The best gimbal heads effectively make your camera weightless! An absolute boon to for heavier setups, a good gimbal head effectively hangs the camera in suspension, giving it a lower centre of gravity and allowing it to be held indefinitely in any position you place it in, even if the tilt lock is loosened.
This gives you a rock-solid base for panning shots even if you're using an ultra-heavy telephoto lens. Gimbal heads are typically used by bird photographers and at airshows, where you need to move a super-telephoto lens quickly to keep up with a subject - and where you may need to wait hours to get the shot you want. They're not necessary for everyone, so if you're using lighter lenses, you may want to consider the best ball heads instead.
Gimbal heads are sophisticated pieces of kit, especially if you opt for a premium one made out of a stronger but more expensive material like carbon fiber, so you need to be prepared to pay more than you would for an average ball head. That's why we've scoured the shelves to find the best gimbal heads available. From various different manufacturers, these are the gimbal heads we reckon offer the best bang for your buck right now.
Ben Andrews
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia when it comes to recommending the best buys.
Benro's carbon fibre gimbal head is our top pick – blending a lightweight build with heavy payload support and butter-smooth engineering. Excellent stuff.
Available for an affordable price, Benro's GH2 impresses with smooth movement and decent capacity. It's not as silky smooth as some others, but is a good budget option.
As beautifully engineered as all Gitzo products are, the GHFG1 uses a fluid cartridge system for its movement. It looks the part, and comes in the mid-range, price-wise.
It's a very pricey option, but the CB Gimbal can be extensively customized to the user's preference, with nine knobs around the bracketry for precise positioning.
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Best overall
(Image credit: Benro)
1. Benro GH5C
Carbon fiber construction makes this head lightweight and strong
Specifications
Construction material: Carbon fiber
Load rating: 29.94kg
Weight: 1.1kg
Reasons to buy
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Fluid panning movement
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Strong and light
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Vertical and panoramic scales
Reasons to avoid
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Expensive
What's so good about the Benro GH5C? One major ace in the hole for this gimbal head is its carbon fiber construction. This material is both stronger and lighter than the other main construction material for heads and tripods – aluminum – and means that you'll be able to support heavier payloads with the head, and have an easier time ferrying it to and from your shooting locations. And we do mean heavy payloads, with the GH5C (no relation to the Panasonic GH5) able to support a whopping 29.94kg of kit, which is more than enough for even chunky pro video setups.
Benro has outdone itself with the engineering here; the movement of the GH5C is smooth as butter, even when it's loaded up to the nines. Panning movements are made ridiculously easy, on both horizontal and vertical axes. It comes at a cost, but this is a tool made for and marketed to professionals, so that's to be expected.
Best premium
(Image credit: Future)
2. Wimberley WH-200 Version II
Technically the best, but you’ll need to justify the outlay
Specifications
Construction material: Aluminum
Load rating: 68kg
Weight: 1.4kg
Reasons to buy
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Great build quality
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Super smooth operation
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Extensive lens compatility
Reasons to avoid
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High price
The Wimberley WH-200 Version II is an all-around excellent gimbal head, with a well-deserved reputation in the industry. Offering superb freedom of movement even with the largest lenses, the WH-200 Version II has a redesigned panning base compared to the original, with zero play, and its pan-locking knob has been moved to the side for easier one-handed operation. The knobs themselves are grippy and ergonomically designed, making them easy to adjust even when you're wearing gloves.
In use, it's absolutely sublime, both fluid and firm when it needs to be. Wimberley has gone over this head from top to bottom to ensure tight tolerances, and the pan and tilt axes turn with exceptional smoothness. The standardized Arca-Swiss mount ensure broad compatibility, and Wimberley even supplies replacement low-profile lens feet to ensure compatibility with lenses that have a taller than average foot. It's only the higher-than-average asking price that keeps this out of the top spot, but if your budget goes this far, it's absolutely worth it.
Best value
(Image credit: Future)
3. Benro GH2
Tremendous value for money in this simple but effective gimbal head.
