Joby GorillaPod’s have been a welcome new species over the last several years in the digital camera arena. The SLR version is a giant GorillaPod capable of handling the weight of these larger cameras while still allowing for the expressive stylings Joby is known for.
What I’ll mention right away is that without the “sold separately” ballhead attachment, the SLR Gorillapod just ain’t that cool.
Not a great way to start a review, but the fact is that the ballhead attachment is where all the action’s at. Without it, the Gorillapod is extremely limited in what it can do and it seems worthless to me that these products aren’t coupled together.
That’s not so say that the absence of the ballhead makes the SLR Gorillapod totally undesirable. It can still do stuff, but the upper most joints in the legs prevent you from achieving more angular and creative shots.
The thing is, is that Joby’s website lists the standard version for $40 as well as the ballhead sold separately for $40. That’s $80 for what professional photographers would call a secondary tri-pod. Can I get an emoticon?
It held up fine using a standard SLR (Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30) in terms of being able to handle the weight while grasping objects9seen above), it was really precarious when attached to my buddy’s Canon EOS-1D Mark II with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens (seen in 1st pic) and couldn’t really hold it safely.
This leads me to another point. Joby actually has a more expensive SLR Gorillapod designed for the heaviest of SLR’s. Why not just have one and spare us the trouble if we have multiple camera’s or plan to buy a heavier one down the line?
Other than that, it takes a while to screw on and off and it looks like a gymnast performing a routine on that stationary horse thing. It’s a bit tedious and unlike the regular (small digital camera) Gorillapod, it doesn’t have a quick release tab allowing for faster attaching and removal.
The movable balls that give the tri-pod it’s unique shape changing abilities are stiff and rugged and I don’t question the quality of construction one bit. It is bigger than you’d expect so making room for it needs to be taken into account.
Keeping this review short and simple, we know what it does, but the regular SLR Gorillapod by Joby just isn’t strong enough to stand on its own. The missing ballhead needs to be included and the price needs to drop in order for this product to be taken seriously. Seriously.
What I’ll mention right away is that without the “sold separately” ballhead attachment, the SLR Gorillapod just ain’t that cool.
Not a great way to start a review, but the fact is that the ballhead attachment is where all the action’s at. Without it, the Gorillapod is extremely limited in what it can do and it seems worthless to me that these products aren’t coupled together.
That’s not so say that the absence of the ballhead makes the SLR Gorillapod totally undesirable. It can still do stuff, but the upper most joints in the legs prevent you from achieving more angular and creative shots.
The thing is, is that Joby’s website lists the standard version for $40 as well as the ballhead sold separately for $40. That’s $80 for what professional photographers would call a secondary tri-pod. Can I get an emoticon?
It held up fine using a standard SLR (Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30) in terms of being able to handle the weight while grasping objects9seen above), it was really precarious when attached to my buddy’s Canon EOS-1D Mark II with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens (seen in 1st pic) and couldn’t really hold it safely.
This leads me to another point. Joby actually has a more expensive SLR Gorillapod designed for the heaviest of SLR’s. Why not just have one and spare us the trouble if we have multiple camera’s or plan to buy a heavier one down the line?
Other than that, it takes a while to screw on and off and it looks like a gymnast performing a routine on that stationary horse thing. It’s a bit tedious and unlike the regular (small digital camera) Gorillapod, it doesn’t have a quick release tab allowing for faster attaching and removal.
The movable balls that give the tri-pod it’s unique shape changing abilities are stiff and rugged and I don’t question the quality of construction one bit. It is bigger than you’d expect so making room for it needs to be taken into account.
Keeping this review short and simple, we know what it does, but the regular SLR Gorillapod by Joby just isn’t strong enough to stand on its own. The missing ballhead needs to be included and the price needs to drop in order for this product to be taken seriously. Seriously.
