Joby Gorillapod SLR Zoom Tripod

This is an awesome little tripod that works great. I'm using it with a Nikon D90 with battery grip (including 2 batteries) and it holds the weight just fine. The ball head on this tripod is sturdy for the application. I wanted a small, lightweight tripod that I could carry easily when I was mobile without having to take my larger Manfrotto tripod with me. This unit is very small in size and easily clips onto my SlingShot 202AW camera bag. The ball head has a quick release plate that attaches to your camera and there is a level on the back side for convenience. It's a 1/4" thread screw with a flat-blade notch for tightening. You might want to carry a quarter or other coin with you to tighten this screw. Another method I found that works well if you DON'T have a coin is to get the screw finger-tight with the back of the quick release plate (side with the level on it) pointed to "10 o'clock". Then just turn the quick release plate to "12 o'clock" and it tightens up. Turn the quick release plate counterclockwise to loosen the screw.Using the tripod is easy with the adjustable legs. Each "nub" has it's own ability to twist and pivot within it's mount so you can really twist this thing around a number of items for great shots. I recently wanted to take a photo of me and a bunch of friends lined up a staircase in a vacation home so I wrapped the Gorillpod around the top of a dining room chair for a make-shift tripod mount and was able to get the shot. Very nice. I used it to take pictures of a sunrise by wrapping the Gorillapod around the corner of a patio deck and was able to get the shot. It just sets up so quickly that it's hard NOT to want to use this thing more and more.I read reviews where users said that getting the legs straight after bending them was an issue but I didn't find it hard at all. As I mentioned above, each nub can pivot in it's own mount so just work the legs moving one mount at a time and you'll get them straight in no time. It seriously only takes less than 30 seconds. However, even if it took longer it's still worth it because the Gorillapod allows you to get really creative in taking photos. You're not supposed to take photos from the same vantage points as your true amateur...you're supposed to capture angles not seen before and this tripod definitely helps achieve that goal.I recommend this unit 200%. Absolutely worth the money, it's lightweight, build quality is solid, and the ball head is smooth but tight. Great buy for the money and you won't be disappointed.

The first time that I took this  Joby GP3 GorillaPod SLR-Zoom Flexible Tripod  out of my camera bag, there were a couple of kids in the area, and they ran over to see what they called my "Alien Transformer" as they saw it wrapped around a tree limb while I was trying to take a particularly tricky photo of a flower just blooming.It may look like a creature from another world to some, and this isn't the first GorillaPod that I've owned, but for use with a medium-weight DSLR, hybrids, and those heavier high-end compacts, this is the best one that I've found. Bought this primarily for DSLR use, and have been quite happy with its compact versatility, overall stability, light weight, and the fact that it can be used in an amazingly wide variety of shooting situations.For those who just want the basics, here they are...Likes:+ Compact tripod solution; can be used in a wide variety of situations+ Allows for shooting at some very low angles, almost at ground level+ Excellent quality of construction; top-class materials - see the specs+ Flexible legs with rubberized rings and foot grips; wraps to so many surfaces+ Surprising overall stabilityDislikes:- When used with the Joby BH1 Ball Head, bubble level can be obscured depending on how it's mountedIn Use:I had the older  Joby GP1-A1EN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod , and while it was quite good for a simple point-and-shoot digital compact, I needed something a bit more. The primary reason that I bought this GorillaPod Hybrid was for use with my  Nikon D5000 , and because this DSLR features a fully articulating 3-Inch Vari-Angle LCD display, it permits some very low-level shooting angles. And this is where the GorillaPod really shines, as the legs can be quickly spread apart to an almost flat position, allowing for some very low ground level shooting.Was skeptical when I had read in the specs that this GorillaPod could handle cameras weighing up to 6.6 pounds, but a number of occasions have occurred arose where it proved itself, I've been pleasantly surprised that there was enough gripping power in the legs to hold it to such things as a relatively smooth vertical pipe. Have used this GorillaPod in a wide variety of shooting situations. It has been attached it to the obvious tree limb, street signs, NYC subway stair railings, fence posts, the handlebars of a mountain bike, the back of a chair, a light fixture hanging from the ceiling, a statue in an outdoor sculpture garden (allowed), a piece of driftwood, doorknobs, the base of an office desk chair, a rusty pipe sticking up in the middle of nowhere and more.But where this GorillaPod really shines is with the  Joby BH1 Ball Head  mounted. Low angle shots become very easy, and it just extends the versatility of the product. Have used this combination with a number of different cameras attached, and this experience made me decide that additional head attachments might help. With a little digging and confirmation that they would fit, I found them here, including a flash clip:>  Joby GP2-41EN Extra GorillaPod SLR Clip with Bubble Level >  Joby GP1-11EN Quick Release Replacement Clips for Joby GP1 GorillaPod >  Joby GP2-21EN Flash Clip for Joby GP2 GorillaPod Using the Flash Clip with BH1 ball head attached to this GorillaPod has given my old Nikon SB-600 Speedlight Flash new life in its wireless slave mode, and with no hot shoe extension cords. I say new life because this Speedlight was often left behind because if it was going to be used as a fill flash, as it required toting along extra stands, clamping devices or gaffer's tape. Now this simple device, smaller than a matchbox, allows the flash to be carried and used without a second thought.Play with it, explore the range of motions with the legs, get used to the feel of it in your hands; it doesn't take much ingenuity to always find new ideas for uses once you've explored it yourself. Hand a young child the GorillaPod, give him or her about two minutes to explore the bendability, and then watch the facial expressions as the imagination soars. Put it on a table at an outdoor restaurant and don't be surprised if a curious individual or two will stop to ask what it is.Summary:There are some special purposes when a conventional tripod just won't do, circumstances when you need a steady platform that can grab onto a surface. Part tripod, part clamp and part gripper, devices like this will keep your camera steady in awkward locales. This  Joby GP3 GorillaPod SLR-Zoom Flexible Tripod  does just that, and I've found that its uses are only limited to your imagination. Provided that it fits your camera gear, this one is highly recommended as a great time saver and good platform for those tricky and difficult shooting situations that do and will arise.9/10/2012

