Hi all, looking for a solution to my issue . Recently purchased a heavy, long super telephoto zoom and a Benro GH2 gimbal head to go along with it . I have only one tripod so I removed my 3 way pan and tilt head and put the gimbal head on it to accommodate the telephoto zoom. So how can i use my camera with all the other smaller lenses on the gimbal? I really don't want to drag around 2 separate heads with me and swap them out all day long while on hikes into the woods. Is mounting the camera directly to the gimbal base even possible { balance wise} ? One gizmo i saw was a "nodal slide" which slides into the gimbal head and has an additional built in mount in the rear for proper camera orientation. Seems these nodal slides come in many different lengths though, making this even more confusing. Any suggestions??
A nodal slide lets you line things up so the camera rotates around the lens "nodal point", which eliminates parallax. It is commonly used for shooting a multi-image, panorama composite images, made by rotating the camera about 1/3 to 1/2 of the frame, between individual images. See "Nodal Ninja", for example. It let's you line up the lens nodal points for both vertical and horizontal, rotational-panoramas (without parallax). You don't need a nodal slide to fix this problem.
It is possible to use both heads on the same tripod, if you can put a quick-release (QR) plate or clamp on the top of the tripod, and the matching clamp or plate on the bottom of each head. I do this to swap between my two monopod tilt-heads, and three monopods.
Also, it is possible to use two heads on the same tripod, if your tripod has a removable centre post. For example, I have three centre posts for my Feisol CT-3441S; one each for my Arca Swiss C1 Cube, RRS BH35 (compact ball head for travel), and a panorama gizmo made with an Arcatech leveling base and a Feisol FB-70 panning clamp.
When I use my biggest lens (EF 500mm f/4 L IS) on a tripod, it's with a Wimberley Sidekick, which attaches to my Manfrotto 468MG ball head. This lets me use this tripod with 'normal' ball head loads, and with the big stuff, on a nice, gimbal-ish head. OTOH, it's probably not so simple to attach the Sidekick to a video head.
Usually a large lens is mounted on a tripod mount ring. If your large lens has one, then use it. You can attach a longish plate to the bottom of the tripod mount ring, that lets you slide the lens fore and aft, through the slightly-loosened clamp. This is how I get balance on a long lens.
Yes, a nodal slide or rail would work fine. They're not just for panoramics. The Kirk Multi-purpose Rail would work. I would get at least a 6" rail. The Kirk is 7.5". You can slide the clamp along the rail, too. This kind of setup won't usually balance on the gimbal so you'll have to keep friction on the arm.
The most elegant solution to swapping multiple heads on a tripod is the Arca Swiss Quicklinks. It is the lightest and lowest profile solution that I'm aware of. It is the most expensive solution, but I prefer it over Kirk's tripod quick release system because I don't like screw knobs for the clamps. Or course, one can thread a clamp onto the 3/8" thread of most tripods, but if you have a systematic-type tripod with a large apex, you might not be able to easily operate the knob due to clearance.
Personally, I wouldn't bother trying to use a gimbal for normal photography. You can with the right nodal slide but then you have to deal with levelling the tripod in one way or another, and the camera moves on an arc in the pitch axis.
Hi all, thanks very much. I ended up getting an L bracket along with a 5.5" nodal slide . I think this will work. Cant get a rail too long otherwise my 20mm lens will pick up the end of it in images.
