Manfrotto MVH502AH Pro Video Head & Wimberley Gimble Mk 2 | Wildlife Photography & Filming Review
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- čas přidán 17. 09. 2021
- Welcome back,
I've been meaning to do a review on the main two tripod heads I use for the majority of my long lens photography, in this video I cover some good and bad points of the Manfrotto MVH502AH Pro Video Head & Wimberley Gimble Mk 2 for Wildlife Photography & Filming.
Please let me know what you use or your experience using the heads in the review.
Cheers
R
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PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT USED
Canon 1Dx Mk 2
Canon 5DS(R)
Canon 600mm F4 IS Mk 1
Canon 300mm F2.8 IS Mk 1
Canon 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 IS Mk 2 - amzn.to/2ZvMTvR
EasyCover Silicone Armour Protection Canon 1Dx & 1Dx Mk 2 - amzn.to/2NFW4Hp
Manfrotto Pro Video Head - amzn.to/2ZumCxO
Wimberley Gimble Head Mk 2 www.wexphotovideo.com/wimberl...
Manfrotto Pro Gear Tripod 475B - amzn.to/2AFyIea
Two man chair hide - amzn.to/2ZwVvlL
Lowepro Lens Trekker 600 AW III
OP-Tech Pro Camo Neoprene Camera Strap - amzn.to/3k3MZ78
LensCoat Lenshide - amzn.to/3sbzlSs
Tragopan V6 New Colour (2020) - tragopan-shop.com/fr/affut-te...
Bushnells - 30MP Duel Core Low Glow Trail Camera - amzn.to/3k1zyoa
VIDEO & VLOGGING EQUIPMENT
GoPro Hero 8 Black - amzn.to/3k6qtL0
GoPro Hero 8/9 Media Mod - amzn.to/3qujcHm
GoPro Hero 8/9 Display Mod - amzn.to/3u5TZVH
RØDE VideoMic Pro+ amzn.to/3qAWoWs
RØDE DeadCat VMP+ Wind Shield VideoMic Pro+ amzn.to/3qDMKCf
RØDE VC1 Minijack 3.5mm Stereo Extension Cable - amzn.to/2NpKnET
RØDE Wireless GO - Compact Wireless Microphone System - amzn.to/3doIiUi
RØDE Microphone Hard Case -amzn.to/3qD09dX
RØDE Lavalier GO Pro Grade Mic - amzn.to/3sbpnR6
FEELWORLD F570 5.7" IPS Full HD Screen Video Assist - amzn.to/37qLBXh
RAVPower NP-F550 Battery 2 Pack for FEELWORLD Screen - amzn.to/3pw1bHe
FEELWORLD 7" Rugged Articulating Magic Arm - amzn.to/3dw0AD4
Feelworld Tilt Arm for F570 5.7 - amzn.to/3c8cyS6
Joby GorillaPod 1K Vlogging Tripod - amzn.to/3qAzYV1
TASCAM DR-07X - amzn.to/3tuwiWm
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT USED
Listed above & below are some of the items I use for my Wildlife Photography, some of these are Amazon affiliate links and if purchased will not cost you anymore but I may get a slight commission to help me to keep producing Videos on CZcams. Thanks :-)
Rav Solar Charger 24W - amzn.to/3zftGy2
Anker Power Core Battery Back-up - amzn.to/3ueEquR
Baxxtar USB Charger LP-E6N - amzn.to/3k6rVwW
CLOTHING & BAGS CAMO NETTING
Fjallraven Anorak No 8 Dark Olive - amzn.to/3dMT45X
Military 3D Ghillie Suit Camouflage Wildlife Photography - amzn.to/3aBhka1
DETECH 3D Camouflage Leaf Balaclava - amzn.to/3ayEw8S
Gloves Anti-Slip Camouflage - amzn.to/3sbCjX6
Lowepro Viewpoint CS80 Case for Action Cam - amzn.to/3rVexyq
Lowepro LensTrekker 600 Mk 3
Buffalo Mens Special 6 Shirt Black - amzn.to/3pqv5wp
JACK PYKE Galbraith Smock Waterproof - amzn.to/3psfMmZ
Camo Netting Tactical Scarf - amzn.to/3dqepTF
Camo Net Camouflage Woodland - amzn.to/3aCv3gN - Jak na to + styl
Finally purchased the Manfrotto MVH502AH.
Nice one mate, great bit of kit👍
Another great review I have just bought one totally honest and not bias.
Thanks Malcolm, which one did you go for? Cheers Rich 😀
Thanks Richard, totally agree that they are both great heads. I position my Wimberley on the left hand side so that my right hand is always on the camera and my left is free to adjust the tension settings. All the best.
