Beike Gimbal Tripod head

excanonfd · 03-19-2013, 02:08 PM

I have just received the Beike Gimbal head from China and I will be doing all the mods mentioned in the various threads here in the forums to make this gimbal head work as smoothly as possible. If anyone who has modified their Beike or equivalent gimbal heads to chime in and describe the modification in detail or post the link to threads in the forums where you have posted the mod procedure, that would be most helpful.

For those who own the Jobu, Wimberly and other premier makers of the gimbal heads, how smooth and easy are your gimbal heads to pivot and swing the two main moving components without the camera and the lens mounted? Yours are the benchmark that I hope to achieve in trying to modify the Beike.

Thanks,

oeriies · 03-19-2013, 04:29 PM

Use it before you modify it would be my advice. My Beike was good out of the box. Others have bad copies. The variability is great so don't assume anything. My Beike is better than my Jobu, except for weight.

gjtoth · 03-19-2013, 04:43 PM

Originally posted by oeriies

Use it before you modify it would be my advice. My Beike was good out of the box. Others have bad copies. The variability is great so don't assume anything. My Beike is better than my Jobu, except for weight.

Dittos!

excanonfd · 03-19-2013, 08:02 PM

The pivoting around the centre column is quite decent, fairly smooth, like any other head. The swing seem quite stiff but with a heavy lens attached, the stiffness might become a plus. I'll try it out tomorrow with the heaviest two lenses that I have.

**crewl1** · 03-19-2013, 08:37 PM

Check this post for how I worked on mine. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/welcomes-introductions/218490-beike-bk45-...ml#post2313501

**crewl1** · 03-19-2013, 08:39 PM

Originally posted by excanonfd

For those who own the Jobu, Wimberly and other premier makers of the gimbal heads, how smooth and easy are your gimbal heads to pivot and swing the two main moving components without the camera and the lens mounted? Yours are the benchmark that I hope to achieve in trying to modify the Beike.

I have upgraded to the Katana and there is no comparison. Unloaded movements in swing and pivot are effortless.

excanonfd · 03-19-2013, 11:59 PM

Originally posted by crewl1

Check this post for how I worked on mine. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/welcomes-introductions/218490-beike-bk45-...ml#post2313501

Thanks Larry, I'll try this for sure. If i could get smooth, effortless swing while unloaded, I'd be very happy.

baldrick · 04-08-2013, 10:57 PM

Originally posted by oeriies

Use it before you modify it would be my advice. My Beike was good out of the box. Others have bad copies. The variability is great so don't assume anything. My Beike is better than my Jobu, except for weight.

I`ll second this. I`ve had mine for about six months and would not change it for any of the rip offs.

crayville · 09-21-2013, 10:37 PM

They are garbage and the reason they don't move smoothly is that they don't have any bearings in them as advertised.
I had all sorts of problems getting them to admit to this and I sent mine back for replacement.
The new one arrived and was worse than the original. I then pulled it apart to find the problem of no bearings.
Then they said send it back to them with tracking post. I gave up at this stage as it orginally cost about $120
and with the additional cost of a second $50 to return it it all became unviable, particularly if there was a problem with the refund.
In other words don't buy a Beike or other branded alternative as you will get the same thing.
Bruce Wells Australia

littledrawe · 09-21-2013, 11:26 PM

Originally posted by baldrick

I`ll second this. I`ve had mine for about six months and would not change it for any of the rip offs.

Isn't the beike the "rip-off"

gjtoth · 09-26-2013, 09:18 AM

Originally posted by littledrawe

Isn't the beike the "rip-off"

It's the "knock-off".

baldrick · 10-13-2013, 04:06 AM

No, the rip-offs are the ones that come with a price in the multiple hundreds of dollars.

