Benro GH-2 Vs Wimberley Mk II

maninsuitcase

maninsuitcase

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Chris
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I recently upgraded to a Nikon 300mm 2.8 VR and a set of teleconvertors. Being a massive wimp and finding myself unable to hand hold said lens I stuck it on my 3LT tripod. While it holds it's far from solid and the upgrade cycle continues.

I have decided on a Gitzo 3 series tripod after handling one when I bought the lens at Park Camera, but the head I need some help with.

I am looking at the Benro GH-2 for £299 or the Wimberly MkII for £520. That's £211 or a 72% price difference. Essentially I am asking is the Wimberly worth this extra money. Ideally I'd like to hear from someone who's used or owned both.

I understand they look identical but this doesn't mean the quality of materials and manufacture is. 72% is a lot to suck up in labour prices and volume so there must be more to it, or is there?

I asked on twitter but it was essentially the Benro is cheaper and is great vs the Wimberly is more expensive and is great. These comments came from owner who've had them years and both love them.

I am happy to pay the extra but ONLY if it's worth spending. If the Benro is the same quality give or take then I'd rather keep the £211!

I already have a Kirk foot too so an included lens plate or not isn't important.
 
I use the Manfrotto 393. with my 300 2.8 & TC (around £120) It isn't actually that much heavier than some of the true gimals, but is bulkier & doesn't have the same kudos.
 
OldCarlos said:
I use the Manfrotto 393. with my 300 2.8 & TC (around £120) It isn't actually that much heavier than some of the true gimals, but is bulkier & doesn't have the same kudos.
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I don't want a 393, it doesn't take arca plates and I like to put my left hand on the lens and the bracket would get in the way.
 
Chris have a look at lensmaster.

Robs gimble heads are fantastic and it will take anything as well as being is as smooth as it gets.
Rugged as well and completely user stripable for cleaning the bearings etc should it end up in the mud.
I use mine inverted on my bed (severely disabled) yet its still as smooth as anything and takes everything I've put on it including a refractor telescope complete with extension tubes & camera even then I can move the whole thing with one finger and it stays exactly where I put it.
Good British craftmanship that even comes with 2 arca plates and starts from £117 delivered!
Cant recommend Rob or his products enough.
 
I appreciate the recommendations but I really am after a comparison of the two heads listed.

The Lens master is missing a feature I want in the adjustable platform to allow for proper balancing.
 
That said I would be open to recommendations that meet the same design criteria.

I am after:
"L" shape not "U"
Arca mount.
Full gimble not side mount.
Mount must be vertically adjustable to allow for proper ballance.
Be able to take any lens I see fit to rent/buy in future (eg a 600mm).
From a known and reliable brand, I won't be buying a white label Chinese knock off for £70 on eBay.

From this needs list it seems to come down to the Benro or Wimberly. There is the Jobu HD3 at £422 which I have also looked into but only found a review on youtube that seemed a bit too glowing which made me suspicious.
 
Ah I see now it allows you to adjust the CG & also the amount of angle you have depending on the length of the lens
 
maninsuitcase said:
From this needs list it seems to come down to the Benro or Wimberly. There is the Jobu HD3 at £422 which I have also looked into but only found a review on youtube that seemed a bit too glowing which made me suspicious.
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Jobu is a Canadian company, similar quality to Wimberly.

I have the Blackwidow LW II (side mount) which I use for a 500/4, it works perfectly, and allows a large range of vertical panning, something that similar heads fall down on (The Kirk King Cobra for one)

The Jobu head that you reference is the one I have with an arm and horizontal plate added.

I would not hesitate to buy another Jobu product.
 
This is interesting:
http://digitaljournalofphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/benro-launches-four-new-gimbal-heads.html

specifically (my emphasis):
Benro is the sister company to Induro (and distributed by Profoto), which offer the same range of heads (GHBA, GHB1 and GHB2, though Induro haven't as yet announced a GHB3), so there could be some price advantage to the Benro models. It's also worth noting that the Induro models (and now these from Benro) are made for them by Wimberley.
Click to expand...

Never heard that before, and there's no links to back it up but....
 
I tried quite a few different combo's before getting the Gitzo 3 series and Wimberley Mk2, sure is a lot of cash to spend but quality costs.
One other bonus is that even if your pics are rubbish people still think you are a great photographer when they look at the set up :D
 
Neil B said:
I tried quite a few different combo's before getting the Gitzo 3 series and Wimberley Mk2, sure is a lot of cash to spend but quality costs.
One other bonus is that even if your pics are rubbish people still think you are a great photographer when they look at the set up :D
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A most valid point, my photos ARE rubbish. All the gear, no idea me. :lol:
 
maninsuitcase said:
This is interesting:
http://digitaljournalofphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/benro-launches-four-new-gimbal-heads.html

specifically (my emphasis):


Never heard that before, and there's no links to back it up but....
Click to expand...

