Recently I purchased a Jobu Design Jr. 3 Deluxe Gimbal head. I’d spent quite some time searching for a gimbal head. There are quite a few well known brands out there, Wimberley, Really Right Stuff, Manfrotto, Kirk, Benro, Induro just to name a few.
I wanted something light, I hate hiking long distances carrying heavy gear and I’ve already got a Really Right Stuff BH-55 which weighs a tonne, so I didn’t want to add too much more weight to my pack weight and at 1.5lbs (680grams) it comes in as quite a light gimbal head. But it had to be able to support a 1D Series Canon, 2x Extender and at least a 500mm f/4 IS lens, along with a 580EX with compact battery pack along with a Better Beamer.
I wanted something strong and the Jobu Design Jr. 3 Deluxe Gimbal head has a one-piece hollow, cast, heat-treated body, making it extremely stiff. Its curved design and tubing has a very solid feel. The main body has a matte black textured finish which gives you confidence when holding it.
I wanted a gimbal head that fitted with all my existing lens feet, base plates L-brackets etc, so the Jobu’s swing arm has an integrated Arca-Swiss compatible quick release mount which helps keep the overall gimbal head weight down and is finished matte smooth black finish. I’d have preferred a similar finish as the swing arm body, but the differing surfaces do not detract from my appreciation of this gimbal head.
The swing arm has an adjustable offset for the swing arm giving configuration possibilities to suit balancing different lens setups with the use of an allen key. Combined with my 4th Generation CRX-5 Low Mount replacement foot it was easy to find a comfortable balance for my Canon 500mm f/4 IS Mk II and 1D Mark IV.
The custom-designed fluted knobs give the two drag knobs on the main gimbal assembly a nice feel. The swing arm itself has a smaller plastic knob which matches the smooth black finish of the swing arm, but doesn’t have the same tactile feel as the main body knobs. Given that the rubberised knobs are used for adjusting drag where as the smooth plastic is for fixing a lens to the swing arm so I’m more than willing to pass over the difference in feel.
Adorned with a small orange jobu design logo on the main body and a website and model number on the top of the tripod mount , the gimbal head is relatively unadorned and inconspicuous.
I’ve seen various configurations used for mounting a gimbal head. Some people put a quick release plate on the bottom of it for easy mounting to a levelling base or tripod head. Others like myself go with the tried and proven (and recommended) method of screwing the head straight to the tripod. It does take a bit longer than a quick release plate when it comes to changing from a ball head to a gimbal head, but in my opinion, its makes for a more stable mount.
Overall I’ve been extremely happy with my Jobu Design Jr. 3 Deluxe Gimbal Head, a welcome addition to my bag and now travels everywhere my 500mm goes.