
_______________

Although I've had PMG's Tomahawk sidekick Gimbal for the past several years, originally intended for my monopod, I've always wanted one of their "full" Gimbals in their lineup of multiple choices. For my gear, their top in the Gimbal lineup, GK Katana, with the load capacity of 150 lbs, is not only an overkill for me but also the heaviest in weight (5.58 lbs) and the largest in dimension. It's definitely built for any camera/long lens combo you can throw on it with confidence. The one that suited me much better is Katana Jr., at least by the old name. Recently, they've added "Pro" to its title, but I'm not clear as to what the difference is, if any. By chance, I was able to acquire a Katana Jr. Pro Gimbal Head recently, and here are some of my observations about it.

The first thing I noticed right out of the box was its surprisingly light weight and the overall dimension that is similar to the Tomahawk. Its load capacity, however, is double its sidekick cousin at 50 lbs. and weighs just a bit more and nearly as compact. It's obviously designed with portability in mind, perfectly suitable for travel, outdoors, hiking and other situations where lighter load is wanted but with the respectable load capacity to handle most gear.

The next thing I discovered was how incredibly smooth the fluidity of its movement in every which direction. Although I've never felt otherwise with the Tomahawk's movement, I now "discovered" the remarkable difference in the movement, particularly the panning. Tomahawk's panning movement, when used on a tripod, comes from whichever the ballhead is being used, and given that the ballheads that I've been using, RRS BH-55 and PMG BH-1, have very smooth panning motion, it never occurred to me that there's even a notch above experience of what constitutes "smoothness." I couldn't help but finding myself keep giving it a spin after spin after....like a child with a new favorite toy. As opposed to the Tomahawk's side mount, the Katana Jr. Pro feels more secure, but that's more psychological than anything else, as I've never felt the side mounting as a some kind of liability.

Another area of significance is the balancing act that I noticed immediately. With the Tomahawk, it usually takes a bit of fiddling before finding the perfect free balance. With the Jr. Pro, it's almost immediate and, after some forced movement, it finds the perfect balance in exact same position every single time. With the height adjustable Arca type cradle, it's a real pleasure to find that sweet spot for whatever the gear on it.

A couple of accessory items to go with the Jr. Pro that I'm considering: 1) PXC2 8 Inch Arca-Swiss Type Nodal Rail with Integrated Clamp:

https://www.promediage​ar.com …tegrated-Clamp_p_389.html

2) Custom RealTree Max 4 Protective Neoprene Cover by LensCoat for GKJr and GKJrC Gimbals:

https://www.promediage​ar.com …-GKJrC-Gimbals_p_392.html.

GK Jr. Katana Pro Gimbal Head:

By comparison, PMG Tomahawk sidekick Gimbal:

With PMG BH-1 Professional Ballhead