Oh my goodness! I couldn't be happier. I had purchased a Tamron 150-600mm and was so excited to use it, but it was heavy. At least for me it was. I generally always use a tripod but even with a tripod, it was so cumbersome by the time I'd get it pointed in the right direction and locked into place the bird had flown off and was probably ready to fly south for the winter. I was frustrated. Several friends had mentioned the Manfrotto Gimbal Support so I bit the bullet and bought one. What a lifesaver!!! Now that heavy lens just floats there and stays put in the general direction I aim it. Then, when something, usually a bird, catches my eye in another direction, it's just a swivel away and I've got it. I could not be happier. I actually captured the best wildlife shot of my life just days after getting it. A beautiful gray wolf staring me down. I am happy, happy, happy!!!

i like to photograph animals doing what they do when no one is watching. This support allowed me to move the lens/camera effortlessly. There is no need to look elsewhere for a great lens/camera support, this one does it all.

I use the head for bird photography. I don't have a really large sense, but even with 100-400 zoom plus extender this is very helpful to easily handle the weight of the camera and lens. Used it a few ties and it works great. MUCH better than the ball head system I was using. An unusual design for a gimbal-type head, but I actually like the 2-U system, rather than 2-L's. I can rest both my hands of the top of each side of the support and easily manual focus with a finger on each side of the focus ring for very fine tuning, with almost no vibration of the equipment. Some have complained about the frame on both sides getting in the way of the lens controls but this has not been a problem for me. May depend on what lens you are using. It is very well build and sturdy. I like the very simple design and support on both sides of the lens. For simplicity, stability and durability, you could not find a better design. The connecting plate is large, which I like. I also do handheld shooting and the leave the plate on the lens. It is a great handle for me - I have large hands and the foot on the lens is too small for me to hold easily. Also if I set the lens and camera down on a table or any flat surface, it balances on the plate - very stable and won't tip over. The plate and equipment go on and off the head/tripod very quickly. The safety catch means it will never fall off. The only downside I can see is the weight. It is heaver than a good gimbal head, but not by much. This doesn't bother me, but if a few more ounces would be too much for you, then this is something to consider. Almost a third of the price for a top of the line, equal quality gimbal head. When I get a large telephoto lens this will easily handle it. Very satisfied with this head.

Bought this to use on the Tamron 150-600mm lens. Setup was quite simple and easy to use. First day took it to the lake and it made using the big Tamron lens a breeze. Fluid easy movement and when you let go it holds in place. Tension adjustment was easy and I will use this a lot. Have the removeable plate mounted on the lens where it will stay.

Bought this to use on my bird photo outings, it is used with the Tamron 150-600 mm zoom lens. Superb match, and saves a lot of wear and tear on my back when tracking the in flight birds. I use this in the U configuration. I found that adjusting the lens a little further back on the quick release plate gave me the clearance I wanted/needed for the lens controls to be easily accessed. I have done quite well over the years in learning how to track the birds off the tripod, and get decent photos. This gimbal head however, has increased my keepers by 50%. Well worth the price, and my back is much happier now. Great device, with very little downside, if anything it is heavy, but then again it really needs to be to support the large variety of lenses out there.

After considering several gimbal type mounts for my 150-600 Tamron lens, I found this to be the best combination of rock solid support, and smooth and easy panning to follow such things as birds in flight. I also feel it is a terrific value.

Too big and heavy for lighter teles..but the guy next to me had this for his $25K lens, that wt. 20 pds.

I bought this to support my D810 and Sigma 150-600. This support is very sturdy and well built. It has no problem supporting said equipment. Once locked in, the camera and lens combination did not move at all. It certainly removes a lot of effort on my part to take a nice sharp 600mm shot. I highly recommend this.