A gimbal head balances your camera and lens at their natural centre of gravity. If you try to use a large telephoto lens and camera on a ballhead you have to fight the natural tendency of the equipment to want to tip over due to gravity. The ballhead will balance the lens only when the centre of gravity is directly vertical over the ballhead, as soon as it moves it will want to fall. Ballhead designers implement friction and all sorts of fancy elliptical gizmos to fight gravity. This is like using a screwdriver to hammer a nail. Wrong tool, wrong job.
A gimbal head balances your lens naturally. You can probably picture the way a large telescope is mounted. There is a reason for this, it works. Our gimbal heads use the same principal to make your lenses and cameras weightless. Tension control is not necessary because your camera and lens CANNOT flop over. You can move a 600mm F4 lens with one finger. Put yourself in the drivers seat and take a Jobu Design Gimbal Head for a spin, you will be like a machine gunner at the control!
We offer 3 sizes of gimbals. The PRO, Jr.2 series and the BWG series. The Jr.2 and BWG's are available in either a top-mount or side-mount configuration -- Neither top or sidemount is BETTER than the other or STRONGER than the other, it is merely your CHOICE which you think would work better for you. The Pro only comes in Top mount style as it is much easier to load extra large lenses.
Both top and side mount work really well, there are advantages/disadvantages to using an Horizontal Mount (HM-1, or HM-J2). Advantages are: easier loading of lenses (esp. HEAVY lenses), adjustability of vertical balance, centering of lenses for panning. Disadvantages: cost, weight and potential for increased vibrations.
Size guide: Our gimbals fall into this range depending on your lenses:
Gimbal Head Size Guide
Lens \ Gimbal
BWG-Pro
BWG-HD2
BWG-LW2
BWG-J2
70-200 F4, 300 F4, 400 F5.6
OK
OK
OK
Recommended
200 F2.8, 300 F2.8, 70-200 F2.8
OK
OK
Recommended
Good*
50-500 zoom, 200-400, 150-500, 500mm F4
OK
Recommended
Good*
X
600mm F4, 400mm 2.8, 300-800mm
Recommended
Good*
X
X
* Please note that you can get excellent image results with gimbals rated GOOD. Kits labelled RECOMMENDED offer easier handling and loading for larger lenses.
Please note our gimbals do not come with a lensplate unless otherwise specified in a kit. Please check our lensplate page for specific sizes for your lens.
The Jobu Design BWG-J2 Jobu Jr. is a compact-size gimbal head that puts the user in full control of his shooting experience. Kit includes the L-bracket upgrade for the Jobu Jr. 2 which converts the side-mount lens clamp design to a top-mount.
Lightweight, sidemount version of our popular BWG gimbal head. Optimal size for up to 300mm F2.8 or 500mm F4 lenses. Most popular use: 70-200 F2.8, 300mm F4, 100-400mm lenses.
$419.00
Please note our gimbals do not come with a lensplate unless otherwise specified in a kit. Please check our lensplate page for specific sizes for your lens.
