How To Properly Balance A Gimbal Head

“Hey! You’re doing it wrong!”

That’s what I want to shout pretty much every time I’m out and spot other wildlife photographers with gimbal heads. It seems that well over half of them believe they have their gimbal properly balanced when they really don’t. It’s a shame too – a properly balanced gimbal head is so much nicer to work with than one that’s only half way there.

In the video below, I show you how to balance a gimbal head properly. Even if you think you have it right (you’ll know in the first couple minutes), it’s worth a look to be 100% sure. Check it out:

~Steve

PS…

If you enjoyed this post, I think you’ll REALLY like my e-books, Secrets To Stunning Wildlife Photography and Secrets To The Nikon Autofocus System. They’re filled with hundreds of pages of information just like this. Check ’em out – click here (hey, it’s free to look 🙂 )

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Ken Myers
9 months ago

Hello Steve, I’m looking to purchase a new tripod with a Gimbal. What do you recommend? I love the set up in this video can you shoot vertical with the Gimbal? Like for video? Excellent videos you put out. Thanks for your post.

Ann Stupple
Ann Stupple
11 months ago

Really useful, thanks so much. Some other birders were quite negative about using a gimbal, I’m so glad I got one and set it up,properly -SOOO much easier than handheld !! P.S. I now also now a BBAF fan !

Sam Alex
Sam Alex
11 months ago

“tradeKey” is a United States B2B Marketplace where sellers meet buyers. tradekey is a website that offers products for only online stores.

Emma
1 year ago

It seems that well over half of them believe they have their gimbal properly balanced when they really don’t. It’s a shame too – a properly balanced gimbal head is so much nicer to work with than one that’s only half way there.

PaintNumbers
2 years ago

That’s what I want to shout pretty much every time I’m out and spot other wildlife photographers with gimbal heads. It seems that well over half of them believe they have their gimbal.

PaintNumbers
2 years ago

That’s what I want to shout pretty much every time I’m out and spot other wildlife photographers with gimbal heads. It seems that well over half of them believe they have their gimbal properly balanced when they really don’t. It’s a shame too – a properly balanced gimbal head is so much nicer to work with than one that’s only half way there.

Anna
Anna
2 years ago

In the video below, I show you how to balance a gimbal head properly. Even if you think you have it right (you’ll know in the first couple minutes), it’s worth a look to be 100% sure. Check it out:

Vuk
Vuk
2 years ago

Hey guys, silly question; i put a battery grip on my d750, 200-500mm f5.6 and jobu BW HD M2 combo. I can get the setup balanced without a problem (used this video as a guide and it was fast and easy).But, if i change orientation from landscape to portrait, the whole setup becomes unbalanced. Did do something wrong and i need to continue and try to find the good balance spot? or, is this completely normal? thanks

Alfredo Brock
3 years ago

Nice article and also informative. Thanks for sharing this article.

Kumar
Kumar
4 years ago

Great video. Thank you very much.

Andy
4 years ago

Balancing gimbals can be difficult thanks for the video

Terry
5 years ago

Every video is spot on. Thanks for another awesome video.

Graham
Graham
5 years ago

Masterly presentation as usual Steve, always enjoy and most always learn something new. One thing you didn’t comment on – or did I miss it? – was mounting the lens on the side which allows access to lens controls. I see guys in hides using gimbals where the gimbal support arm prevents easy access. Your video shows what I always think is the correct side to mount but again, your video was really about balancing the head…

Pat johnston
Pat johnston
5 years ago

Steve,
why or what is better fluid head or no.

Darrell R
Darrell R
5 years ago

Steve, thanks for the presentation. Any tips for those of us who have only occasional needs for a gimbal head and use compromises such as my Wimberley Sidekick? Obviously they lack that last crucial vertical adjustment.

Ken Miracle
5 years ago

WOW … it really works. I watched this last night and ironically a Really Right Stuff cradle clamp for my Wimberly arrived today. You were right I should have gotten that before. Attached the clamp set out the tripod here in my digital dark room and watched the video again. After a few small ups and downs I am balanced. Today a Nikon D500 with battery grip with a Tamron 150-600 G2. My D850 is at Nikon and we are going back and for about why there are pits in the right corner of the “sensor” they are not saying… Read more »

FPD Cotterill
FPD Cotterill
5 years ago

This is Great Steve. Thank you. Your key lesson on the vertical adjustment is not well known ie to set the CofG as centrally as is feasible. There seem to be all the more options for gimbals available but the cheaper models skimp on allowing vertical adjustment. Most seem to be chinese clones. I use the Jobu Jnr 3 Deluxe as it is lighter but it does not allow for vertical adjustment. One that does is the South African made GimPro Gimbal Head MK II – extremely good quality machining, and on v smooth bearings. The carbon fibre Zenelli CARBON… Read more »

Lew
Lew
5 years ago

Thanks, Steveorino. I don’t have a gimbal, but now I understand their purpose how the are used.

