My Christmas present 200-500 photos

NancyMoranG · Jan 21, 2016

OK, they are definitely NOT show stoppers, but its great to have it! I need to buy a gimbal head but no idea what to look for in 1?
I am a long way off from using this on actual flying birds

thoughts?

weepete · Jan 21, 2016

I like the colour palette in them, depth of field is nice and you've managed to get a bit of action too. I'd call that a win!

NancyMoranG · Jan 21, 2016

Thanks WeePete. It was fun out on the beach looking through viewfinder, and thinking the waves were closer to me than they were

John Hunt · Jan 21, 2016

Nice and sharp looks like you are off to a great start.

MSnowy · Jan 21, 2016

Nice set! I've been using this gimbal head for 2 years Amazon.com : Opteka GH1 Pro Heavy Duty Metal Gimbal Head (Supports up to 30lbs) : Tripod Heads : Camera & Photo

Don Kondra · Jan 21, 2016

Nice start Nancy, congrats on the new lens

If you are on a budget, this gimbal head has gotten some good reviews > Amazon.com : Mcoplus Professional Heavy Duty Metal Gimbal Tripod Head with Arca-Swiss Standard Quick Release Plate for Digital SLR Cameras : Camera & Photo

I would suggest the next step up would be a Jobu Design, I have the now discontinued Jr. 2 and am quite happy with it > Jobu Design Camera Supports and Accessories

If money is no object

there is always the Wimberley ! >Wimberley Professional Photo Gear - Home Page

Cheers, Don

LarryLomona · Jan 21, 2016

Very nice, Nancy

NancyMoranG · Jan 21, 2016

Thanks for all that info. I am using my ball head and not tightening it down so it moves a little. But I need to start looking at ordering a gimbal, thanks all.

dannylightning · Jan 22, 2016

personally i find tripods slow me down allot, i miss shots, they just do not work well for wildlife photography IMO. i so use a mono pod but mainly the rest the weight of the camera on the ground when i am standing in one spot or sling it over my shoulder and carry it around. i pick it up and hand hold it most of the time that i shoot though. if i keep it at eye level and try to keep it on the ground all the time trying to lean back or lean forward to get something low or high up just does not work out so well.. so its just there to take the weight off when being still and make it convenient to carry. just something to think about.. it just takes to much time to adjust the tripod when you see something you want to shoot, with wild life its not always there very long and that extra second or two it takes to mess with the tripod cant just take too long. maybe they work fine for some people but not for me.

your photos look nice.. great set.

astroNikon · Jan 22, 2016

MSnowy said:
Nice set! I've been using this gimbal head for 2 years Amazon.com : Opteka GH1 Pro Heavy Duty Metal Gimbal Head (Supports up to 30lbs) : Tripod Heads : Camera & Photo

I recommend the same gimbal head.

bulldurham · Jan 22, 2016

I bought the Oben Gimbal head for my 200-500 and could not be more pleased with the build quality and ease of use. Balances on the Arca plate with no issues at all. Oben GH-50 Gimbal Head GH-50 B&H Photo Video

WesternGuy · Jan 22, 2016

Very nice - like the 1st one the best - the reflection does it for me.

As far as Gimbal heads go, I would urge you to do your research - check out all the product reviews you can find - e.g. Best gimbal head: we review 6 top models to see which is best for your large lenses | Digital Camera World - see the other pages as well.

I have the Jobu Designs Heavy Duty Mark 3, since replaced by the Mark 4 - Jobu Heavy Duty MK IV and I really like it, but it is meant for heavier lenses basically anything 400mm and above. Make sure that the tripod you have will support the gimbal head + the lens and the camera you are going to mount on it or you may have to invest in a new one. Having an insufficient tripod for the combination - mount+camera+lens+other accessories is asking for trouble. I would err on the side of a slightly larger than required tripod rather than risk getting one that is inadequate to support your equipment. For example, Jobu recommends a tripod capable of supporting up to 25 lbs. (11.3 kg) for their Mark 4 gimbal. When you do decide on a gimbal, make sure you check the tripod requirements for it and your gear to be mounted on it.

In terms of other accessories, you may also wish to mount a flash with a better beamer on the gimbal, so make sure the gimbal can accommodate a flash bracket for this purpose. If you don't have them, you may also have to acquire Arca-Swiss plates for the lenses that you will mount on the gimbal. Hope this gives you a few things to consider. Remember, come to the forum and ask as many questions as you want, because you are going to want to make an informed decision.

WesternGuy