solid tripod head for 800mm?

After picking up my 800mm combo (Canon 400 5.6L & 2x converter, to be used with a Canon 1Ds2, cable shutter release and mirror lock up) for shooting super compressed landscapes and sunsets. I noticed that my Bogen "ball trigger head" doesn't seem stable enough to use this long lens combo (though, it seems rock solid for all of my other lenses, which are shorter than 135mm). The weak link seems to be the head. Any small vibrations seem very amplified (like gusts of wind, for example).

It has been suggested to me to get a Wimberley Head (www.tripodhead.com), the Sidekick doesn't look very stable (being that you mount it to yet another head), however the "Wimberley Head" looks to be very solid, but it's almost $600. A bit more than I was expecting to pay (I was expecting my Bogen Trigger head to be solid enough).

Are there any other alternatives? Would just a very solid "3 axis" head do the trick? I'm thinking that I would mount the lens directly to the head and not use a quick release, just to eliminate any unnecessary potential weak points and connectors. Any other options? Or should I just shell out for the Wimberley? (which, by the way, seems to be out of stock everywhere )

I'm not conserned with speed or comfort, I just want something solid. I'll be shooting compressed landscapes and sunsets, I don't have to move around very fast After setting up my current combo, my legs still seem to be quite solid, I don't even think I'll need to tie a jug of water or some rocks to it.

I thought this might be a good place to ask, as I imagine there are alot of bird and long-lense wildlife photographers here.

Thanks!

You can get the older version of the Wimberley right now for about $350-$375 because a lot of the pros are upgrading to the new (out-of-stock) version. I got two (one for me and one for my wife) and they are great. I also have a Kirk King Cobra Gimbal Head that a local guy is looking at but if he doesn't take it I would sell it at a good price.

Sorry...no answer for you Daniel, I just had to say 'Hello' to a fellow 'Buck'. I am located in Lehi, UT. Though I do not see too many 'Bucks' around, there are a few of us.

Welcome to NPN.

Nathan

Thanks for the quick replies!

The Kirk King Cobra head looks like it would work good as well! Any opinions if this would be better (more solid) than an old Wimberley, or a new Wimberley?

Nathan, I'm not *technically* a Buck, my Fathers last name was changed when he came to America from Poland when Hitler was doing his thing. Bushcka or something like that was our last name, though I'm not sure about the spelling on that. (pronounced Boo-Shkah I think) I was born and raised in Louisiana, but I'm in Los Angeles now (the other LA! haha!)

The Cobra has one less joint that the Wimberley, it's less expensive and it's lighter but I doubt that it is any more stable. It carries the lens from the side (like the Sidekick) but mounts directly to the tripod instead of a ballhead.

A Wimberley head is severe overkill for a lens that size. Unless you intend to use this lens shooting moving subjects, you may want to consider a good solid ballhead, like the RRS BH-55.

overkill for the weight? but what about still being 800mm, every little vibration is super magnified.

The BH-55 is in the same price range. Is there any other reason becides the larger size, that the wimberley would be overkill? I'd love to get something smaller, but I want to be sure that it's going to be solid enough to keep the wind from vibrating the lens.

Hi Daniel,
ditto Bob's comment, I'd go for the much more versatile BH-55, the Wimberley is more for large and heavy supertele.

Daniel, you came here looking for advice, I gave you mine... A Wimberley head is designed for large telelphoto lenses and following moving subjects. You want a solid setup to reduce vibration, get a good ballhead and sturdy tripod. Oh, and learn good technique too.

Thanks Bob :-) I don't need to have movement as I'm shooting landscapes. I'll head over to a camera store and try out a few regular ball heads (I doubt they would have a Wimberley there), if a sturdy ball head keeps the lens still enough at 800mm, I'll jump for one of them.

What technique are you referring to? As in using cable release, mirror lock up, and such? That I already do with good success, but throwing in such a long focal lenght has changed everything! The longest I shoot with is 135mm, this 800mm setup is an experiment of mine, I think I have alot to learn about super telephoto shooting. (unfortunatly, it requires more gear! haha) Any tips would be appreciated :)

I wonder, would a Markins M-10 ball head be enough? It claims to support 40 some odd pounds, and it's a bit cheaper than some of the others. Well, I guess I should really just try some of these out for myself.

Thanks :)

Well, I picked up an old but very sturdy bogen 3 way head, but still noticed some vibration. Then after inspection, I found that alot of vibration was coming from my tripod plate. The plate has a thin rubber pad on the top of it (to "grip" the camera or lens?) I managed to peel off the rubber and got rid of quite alot of vibration! I'd say 2/3rds of the vibration is gone. I think with mirror lock up, I'll be fine now. Although, I haven't tested with the wind yet. I'll try to get out sometime this evening or tomorrow evening to see how it holds up to the wind with the pad taken off. (both with my "trigger" head, as well as this beefy 3way head.

RRS - BH-55 or old mod Wimberly---Both are top notch. Good Hunting

Well, I picked up an old but very sturdy bogen 3 way head, but still noticed some vibration. Then after inspection, I found that alot of vibration was coming from my tripod plate. The plate has a thin rubber pad on the top of it (to "grip" the camera or lens?) I managed to peel off the rubber and got rid of quite alot of vibration! I'd say 2/3rds of the vibration is gone. I think with mirror lock up, I'll be fine now. Although, I haven't tested with the wind yet. I'll try to get out sometime this evening or tomorrow evening to see how it holds up to the wind with the pad taken off. (both with my "trigger" head, as well as this beefy 3way head.

I'd add the Arca-Swiss B1 as another possible head to look at. It's rated to hold 90 pounds (yes ninety!), is small and light and can be got from B&H for under $400. It also works very well with the Wimberly Sidekick if you decide to go that route. I've been using mine with my 500 for years now, often with a doubler (1000 mm) and sometimes with the doubler and the 1.4 (1400 mm) with the Sidekick and it is rock solid. Of course a head is only as solid as the tripod it sits on. I'm using the Gitzo 1325.

After using the 3way head for a bit, I hate it! Now I remember why I went to a ball head in the first place. haha! I have Kirk BH-1 and some plates for my camera & lense on order :-)

Sorry for bringing back an old post, but I kind of left it un-resolved :-)

So, a little update on the equipment, the BH-1 works good. Still a little bit of vibration/flexing, but it's easy to deal with when I'm using mirror lock-up and especially a cable release. Oddly enough, I'm finding that the only vibration/flexing left now is actually not from the tripod or the head, but it's the tripod collar on the lens itself!

Daniel, have you tried adding weight - such as a bean bag over your lens to dampen any vibration?

Yes, weight seems to work pretty good. But since I'm shooting landscapes, I don't use any weight because it's plenty steady enough when I lock down the tripod head and use a cable release. If I were shooting with an un-locked tripod head (like shooting a bird or something that is moving?) I would certainly add weight :-)

I suppose I might as well post my results? (and yes, I have been keeping my eyes save when shooting the sunsets)

http://www.404photography.net/photos/color_misc/15.jpg

http://www.404photography.net/photos/color_misc/16.jpg

http://www.404photography.net/photos/color_misc/17.jpg