I've always had problems with large lenses. Large lenses are hard to use in the field. I've put large lenses on tripods with video heads and ball heads, and was never satisfied with either performance. Video heads are smooth, but forget about fast tracking. Ball heads are great once things are locked down, but don't work well when tracking. Sure there are specific hybrids of video/ball heads that are out there, but they tend to be compromises. I was tired of hearing that "Hand Holding" was an option, as I never made a sharp image over 300mm that was "Hand Held".
After YEARS of dreading using my long/big glass, I decided it was time to get a Gimbal of some sorts.
Immediately, the big Gorilla in the room is the Wimberly head. The Wimberly Gimbal is what all others use to produce innovations to, and to make "knock offs" from. The design of the Wimberly is simple and elegant. The flood of "knock offs" based on the Wimberly, show how good the Wimberly must be. To get a Wimberly would be a simple enough purchase, as it is the De Facto standard in Gimbal heads.
However, the price of the Wimberly, in relation to the "knock-offs" is pretty dramatic. "Knock-offs" are around $150, and the Wimberly is north of $500. If I was seriously considering a Wimberly, I should take some time to see if a "knock-off" could be close. With research and many trips to YouTube, it became clear that the "Knock-offs" were not better, and in many cases were inferior.
What made them inferior?
What makes the "Knock-offs" inferior is how they implement the bearings and the locking mechanisms. In addition, many of the "Knock-offs" fail to make sure both axis of rotation are centered in relation to a lens put on them. Most cheap Gimbals have the ability to adjust the horizontal axis of rotation, via the sliding lens cradle, but the vertical rotation - as in the panning function - is not anywhere near the center of rotation!
So in my quest for a Gimbal, pretty much everything that was "under" a Wimberly head, didn't make it worthwhile to buy. Some "Knock-offs" come close to a Wimberly head, but as their price starts to climb, their cost/benefit declines - especially when you consider a Gimbal head is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase.
I have no doubt that to some, a cheap Gimbal is fine and will defend their purchase of a $150 Gimbal, which is fine, except they are not me.
Once I started to realize that a Wimberly was probably in my future, and the concept of "buying it once" firmly planted in my mind, I started to wonder if there was anything better than a Wimberly. I decided to do a little more research. I started to look for better features or features that I hadn't thought of. Besides, what could be more expensive or better than a Wimberly?
I found the Katana.
Oh my. CNC 6061 goodness. Built in level. Friction adjustments separate from the locking mechanism. Perfectly aligned rotation axis. Did I mention CNC 6061 goodness?
The price? $750. Just a little bit more than a Wimberly and with more - Je ne sais quoi.
So I bought one.
Wow. When I opened up the packaging, I realized that the Katana is in another league when it comes to the engineering. Unbelievable workmanship. So much attention to detail. Everything is smooth and well made. I bought the black version, and it reminds me of something made in the 1940s and equipped on a WWII era bomb sight. It feels like I stole something that the government overpaid for, without them knowing. I didn't think objects of engineering like this were still made in the U.S.A.
There are cut-out and threaded holes that I have no idea what they are for, so it is obvious that there are some accessories in the works.
There were no instructions that came with the Katana, although I did get some freebies along with the Gimbal head (Thanks Tom!). In some ways, it feels that if you buy this Gimbal head, no instructions are required, as you should know what you are doing - and I tend to agree. What a marvelous piece of equipment.
Over the coming weeks, I'll put some images up here to show what the head is capable of. In the mean time, here are some shots of the Katana Gimbal head you don't see out on the web. Enjoy.
In the image below, I have my Pentax K5 and my Sigma 55-500mm -"Bigma" - on the Katana.
Notice I am using the standard Katana PX7 plate, which is Arca compatible with a Manfrotto 323 RC2 quick release plate. The two little screws at the end of the standard plate act as anti-twist devices.
Here is an image of just the Manfrotto 323 plate mounted on the standard PX7 plate.
This is from the other side with the "Bigma".
Look at the detail of the machining. This looks like military surplus!!!!!
Wow. Look at the detail.
Smooth bearings! The bearings are something to behold.
This is a view looking down from the top (yes, that is my foot).
Quality machining through and through.
The beefy arm is machined to be lightweight and strong, but I'm guessing this Gimbal is on the heavy side compared to the Wimberly. I don't know what the additional tapped holes are for, but I guess I'm ready for what might come in the future.
The Katana Gimbal is one of those pieces of equipment you always hope to own one day. I'm sure this Gimbal is not the lightest out there, but lightweight is not always good. This Gimbal is stable, smooth as melted butter, silent and has ZERO play even when the lock(s) are fully released. The axis of rotation is spot on in both planes.
I can't believe how this piece of equipment is not used by more people in the field. It took me a bit of searching to find this Gimbal, so that might have something to do with why more people don't know of it's existence. The Facebook presence and basic ordering/web page could use some refreshing, but I'm not complaining, in that for once, the actual product far exceeds any social media or web presence marketing. This is a serious piece of hardware. I would take the Katana Gimbal to the Moon.
With the sale price of around $750 with free shipping (May 2012) this Gimbal Head is slightly more expensive than a Wimberly. I don't have a Wimberly to compare against, but I have no doubt that if word gets out about the Katana Gimbal head, and others test it head-to-head, it will become the new high-water mark as the ultimate photographic gimbal head that money can buy. It's that good.
The pros -
The cons -
Camera: PENTAX K-5
Lens: K or M Lens (Sigma 50-500mm) - Bigma
Software: K-5 Ver 1.13
Dimension: 4928 x 3264*px*(16.1 MP, 3:2)
Focal length: 500*mm*(equiv. 750*mm)
Aperture: F8
Exposure time: 1/1000"
ISO speed rating: 400/27°
Program: Program AE
Metering Mode: Pattern
White Balance: Daylight
Focus Mode: 273
Image Stabilizer: stabilized
Noise Reduction: Off
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mod
VERY Large Crop 100%+
Camera: PENTAX K-5
Lens: K or M Lens (Sigma 50-500mm) - Bigma
Software: K-5 Ver 1.13
Dimension: 4928 x 3264*px*(16.1 MP, 3:2)
Focal length: 500*mm*(equiv. 750*mm)
Aperture: F8
Exposure time: 1/1000"
ISO speed rating: 400/27°
Program: Program AE
Metering Mode: Pattern
White Balance: Daylight
Focus Mode: 273
Image Stabilizer: stabilized
Noise Reduction: Off
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
VERY Large Crop 100%+
All rights reserved, 2012