Andoer Bk-45 Gimbal Tripod Head For Camera Telephoto Lenses

Whist this is probably not as well made as the far more expensive makes, it is ideal for a photographer on a tight budget (me!). It is slightly stiff in movement but it's not at all jerky and feels smooth. A little light oil and lots of use will probably free things up. My very first shot taken with it of a Lesser Black Backed Gull proved it's worth. Up until now I've used a ball head, but for tracking moving targets this wins hands down. Can't afford an expensive gimbal head? Get this, it's worth every penny!

Having tried some really rather poor Beike ball heads in the past, I can safely say that this unit far exceeded my expectations. It's not perfect by any means, but certainly offers incredible performance for the price. Unlike Beike's ball heads, engineering this simple can be easily brought up to a higher level of smooth performance with just a few tweaks to the bushes, scews, washers etc (assuming you are mechanically minded of course). My unit offered really rather good performance out of the box anyway and has not been modded yet, and is a great entry product into wildlife photography.On major caveat though is that the QR plate screw is utterly terrible. Cast from the same cheap alloy as thier other QR plate screws I have seen, there is no way anyone that values their camera should trust this part. There are a couple of really poor components inside too that should be noted, and for anyone interesting in modifying and improving thier BK-45, here is a couple of guides that may interest you -http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/22-pentax-camera-field-accessories/218490-beike-bk45-gimbal-head.htmlhttp://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3793038#forum-post-55219297

just got the gimbal today the plan was to strip it down to re engineer with taper roller bearings . this was due to some comments left as reviews here and on you tube. but after inspecting and testing have decided to leave this in its standard configuration . i intend to use the head with a 150 600 sigma zoom lens. and bearing in mind the amount of change in the balance point as the lens is zoomed in and out a certain amount of friction would be an advantage to save having to balance the lens all the time. as for the weight issue its only 300grams more than a wimberly head. hope this review is of use to othersregards mike

Received this about an hour ago, straight into the garden to try it out. I put my XT1 and a 300mm 2.8 on it and it is fantastic, I used to have one of the very expensive gimbal heads (it died) this is a perfect replacement. At an 8th of the price I really can't fault it in any way. Just the right amount of stiff and all of the adjustments one needs.

After a few months of debating as to whether I need a Wimberley, I decided to risk it and go for this.I'm normally a bit weary about cheaper alternatives when it comes to tripods and their heads, but this one was worth the risk as its turned out to be an excellent purchase.This holds my nikon 300mm f4 steady and can be easily tilted and swiveled with hardly any effort except for the odd bit of stiffness.It does exactly what I needed it to, and the extra control has allowed me to get some shots I would of otherwise missed. Plus being only £60, that was a huge saving over the £520 I was willing to dish out on a Wimberley.

Fantastic value for money. I'm using it with a monfrotto monopod that has the quick adjust up and down lever and a sigma 150-600mm lens. I'm able to shoot very sharp photos at the 600mm focal length with this gimbal head. it moves easily but is not loose so your camera will not move about. The locking nut is just that. It locks on or off. Its not a friction adjustment. Much better value than paying for the more expensive models.

I can't compare it against the much more expensive Wimberly Gimbal Head because I've never owned one but assume that the Wimberly, due to its price tag would be of superior quality! I believe the Beike Bk-45 gives value for money. Mine cost about £45 (approx 1/10th price of the Wimberly). Yes mine has a problem in the horizontal axis when moving right to left; sometimes gets stuck momentarily. So far has always been smooth in the left to right panning. Vertical panning has been smooth and the locking acceptable. The head develops a wobble after a short while and this appears to be due to the fact, that the motion unwinds the bolt that is hidden under the manufacturer ID plate. I've tried unsuccessfully to cure this but it is in my view, not a great design. The lateral axis locking control is not great also but again for the money, I find it very acceptable. When locked (which takes only second or two to do), it's steady and has no problem supporting my Canon EOS 70D with Tamron 150-600mm lens. If you're on a budget and accept it probably won't give Pro quality performance, I think that like me you would accept the 'cons' given the cost compared to the Wimberly. If you can afford the Wimberly and assuming that it does give a much superior build quality/performance, you may be better getting that instead. If I end up feeling it worth the extra cost and getting one myself, I'll submit a review of that in comparison.

Open the box turn the knobs oh no the top one wont turn hmmm! took it to my workshop put it in the vice a little force on the knob......snap now in three bits! Well I could see the problem...........too much glue used to put a compass over a hex bolt. removed the glue from the spindle and worked it back and forth applying a little oil....swings and locks as it should. a little hot glue on the three bits of knob held together with some camo tape now all works fine. A little more quality control maybe.