"The Wimberley Sidekick is a very important accessory that makes photographing action in the field with long lenses an easier task. I simply add the Sidekick to my ballhead and immediately have a gimbal-type head that has smooth movements in every direction. I particularly like to use the Sidekick with a Canon EOS 500mm f/4L IS lens for flying bird photography. The fact that the Sidekick is small and lightweight and still allows me to use the ballhead for other types of photography is a real advantage."

-George Lepp

"The sidekick has become my constant companion on photo shoots, because, for a little more weight it offers a wide range of new possibilities in wildlife photography. Recently on an assignment for a story about flying-foxes in Australia it proved to be an invaluable tool for photographing these large bats in flight and in trees above me. Without the sidekick I would not have been able to balance my 600/f4 lens on the tripod in an almost straight upwards position. In conjunction with a sturdy ball head it has absolutely no problem handling heavy lenses."

-Theo Allofs

“With today’s action oriented auto focus cameras and large, fast lenses it’s more important then ever to have a stable platform to shoot from. What good is quality auto focus if you can’t keep up with your subject. That’s where the Wimberley Sidekick comes in. It’s stable, fast and wonderfully light. It’s a great asset for fast moving action photography.”

-Daniel J. Cox

"The Wimberley Tripod head has become synonymous with the smooth and easy operation of a large telephoto lens in the field. Now, with the addition of the new Sidekick, that fluid Wimberley action is available in a lighter weight model that makes it ideal for international travel where baggage weights on the airlines can be a real problem. We highly recommend it to all of our Photo Safaris clients on our international wildlife shoots. I wouldn't be without it for my 500mm autofocus."

-Joe Van Os

" Next to the camera, when shooting wildlife in action, the Wimberley Sidekick may be the most important piece of equipment I carry. In a world of increasingly complicated photographic equipment this simple, easy to use, beautifully design supplement to the ball-head is pure genius. The first time I used the Sidekick* in the field I blessed the Wimberleys for coming to the rescue. I have just returned from months on assignment for World Wildlife Fund in East Africa and many of the finest images of wildlife in action would not have been possible without the Sidekick."

-Gerry Ellis

"For travel shooting, where weight and equipment limitations are a real problem, the sidekick has proven to be the perfect solution for us. Coupled with a smooth panning ballhead like a B-1 or B-1G, the sidekick gives the same freedom of movement as the larger head for following action. It's small enough for easy packing, or slipping into an accessory pocket of my photo backback."

-Mary Ann McDonald

"I wanted to see how much difference the Sidekick made compared to the Arca Swiss alone. The first day I used the Arca Swiss in the morning and added the Sidekick that afternoon. The Sidekick stayed on my tripod the rest of the trip. Keeping the auto focus sensors on the subject was much easier with the Sidekick. And with so many birds in the sky, I was able to switch from one bird to the next very quickly. The Sidekick has worked out great for me. It responds quickly and easily. Weighing only 1.3 pounds, it adds little to my already heavy setup. I have it on my tripod anytime I am in the field photographing birds or moving animals. It is a real aid in getting the right composition and keeping sharp focus. Oh, yes, I guess I should say that after using the Sidekick at Bosque I came home and called Mr. Wimberely. I told him just put it on my credit card."

-Debbie Ferrell-Smith

"The engineering and performance of the Wimberley is unparalleled in the world of tripod heads. Now, with the addition of the lightweight and versatile Sidekick, all my demanding camera support situations in the field are solved. The Sidekick amazingly imitates the functionality of the master design while serving several other applications. Both heads move with the agility of a mountain goat and the grace of a hummingbird. I simply could not work as productively without them."

-John Pezzenti, Jr.

"We used the Wimberley Sidekick mated with a Kirk ball head extensively in Florida this past spring and during the winter while leading our photo tours of Yellowstone. It was terrific for using our 300mm and 500mm lenses. The camera/lens combination balances so well that we don't have to lock the head up anymore so it's easy to pan with flying egrets or running shorebirds or just to change composition when the animal suddenly changes the direction it is looking. Anyone who shoots larger lenses with tripod collars for wildlife photography is really hurting their chances to make some great images if they aren't using Wimberley heads. They are the best! Thanks again for making such a great product."

-John & Barbara Gerlach

 

Other Prominent Users Include:

Art Wolfe

Tim Fitzharris

Tui De Roy & Mark Jones

Heather Angel

Tim Davis & Renee Lynn

Wendy Shatil & Bob Rozinsky

Kennan & Karen Ward