Cheers Richard, great to see how others use theirs! Such great bits of kit, don't leave home without one. All the best R 👍
I have a Gitzo Gt3543 LS tripod with a gitzo Ghf G1 Fluid Gimble Head and find them both work well
Thats a great combo, I want to get a Gitzo GHF G1 head as it's much lighter! And lets face it Gitzo products are awesome! Thanks for watching. R 👍
Hi Richard I went for the Manfrotto I have had Gimbals also got the Flex shooter pro ball head the one that Andy Rouse uses it's also very good.I saw yourself and Simon demonstrate it and you both sold it to me. Love both of your videos I have met Simon as he lives near me, he recommended watching your videos. They are better than any medicine.
Thanks Malcolm, nice one I am really pleased with it and a good price point. Not heard of the Flex Shooter Pro Ball, will check it out. Thanks very much indeed, I really appreciate it, and nice to know you enjoy our content, Simons a top bloke and a good mate. I'll thank him when I see him next month. Cheers Rich 👍
Hi Richard,hope all is well, Im like you, i never give up my Wimberley gimbal its a fantastic piece of kit! Great review like normal!
Thanks Dave, totally love it and glad it's in my kit bag, in fact it needs to get back on the tripod! Vlog soon with the Wimberley! Cheers R 👍
Thank you for the great video and the top tips
Thanks Rudy, might not be for everyone but it’s worth covering. All the best R 👍
Hi Richard great kit review I use the Manfrotto only due to the cost, I must admit that gimbal is amazing bit of kit, fantastic review as always thank you for sharing this video. Martyn
Thanks Martyn, they are both great and I admit it's certainly lots of money for a piece of heavy metal, but great to see the Manfrotto does both really well! All the best R
I use the Manfrotto 500MVH . works a treat for pics as i hardly bother with video . That and the BenRo Mach 3 tripod i bought cost me shy off 500 . Yet when i look at it now it's VFM and cheaper when a gimbal head can cost the same .
Tho it slightly goes off level center when panning even if i have it level for a capture . Maybe if i loosen blue part we'll see tho i lost the handle must have fell out the bag in the dark ..
Just need to find an L bracket now and recently bought a 5DSR . . .2nd hand
Nice to hear your setup Colin, I'm very happy with my setup although the Manfrotto can have balance issues, still it works. Nice one on the 5DSR, I to have a 2nd hand one at a great price and condition. A beast of a sensor. Cheers Rich
Excellent video as always ....
Thanks very much Arya, glad you enjoyed it. All the best R 👍
10+ years ago I bought a monopod, at the time it made a huge difference to my bird images using the Mk1 100-400 which only has 2 stops of IS. Then I bought a knock off gimbal copy ( a Beike recommended by Mike Lane I think ) which cost approx £75. I was amazed by it, for me it did 95% of the Wimberley functions for throw away money. I’m still using that head on my 500/4, it’s lasting amazingly well for what it cost, and I have no plans to replace it. I would like a better tripod ( better means lighter ) as I use a steel unit which is very stable, but weighs a ton.
I bought into the Fuji system 5/6 years ago for family trips, and bought the Manfrotto BeFree carbon tripod to carry with it. That set up is so light, and I could push a double buggy and carry a bag with 2 Fuji bodies, their 18/2, 35/1.4 and 56/1.2 and a tripod all day. I would never put a 5 series body on that tripod, it couldn’t cope but for mirrorless it’s great.
Can anyone recommend a CF tripod under £400/500 to use with a 500/4, we’re looking to extend the house next year and builders are charging what they want these days, money will be hard to come by ☹️☹️☹️
There are loads of really good similar ones out there for a fraction of the price, when I was in the market for one they didn't have these available so purchased it. Really great to hear of your setup and the more to Fuji, great cameras and such a better lightweight option, I'm upgrading my kit very soon. I'd go for a Gitzo any day of the week, quality and very light weight. Did a review of the GT3543LS if you are interested. All the best R czcams.com/video/aZNq3LJ0Pk4/video.html
BenRo
Another excellent video and honest opinions
Thanks very much, love the products but nothings perfect, lol. Cheers R 👍
@@RichardBirchett well I heard a company from Italy called Zenelli hD a carbon fibre gimbal
Hey Richard, I have 2 monfrotto 502 heads. I have one on a custom door mount that I made for my SUV and one on my tripod with a bowl mount which really helps with leveling up quickly. It's nice to not have to change it out. Just grab a use. Another great video! Greg
Cheers Greg, that sounds like an awesome setup especially on your SUV, would love to see how that looks if you are able to send me some images, I could do with something similar on the LandRover Defender. Cheers R 😀👍
Hey Richard, it is a pretty simple setup with the camera, 502 video head, with my 5" monitor below. How can I send you a few images, I don't insta or Facebook. Greg
@@gregwilsonnaturephotography thanks very much Greg, I’ve got the info now. Cheers sounds like a great setup 👍
nice comparison. with the manfrotto you can go in all directions, and you also have a liquid damping. which is very pleasant with long telephoto lenses. and that too for 1/3 for the price of the Wimberly head.
