Cheap Gimbal head!!! (1 Viewer)

jdbirdman

John Dempsey (jdbirdman)

• May 20, 2007

• #1

Ok the heading says cheap Gimbal head! NOT Gimble head! but stay with me guys....

I just purchased a GIMBAL head on Ebay from a guy in India for £124 the guy making and selling the head has a 99% positive feedback rating and it arrived as promised with the appropriate £15 plate right on que!

Although I havn't had a GIMBLE the one begining with "W" worth £500 in my hands This Gimbal looks for all the world almost identical in style. First impressions are it's spot on doing exactly the same job. I am thrilled with it. especially having saved almost £400.

I have never been able to justify to myself the need to spend so much on a head especially as i felt the sellers of some heads were simply being downright greedy by asking so much.

Of course this is a personal opinion only.

 

postcardcv

Super Moderator

Staff member

Supporter

• May 24, 2007

• #2

Sounds like an interesting bit of kit - any chance that you could post an image of it with a lens on, I'd be interested to see what it was like. It woudl also be good if you could give some feedback on it after you've been using it for a while. I'd like to buy such a head but have always been put off by the price.

 

P

pe'rigin

Well-known member

• May 24, 2007

• #3

John,

Be careful here, Wimberley could take an interest in this.

 

T

trev wilson

Member

• May 24, 2007

• #4

Hi,
I to have just bought one of these heads for my 500, I have never owned the W make of head but this one from India is superb. I'd totally recommend it.
ebay Item no 130075432528

 

S

szekiat

Active member

• May 25, 2007

• #5

Actually, i think the W head is only a registered design in the US/EU etc. I don't think it applies to india in which case the manufacturer is in every right to make a similar one and market it. I'm interested in the head too to be honest, especially the paintwork. The W head uses a powdercoat technique that lasts very well. I got a plate from the same indian company recently and found it to be very crudely constructed of a block of aluminum with a paint coat that was already coming off after a few days in the field. I stopped using it when i noticed that the plate could be bent too!

 

L

Leif

Well-known member

• May 25, 2007

• #6

I doubt the basic design is patented as telescopes were using altazimuth fork mounts with one and two tynes long before Wimberley got in on the act. Just look at the Amateur Telescope Making books from decades ago. Maybe Wimberley have patented some aspect of the design, but I find it hard to see what.

I wonder what Prince Phillip would think of it?

 

Cudyll Bach

Well-known member

• May 25, 2007

• #7

I have a similar Manfrotto head and it cost me under a £100 from Wharhouse Express I the serial number is 393.

 

Cudyll Bach

Well-known member

• May 25, 2007

• #8

As pictured here, I use it with my 400mm F/5.6, probably a little over the top with that lens but if I ever get a bigger one it won't look quite as bad.

 

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S

szekiat

Active member

• May 25, 2007

• #9

i currently use the manfrotto 393 with the 300-800 monster and its stable as hell. Just a few nits though, its shape makes it really hard to transport as no matter how one folds or disassembles it, its still quite bulky unlike the wimberly which seems to store better. More importantly, it doesn't lock fully so its a real nuisance in that when carrying it on the move, it will swing freely. Still, at £100, i'm not complaining too loudly.

 

S

Sout Fork

Well-known member

• May 27, 2007

• #10

It handles this 100mm spotter just fine

 

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