The Jobu Jr.3 gimbal (BWG-J3K) is smaller, lighter, smoother and more compact than our earlier BWG-J2K head.  Needle roller bearings allow smoother tilting under heavy loads and better adjustment of friction. Lockout force has been improved 200%, and overall durability has been improved in all aspects. The perfect travel companion, it easily fits into small pockets of your existing bags.
 
BWG-J3K Features
One-piece hollow, cast, heat treated aluminum body
Extreme stiffness for a small gimbal head
Overall 1.0” reduced height from Jr.2 head
30 grams lighter than Jr.2 head
Removable swing-arm (HM-J2) - Fully CNC Machined, not cast, from solid 6061-T6 billet aluminum. More room for camera clearance.
Includes Arca-Swiss compatible quick release clamp
Needle roller bearings in tilt axis for smoothness
Rubberized knobs for cold and wet weather usage
Standard 3/8” tripod mount
Recommended for camera and lens combos of 5-12lbs. This is the sweet spot for balance and fit. See product description.
Maximum weight capacity: 50+lbs / 20+kg (See product description)
 
Mechanical Specs (subject to change)
Full Jr.3 weight: 1lb 10oz (738g)
Sidemount Configuration (no swing-arm), Jr.3 weight: 1 5oz (590g)
Height (same for both): 7.13”
Width (knob-to-knob): 8.5”
Widest point is the Arca clamp: 2.5”
Base mount: 1.75” diameter, 3/8"-16 Thread
Knob diameter: 1.5”
The vertical height from the clamping platform to the top tilt axis is 3.0" or 76mm. This is roughly equivalent to the recommended lens capacity (center of lens to bottom of lens plate). In practical terms, the center of gravity can be taller than 3.0" due to the weight of the HM-J3D + lens plates + lens foot + battery grip so larger lenses WILL balance. Jr.3 swing arm is 3.0" vs 3.3" for the DLX.
 
Recommended for:
70-200 F2.8/F4, 300mm F4, 100-400 zoom, 150-500 zoom, 400mm F5.6 and other similar size lenses.
The Jr.3 and our other gimbals fit any tripod with a standard 3/8"-16 threaded top. We DO NOT RECOMMEND tripods with a 1/4"-20 thread under any circumstances. Using a 1/4"-20 threaded tripod with a reducer bushing will VOID your warranty.
 
Please note that the new Nikon 200-500 zoom does not balance well on the Jobu Jr.3 (in the vertical direction) due to the height of the foot collar on this lens. We recommend the Jobu Jr.3 DLX (it has deeper clearance for tall lenses) or the DMG-HD4 gimbal head as the best all-around gimbal choice. Alternatively, the Jobu Jr.3 could be set-up as a side-mount gimbal with the 200-500 by moving the quick release to the alternate side-position.
 
Lens and camera recommended under 12lb total. Everyone asks if this means the Jr.3 is weak and inferior to a $50 imported gimbal with a weight capacity of 50lbs. No, of course not! The Jr.3 is a superior product with REAL specifications, not made-up, meaningless weight capacity numbers. Our 12-lb recommendation is meant to steer you to choose the correct cameras and lenses for best fit, clearance and balance. This is the sweet spot for this gimbal head.
 
Yes, you can routinely use a 500mm F4 or 600mm F4 lens on the Jr.3 gimbal head without fear of damage, but in general we recommend that the HD4 is more adequate for most users shooting with big equipment. Only choose a Jr.3 for serious weight savings when you have severe luggage restrictions or packing size limits. We designed the Jr.3 in order to fit a 100-400 zoom and similar lenses, so all clearance points, finger gaps, etc are intentional by design. Using equipment that is physically larger (note this has NOTHING to do with weight limits), will limit your tilt ability up/down, or make it impossible to balance your lens (you may need replacement feet, or even CUSTOM feet for your lens, to make it fit and balance).
 
NOTE: Small lenses may have restricted tilt-motion when pointing "up" if you are using a battery grip or pro-size DSLR. For instance, a 70-200 F2.8 with a Canon 1Dx will balance very close to the camera and restrict the tilt capability due to the battery grip area's proximity to the base of the gimbal head. For small lenses, we generally recommend smaller camera bodies to ensure balance points are in the most practical locations for photography with gimbals.
 
Requirements
Requires 1x Jobu Design Surefoot lensplate or Replacement foot, or compatible Arca-Swiss plate. Plates are NOT included with the Jobu Jr.3 series gimbals at this time.
 
Requires sturdy tripod with 3/8"-16 top bolt thread, like the TCF-36 Algonquin, or equivalent.