Thanks very much, the smooth motion is awesome and after some initial issues with balancing it has really become such a joy to use. Many other brands are well worth looking at. Thanks again for watching and sharing your views. Regards R
Nice one.
Cheers Travis👍
Good stuff Richard, I use the Manfrotto head now and again with the same setup, except with a 2X extender, which makes it front heavy :-(. I use the Gitzo gimbal fluid head as well, just for stills though, will probably look into getting a Wimberley head as im not impressed by the Gitzo gimbal tbh, cheers, Darren. (PS, there should be a program on More 4 later on in the year with Hamza Yassin at the loch, will keep you posted when it's on m8).
Thanks very much mate, nice to hear your views with the 2x attached, I'm surprised at the Gitzo fluid head, usually they are spot on! Wimberley are superb and in my opinion worth the money when you've got some heavy expensive glass mounted. That sounds really good, will look forward to that. all the best R 👍
It’s not really my thing but I liked the way you were able to give a thorough low down on the good and bad of each……😊
Thanks very much for giving it a watch, really appreciate it. More in the field videos coming soon. Cheers R 👍
Hi Richard Thanks for the review. I’ve got the Manfrotto 501HDV which is an earlier model, very similar to the 502. Can’t see the need to upgrade at the moment. I also own the Wimberley SideKick with a Markins Ball Head which is good for a 500 f4 which regrettably I sold several years ago now. No longer own a big white but waiting for the Canon RF 1-5 to pair with my R5 when they finally get some in 😊
My pleasure Doug, Sounds a pretty good setup to me.Shame about loosing the white but they are expensive and heavy! I've just ordered the R3 and a couple lenses but have know idea when I'll get them, lol..Thanks for watching, all the best R 👍
@@RichardBirchett are you getting the 1-5 for your new R3 ? My wife and I are down your way at the end of the month for a weeks break. Fingers crossed that the weather is nice to us.
@@doug11127 Not sure yet! Still undecided but still investigating options! Looked at a stop gap with the 800 F11, but its F11, lol.... Have a great time, fingers crossed for good weather :-)
I have been using the Lensmaster RH2 gimbal for years now, it's fantastic. Recently bought the Manfrotto 608 nitrotech fluid video head, it's pretty much a video/gimbal head all in one. It has pretty much stayed on my Leofoto LN-364C carbon tripod. For a gimbal head the Lensmaster RH2 can't be beat, made in England by an englishman.
Thats great feedback, thanks very much I will check those out for sure, I'm familiar with the 608 which looks awesome and the combo is really nice. Nice to see it's made in England. Cheers R 👍
@@RichardBirchett I made a video of the manfrotto 608 nitrotech fluid video head. It was recorded with my smartphone, not the highest quality of videos. In regards to the Lensmaster RH2, I believe the RH stands for Richard Hardy which is the name of the owner of Lensmaster.
czcams.com/video/Q9LGGRF_cmU/video.html
Thanks.
You're welcome Anthony, all the best R 👍
The one buddy, I’ve been using Gitzo fluid head and it a dream, I like Gitzo albeit expensive, the travel tripod and ball head hats great for the tele-zoom’s the others are Manfrotto which are as you know the same company, I tried the MF video head it was so close the the Gitzo gimbal I returned it, I wish I’d kept it now lol might get another.. great video enjoyed that, always good to have a nose at others kit eh lol 😂 … the rubber band or elastic trick works well always makes me smile to see lakky bands on someone’s tripod head 😉
Cheers JP, I did like the look of the Gitzo head but cost was an issue, I think it’s lighter too? Can’t beat new kit and to see what other use, lol.. rubber bands, high tech stuff, lol.. all the best mate 👍
Great comparison of the two products. I’m thinking of buying the Manfrotto video head at the Photography Show on Monday. My only concern is that the plate supplied may be too big for the foot on my Nikon 500mm PF lens which looks to be about half the length as yours. Would it fit do you think or would I need to buy a smaller plate like you mentioned for your 300mm?