Chris, I have bought a Benro head, I have a Wimberley Side Kick, I bought (and sold) a Kirk King Cobra, a fried has an Induro, I still use a Jobu.

The Wimberly, Jobu and Kirk are precision made quality products, the other two are not, but they are cheaper.

At the end of the day it is your money, and your choice ... but my Benro head had the screws secured with super glue, the main axel bearing was off centre and the thing would not move more than a degree or two.
 
Martyn... said:
Chris, I have bought a Benro head, I have a Wimberley Side Kick, I bought (and sold) a Kirk King Cobra, a fried has an Induro, I still use a Jobu.

The Wimberly, Jobu and Kirk are precision made quality products, the other two are not, but they are cheaper.

At the end of the day it is your money, and your choice ... but my Benro head had the screws secured with super glue, the main axel bearing was off centre and the thing would not move more than a degree or two.
Click to expand...

That's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. It's all well and good people saying the Benro is as good as a wimberly but when they haven't used both they are talking nonsense.

A lot of reviews are "I opened this last night and have never touched a Wimberly but I love my benro".

Maybe I'll go for the happy medium, and go with the Jobu. Respectable brand, but £100 cheaper.
 
Martyn... said:
Chris, I have bought a Benro head, I have a Wimberley Side Kick, I bought (and sold) a Kirk King Cobra, a fried has an Induro, I still use a Jobu.

The Wimberly, Jobu and Kirk are precision made quality products, the other two are not, but they are cheaper.

At the end of the day it is your money, and your choice ... but my Benro head had the screws secured with super glue, the main axel bearing was off centre and the thing would not move more than a degree or two.
Click to expand...

Have you had any cause to test jobus customer service? I am guessing you got it from the uk supplier linked above?
 
I own a Benro GH2 and a Wimberley - the Benro, while not quite in the same league as the Wimberley was NOT superglued together, and has a true axle bearing.

I don't think the Wimberley is worth it's huge price tag but it is marginally superior to the Benro.

BTW I have the GH2 for sale, will resurrect the thread from the archives if you're interested

:thumbs:
 
I have been using a Benro GH-2 for several years now. I frequently put 15+ lbs on it (on a Gitzo 1548; no center column).

My only complaint with the Benro is that the pan adjustment wasn't very "gradual" when I first got it. I disassembled it (easy) and reshaped the bronze (brass?) bushing that provides the clamping force in order to "fix it." Since then, I've been very happy with it. I'm not certain if it would have "worn in" over time, but I suspect it would have taken a long time. I'm also not certain if it's a consistent issue with them.

Other than that minor issue, it is well made and heavy duty. The upper pivot is teflon and roller bearing, lower is bronze/metal bearings. None of the bearings are sealed. I've never disassembled another brand so I can't speak to their build... For the cost difference I'd want to see all bronze load bearing and sealed roller bearings elsewhere. Teflon(PTFE) isn't "bad," but self lubricating bronze would be "better". And sealed bearings would minimize maintenance potential (not that I've ever had to "maintain" the Benro and I "abuse" it)
 
I have tried both and have had the Benro for several years using it on the Nikon 500 &600 f4 lenses. The Wimberley is defo more smooth than the Benro whilst panning. I had a lot of confidence when I tried the Wimberley, maybe just reputation, maybe knowing its precision made. I opted for the Benro purely for the sake of saving. It still did what I wanted but not quite as smoothly as the Wimberley but. Unless you have both side by side then you wouldn't notice. If I had to do it again and I will in the future then it would be the Wimberley for peace of mind.The Wimberley has been proven in extreme situations time and time again. By the Wimberley if you can afford to.
 
After some more thinking over the weekend I've decided to go for the Wimberley. The reason being I can afford it and I know if I went for a Benro or a Jobu there would always be a nagging feeling I bought the wrong thing.

This may be different if I had the opportunity to do a shoot or 2 on each but seeing as the Wimberley test drive scheme is US only I will have to default to the market leader. I will be ordering once the GT3532LS comes back into stock at WEX so I can order both at the same time and at least save the fiver on postage.

Hope this is soon as the lens on top of a travel tripod is quite scary at times!
 
It's free delivery from WEX if you spend £150+

Clifton cameras are showing as in stock @ £589.
 