Tim+Karels
Tim+Karels
5 years ago

I have had a long lens and a gimbal head for about year and a half and I just now learned that I was among those who weren’t doing it correctly. Thanks a ton for posting this.

Dan Brown
Dan Brown
5 years ago

This was so helpful. Someone told me that my lens and camera was not set up correctly BUT they didn’t tell me what to do. Now I know. Thanks.

Joe T
Joe T
5 years ago

Steve, I really appreciate your detailed explanation to achieve perfect balance gimbal heads. I made quick adjustment in the field when I add a teleconverter or a different/heavier body. Once it is done, I can focus on the subject for (sometime) hours.

Winston Shaw
5 years ago

Your videos and ebooks are always full of useful details and clear as a bell! I can’t wait for your publication of your ebook on exposure.

Tom Walters
Tom Walters
5 years ago

Well done, Steve, as always. Greatly appreciated.

Bob Pease
Bob Pease
5 years ago

Great video Steve, I always learn something new from you, keep up the good work.

Mark Fagan
5 years ago

Steve, I thought that I knew everything there was to know about setting up my Wimberley… now I find out that I was one of the guys that would set it to always come back to level… your way makes much more sense, thanks so much for all of your videos. I can’t wait for your new book to come out, I have the others and they are a wealth of knowledge! Nikon should be hiring you to write their manuals for them!

Gary Irwin
Gary Irwin
5 years ago

Steve, I never thought about adjusting on the vertical to achieve optimum balance on my gimbal. Duh! [face palm]. Great stuff…keep it coming!

Ian Mackenzie
Ian Mackenzie
5 years ago

I have the remarkable GimPro head from South Africa. Because it runs on sealed engineering bearings it is even more demanding of accurate balance but your advice is spot on.

Sumangala+Rajapakse
Sumangala+Rajapakse
5 years ago

My Dear Steve Perry…Once again you have done a very great work. Very good information. Nicely presented. I Love your you tube site Nikon Wildlife Photography informative videos a Lot. I am learning many things from your esteemed site. Then your Two e-books are very very useful to Me. I am frequently referring to the books. Thank you very much for all your nice Presentations. Best Regards.

Bob
Bob
5 years ago

Very informative! Thanks!
(I found that placing a few small strips of white gaffers tape on the Wimberley horizontal and vertical slides makes it easy to quickly mount telephoto lenses (with or without extenders) once their proper balance point is found.)

Dave Obrien
Dave Obrien
5 years ago

No joke…”Thanks, I needed that!”

Keep the items coming!

Bruce
Bruce
5 years ago

I have used the Wimberley gimbal head and switched to the Custom Brackets as it has a safety lock so the front of the lens does not crash down after removing the camera and forgetting to tighten the head. Now using the new Gitzo gimbal head with fluid dampening and it is a big improvement and balancing is not so critical, and athough I got it to be able to do smooth video shooting it has turned out to be the perfect gimbal head for still shooting as well.

Charles Harrison
Charles Harrison
5 years ago

Thanks for such a clear explanation of what is easy to get right and even easier to get wrong! I think I have been doing this right but it’s nice to see it explained so methodically. All I have to do now is to practice following birds in flight….

Bob
Bob
5 years ago

I have the Kirk gimbal head and it also is very easy to set up. Once you realize what it is you are trying to do the setup becomes intuitive. Adding a small amount of drag can help with the minor movements when you add hoods, teleconverters etc.

I’m curious as to what advantage the swinging arm adds in a gimbal setup versus the Sidkick version of the Wimberly head (I have the same option with the Kirk gimbal)? Both seem to end up with the same motion, movement, range, etc.

Janet Cook
5 years ago

Once again a perfectly explained lesson. You are the best!

Federico Marconi
5 years ago

This was excellent explanation of properly balancing a gimbal head. I was told just to balance it to zero and have it free float to center position. Definitely after listening your presentation center position is not correct. Thanks.

Steve Carn
Steve Carn
5 years ago

Your videos are always a joy to watch and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. It is great to learn from an expert. By the way, I enjoyed reading your e-books and refer to them often.

Patrick
Patrick
5 years ago

Thanks Steve. Another great explanation. I always wondered how to set that second knob. Now I know!

Georg
Georg
5 years ago

Excellent advice. Can you consider to use video head as I do?
best
Georg

Gary Haigh
5 years ago

Nice tips Steve, worked well on my Benro Gimbal