Tip: Using A Gimbal Head On A Monopod

On this video wildlife and nature photographer Steve Perry (from backcountrygallery) shares a tip that mind sounds a bit counterintuitive at first but you might want to give it a try and see if it actually works for you.

In this quick video, Perry discusses a problem that many wildlife shooters working with long heavy telephoto lenses and monopods have been facing for years. Each time you work with a heavy lens you need to loosen the vertical lock and tighten it again after you get into position so the lens won’t tip which can be annoying (and even dangerous for your gear).

The solution? use a gimbal head instead of a two-way head which is typically used for monopods with long telephoto lenses. If you properly balance the gimbal you will get a camera-lens setup that stays stable even when loose – allowing you to work and keep your setup from tipping unintentionally.

As Perry notes – this might sound like a small thing – but it can make a big difference in the field so give it a try (we are surely going to the next time we go out to test a new telephoto lens).

You can check out many more helpful photography tips on our Photography tips section here on LensVid. We have a special page dedicated to all of Perry ‘s videos which you can find here.
Iddo Genuth
Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.

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