ProMediaGear Katana £563, $750
www.promediagear.com
The Katana looks more like a piece of military hardware than a camera support, thanks to its macho design and huge 33cm height. A load capacity of ‘just’ 23 kilograms isn’t especially impressive, but superb build and material quality give the impression it could hold more. However, at 2.2 kilograms, this is the heaviest gimbal in our group.
The top-notch build quality also extends to the tilt and panning motion, which is perfectly smooth and has no bearing slack when the locking knobs are undone. When tightened, these will hold your Nikon steady, and are large enough for easy use in all weathers, plus they can be repositioned for easier access. The fact that’s it’s so tall also means there’s plenty of vertical adjustment to perfectly balance even the largest lens.