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D**N
Solid, but same flaw as other economy gimbals I’ve studied...
I bought this to use with Nikon 810/750 bodies (~2 lb., especially with a Sigma 60-600 zoom (~6 lb.). Gimbal handles these well when locked. When unlocked, upper hinge doesn’t wobble as some others have been described. The pivoting base, however wobbles 1-2 mm when unlocked. It also has a very viscous lube which makes it difficult to pan/tilt when tracking a subject. YouTube has many videos describing the process for removing this and replacing it with a lighter lithium grease. Really easy process. I was concerned this would amplify the wobble. Also, my to-do list already cuts into my camera time, so I really didn’t want another project, more of anout-of-the-box solution.I wound up returning this and getting a Benro. 3X as expensive, less than 1/2 the cost of a Wimberly and not requiring a new mortgage for an RRS unit. I think the Benro uses a large bushing rather than a needle bearing, but it’s very well made. And it’s better at tracking with this large lens.Overall, if price was my main concern, this gimbal is well made and very solid... when locked down. Design, not so much. If that’s your priority, it’s a bargain. Otherwise, it becomes a minor shop project.
R**D
Great Quality, Minor Beef - UPDATED
I would have given 5 stars, except the first day I was out hiking with this the bubble level popped out, never to be found again. So I bought a replacement (12x7mm) and put this in with some thin double-stick tape on its back. However, this is too tall, and the level's face was getting scratched because it was no longer recessed. A 12x6mm bubble level should work, but it is unclear if those that Amazon sells are "high sensitivity" like the 12x7 one they sell is. I ended up epoxying an O-ring around the level to recess and protect the face (see 1st photo).So, to use the level, you have to dismount the camera & lens, remove the Arca clamp, and place the clamp on top of the panning base, I presume, as I did in the 1st photo. This is the same for the other gimbal heads that Amazon sells, but it is awkward and time-consuming in the field. So I bought a bigger bubble level (50x9mm, which was actually 18mm tall) and attached it directly to the panning base, as in the 2nd photo. You can do this with thick double-stick foam tape so that the level sits ~1/8" above the base, to clear the screw head that protrudes from the center of the panning base. Instead, I counter-bored into the bottom of the bubble level to get clearance, then used thin double-stick tape. Either way, at least for my camera+lens, the level does not interfere with the lens, even when it is as far up or down as it can tilt. Now, when I reposition the tripod, everything is quick and easy to level.Aside from this, the head performed perfectly in the field, and was a pleasure to use. Images with my 900mm equivalent tele were tack sharp. I had no issues with the viscosity of the lubricants, as others have complained about on other gimbal brands, though I haven't tried this head in the bitter cold.UPDATE after 9 months of use ...I have no problem of play in the panning axis, contrary to what others have seen.The double-stick tape solution on the new spirit level didn't last. I knocked it off while hiking, and lost the level. So I bought another level and attached it with 3 small tapping screws seated in blind holes that I drilled in the top of the base. This works perfectly.Since it's now winter, I got to see how this works in the bitter cold (10 degrees F). Yes, the thick grease it's packed with adds more than a desirable amount of drag when very cold. Even at pleasant temperatures, the grease tends to leak out from the tilt bearing, and is a sticky mess to clean up after each use.So I decided to take the tilt bearing apart to add a grease seal. It came apart easily, just needing a metric hex key. I scraped, wiped, and washed out the grease (but left it on the roller thrust bearing), and reassembled it without replacing the lubricant (and nixed the idea of adding a seal).Now, with aluminum-on-aluminum bearing surfaces, without a grease film between them, the tilt friction was hard to set, and quickly went from loose to locked when rotating its knob. Friction also was non-uniform over the various tilt positions at a given knob setting. So I added a compliant washer, that I cut out of rubber-impregnated cloth, between the mating parts. Now the knob affords me a range of frictions as I tighten it, and the friction is consistent across all tilts. I am happy again.Yes, it's a minor shop project to fix the quirks, but if you are handy, you'll end up with a gimbal that you will be quite pleased with, at a small fraction of the cost of the alternatives.
R**M
Very stable
I received the Annsm Heavy Duty Aluminum Alloy Panoramic Gimbal Tripod Head pretty fast. The first thing I noticed was it was packed really well. It came in a form fitting foam box with a top. The next thing was its quality was excellent. Very well built. It is a black Powder coated aluminum. Witch I think it is great. For it will not rust if it is in the rain. The knobs on it was easy to turn. I love the quick connect for the camera. It is a little heavy and it was a little bigger than I thought. I put on my Canon 6D marl II (witch is a little heavy camera) with a Sigma 150/600mm lens witch is heavy too. This thing is really sturdy. I'm very impressed. The balance with the camera and lens was just about spot on. But when I zoom the lens all the way out. The balance is a little front heavy but not bad. But you can fix the really easy buy turning the knob on the quick release and sliding it back a little. If you need more you just turn the knob on the slide rail that moves the camera up or down and move the camera up a little. The only down fall is now it is balance is now when you zoom back in it is a little back heavy. So I got around this by zooming part way out and setting my balance on that. It work great. I would have given it 5 stars if it was not for one thing. The Grease that they put in the swivels is more like glue than grease. This thing will not turn or tilt smooth at all. Butt there is a easy fix for that. Take the bolt out and slid it apart and clean the old grease off. I'm a mechanic so I used brake cleaner and it took it right off. And left no residue. I sure you can use alcohol to do the same thing. After cleaning the old grease off which I think it is glue not grease lol. I put a really thin coating of white grease on it and put it back together. Now it turns and tilts so smooth. This is not a hard fix at all. It took all of maybe 15 min to fix. So on every thing else is 5 stars and more. just the grease makes it 4 stars. But if you want a heavy duty Gimbal head. I think this is WELL worth the money. I don't think you need to spend $$$ for one. This one is $ and it is great quality. I believe it would hold just about any camera and lens you can put on it and it will take it. I can see a lot of use from this.
P**R
Almost perfect.
Ok, this is almost a perfect gimbal. Just one thing. Go to youtube and see the tutorials to remove the original grease on the product and put new grease on the gimbal. The grease that the company use feels like glue so the movement of the gimbal its not that great. When you ad the new grease the movement its going to be perfect. Its like a totally new product. I think the expensive gimbals ($300-$600) they just use a better grease and that it. The construction on the gimbal is almost the same. Its a 5 stars product if the company use a better grease.
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