Specifications
Construction material: Aluminum
Load rating: 23kg
Weight: 1.44kg
Reasons to buy
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Great value
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No-nonsense design
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Smooth rotation
Reasons to avoid
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Short on customisation
Benro doesn't only make expensive heads – the GH2 is a great budget option for those who need gimbal head stabilisation and don't have as much to spend. It's not quite as sophisticated as some of the other heads we've got on our list – the Gitzo is more stylish, and the Custom Brackets option is more modular. However, it's still an excellent head to use, with easy-locking knobs on pan and tilt, enough adjustment on the vertical arm for mounting tall lenses, and an Arca mounting plate that makes it compatible with just about anything.
The movement is also delightfully smooth – perhaps not quite as silky as some of the pricier heads, but delivering well on all axes. We tried it our with a 4.5kg 400mm f/2.8 setup and had absolutely no problems at all. This is a good opportunity to save yourself some cash if you don't need the absolute top of the range.
Best fluid head
(Image credit: Future)
4. Gitzo GHFG1 Fluid Gimbal Head
Italian design from the king of tripod manufacturers
Specifications
Construction material: Magnesium & aluminum
Load rating: 8kg
Weight: 1.35kg
Reasons to buy
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Great build quality
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Lots of lens support
Reasons to avoid
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Disappointing fluid dampening
You can count on Gitzo products being beautifully designed and well engineered, and accordingly, the GHFG1 Fluid Gimbal Head looks and feels fantastic. Its fluid dampening system works decently enough, though perhaps not as well as one might have hoped, but this is still a really solid gimbal head that'll support even hefty kit setups. While the maximum capacity isn't as enormous as the Benro GH2's, in practice 8kg is going to be more than enough for most photographers' support needs, so wildlife and outdoor action photographers can rest easy.
Control knobs are easy to operate, and the Arca-style plate makes it easy to balance and detach equipment when necessary. Really, you can't go wrong with anything Gitzo-branded, as this high-quality head goes to show.
Best for travel
(Image credit: Benro)
5. Benro GH2F
A unique folding design makes this gimbal head highly portable.
Specifications
Construction material: Aluminum
Load rating: 10kg
Weight: 1.1kg
Reasons to buy
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Folds down for easy storage
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Arca-style swivel mount
Reasons to avoid
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Less payload capacity than others
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Compact design slightly restricts motion
An interesting addition to Benro's gimbal line-up, the GH2F differs from the regular GH2 in one key way – it has a folding design that means it packs down very small. Benro is clearly angling this towards travel photographers and those whose kit space is at a premium, and it works well. While additional moving parts in any gadget are always a bit of a risk – as they're another thing that can potentially break – the Benro GH2F is solidly constructed, and in use it doesn't feel at all fragile.
The movement of the gimbal is nice and smooth, particularly on the horizontal axis. Having a rotating Arca-compatible plate on the mounting arm is a welcome feature, as it means the user can very swiftly change to and from a vertical shooting orientation (the arm can also be removed entirely and used separately as an L-bracket for Arca-compatible heads). At 10kg, this is one of the lighter-payload gimbal heads, and it's also worth mentioning that its small dimensions mean you can be a little more restricted in terms of vertical camera movement.
Most customizable
(Image credit: Future)
6. Custom Brackets CB Gimbal
Hugely impressive, but the price is hard to justify
Specifications
Construction material: Aluminum
Load rating: 100kg
Weight: 1.5kg
Reasons to buy
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Silky smooth operation
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Highly versatile
Reasons to avoid
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Expensive
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Variable friction control ineffective
Named appropriately, this gimbal is all about customization. There are no fewer than nine knobs dotted around the bracketry, with separate pan and tilt drag knobs to control resistance independently of the locking clamps. The complexity is also a result of this being a collapsible, modular design, where the horizontal and vertical arms can be separated for more streamlined storage.
Another thoughtful touch is the scalloped-edge base plate that you can grip directly when mounting the head to your tripod, rather than using the pan lock for extra leverage.
As you’d expect for hardware with a premium price, build quality is top notch. Everything clamps down securely, there’s no lateral play in any bearings, and the plethora of adjustment options makes it a cinch to mount lenses of all sizes. Once on board, even the heaviest glass will move effortlessly.
