Joby Gorillapod for Canon 450D, 1000D,500D, Nikon D3000, D5000,D90, Sony Alpha DLSR Range, and Panasonic G1 Series – SLR Zoom
Posted by Notcot on Apr 9, 2010 in Photography |
5 CommentsReply |
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It really does work! I’ve had mine wrapped around the banisters, camera hanging over the side of the stairs, and it was tight and secure.
The Gorillapod comes with a screw adapter giving you the ability to add a tripod head of your choice, which allows for more flexibility.
I’d recommend buying the *SLR-Zoom* version if you have any kind of SLR or even bridge/hybrid camera, even if it doesn’t exceed the weight limit of the *SLR* version. Once you add a tripod head, flash, maybe a bigger lens or lens extensions/filters, it adds quite a bit of weight. Better to be on the safe side!
Great gadget to stuff in your bag for when a larger tripod just isn’t practical.
Rating: 5 / 5
There are four versions of the Gorrilapod
* Gorillapod GoGo for PDA, phones – max weight 275g
* Gorillapod Original for compact cameras – max weight 275g
* Gorillapod SLR – for light weight SLRs/DSLRs/Prosumer – max weight 800g
* Gorillapod SLR Zoom – For heavier SLRs/DSRs or Cameras with heavy lenses – max weight 3000g
This is a review of the SLR Zoom model – some other reviewers seem to be referring to the wrong model. Make sure you purchase the right model for your camera.
Unlike it’s smaller siblings, the SLR Zoom does not come with a quick release mount. This is perfectly usable when you use the Gorillapod as a tripod. However I recommend getting hold of a quick release tripod head to accompany the Gorillapod.
The big differentiator of the Gorillapod though, is it’s ability to be used as more than just a tripod. The flexible legs can be wrapped around objects to allow you to mount the camera in unusual places. For this reason you really need to make sure you get a ball head quick release tripod head – this will allow you to position the camera at any angle, regardless of the angle of whatever you have wrapped the Gorillapod around.
I have used my Gorillapod SLR Zoom with my Nikon D300 with an 18-200mm Lens – about 1.5kg. It’s rock solid used as a tripod – I have not experienced any problems with the legs splaying out with the weight.
It’s rock solid with the legs wrapped abound an object like the back of a chair or the top of a fence.
One word of caution, when you cut the string to release the Gorillapod from it’s packaging, make sure you don’t lose the tiny thread adaptor – you need this for the tripod head.
Thoroughly recommended- a great all round piece of kit – ideal for travelling too.
Rating: 5 / 5
The Gorillapod devices are alternatives for tripods or supports, only enabling a camera’s attachment to and positioning on all sorts of things such as railings and trees as well as more conventional use as a miniature tripod, if considerably more adjustable for uneven terrain. The light grey sections of the legs (including the “feet”) are grippy soft synthetic rubber-like material which help to prevent slippage. This definitely helps confidence when relying on it to safely support your thousand-pounds-or-more-worth of equipment! The joints are ball-joints and are quite stiff, which also helps with stability and the “safety” aspect. I do wonder how long the stiffness will last, but they are likely to last quite a while as they “share” movement. The stiffness does provide good stability for long exposures, excepting conditions where vibration may interfere with the way it has been mounted.
As has been mentioned in other reviews, the SLR Zoom version is essential for heavy camera/lens/etc. combinations, but it is rigid enough to support my Nikon D80 with 18-200mm zoom, weighing in at 3.3kg although finely adjusting where the camera is pointing is usually awkward without an additional tripod head. The smallest version (bought for my partner for use with her Coolpix 7900 and found to be very useful indeed) has a “neck” so you can wrap the legs around whatever and then bend it so that the camera is aimed perfectly at the subject. As this version is intended for use with considerably heavier equipment, there is no neck, so either you should bear the subject matter in mind as you apply the legs or use an additional tripod “head” as well. Without the separate adjustment, it can be very difficult to frame the subject. A head which allows for easy release of the camera would help, too, as the legs do add substantially to the awkwardness of carrying a camera! They can be “moulded” into a “single” leg to help support, though.
The light grey sections are susceptible to staining, especially as they are so soft, but IMHO, that’s simply a sign that the item has been used!
The unit is very light, but quite bulky. Carrying it around in a camera bag is expensive in terms of space unless you are sure you’re likely to use it. However, it is so versatile that I would make sure I took it on holiday, for example. I suspect everyone would have their own opinion of when and for what they might use it, but I would err on the side of taking it, certainly if self-portraits or long exposures are planned!
Rating: 4 / 5
I purchased this for my Canon Eos 450, and it’s great. Easy to set up and use, and very portable. I went on to the website for the tripod to read some more details about it before purchasing it.
The manufacturer’s website shows the different variations that this comes in. I would definitely recommend the SLR Zoom version if you have a SLR. As I am new to photography but have amassed a number of lenses already including a zoom lens, and due the weight limitations of the different tripods, I would recommend the SLR Zoom to future-proof your camera to some extent.
I have used the tripod with the Canon camera attached to a 300mm zoom lens and it works well.
It is sturdy and very portable and flexible.
Rating: 5 / 5
Be careful to consider why you are buying this. If you really need to suspend a camera from something then it is great, but if you want to hold a camera firmly on a rock or other convenient surface then you would be better off with a bean bag. This tripod is NOT steady – on multiple exposures the mirror movement will cause the camera to bounce around visibly – like a jelly bean! Auto-bracketed shots for HDR – forget it! any kind of burst mode combined with slowish shutter and you’ll be better off hand held.
Solution – use single exposures with mirror-up, 2 second delay and/or remote control. Or buy a bean bag.
Rating: 3 / 5