03-19-2013, 02:08 PM	#1
excanonfd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,421	Beike Gimbal Tripod head I have just received the Beike Gimbal head from China and I will be doing all the mods mentioned in the various threads here in the forums to make this gimbal head work as smoothly as possible. If anyone who has modified their Beike or equivalent gimbal heads to chime in and describe the modification in detail or post the link to threads in the forums where you have posted the mod procedure, that would be most helpful. For those who own the Jobu, Wimberly and other premier makers of the gimbal heads, how smooth and easy are your gimbal heads to pivot and swing the two main moving components without the camera and the lens mounted? Yours are the benchmark that I hope to achieve in trying to modify the Beike. Thanks,

09-21-2013, 10:37 PM	#9
crayville New Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 8	Beike Gimbal Head They are garbage and the reason they don't move smoothly is that they don't have any bearings in them as advertised. I had all sorts of problems getting them to admit to this and I sent mine back for replacement. The new one arrived and was worse than the original. I then pulled it apart to find the problem of no bearings. Then they said send it back to them with tracking post. I gave up at this stage as it orginally cost about $120 and with the additional cost of a second $50 to return it it all became unviable, particularly if there was a problem with the refund. In other words don't buy a Beike or other branded alternative as you will get the same thing. Bruce Wells Australia

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03-19-2013, 04:29 PM	#2
oeriies Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 121	Use it before you modify it would be my advice. My Beike was good out of the box. Others have bad copies. The variability is great so don't assume anything. My Beike is better than my Jobu, except for weight.

03-19-2013, 04:43 PM	#3
gjtoth Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Louisville, Kentucky, USA Posts: 1,962	Originally posted by oeriies Use it before you modify it would be my advice. My Beike was good out of the box. Others have bad copies. The variability is great so don't assume anything. My Beike is better than my Jobu, except for weight. Dittos!

03-19-2013, 08:02 PM	#4
excanonfd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,421 Original Poster	The pivoting around the centre column is quite decent, fairly smooth, like any other head. The swing seem quite stiff but with a heavy lens attached, the stiffness might become a plus. I'll try it out tomorrow with the heaviest two lenses that I have.

03-19-2013, 08:37 PM	#5
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	Check this post for how I worked on mine. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/welcomes-introductions/218490-beike-bk45-...ml#post2313501

03-19-2013, 08:39 PM	#6
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	Originally posted by excanonfd For those who own the Jobu, Wimberly and other premier makers of the gimbal heads, how smooth and easy are your gimbal heads to pivot and swing the two main moving components without the camera and the lens mounted? Yours are the benchmark that I hope to achieve in trying to modify the Beike. I have upgraded to the Katana and there is no comparison. Unloaded movements in swing and pivot are effortless.

03-19-2013, 11:59 PM	#7
excanonfd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,421 Original Poster	Originally posted by crewl1 Check this post for how I worked on mine. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/welcomes-introductions/218490-beike-bk45-...ml#post2313501 Thanks Larry, I'll try this for sure. If i could get smooth, effortless swing while unloaded, I'd be very happy.

04-08-2013, 10:57 PM	#8
baldrick Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bulli, NSW Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 67	Originally posted by oeriies Use it before you modify it would be my advice. My Beike was good out of the box. Others have bad copies. The variability is great so don't assume anything. My Beike is better than my Jobu, except for weight. I`ll second this. I`ve had mine for about six months and would not change it for any of the rip offs.

09-21-2013, 11:26 PM	#10
littledrawe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Red Rock Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,514	Originally posted by baldrick I`ll second this. I`ve had mine for about six months and would not change it for any of the rip offs. Isn't the beike the "rip-off"

09-26-2013, 09:18 AM	#11
gjtoth Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Louisville, Kentucky, USA Posts: 1,962	Originally posted by littledrawe Isn't the beike the "rip-off" It's the "knock-off".

10-13-2013, 04:06 AM	#12
baldrick Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bulli, NSW Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 67	No, the rip-offs are the ones that come with a price in the multiple hundreds of dollars.