Compré el producto Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom+Ballhead (Trípode y rótula) con un poco de miedo por tantos comentarios que dicen que no les enviaron lo que se muestra en la foto. Pero jamás he tenido un problema con Amazon en ese sentido y por suerte, llegué a la conclusión de que mucha gente no tiene ni idea de lo que compra y de que hay muchos a los que les encanta quejarse por deporte cuando la realidad es que ni se han molestado en leer primero la descripción del producto. Así que dejo este comentario para los que, como yo, después de leer tanta opinión contradictoria, tengan dudas sobre lo que van a recibir: Una caja de la marca JOBY que indica claramente "Gorillapod SLR-Zoom+Ballhead" y dentro de ella el trípode, la rótula y la zapata extraíble con el nivel de burbuja para enganchar y desenganchar la cámara a la rotula fácilmente. Es decir, lo mismo que se muestra en la foto. Sobre la calidad del trípode, la verdad es que acabo de recibir el envío, pero llevo años usando los Gorillapod de JOBY y son fantásticos, y prácticamente irrompibles. Eso sí, es importante asegurarse de que se compra el apropiado para el peso de la cámara y si va muy justo mejor comprar el de peso superior. Mi nueva cámara pesa 1 kilo y por eso he comprado este, que es hasta 3 kilos, porque el modelo inmediatamente inferior que es el que tenía es para cámaras de hasta 1 kilo y no es buena idea estar justo en el límite. Hay que tener en cuenta que con el uso y el tiempo, lógicamente, las bolas pierden algo de tensión y si además tienes un tele-objetivo o un zoom este tenderá a desequilibrar el peso hacia adelante, así que siempre es mejor que sobre. Al fin y al cabo son ligeros y fáciles de transportar. En cuanto a la rotula, solo tiene una tuerca y es verdad que, como dicen otros comentarios, no es la más indicada si queremos hacer panorámicas. Para las panos lo mejor es que tenga dos tuercas diferenciadas, una para el giro de 360 grados y otra para la inclinación. Hay otra rotula también de JOBY que es para eso y es solamente un poquito más cara. Pero la que viene en este paquete para mí va perfecta porque hago panorámicas muy ocasionalmente y no es un tema que me obsesione. Además, he comprobado que con un poco de cuidado, si se afloja solamente un poquito la tuerca, se puede hacer girar la rótula sin que se incline el cabezal. Hay que cogerle el punto pero va perfectamente. Aunque repito, si lo que quieres es hacer panorámicas a saco entonces mejor con dos tuercas. En fin, a mí me encanta el trípode profesional de toda la vida y tengo uno excelente, pero los Gorillapod son geniales para sacarte de un apuro en esas ocasiones en que viajas en avión sin facturar o cuando vas de mochilero y no quieres ir todas tus vacaciones cargando con el pesado y voluminoso trípode. Este entra en la bolsa de la cámara y si me descuido casi pesa menos que las cuatro baterías que llevo de repuesto :)

