ProMediaGear Katana Professional Tele Gimbal Head

ProMediaGear Katana Professional Telephoto Head for Heavy Telephoto Lenses

With the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Telephoto Head, you’re adding a gimbal head to your setup that is clearly built for serious telephoto work. No toy, but a precise gimbal head that confidently supports long focal lengths up to 800 mm f/5.6 while giving you the feeling that everything operates effortlessly. Even if your telephoto lens is truly heavy, the Katana telephoto head remains stable, controllable, and surprisingly smooth in its movements.

The ProMediaGear Katana Professional Gimbal Head Telephoto Head was specifically developed to guide heavy camera gear safely and in a controlled manner. Photographers working with long telephoto focal lengths get a solution that delivers uncompromising performance both for fast pans and for static shots. The design is optimized so that even during long sessions in the field, on the sidelines, or in a hide, you never feel like you’re fighting the tripod, but working with it.

Robust construction from 6061-T6 aluminum

For the material, ProMediaGear relies on 6061-T6 aluminum, an aircraft-grade aluminum known for its combination of stability and comparatively low weight. All load-bearing parts are precision CNC-milled, which you notice immediately when you pick up the telephoto head. Nothing feels wobbly, nothing feels random. The surface is finished in black, which not only looks high-end but also protects against scratches and the elements.

Weighing about 2.534 kg, the ProMediaGear Katana has enough mass to effectively dampen vibrations without overloading your tripod unnecessarily. The dimensions are chosen with practical use in mind: a height of around 33 cm, a width of about 26.67 cm, and a depth of approximately 7.62 cm provide a stable base and enough clearance for large telephoto lenses. The base, with a diameter of about 7.57 cm, offers a solid contact surface on the tripod.

Made in the USA, precision without compromise

The Katana telephoto head is manufactured in the USA, and you can sense that in its overall feel. ProMediaGear’s completely in-house development takes current technical requirements and standards into account instead of merely copying an existing head. The axis bearings are completely free of play so that you don’t have to accept any unwanted movement when working with long focal lengths.

The maximum load capacity of up to 68 kg is far above what most lens-camera combinations will ever reach. This gives you the reassuring buffer that the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Telephoto Head still operates comfortably within its limits even with very heavy super-telephoto lenses, large bodies, and possibly additional accessories such as converters or battery grips.

Smooth panning and precise tilt for telephoto photography

The panning and tilting functions of the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Gimbal Head are particularly smooth and easy thanks to the ball bearings used. The panoramic panning axis runs evenly, without jerks, and the lock is completely separate from the axis bearing. This means you can finely adjust friction and locking without affecting the smoothness of movement.

The same applies to the tilt axis. Here too, the lock is completely separated from the bearing. This keeps the movement smooth until you deliberately stop it. Both the tilt range and the panning range are 360 degrees, giving you great flexibility to react to changing subjects, whether in wildlife, sports, or with static subjects you want to frame precisely. Large, grippy locking knobs ensure that you can get a secure hold even when wearing gloves or in cold conditions.

Arca-style compatible with 38 mm dovetail

The integrated quick-release clamp of the Katana telephoto head is designed for a 38 mm dovetail and is, according to the manufacturer, Arca-style compatible. The clamp accepts various dovetail profiles, including Flexshooter 38 mm dovetail, Jobu dovetail, Leofoto dovetail, Really Right Stuff dovetail, Wimberley dovetail, Pro Media Gear dovetail, and Kirk dovetail. This lets you continue using many existing quick-release plates and lens feet without issue.

Clamping is done via a screw clamp, which allows you to achieve a finely controlled and secure lock. Especially with heavy telephoto lenses, reliable clamping is crucial to prevent slipping or tipping. The 38 mm dovetail quick-release clamp is designed to provide a stable fit while still allowing quick mounting and removal of your gear.

Tripod mount with 3/8 inch UNC female thread

On the bottom of the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Telephoto Head there is a 3/8 inch UNC female thread as the tripod mount. This standard photo thread fits most professional tripods and leveling half-bowls, allowing you to integrate the telephoto head flexibly into your existing setup. Thanks to the solid base and precise thread, the head sits securely on the tripod without wobbling or coming loose.

Optimized for long telephoto focal lengths up to 800 mm f/5.6

The Katana telephoto head is clearly designed for use with long telephoto lenses. Lenses up to 800 mm f/5.6 can be safely guided and balanced with it. If you work with large super-telephoto lenses, you know the problem: even a small imbalance makes handling tedious. This is exactly where the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Gimbal Head plays to its strengths, as it allows you to set the center of gravity of the combination precisely.

To mount the lens and balance it at its center of gravity, you additionally need a sufficiently long quick-release plate or a replacement lens foot with a dovetail clamping profile. Using this plate or replacement foot, you shift the lens so that it remains in balance and practically holds its position by itself. This reduces the strain on your hands and allows you to shoot longer series in a relaxed manner.

Fine operation thanks to play-free axis bearings

The completely play-free axis bearings are a key feature of this telephoto head. If you’ve ever worked with a head that has even slight play in the axes, you know how annoying that can be, especially at long focal lengths. With the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Telephoto Head, special attention has been paid to ensuring that the axes are guided precisely so that you can keep your subject exactly in the viewfinder without having to constantly correct.

The smooth panoramic panning axis with a lock separated from the bearing, and the equally independently lockable tilt axis, help you quickly find and maintain your settings. You can set the friction so that the head moves lightly but in a controlled manner and lock it securely at any time if needed. This is particularly noticeable in telephoto photography when you’re tracking birds in flight, fast athletes, or shy wildlife.

Ergonomic handling in everyday use

The large, grippy locking knobs are designed so that you can find and operate them intuitively and securely. Even when it’s cold outside or you’re wearing gloves, you can loosen and tighten the clamps without fumbling. The overall geometry of the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Gimbal Head Telephoto Head is designed to offer you clear, straightforward operation without unnecessary distractions.

The combination of height, width, and depth ensures that even bulky lenses have enough clearance without bumping into the tripod or parts of the head. This allows you to use the full 360 degree tilt range and the equally full 360 degree panning range without any limitations imposed by the construction.

Notes on mounting lenses and camera bodies

To correctly mount your lens on the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Telephoto Head and balance it at its center of gravity, you need a sufficiently long quick-release plate or a suitable replacement lens foot with a dovetail clamping profile. Using these components, you shift the camera and lens combination so that it remains in balance and can be guided without effort.

If you want to use a camera body with a camera plate that has a transverse dovetail profile, you additionally need a nodal point adapter or the Wimberley M-8 module as a right-angle adapter. This allows you to mount the body correctly on the telephoto head and take advantage of the gimbal bearing even with shorter focal lengths or special setups.

Telephoto head for professional telephoto photography

As a telephoto head and gimbal head, the ProMediaGear Katana is particularly interesting for users who regularly work with long focal lengths and place value on reliable, repeatable mechanics. Whether you’re photographing birds at dusk, tracking motorsports, or capturing distant details in the landscape, the head supports you with its stable construction and sensitive handling.

The combination of 6061-T6 aluminum, precision CNC-milled components, play-free axis bearings, a 38 mm dovetail quick-release clamp, and a maximum load capacity of 68 kg makes the ProMediaGear Katana Professional Telephoto Head a reliable tool for demanding photographers who want to rely on their equipment instead of struggling with it.