For the past month I have been seriously considering a project requiring a telephoto lens with a medium format camera. For about half that time I envisioned using a 600mm SMC Takamur 67 lens on the Pentax 67II with a Gimbal head but came to the conclusion that the 400mm SMC Takumar, which I already have, with a 1.4 rear converter giving an effective focal length of 560mm would be the better choice - both financially and optically. So I ordered just a Manfrotto 393 Gimbal head and instead of the 600mm Takumar 67, because they were priced so reasonable, a 400mm Pentax FA EDIF for the NII which, without a rear converter, gives almost the same FOV as the 67 Takumar with the rear converter but is also auto focus. Today I had the opportunity to scout the shooting location with the NII without the head and it looked good. Panning around with the camera set on auto, the typical exposure on ASA 100 film seemed to be f8 @ 350/sec.

And then it struck me: The 4x5 Toyo Robos should easily mount on the gimbal head and with a 760mm Apo Nikkor lens, which I have and in a shutter, and would give about the same FOV as the 2 medium format cameras and lens as mentioned above. Has anyone shot LF using a Gimbal head that would care to comment? My tripods are a Gitzo G1500 and Manfrotto 475B.

Thomas