I wanted to use this pod with my Canon 70D and Canon 100-400mm lens, the weight for them both being 2.3kg, under the 3kg designated weight. I did ask the question of other Amazon users whether this tripod would hold such a weight and was informed it would. I also contacted Joby direct, told them of my set up and they actually suggested the SLR Focus - I'm sure they would! That retails at £72.66 on Amazon! However, not having that amount of cash spare, I went ahead and ordered the SLR Zoom which came today (31st March).First of all, to get to the chase, yes, it does hold my set up, but with one caveat. When using my 100-400mm lens which weights 1.38kg, I have to attach the lens to the gorilla pod with the lens tripod collar when I'm using it in an 'upright position', for example on a table top (or on the shelf of a bird hide) otherwise it simply starts to sag! That said, the most common use for this kind of tripod is, I suppose, to use it wrapped around something like a fence or pole which I tried and its great! If you position it carefully, there is no sag! With this set up, I can get away with attaching the actual camera to the gorilla pod rather than the lens with the tripod collar. However, for future use, I will always attach this particular lens to the gorilla pod with its tripod collar even if I'm using it in the 'wrapped around a fence' position.Finally, I'm using this gorilla pod with my Manfrotto 486RC2 ball head which has a quick release plate and to be honest, the gorilla pod then becomes far more versatile than using it without a ball head. I keep the gorilla pod attached to the tripod collar by means of the quick release plate which is screwed into the bottom of my camera and then attached to my Peak Design Slide strap (which is absolutely fantastic by the way and much better than the Black Rapid camera strap!) so I can still walk around. Okay, it might look a bit odd with the gorilla pod hanging from the bottom of my camera, but it means I don't have to keep attaching and detaching it when I need to use it.My conclusion is that this is a good tripod, but know its limitations when using a heavy lens like the 100-400mm. If you're just using a kit lens, for example an 18-135mm or even 55-250mm then there will be absolutely no problem, but I would really recommend you use a ball head and as you can see, if you already have one, it should fit the Joby SLR Zoom no problem!

*AUSGANGSLAGE*Ich suchte ein Stativ, dass mich auf Urlaubsreisen begleiten kann. Es musste leicht und kompakt genug sein, um in einem Tagesrucksack verstaubar zu sein und robust genug, um eine recht schwere, semiprofessionelle DSLR sicher zu tragen (Nikon D7000 mit Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8).*FLEXIBILITÄT*Das Joby Gorillapod hat gegenüber normalen Reisestativen für mich einige Vorteile. Zunächst ist es sehr kompakt und leicht. Es lässt sich im Rucksack ggf. auch etwas zurechtbiegen, um den verfügbaren Platz optimal auszunutzen und es ist unglaublich flexibel. Es lässt sich nicht nur als normales Dreibeinstativ auf dem Boden platzieren, sondern auch an Gegenständen festklemmen. Hervorragend funktioniert dies an Geländern. So habe ich am Grand Canyon direkt vor dem Abgrund das Stativ an das Geländer befestigt, meine DSLR darauf montiert und Langzeitbelichtungen vom Canyon gemacht. Dabei musste ich mir zu keinem Zeitpunkt Sorgen machen, dass ein Tourist mein Stativ umwerfen würde, denn es stand ja nirgends im Weg. Richtig befestigt, hält das Gorillapod übrigens auch bei einer schweren Kamera absolut verwacklungsfrei. Meine Aufnahmen sind -auch bei langen Belichtungszeiten- stets verwacklungsfrei.Das Gorillapod lässt sich auch an ungewöhnlichen Orten, wie Bäumen, Regenrinnen oder Autotüren befestigen. Im Grunde sind der Fantasie da keine Grenzen gesetzt. Bei einer schweren Ausrüstung muss man aber in abenteuerlichen Situationen darauf achten, dass das Stativ sicher festgeklemmt ist.*JOBY GORILLAPOD VERARBEITUNG*Das Stativ ist aus Kunststoff und fühlt sich zunächst sehr störrisch an und man hat das Gefühl, das Stativ würde beim Umbiegen der einzelnen Glieder gleich zerbrechen. Das tut es aber nicht. Es hält in der Tat viel mehr aus, als man denkt. Solange man das Stativ nicht mit roher Gewalt auf den Boden wirft, passiert da auch nichts. Ich habe inzwischen mein zweites Gorillapod. Bei meinem ersten ist nach 1 1/2 Jahre Dauereinsatz ein Verbindungsglied gesprungen. Vermutlich lag es an der Kombination aus Materialermüdung gepaart mit dem Einsatz bei -10 Grad Celsius. Amazon hatte mir damals anstandslos das Stativ gegen ein neues ausgetauscht.*KUGELKOPF*Das Gorillapod wird in einer Variante mit und ohne Kugelkopf angeboten. Ich habe sowohl den metallenen Kugelkopf von Joby als auch den aus Kunststoff benutzt und fand beide okay. Begeistert war ich allerdings nicht. Deshalb betreibe ich das Grilllapod nun mit einem Manfrotto 496RC2 und bin in dieser Kombination sehr glücklich. Die Kamera lässt sich leicht befestigen und leicht ausrichten.*FAZIT*Das Gorillapod ist für unterwegs und für "Spezialeinsätze", wie der Befestigung an Geländern sehr gut und an Bäumen mittel bis gut geeignet. Es wiegt wenig und ist robust. Für mich ist es auf Reisen eine echte Bereicherung. Natürlich wäre in manchen Situationen ein robustes Manfrotto oder Gitzo Stativ besser. Aber das wäre wieder so schwer und sperrig, dass man es auf lange Wanderungen wieder nicht mitnehmen wollen würde. Das Gorillapod ist für mich daher (in Kombination mit einem Kugelkopf) der perfekte Kompromiss auf Flugreisen und wenn leichtes Gepäck gefragt ist. "Spezialeinsätze" an Bäumen sind ein netter Bonus.