The Wimberley arrived today from Wex. I ordered the tripod from Clifton Cameras the same day but missed the remaining stock so have to wait until Thursday.

The quality of machining on the is outstanding. The motions are very smooth and fluid like. I need to learn how to balance it properly only did a rough balance initially.

The difference it makes to a ball head is amazing even on a sub optimal tripod like the 3LT Dave. I can hold the lens still so much easier I really can see why people love these so much. It's also a bit higher than the ball head which will help with the slightly taller tripod also. Looking forward to proper testing at the weekend with the teleconvertors.
 
Great & wise choice. A fantastic piece of kit that just works. Love mine. Worth every penny.
 
Martyn... said:
Chris, I have bought a Benro head, I have a Wimberley Side Kick, I bought (and sold) a Kirk King Cobra, a fried has an Induro, I still use a Jobu.

The Wimberly, Jobu and Kirk are precision made quality products, the other two are not, but they are cheaper.

At the end of the day it is your money, and your choice ... but my Benro head had the screws secured with super glue, the main axel bearing was off centre and the thing would not move more than a degree or two.
Click to expand...
Martyn, did you not have the Gh1?

The GH2 is a totally different and better head.
 
I and my friends numbering of about a dozen used to own a Manfrotto 393 but have migrated from it. We all used 800s, 600s, 500s, 400/2.8, 300/2.8, 200/2.0 & 400/5.6 on it.

Why? It wasn't ergonomic and if you have gear worth north of $8,000 loaded you dont want to deal with complicated & difficult gear support. You also do not want to deal with iffy gear if your shoot location is very difficult to get to and time is a scarce commodity. It is just false economy. Near accidents suck and often lead to early retirement from photography.

We all went for the 393 because it was very easy to buy and easier on the wallet. No need to import or put out 6x the money. But again false economy.

Now, what did we replace it with? Those who cannot wait or wanted a conservative improvement went with the Wimberly. It dramatically improved our shooting and we all felt safer.

Now some of us still felt it was still a tad weighty and went for the M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head that weighs 1 lbs. 8 ounces.

Now, the 393 aint all that bad but you should look at it as a gimbal for lighter gear and baby it. I personally wouldnt use it on anything more than $3,000 worth of gear. Those who migrated from the 393 rather not talk about it because they either dont care what you (yes, you!) buy or not want to offend people who are emotionally attached to it. But I feel that someone has to speak up that there is a better way.

As for the Benro, I have the same sentiment with the 393. Know what it can do and not ask it to do more. I have a friend who is a Benro dealer thus enjoy dealer pricing and he uses Gitzo, Wimberly and M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head. I also have another friend who is a Benro product endorser and still uses Gitzo, Wimberly and M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head throughout his contract with Benro. Benro dealer asked me what he should use and I recommended to him what he uses now. Benro endorser used to use a 393 to but knew he was better off not using it. I also recommended the Gitzo, Wimberly and M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head.

Finally, if you are happy with the Benro or 393 then more power to you. :thumbs: Just dont expect me to recommend it to others or use it during my shoots. I learned my lesson. :bonk:

=======

Wimberly making gear for Benro & Induro doesnt make any sense. AFAIK Wimberly is manufactured in the USA while Benro/Induro in Asia.
 
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dolina said:
I and my friends numbering of about a dozen used to own a Manfrotto 393 but have migrated from it. We all used 800s, 600s, 500s, 400/2.8, 300/2.8, 200/2.0 & 400/5.6 on it.

Why? It wasn't ergonomic and if you have gear worth north of $8,000 loaded you dont want to deal with complicated & difficult gear support. You also do not want to deal with iffy gear if your shoot location is very difficult to get to and time is a scarce commodity. It is just false economy. Near accidents suck and often lead to early retirement from photography.

We all went for the 393 because it was very easy to buy and easier on the wallet. No need to import or put out 6x the money. But again false economy.

Now, what did we replace it with? Those who cannot wait or wanted a conservative improvement went with the Wimberly. It dramatically improved our shooting and we all felt safer.

Now some of us still felt it was still a tad weighty and went for the M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head that weighs 1 lbs. 8 ounces.

Now, the 393 aint all that bad but you should look at it as a gimbal for lighter gear and baby it. I personally wouldnt use it on anything more than $3,000 worth of gear. Those who migrated from the 393 rather not talk about it because they either dont care what you (yes, you!) buy or not want to offend people who are emotionally attached to it. But I feel that someone has to speak up that there is a better way.

