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About the Wimberley Sidekick
At 1.3 pounds and small enough to be easily packed, the Sidekick converts your ball head into a gimbal head in seconds.
Simply slide the Sidekick into the quick-release of your ball head. The Sidekick's elevated tilt mechanism and side-mounted quick release allow the lens to rotate around its center of gravity. This provides the same action and ease of use found in the original Wimberley Head at greatly reduced size, weight, and cost. Remove the Sidekick and your ball head is ready to use with smaller lenses.
What's Included
SK-100 with sidemount QR clamp
10 Year on all products from Wimberley
Made in USA. embled in Charlottesville, Virginia
Wes S.
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2024
I recently purchased the Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR. Such a large lens is cumbersome, at best, on a standard ball head, so I needed to go with a gimbal. The pricing on gimbal heads can be a bit daunting, but I was ready to bite the bullet until a friend told me about this device. It works perfectly when paired with my RRS BH-55. Very sturdy and much more affordable than having to buy a dedicated gimbal head. Plus, I have the flexibility of only needing 1 head for my tripod.
Wyvern
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2023
Along with a good tripod head (I use an Arca Swiss) this one provides a gimbal head system that can easily hold a 150-600 telephoto (with a Nikon D500 camera attached).Smooth to use and rotate, sturdy to hold, great addition for a photographer gear.
Giuseppe
Reviewed in Italy on June 24, 2022
Il Wimberley SK-100 Sidekick è davvero favoloso, leggero e fluido, l’unica pecca forse e che se hai un corpo macchina (reflex più battery pack) e un po limitato nell’ inclinazione sia verso il basso che in’alto va a toccare la testa a sfera, però ripeto e favoloso.
Valentina
Reviewed in Italy on December 2, 2022
Perfetta!
Tosca
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2021
I purchased the sidekick to take to Costa Rica so I could use the ballhead on my tripod and not have to switch heads. I have practiced with it and it seems to work great. It attaches very easily to the ballhead, seems well balanced, and holds the camera easily. I do find it a bit tricky to attach the camera as you are attaching it sideways, but with a bit of practice it is easily doable.
Ken Elliott
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2021
I had been thinking about getting a full gimbal for my Nikon 500 mm lens (huge and heavy). The inventor of them is the Wimberley Head. I wasn't sure I'd use it enough to justify the price. I've seen several less-expensive copies of the Wimberley Head, but most I've tried seemed a bit rough and not that strong. Those things are huge, and add to the already too heavy gear bag. What to do?I decided to try a Wimberly Sidekick. It is a lot smaller, and less expensive. I considered a cheaper copy, but since the copies of the big Wimberly head didn't impress me, I was concerned the same would happen with a copy of the Sidekick. The Sidekick price is not unreasonable, so I wanted to support the people who invented it.Wow. This thing is solid, light weight and works perfectly. Super smooth, perfectly finished, and a delight to use. I wish I had bought one long ago. There is no "grinding" feeling like the cheaper copies. I've used it with shorter lenses, and for video. This thing is far more useful than I expected.It also feels good that the purchase supports a small, father/son company that innovates. If that doesn't matter to you, then buy it because it works perfectly. I use it on a Gitzo carbon tripod with an Arca-Swiss ball head, and adds very little weight to my gear bag. Well worth the money.
Ron M
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2017
The Wimberley Sidekick SK-100 is a fantastic piece of equipment to convert your ball head into a gimbal head for a reasonable price. Excellent engineering, material and quality. I use it with the Sigma 150-600 Sport, which is a heavy lens, and the balance and movements with the Sidekick are precise and smooth. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is the lack of a positive safety stop screw to prevent the Sidekick from sliding off the ball head mount. I had to buy the extra Sidekick Safety Plate to provide this feature. (Note that this is not necessary but for peace of mind in case you forget to tighten everything properly and then carry your tripod over your shoulder.) However, it seems like Wimberley could have included a 10 cent screw on the Sidekick to positively lock it to the ball head without the need to buy a separate $50 add-on. Maybe a future design upgrade?
Gabor Dezso Czibor
Reviewed in Germany on April 10, 2017
Perfectly fit to my Rollei Fotopro T7 ball head (load capacity 34 kg) and a Jobu replacement foot for Sigma 150-600 Sport. Highly recommended to save a lot of money if you have a strong ball head instead of buying a complete gimbal head (+ a tripod if you do not want to change heads on your existing tripod). Unfortunately SK-100 is available quite seldom in Europe because not so many dealers deal with Wimberley.
Neal
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2016
Wow, what a great product! I've been using a ball head (Sirui K-40X) and have been happy with it for the kind of shooting I've been doing: Macro, landscape - pretty much slow stuff. But I recently bought a super telephoto, and needed a way to handle the weight and track - as I will be using it primarily for birding. This add-on to the ball head is exactly the answer! Half the price of a separate gimbal head, smaller to pack, and much more convenient to use with my ball head. Using the pan of the ball head, and the rotation of the Sidekick, I have simple, quick tracking in three dimensions. My only limiter is pointing straight up, or really above about 80 degrees. Not much of a limiter unless the bird flies directly overhead. I would heartily recommend this for anyone who already owns a solid ball head and needs to add gimbal capabilities!
Dr. J.E.Price
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2016
It's okay. However, the literature that came with the product listed more than $100.00 worth of accessories they recommended I purchase in order to ensure this product would safely hold my expensive lenses safely. After reading their ;literature, researching product reviews, and putting it together in my living room - I just did not feel comfortable that the product was safe. So I returned it for a refund
Precision Works Mechanical Electrical
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2016
My 100-400 Canon lens was impossible to use on a large ball head. I ordered the Sidekick & the lens & 7DII body (with battery grip) balanced perfectly, even with a Speedlite attached to the flash bracket. A phenomenal piece of kit that takes up little room in the bag, doesn't cost a fortune & exceeds my expectations in every way.I bought a "blem" but could find no blemishes anywhere on the Sidekick, making it a great value. NOTE: If you use a lever lock clamp like the Really Right Stuff you'll need to add the AK-100 foot to the Sidekick. The AK-100 fits my RRS clamp exactly like the RRS foot on my body & lenses.I see no reason to spend a lot more money on the full size gimbal unless your lens/body combination will not balance with the Sidekick.
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