Just got this gorillpaod and seems pretty sturdy and well made. Supports my Canon M50 Mark II with a Sigma 16mm f1.4 lens pretty easily. It also supports a Canon R6 with a big, heavy Canon RF 28-70mm f2L lens but I wouldn't recommend this setup as this might damage the gorillapod because this setup is 2+kgs. easily.Overall though, seems like a pretty good product. Hopefully, it shall stand the test of time.

------------------------------------Quick points (see below for updates)------------------------------------PROS: Extreme portability and flexibilityCONS: Not as sturdy as I would like (read update at the end)BOTTOM-LINE: Ultimate portability and flexibilityThe travel/Outdoor pod----------------------I think that your level of satisfaction with this "tripod" will depend on your understanding/expectation about what it is for.I got this pod because I was looking for high flexibility and low weight -I was looking for something that would not get in the way of two key activities: climbing, travelling.While climbing, I have put this thing around rocks, trees, signs, and even stuck it in snow. It is so small that I have no much problem carrying it with me to the high camps. I can't think of many alternatives to get the same flexibility.For travelling, this is also extremely useful. I just throw it in a messenger bag along my DSLR (tip: try to avoid camera bags that scream "tourist with expensive DSLR") and it is ready for low light shots, and self-portraits. This last bit is very important as handing your DSLR to strangers has two drawbacks: (1) you don't want to hand your expensive camera to just anyone, (2) 99.99% of people don't know how to handle a DSLR -even in AUTO mode.What's the catch? Well, it is not quite stable -but I don't think it was never intended to be. I usually take with me a elastic band that secures it to odd things (benches, trees, rocks,..) and that's enough.One more thing: I doubted between 4 and 5 stars. I was inclined to 4 stars because it is not as sturdy as I would like, but in the end the extreme portability and flexibility of this pod outweighed this negative point.On a second thought, one extra comment: you may be considering the super clamp. I think the super clamp is an excellent product and serves a similar -but nonetheless, different- purpose. Think about what you are going to use them for. In my view, they complement each other. However, if your pockets cannot handle both I think this pod may have an edge when it comes to usefulness.================Update 1================After using it for slightly more than a year, two legs have become very loose and come-off very easily -because the rings where they attach to have broke. I still can use it with care. The above points still apply with this new caveat.================Update 2================The gorillapod became unusable. The cracks in the joints were too large and the legs were coming off way to easy, rendering the tripod useless.I contacted Joby to buy spares and they told me they do not sell them. Not sure why not as it's clearly a part that is put together with rest (but they don't).I did some DIY. I got some plastic zip ties, removed the grey rubber bands, put the zip ties, glued them with expoxy. Now I can use it to mount a flash -but not to hold my DSLR.