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BeanPod
Quite Chatty
Registered: June 2007
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 79
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Review Date: Mon August 20, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: £30.00
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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FUN, does things a normal tripod can't
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Cons:
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definitely not a 'regular' tripod, limited use
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Price converted from about $60 CAD.
Ok, let me start by saying that if you are going to use a tripod with your camera in the traditional way, you will need more than this! This is not a normal tripod, and if you buy it knowing that, you will like it a lot more. It's not going to be a primary tripod...more like a fun accessory.
The gorillapods come in three sizes, the slr-zoom is the biggest and really the only option with a decent slr camera.
I have had this thing for a while, and have had some serious fun with it. I've got a Manfrotto 486QR head on it, using it with a D80 and the heaviest lens I've had on it is 570g. It is functional with that load. Don't think I could go much heavier though, and obviously the lighter the lens on it, the more stable it will be.
It take a bit of fiddling with the G'pod to get used to it and to know how to position it for best results. Also best used with timer/remote, or you will be cursing...once you get it in position, don't TOUCH it! LOL!
I recently took it on a trip, and it was very handy. I used it on balcony railings, rocks in the woods, and yes, even a tree. These were all places that I would not have been able to set up any other kind of tripod. It was great fun, and I got some shots that would not have worked any other way.
Several other people used it as well and were off to purchase one when they got home.
I would recommend this product for:
-a fun way to take some unique pics in unusual locations, including close to the ground positions
-for travel, if you want some slow shutter speed shots or pics with you in them
-a pretty light weight, versatile little tripod to carry when you don't want to take a larger one
If one look at it tells you it might frustrate the he** out of you...don't buy it, as it probably will!
So, as a tripod I would rate it lower than 7, as a fun accessory for the uses I outlined, I would rate it higher...so I averaged it at a 7.
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ChrisRabior
Getting Comfy
Registered: March 2007
Location: Metro Detroit
Posts: 175
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Review Date: Sun August 26, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: £75.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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well built, opens the window for creativity, very compact
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Cons:
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limited by its size
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I'm somewhat torn on this product. I bought it for the specific purpose of taking it with me where my monopod and tripod were too much to carry along. It was a lot of fun to play with, and it was certainly full of possibilities in terms of how you can set up a shot. I liked it a lot.
Well, liked it a lot. I was hit by the realization that I had already dumped enough money into my monopod and tripod, and that between the two of them, there was nothing not already covered in terms of capabilities. I don't much mind the size of my tripod, and carrying it around isn't THAT big of an inconvenience. I returned my gorillapod, and haven't looked back since.
So, do I recommend this? Absolutely. I've had moments where I've regretted getting rid of it, but I've certainly made due. There's a lot of benefit in having such a small tripod, but there wasn't too anything (besides the bending leg thing) that the Gorillapod could do that my manfrotto gear could not.
Would I recommend this as the only piece of equipment to stabilize your camera? Absolutely not. This is a nice investment if you have the extra cash, but it doesn't come close to comparing to what a professional tripod with a decent head can offer.
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Rob Barron
Loves the place
Registered: September 2006
Location: Poole, Dorset
Posts: 5602
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Review Date: Fri December 28, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: £32.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Extremely adaptable, useable when a tripod simply isn't
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Cons:
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Has its limitations but so does everything!
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I think it's a bit unfair to review this as a tripod, it is something entirely different and designed for different usage. It is a very cleverly designed bit of kit that any outdoor photographer would do well to consider.
So, what is it for? It's for providing a stable platform in places where the tripod just can't be used, at least in a practical way. It is NOT a replacement for a tripod, it is a tripod for special circumstances. I can only speak for myself but even with a decent tripod (I have the Sherpa Pro EL641 Carbon Fibre which is excellent) I have often times come across situations where setting up the tripod is at beast difficult and at worst impractical or impossible.
The three legs are infinitely flexible into virtually any position you can imagine. They can coil around a post, sit on an uneven rock surface, wrap around a branch, and even 'hang' from the side of a wall with just a single protuberence. Imagine a plane wall with just a metal peg sticking out: wrap one leg around the peg and the other two spread against the side of the wall in the exact position you want, easy!
I totally agree that this is best used with a remote cable release. I have a nifty yet cheap wireless remote that means I can put the camera in a position where I simply couldn't safely stand and hold it, then fire away from a safe distance. It does of course leave you with the problem of being able to look into the viewfinder but this is not insurmountable: either by using an angle-finder or with the more modern DSLRs which have live view so you can see the screen, even from a fairly acute angle, enough to compose your shot.
It's very light to carry around in your bag, unlike a lot of tripods, and available for instant use whenever you need it. Anyone who has one of those mini tripods (with the flexicoil legs or whatever) would be best off dumping that and getting one of thse as it is much more flexible and more stable. It can keep my Canon 40D with 100-400mm IS L lens attached perfectly stable. This type of lens does give me an added advantage because attaching it via the ring mount means I can set the camera in portrait, landscape or indeed anywhere in between that I might need.
Prices for this have come down hugely on the internet (shocked that one reviewer paid £75 for it!) so this is a very useful accessory to have and I would highly recommend it.
I would just point out that there are three different models for different camera usages:- Gorillapod - for compacts and prosumers
- Gorillapod SLR - for dSLRs with standard lens mounted
- Gorillapod Zoom - for dSLRs with larger lenses attached
If you use a dSLR I would recommend getting the zoom as even if you don't have a large lens now, it will be useful in the future and the small cost more is well worth it for the stability. I would also get this one if you only use a dSLR with standard lens but also a battery grip as this adds considerable weight at the central point.
For macro shooters, this camera lets you easily get down on the ground and also to rest on small platforms or even where there are no useable spaces for a tripod. The more you use this bit of kit, the more you will find uses for it, if that makes sense.
Thanks Santa, good bit of kit!
Cheers,
Rob
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