As for the Benro, I have the same sentiment with the 393. Know what it can do and not ask it to do more. I have a friend who is a Benro dealer thus enjoy dealer pricing and he uses Gitzo, Wimberly and M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head. I also have another friend who is a Benro product endorser and still uses Gitzo, Wimberly and M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head throughout his contract with Benro. Benro dealer asked me what he should use and I recommended to him what he uses now. Benro endorser used to use a 393 to but knew he was better off not using it. I also recommended the Gitzo, Wimberly and M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head.

Finally, if you are happy with the Benro or 393 then more power to you. :thumbs: Just dont expect me to recommend it to others or use it during my shoots. I learned my lesson. :bonk:

=======

Wimberly making gear for Benro & Induro doesnt make any sense. AFAIK Wimberly is manufactured in the USA while Benro/Induro in Asia.
Click to expand...

Interesting comments, though that's the first time I've ever heard any complaint about the Manfrotto from an operational point of view, despite its large and somewhat clunky design.

Then the Mongoose M-3.6 fixes the lens sideways, hanging all the weight of those very heavy lenses on-axis at right-angles. That makes attachment more difficult, even a bit risky, and puts much more stress on the bearings. Just doesn't make such sound mechanical sense as having a lower horizontal platform, though the Mongoose version with that feature doesn't allow you adjust the height for perfect balance.
 
fracster said:
Martyn, did you not have the Gh1?

The GH2 is a totally different and better head.
Click to expand...

Yes ... made by loctite if the amount of glue used was anything to go by :D

I have heard that about the two different models, I probably got the Friday afternoon one ... nice box though ;)
 
Everybody should just get the Wimberley Mk2. They will forever wish they had spent the extra money and got the real deal :p

I have got the above (bought brand new off here from Ivan/IGADIZ in the classified saving me circa £90) and the only issue I have with it is that the 3/8" threaded hole for mounting is threaded directly into the aluminium base, I would have preferred a threaded stainless insert. It is possible to cross thread it if you are not careful, however mine is locked down and I never remove it.
 
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SLRUser said:
Everybody should just get the Wimberley Mk2. They will forever wish they had spent the extra money and got the real deal :p

I have got the above (bought brand new off here from Ivan/IGADIZ in the classified saving me circa £90) and the only issue I have with it is that the 3/8" threaded hole for mounting is threaded directly into the aluminium base, I would have preferred a threaded stainless insert. It is possible to cross thread it if you are not careful, however mine is locked down and I never remove it.
Click to expand...

I did, it came tuesday :lol: see my last post :D

I will be careful about the threads though, but i suspect it will go on the Gitzo when it comes tomorrow and come off very rarely indeed.
 
SLRUser said:
Everybody should just get the Wimberley Mk2. They will forever wish they had spent the extra money and got the real deal :p

I have got the above (bought brand new off here from Ivan/IGADIZ in the classified saving me circa £90) and the only issue I have with it is that the 3/8" threaded hole for mounting is threaded directly into the aluminium base, I would have preferred a threaded stainless insert. It is possible to cross thread it if you are not careful, however mine is locked down and I never remove it.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%. I've never regretted a single penny
 
HoppyUK said:
Interesting comments, though that's the first time I've ever heard any complaint about the Manfrotto from an operational point of view, despite its large and somewhat clunky design.

Then the Mongoose M-3.6 fixes the lens sideways, hanging all the weight of those very heavy lenses on-axis at right-angles. That makes attachment more difficult, even a bit risky, and puts much more stress on the bearings. Just doesn't make such sound mechanical sense as having a lower horizontal platform, though the Mongoose version with that feature doesn't allow you adjust the height for perfect balance.
Click to expand...

It isnt surprising no one would complain about it as they want to get rid of it at the best price.

For the money the 393 really aint that bad but there are better solutions out there.

I agree with you that the side mount of the M-3.6 is a bit difficult to do if you arent physically fit so for those instances I'd lay the tripod on its side and mount it that way. But considering the number of miles/km you will be walking any weight savings is welcome.

But consider this, Art Morris who sells both the Whimberly and Mongoose has no problem using the Mongoose despite turning 67yo on the 14th. Not to mention I know half a dozen of those using the M-3.6 5x out of a given week for months on end not communicating to me any headache with it. Sure the lens foot for the Series II lenses would've been better designed but that's another topic entirely.

I dont own a Mongoose as of yet as my shoots have reduced to once a month. Why spend on improvements that you'll enjoy once a month?

Then again if you have an assistant carrying your gear for you then you can use an aluminum tripod or even a steel one. :lol:
 
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