Gadling Gear Review: Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom

by Kraig Becker on

The advent of inexpensive point-and-shoot and SLR cameras had turned us all into travel photographers and has made documenting our journeys easier than ever. Capturing just the right shot still takes plenty of practice and skill, however, and occasionally it is nice to have a tripod in our packs to assist in that area. Unfortunately, traditional tripods can be heavy, bulky and inflexible, which doesn’t always make them the best travel companions. But the Gorillapod SLR-Zoom from Joby isn’t a traditional tripod and it eliminates those issues through its ingenious design.

Looking a bit like something out of a science fiction movie, the Gorillapod line of tripods uses a series of articulated legs that are unique in design. The individual segments on each leg can all be bent, twisted and reshaped as needed allowing a photographer to adjust them to stand securely on nearly any surface. Gorillapods can even be wrapped around objects, such as tree branches or rock ledges, to capture shots from vantage points that aren’t possible with other kinds of tripods. This level of versatility opens up a new host of options for photographers on the go.

Lightweight and yet rugged, the SLR-Zoom version of the Gorillapod is designed to hold a camera and lens weighing up to 6.6 pounds. Most consumer level cameras don’t weigh anywhere near that, even while outfitted with a large zoom lens. For example, my Nikon D90 weighs in at 1.5 pounds and adding a 70-300mm lens doubles that to about 3 pounds. Professional photographers will want to upgrade to the Gorillapod Focus, which is a bit larger but can support weights up to 11 pounds.

The SLR-Zoom features a universal 1/4″ screw as well as a 3/8″ adapter, which makes this tripod compatible with virtually any camera on the market. An included removable ball head adds the ability to tilt and hold the camera at just the right angle to catch the perfect shot, while a built-in level helps to ensure that your photos don’t come out completely cockeyed. That same level will be your best friend while first learning how to incorporate the Gorillapod into your photographic arsenal as it proves very useful when setting up shots.While this tripod is a great piece of equipment to have in your photography bag, it definitely does take some time to get use to. Adjusting the legs is a simple affair but getting them set just right takes practice. You’ll definitely want to play with the Gorillapod before you take it on a trip or out into the field, otherwise you run the risk of spending more time fidgeting with the tripod than actually taking photos. Using the SLR-Zoom isn’t rocket science by any means but gaining some experience prior to traveling will serve you well, particularly when setting up timed self-shots in unique locations.

Overall, the Gorillapod SLR-Zoom is a very high quality product that any photographer will love. It is sturdy, compact, durable and breaks down to a reasonable size for inclusion in our packs. It also comes with an affordable price tag of just $49.95.

Joby has a full line of Gorillapods available at a variety of prices and sizes. The SLR-Zoom may be overkill for many travelers, but one of the other options may better fit your needs. If you’re in the market for a versatile, high quality tripod to carry on your travels, the Gorillapod may be the perfect solution.

Daily deal – flexible mini camera tripod shipped for $7

by Scott Carmichael on

Today’s daily deal is for a flexible mini tripod for your camera. These little tripods have become pretty popular, because of their flexibility (pardon the pun).

You can use them as a normal tripod and stand them on a table or other structure, or you can bend and wrap the feet around anything a tripod normally would not stick to (like a tree).

Combined with the self timer in your camera, little gadgets like this may help you make the next photo of the day here on Gadling!

These little tripods normally retail for about $20, but Meritline.com currently has one on sale for just $6.95, with free shipping.

I’m not too sure about the quality, but Meritline usually ships fairly decent products. Also, at $6.95, I’m not sure I’d trust it to hold a $1000 camera to a tree, so if you make your photos like a pro, invest a little more and get yourself a Gorillapod.

The deal can be found here, and the low price is valid until the 20th.

Through the Gadling Lens: great gifts for the travelling photographer

by Karen Walrond on

I don’t know about you, but this holiday season has completely gotten away from me (note to self: do not travel again anytime between Halloween and Christmas, particularly if Thanksgiving comes late in the year). We’ve managed to get our holiday decorations up, but we’ve hardly done any Christmas shopping so far, and time is running out and …

… *sigh*.

Anyway, if, like me, you’re starting to run out of time, and you happen to have a photog in the family who likes to travel (or happen to be the travelling photographer, and are looking for some ideas for hint-dropping purposes), here’s a list of some great gifts you might want to consider:
1. A camera bag. Even if your favourite photographer already has a camera bag, trust me, s/he wouldn’t mind another. The trick about buying a good camera bag however, is to ensure that (a) there’s enough padding inside to cushion the camera from any possible impacts, and (b) it doesn’t scream “camera” while walking in crowded public places or airports.

Personally, I enjoy my Crumpler backpack (shown here) — it’s got a padded section for my camera, my laptop, and a bit of room for other things — and it doesn’t look like a camera bag. In addition, Loewpro also has a great selection of camera backpacks and other bags, and some of them don’t look very distinguishable from any other type of non-camera bag.

And for those who use point-and-shoots, there are some great small padded pouches out there for you to toss in your bigger bags, but still keep your camera (or other camera-related stuff) safe. Check out Etsy for handmade, unique options.

2. A small travel tripod. Until recently, I thought of a travel tripod as a sort of gadgety luxury — but last month, when I taking a photograph of the Houses of Parliament in London at dusk, trying to balance my camera on a rain-slicked banister, and petrified the camera would take a tumble into the Thames below, I realized that perhaps a travel tripod might be something great to have at the bottom of my camera bag.

Travel tripods come in all shapes and sizes (and capabilities) — check out Pedcopods and Gorillapods for two more popular versions.

3. Mailable photo frames. This idea actually comes from one of my colleagues, Sarah, at Shutter Sisters — these handy little photo frames that are actually customizable postcards. Says Sarah: “When I was on vacation in September, I sent my daughter Cadence’s best friend custom postcards using the mailable photo frame from Photojojo (I’d print my shots at a local Wolf/Ritz and mail the postcard from wherever we happened to be).”

This seems like a great stocking stuffer for a loved one who is planning an extensive trip in 2009, and is intent on taking a camera along — a great way to receive very personal news from far away, and then display it immediately! