Wimberley gimbal type head

[cspratt]

Has anyone used the Wimberley (gimbal type) head for digiscoping? If
so any comments pro or con? My scope + adapter + Canon 10D is too back
heavy even with the Manfrotto 357 sliding plate adapter.

[joee1949]

Has anyone used the Wimberley (gimbal type) head for digiscoping? If
so any comments pro or con? My scope + adapter + Canon 10D is too back
heavy even with the Manfrotto 357 sliding plate adapter.


I am building myself a tripod from a surveyor tripod, a bogen 3047 head and on top of that I will put a plate as long as my camera with 600mm f5.6 lens (approx. 55cm) There is a slot in the plate which enables me to shift the plate with camera/lens forward and backward. The plate is made from 5mm Aluminium. The lens is 125mm diameter, so the tripod collar of the lens and the tripod adapter of the camera will be elevated by wooden blocks. Additionally I might put 1 or 2 felt lined cradles made from wood under the lens for support and to avoid vibrations

I am getting the lens in the next couple of days and if anybody is interested, I can post a photo.

I don't know if this is something you would consider making yourself, it's not difficult.

[galt_57]

I am building myself a tripod from a surveyor tripod, a bogen 3047 head and on top of that I will put a plate as long as my camera with 600mm f5.6 lens [...]

I would like to hear about gimbal users experiences. The Manfrotto 393 gymbal mount looks interesting but I wonder how portability is affected? http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/non-nikon_articles/manfrotto_393/393_1.html

I have also been interested in surveyor tripods and wooden tripods. It seems the surveyor tripods are rather heavy. What are you doing to modify the surveyor tripod? I use the Manfrotto 3273 slide plate to aid the balance but I want to try an angle plate to hang the tripod off the side of a regular fluid head for balance similar to a gimbal head.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=5566&is=REG

The angle plate would be a refinement of this experimental positioning;
http://home.att.net/~galt_57/slide_plate2.jpg

[joee1949]

I would like to hear about gimbal users experiences. The Manfrotto 393 gymbal mount looks interesting but I wonder how portability is affected? http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/non-nikon_articles/manfrotto_393/393_1.html

I have also been interested in surveyor tripods and wooden tripods. It seems the surveyor tripods are rather heavy. What are you doing to modify the surveyor tripod? I use the Manfrotto 3273 slide plate to aid the balance but I want to try an angle plate to hang the tripod off the side of a regular fluid head for balance similar to a gimbal head.


Just this morning I received the lens and can now start modifying my "contraption". The first thing I wasn't aware of is that not the head but the focusing unit of the lens, which contains the tripod collar, moves back and forth. That means, I have to put a slot in where the tripod mount of the camera body attaches to the plate.

I thought,the large head would move, then I would just put 2 holes in the plate, one for the lens tripod collar and one for the camera tripod connector, then find out where the centre of gravity is and put a hole in there to connect the plate to the 3047 head.

I reckon, I have confused everybody with my explanation ;)

I will post a preliminary photo when you get up again, LOL, we are in different timezones

[joee1949]

Here are a couple of photos.

I'm still waiting for the head which goes between the plate and the tripod.

The Nikon - EOS adapter hasn't come yet either.

[galt_57]

The first thing I wasn't aware of is that not the head but the focusing unit of the lens, which contains the tripod collar, moves back and forth. That means, I have to put a slot in where the tripod mount of the camera body attaches to the plate.

I thought,the large head would move, then I would just put 2 holes in the plate, one for the lens tripod collar and one for the camera tripod connector, then find out where the centre of gravity is and put a hole in there to connect the plate to the 3047 head.

Hmmm... you've lost me. Are you saying the focus mechanism of the big lens changes the distance between the lens mounting point and the camera position? What is this Nikon EOS adapter? I would expect you to attach the camera to the lens using the lens thread. To me the plate looks much too long. Also many surveyor tripods have a 5/8" mounting screw while your head will need a 3/8".

[joee1949]

Hmmm... you've lost me. Are you saying the focus mechanism of the big lens changes the distance between the lens mounting point and the camera position?

That's right, the lens is a 2-part lens, 1 part is the focusing unit, which also contains the aperture ring, the second part is the head which is exchangeable. On the focusing unit you can put a 4.5/400mm, 5.6/600mm, 8/800 or 11/1200mm head. The tripod collar is connected to the to the focusing unit, so this part moves back and forth!

What is this Nikon EOS adapter? I would expect you to attach the camera to the lens using the lens thread.

The lens is a Nikon, I have a Canon D60. (on the photo I just put another body on it and took the photo with my D50.I bought an adapter for it, then I have to use the lens in manual mode. No autofocusing, or aperture control from the camera.

To me the plate looks much too long.

I intend to put a lens shade on it, then it's the right length


Also many surveyor tripods have a 5/8" mounting screw while your head will need a 3/8".

This tripod didn't have a head, just the legs, I put a piece from an old wooden surveyor tripod on it. It is only a piece where I can connect the legs. It had no thread, but a 2" opening which I covered with a metal plate.

Sorry about my awkward explanation, I'm not a technician and also German by birth. I don't really know the proper technical terms in English.

[galt_57]

This tripod didn't have a head, just the legs, I put a piece from an old wooden surveyor tripod on it. It is only a piece where I can connect the legs. It had no thread, but a 2" opening which I covered with a metal plate.

Ok, so you put parts from two tripods together to make one? The tripod doesn't have any screw at all just a 2" hole? Ok. Things will become clearer once you have all the parts in front of you to look at...

Dave

[joee1949]

Ok, so you put parts from two tripods together to make one? The tripod doesn't have any screw at all just a 2" hole? Ok. Things will become clearer once you have all the parts in front of you to look at...

Dave

Yes, that's right. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a good complete surveyor tripod and then find out it is not what I want.

I paid $15.- for the legs and $5.- for the other tripod, $5.- for a large piece of aluminium plate at the wreckers

The other bits I bought, 3047 head, Nikon EOS adapter etc. I needed anyway.

So if it doesn't work out, I have only wasted 20 bucks.


Meanwhile, reading about the gimbal head, I wondered, if one of these fork mounts they sell for astronomy in every size and shape wouldn't be an option?

There a fork mounts for these 3" and 4" catadioptic telescopes which shouldn't be too difficult to convert. A lot cheaper than $400.- too. Then you could even take star and moon shots with your lens or spotting scope.

Just a thought, haven't researched this possibility.

Maybe someone tried that already?

[galt_57]

Meanwhile, reading about the gimbal head, I wondered, if one of these fork mounts they sell for astronomy in every size and shape wouldn't be an option?

I am unfamiliar with astro mounts but someone here can no doubt comment more intelligently. I guess I am still unsure about your plate. I would have proposed that both sunshade and camera attach directly to the lens if at all possible. This would shrink the plate to only the size desirable for adjusting the balance point. You can certainly experiment with different approaches though...

Dave

[joee1949]

I guess I am still unsure about your plate. I would have proposed that both sunshade and camera attach directly to the lens if at all possible. This would shrink the plate to only the size desirable for adjusting the balance point. You can certainly experiment with different approaches though...

Dave

My thought was, if I support the lens at several points, from lens shade to camera, I eliminate vibrations as much as possible.

I might make a second, shorter plate and try out if it makes any difference, would save a little weight and be less awkward to carry around.

[KCFoggin]

Here are a couple of photos.


This is really quite an amazing setup Joe. I'm kind of in awe at how stable this setup looks.

[joee1949]

This is really quite an amazing setup Joe. I'm kind of in awe at how stable this setup looks.


It sure is stable KC, but you need a motorized golf buggy if you want to transport it more than 200 yards, that's the downside. :C

[KCFoggin]

Hell, I look eccentric enough when I am out with my gear. Think I'll forego the golf cart ;)

[galt_57]

It sure is stable KC, but you need a motorized golf buggy if you want to transport it more than 200 yards, that's the downside. :C

I had looked at a few surveyor tripods on Ebay but they were all between ten and twenty lbs (4.5 - 9 kg) which seemed a bit heavy to carry.

[joee1949]

I wish, I had ONLY 9kg to carry!

My tripod weighs exactly 6kg without the long metal plate, lens, camera, the 3047 head. So you can add up: lens 5kg, camera 1kg, metal plate 1kg, 3047 (haven't got it yet) about 1.5kg. All up around 13kg. Then comes the bag with my camera gear on my back, and now you know why I mentioned the motorized golf buggy.

KC, you must be a strong girl if you want to lug that around!

[galt_57]

My tripod weighs exactly 6kg without the long metal plate, lens, camera, the 3047 head. So you can add up: lens 5kg, camera 1kg, metal plate 1kg, 3047 (haven't got it yet) about 1.5kg. All up around 13kg.

How the heck can that lens weigh 3x as much as my scope? I must have plastic lenses.

(I just weighed my kit and I believe I should be under 6 kg (13lbs) total)

[joee1949]

The lens is approx. 25 years old, in these days they didn't use plastic and didn't have the advanced technics and materials they use today to reduce weight.

Here is a link with some more info on this sort of lens

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/6070nikkor/telephoto/focusingunit.htm

The weight of 5kg is by the way with sunshade which I don't have yet. What you see on the photo is just the lens. With shade it is about 5.5 inches longer (~15cm)

The filtersize is 122mm, a haze filter for this lens weighs quite a bit, and I'm gonna get that too. So add another 2-300g.

I know, I'm a masochist, LOL

[galt_57]

The filtersize is 122mm, a haze filter for this lens weighs quite a bit, and I'm gonna get that too. So add another 2-300g.

I know, I'm a masochist, LOL

So with your beautiful D60 this will be a 960mm equivalent (35mm) lens. That is a long lens but it still won't have the touchyness of a scope. Do you feel it will be impossible to properly mate the two halves of the lens or to mount the camera to the lens? You mentioned a Nikon-EOS adapter. If the camera mounts properly and the lens is rigid then I don't really see the need for the plate. You mentioned a sunshade but that could be wrapped around the lens for support. Am I missing something?

Dave

[joee1949]

So with your beautiful D60 this will be a 960mm equivalent (35mm) lens. That is a long lens but it still won't have the touchyness of a scope. Do you feel it will be impossible to properly mate the two halves of the lens or to mount the camera to the lens? You mentioned a Nikon-EOS adapter. If the camera mounts properly and the lens is rigid then I don't really see the need for the plate. You mentioned a sunshade but that could be wrapped around the lens for support. Am I missing something?

Dave

yes Dave, 960mm focal length, frightening isn't it. My biggest problem will be to suppress vibrations, that's why I started to think about using these legs.

The 2 halves of the lens are made to fit together, there is no problem.

I haven't got the adapter yet, it comes from Russia. I had conversations with one guy from the States who is using 3 of them on various lenses (one of them the 600mm) with good success. The only problem he mentioned was the rigidity. That's why he constructed some sort of support system, see pic attached.

Re lens shade: I would like to get a metal lens shade, if this is too expensive or too heavy, I might build one myself, easy done.

The touchiness might increase, if I put a 2x converter on it, LOL

Crazy is my middle name. :hippy:

[galt_57]

The only problem he mentioned was the rigidity. That's why he constructed some sort of support system, see pic attached.

Ok, so the 3047 isn't a fluid head and the Russian-made adapter is said not to fit tightly -- and you may decide to add a 2x converter later. Well, I guess you will always be able to experiment with smaller plates later.

[joee1949]

Ok, so the 3047 isn't a fluid head and the Russian-made adapter is said not to fit tightly -- and you may decide to add a 2x converter later. Well, I guess you will always be able to experiment with smaller plates later.


I have only just joined birdforum, I reckon you have a lot more experience with these things than I do. A shame that I wasn't able to ask before I ordered the adapter and the head. The 3047 seemed a good choice to me since it carries 7.5kg, enough for the lens with camera. :h?:

Maybe you could give me some advice what I should buy?

Thanks for you help

Joe

[galt_57]

The 3047 seemed a good choice to me since it carries 7.5kg, enough for the lens with camera. :h?: Maybe you could give me some advice what I should buy?


Ah, I think we are both rank green beginners, but I've probably had more time to read the forums than you have. The heads of choice for digiscoping are the heavier Manfrotto fluid heads, 700rc2, the 128RC, and the 501 pro, with the 128rc being the "standard" for digiscoping. None of these are cheap. I am starting off with a cheap Slik fluid head (11 lb rating) that can be found on Ebay for $15. I think it is a bargain, but I have not heard how it compares to the Manfrotto heads.

http://www.bogenimaging.us/