The Katana Professional looks more like a piece of weapons hardware than a camera support, owing to its macho design and huge 33cm height. Being such a tall gimbal does mean there’s plenty of vertical adjustment to perfectly balance even the largest lens.
The stellar build and material quality results in a load capacity of 23kg, ensuring any lens this side of the Hubble Space Telescope will have a stable footing. The only drawback of such strength is that, at 2.2kg, this is the heaviest gimbal here.
Maintenance-free steel ball bearings give perfectly smooth tilt and panning motion, and with no bearing slack when the locking knobs are undone. These are large enough for easy use in all weathers, plus they can be repositioned for more convenient access. You can also partly tighten the locking knobs to increase friction without introducing any jerkiness, and when fully tightened, your camera is held steady.
Pan and tilt aren’t as smooth as with a gimbal head
This isn’t actually gimbal head but, instead, operates as a jointed bracket. Despite its relatively basic design, it weighs 1.6kg and has a hefty maximum load rating of 20kg. The bracket is based on two U-shaped supports, the inner one rotating within the outer one. Three operating heights are available and you can even hang the lens from the inner support. Panning and tilting are both reasonably smooth. The bracket is primarily intended for use with a monopod but works equally well with a tripod. It’s not as sophisticated or as smooth-acting as the best gimbal heads, but we have found it a good budget alternative.
How to choose the best gimbal head
Gimbal heads are a very specific type of accessory, with a distinct list of features. While they tend to be oriented towards a more advanced photographer or videographer, everyone who gets one is going to be a first-time buyer once, so with that in mind we've put together a quick guide to the things to look for.
1. Vertical adjustment
You don't necessarily need to get a gimbal with vertical adjustment to feel the benefits of a gimbal head, but if you want to achieve complete weightlessness then you'll need it. The more vertical travel it has, the better.
2. Precision engineering Loosening the clamps locking the pan base and tilt arm on cheaper gimbals, can introduce slack and wobble in the joints. Better designs will have tighter tolerances.
2. Precision engineering
Loosening the clamps that lock the pan base and tilt arm on cheaper gimbals can unfortunately introduce unwanted slack and wobble in the joints. However, better (and usually more expensive) designs will have tighter tolerances.
3. Ergonomics
While small dials and controls can look stylish and tidy, any wildlife photographer knows that it's easy to get caught short in bad weather. Set yourself up for success by looking for a gimbal head that has large controls that are easy to grip through gloves.
4. Mounting methods
All of the gimbal heads that we've featured in this guide use the Arca-Swiss mounting plate standard. If you purchase a gimbal head with a long plate, then you'll also get better adjustment.
5. Don't skimp on the legs
Mounting a gimbal head on a cheap travel tripod is akin to fitting a state-of-the-art lock to a flimsy wooden door. Look for sturdy, rigid legs, even if the combined weight will be unwieldy.
How we test gimbal heads
When it comes to accessories like gimbal heads, we do as much testing as possible in the field. We commission experienced reviewers who have used these products before and know exactly what to look for and where any weak points might be. For gimbal heads in specific, we look at stability, ease of setup, smoothness of operation and portability. We test how smoothly the camera moves, how securely it is held and whether there are any design niggles that prevent it from working as it should – e.g. different parts knocking into each other when the camera is moved to certain positions.
FAQs
What is a gimbal head used for?
A gimbal head is not the same thing as a stabilizing gimbal like the DJI Ronin SC, which is used for video. A gimbal head is designed for photographers, specifically those who are using long telephoto lenses. It provides smooth, stable movement of the camera and lens along horizontal and vertical axes, while also holding them steadily in position when the user lets go. Essentially, it means you get the stability of a tripod, and the fluidity and flexibility of hand-held shooting. For sports and wildlife photographers especially, they can be hugely useful.
Can you use a gimbal head on a monopod?
A standard gimbal head would technically fit on a monopod, but would likely be too big and unwieldy to really be what you'd call useful. However, some manufacturers do offer gimbal heads that are specifically designed to work on monopods, so if this is a route you want to go down, these are worth looking into – the Manfrotto 393 Long Lens Monopod Bracket featured on our list will work well.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
