After alot of deliberation and comparisons i'm going to order a nikon 200-500mm lens for my upcoming trip to the adirondacks. I wanted to get something good for wildlife photography and i think this will make a great addition to my kit.

Now I have to decide on accessories and such as all i've got right now is a cheap tripod with a pan and tilt head that doesn't come off. The tripod is fine for my late night sky shots i plan on taking but I am thinking about getting a monopod or a new tripod and a gimbal head for wildlife and birds.

i've spent countless hours looking at different brands and reviews and have found some things i think might be in my budget (i'm looking to spend 100-200 each on a gimbal and either a mono or tipod). I was looking to see if anyone had any real-experience with some mid-grade brands and budget equipment that can give me maybe some more insight than what the online reviews and websites tell me.

For the gimbal head i've narrowed it down to two (STILL OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS!) : neewer heavy duty gimbal that goes new on amazon for about 90$, its major downsides are that i will likely have to take apart the bearing and remove the heavy grease and replace with lighter grease; at least thats what i've read. Another option is the Manfrotto 393 which i found used for roughly the same price, only downside being its ergonomics and also higher resistance to panning. I know i'm not going to get top notch in my price range but i can't afford a wimberly and still be able to buy my lens lol!.

Now for the base. i've looked at tripods and unless i can find a cheaper high quality one i think ive settled on mono -- the main problem being finding one tall enough. standing at 5'10" my main concern is most monopods are super short. like 5 feet or shorter. ive found a few that are 6' plus and i think thats what i will want especially for birds.

I'm looking at a manfroto mvmxproa4us video monopod. yes a mouthful. I don't think being a video monopod is going to be an issue? it seems to have the height i want although i would prefer twist locks. its about 160 but seems to be sturdy and tall.

Another option is ifootage Cobra 2 C180-II. which like the manfroto opens to almost 6 feet and is priced at 180.

The last option i was considering was a Benro MAD49A Adventure which is significantly easier on the budget coming in at about 70$ and also being slightly taller than 6 feet.

I'd really love to hear any first hand advice and experience anybody has with any of the aforementioned products that could help me make the best decision possible.

I realize this is a giant wall of text, and for those who read it and can give me any input I really do appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

I can't advise much on long lens as I shoot wide mf on my leica.

But I can say after going through loads of tripods and heads, don't skimp on the pod. Get a carbon with a decent head. Carrying it on long expositions and getting thrown in out cars etc you need something decent. Main thing is the build quality and weight over high imo. You can aways find ways of getting higher and sometimes makes you more creative.


Never had a monopod, but if you already have a tripod then it makes sense to get mono. If you have neither get a tripod as it opens up so many more opportunities like night photography, studio style shots etc.

I have had many budget pods from loads of brands. The one I've been using for past 5 years is a velbron geo n640. With a gitzo head. Probably around £550 in total. But it's light reliable and already had 5 years service without an issue. Get a pod that can also stand low to the ground, again this will offer a totally different perspective and open up some of your creativity. Great for water reflection shots.

Good luck