Hi there Gary, thanks very much for watching and commenting. I don't think you can go fare wrong really and for the money it's pretty hard to beat! I'm thinking it might be too much for the 500 PF but I'm not a Nikon user so not totally sure, you can get guidance from Manfrotto website. All the best R 👍
@@RichardBirchett Cheers Richard. I have seen photographers using the supplied plate with an even smaller foot than mine but like I said, I'm not sure if they've had any problems. The foot to my 500mm PF detaches so I will take it along with me (that's if they have a video head in stock at the show of course).
Hi Richard I hope you are well I have just caught up on your last couple of videos what a fantastic woodland I hope you manage to purchase it. I wish I lived nearer I would love to help you with the woodland I am just tidying a small wood for someone at the minute it is still early days but the owners vision to create it is coming good sadly he is very elderly so he admits he will not see the finished item but I am sure it will come good. I would love you to make a video of the bird life and the work that you will be carrying out in the woodland all the best. Carl
Thanks very much Carl really kind of you, going to need some help I think, lol. Been getting quite a bit of stuff on my trail cameras, Roe Deer, Foxes, Badgers and lots of squirrels and Jays! Very exciting for us all, hopefully completion soon, I've started clearing already! Thanks for the ideas, I'm working on a few future projects some hopefully coming soon. Thanks very much, R 👍
I have both the Wimberley and 502ah.. I do both video and still for wildlife. Since getting the 502ah I don't use the gimbal head..
Kirk enterprises (KES) Makes a Arca swiss clamp bridge for the 502ah.. makes the head lighter and making it seamless with existing arcaswiss system if you own the Wimberley and other arca swiss heads.. no need to deal with taking on and off the manfrotto base plate... They also make one for manfrotto mvh-500ah.
Hi Joe, great info and thanks for sharing your experience. I’ve got a KES arcs Swiss plate as well so will check if it is compatible, sounds like an idea fix. All the best R 👍
@@RichardBirchett it is made for arca swiss system. Its a replacement bridge.
www.kirkphoto.com/quick-release-bridge-system-for-the-manfrotto-mvh-502ah-fluid-video-head.html
Thanks very much, I’ll check it out 👍
Hi Richard, very lovely video indeed
I have almost the same setup as yours, 600mm mark I and canon bodies
I just tried to understand the weight capacity of Manfrotto, in the manual, it says 4 kg load capacity but only 600mm is around 5,6 kg + camera body.
How does it work? Isn't it too heavy for the head?
I am a sports photographer and mainly use it for stills, but new cameras are so good for videos these days too. I just want to carry one head with me, I just can't decide what to buy :)
Hi Kaan, Thanks very much indeed for watching and subscribing to the channel. The load capacity for the 502AH is 7kgs so it should be fine for what you need. Great to have in the bag, I love both heads but you can't beat the Gimble for stills, so I'd go for that every time. Any more questions please ask. Cheers Richard 👍
@@RichardBirchett Hi Richard, thank you for your comment! I tried that one with my 600mm but the counterweight was not sufficient, the lens can't balance itself. I bought Benro S8Pro Fluid Video Head , instead of Manfrotto. My lens is usm I so it is a bit heavy. New lenses would be ok with Manfrotto I believe. and you are right, I should also buy a gimbal too :)
Glad you e got it sorted Kaan, I do find the balance sometimes tricky and will have to check out the Benro version! Gimbles great but not cheap! All the best Richard 👍
Richard, can you suggest a good solid tripod alternative to the Manfrotto, which isn't currently available, ideally a cheaper one? I'd prefer to look for one that comes recommended.
Hi Chris, sure thing, leave it with me and I'll take a look, you thought of Gitzo?? Amazing tripods! Cheers R 👍
@@RichardBirchett Richard, thanks for your reply. Chris
Just the video I needed:)
Very very nice video...👍🏼
Suggest best compatible tripod for mvh502ah fluid head
Thanks very much Yogesh, I've got a Gitzo GT354LS which I am totally happy with, any of the series 3 & 4 would be a great choice. Cheers R
@@RichardBirchett Thank you for your reply
No problem, all the very best 👍
@@RichardBirchett any cheaper option from Manfrotto..?
How about Manfrotto mt055xpro ?
Nice comparison. I really like my Manfrotto fluid head as it is just so versatile. Little bit lighter would be nice though 😂. Cheers Keith
Thanks Keith, it’s certainly great for the money, weight is always an issue but I can live with it for now! One day it weight will come into okay more, lol. All the best R 👍
Keith you might want to have a look at the 500AH series. It is smaller, lighter and can hold most Dslrs or mirrorless cameras with big glass setups.
@@hans6304 thanks mate I will take a look, especially as I get older 😂
@@KGsPhotography no worries mate, keep on rolling!
👍😎
Cheers Rob 👍
Sorry, I thought this was a Nikon channel.
👍