The weekend crowds at CP Plus 2015 were intense; every major exhibitor had crowds three or four deep trying to shoot the models or handle the gear. Perhaps that is why I chose to seek out Zenelli, located at the far side of the expo hall. I’m really glad I did, because there I met Andrea Zen, a former engineer at Gitzo who, last year, released the CARBONX and CARBONZ Carbon Fiber Gimbal Heads. The “X” model is what we spoke about, as it is his premiere piece.
This Gimbal head is about as beautiful as you will find and Andrea told me about his process, which involves hand-aligning the precursor strands, and of its hollow tubing and vibration absorption. At 2.5 lb, it is without a doubt the lightest such head I have held and its glossy, scratch-resistant coating looks great. Its movements were quick, precise, and fluid. The Save Lens Lever is a feature intended to quickly lock in the lens, so it won't move if you need to change camera bodies or add a teleconverter, and the QR lever has a Save Lock switch for securing the Arca-type QR plate. It is perfectly balanced for panoramic movement and its tilt knob is smooth and locks tight.
Most of the companies at CP Plus, even the small ones, have a range of items to offer. Andrea Zen and Zenelli simply offer two variations on the one very impressive gimbal head that is clearly the product of his hard work, knowledge, and passion.
Follow all of the exclusive coverage from B&H of the CP+2015 Show in Japan at this link.
0 Comments