Using a Wimberley Sidekick on a Manfrotto Ball Head

ccraft

Hello,

I have a mid-sized manfrotto ball head tripod (it's not their heaviest, but not their cheapest/lightest - it's about mid-sized). So far, I've been reasonably happy with it for my nature and wildlife photography work. I've recently purchased a 600mm lens and am starting to scope out purchasing a Wimberley Sidekick.

I was wondering if anyone out there has any experiences with the sidekicks. Any advice/recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

docwalker

I got the full Wimberly Gimbal for the 500mm F4. I cannot say enough about it. I have not tried the Sidekick at all but I would highly recommend the complete setup for a lens the size of the 600mm.

I took mine out a few days ago and I was amazed at how smooth the camera could be manipulated. The price difference is a bit high and that might effect your options.

If the price is a factor, I would say that the build quality of the Wimberly is superb. I am sure that the sidekick is no exception.

Seamus

wimberley info, hth

ian408

To use the sidekick, you need a Arca-Swiss style plate to mount it. As
long as you've got that, a slot for the head to move into and the BH will
support the weight of the lens, you should be good to go.

ccraft

ian408 wrote:

To use the sidekick, you need a Arca-Swiss style plate to mount it. As
long as you've got that, a slot for the head to move into and the BH will
support the weight of the lens, you should be good to go.

Thanks! That's good to know about the plate. I wasn't really sure.

lowbone

ccraft wrote:

Hello,

I have a mid-sized manfrotto ball head tripod (it's not their heaviest, but not their cheapest/lightest - it's about mid-sized). So far, I've been reasonably happy with it for my nature and wildlife photography work. I've recently purchased a 600mm lens and am starting to scope out purchasing a Wimberley Sidekick.

I was wondering if anyone out there has any experiences with the sidekicks. Any advice/recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

In a recent conversation with Wimberly they told me that they don't recommend using the sidekick with a 500mm lens although they are aware many people do this but definitely not with a 600. There is just too much weight hanging off the side. You can convert a Manfrotto to an Arca style head by removing the plate and replacing it with a Wimberly C10 plate. Kirk photo and Really Right Stuff also make plates to fit many Manfrotto ball heads. In order for your Manfrotto head to work with a sidekick it has to have a panoramic movement. You will also have to buy a plate for the lens. It is a very secure system and you won't have to deal with the lens twisting on the tripod but forget about the 600 on a sidekick and forget about using any really heavy lens on a medium sized Manfrotto.

Terrence

A 500 f/4 is about the biggest you should go with a Sidekick and even then you better have a strong ballhead like an Arca B1 or Really Right Stuff BH-55. For a 600, you really need to go with a full Wimberly head.

ccraft

Terrence wrote:

A 500 f/4 is about the biggest you should go with a Sidekick and even then you better have a strong ballhead like an Arca B1 or Really Right Stuff BH-55. For a 600, you really need to go with a full Wimberly head.

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like i'll need to save my pennies and get the better system. Cheers!!

ian408

Terrence wrote:

A 500 f/4 is about the biggest you should go with a Sidekick and even then you better have a strong ballhead like an Arca B1 or Really Right Stuff BH-55. For a 600, you really need to go with a full Wimberly head.

600 will work with the Sidekick. But you do need a very good BH, like the
Arca or ReallyRightStuff BH55.

Terrence

ian408 wrote:

600 will work with the Sidekick. But you do need a very good BH, like the
Arca or ReallyRightStuff BH55.

It will work, but Wimberly and just about everyone I know with the 600mm lens says "don't do it". For the price of a new RRS or Arca head and a Sidekick you get darn close to the cost of the full Wimberly head.

My thinking is, why risk a $7k lens to save maybe $200?

pathfinder

I would not consider using a Sidekick for a 600f4 IS L lens.

I agree with the previous poster who said that the 500f4 is the largest lens to mount on a Sidekick. Will a 600mmf4 mount on a Sidekick? Probably, but do you really want to bet almost $7k on that?

A 600mm lens deserves a full gimble Wimberly head, just like the Sigmonster deserves a full size WImberly head.

ian408

Terrence wrote:

It will work, but Wimberly and just about everyone I know with the 600mm lens says "don't do it". For the price of a new RRS or Arca head and a Sidekick you get darn close to the cost of the full Wimberly head.

My thinking is, why risk a $7k lens to save maybe $200?

One of the reasons people do use the SK with the 600 has to do with the
size/weight/flexibility of the combination. I doubt it's anything to do with
money.

Should you do it? That's up to you.

Lex

A 600mm lens deserves a full gimble Wimberly head

Not only that? But his tri-pod needs serious examination as well. Your in the big leagues with a 600, the slightest breath of movement, and your image is blurred. Your shooting at slower speeds already with a 600mm, and any movement at 600mm is magnified. I have a Manfrotto and a smaller Gitzo CF pod, I use RRS BH-55, and a sidekick on occasion for my 200-400 VR. Other than being a mind boggling combination of switching, it "works", but any larger lens, and my tri-pods would come up seriously short, and may anyway.

You've bit the big bullet, now you need to spring for the proper associating gear. Research the best tri-pod to go with a full Wimberly gimble or equivilent. Unless you want to hand hold it.

ccraft

Lex wrote:

Not only that? But his tri-pod needs serious examination as well. Your in the big leagues with a 600, the slightest breath of movement, and your image is blurred. Your shooting at slower speeds already with a 600mm, and any movement at 600mm is magnified. I have a Manfrotto and a smaller Gitzo CF pod, I use RRS BH-55, and a sidekick on occasion for my 200-400 VR. Other than being a mind boggling combination of switching, it "works", but any larger lens, and my tri-pods would come up seriously short, and may anyway.

You've bit the big bullet, now you need to spring for the proper associating gear. Research the best tri-pod to go with a full Wimberly gimble or equivilent. Unless you want to hand hold it.

Thanks very much for all of your feedback. This is very helpful and, you're right... why risk it. I'll definitely save my pennies and buy a proper tripod to support the lens.

Cheers!

Lex

Sorry Christina, I should have said "her" instead of his it seems.

FYI, some follks I've heard of spring for a big Gitzo or maybe another brand. But the gimble is a definite, you'll want to guard against tipovers for sure and if you can INSURE!

Someone I know of had someone trip on their pod holding a 500 or 600 a while back, and his lens was toast when it went down. The person gave the old sorry, then ran like a deer to get away from responsibility. If it had not been for insurance, he'd been sunk.

ccraft wrote:

Thanks very much for all of your feedback. This is very helpful and, you're right... why risk it. I'll definitely save my pennies and buy a proper tripod to support the lens.

Cheers!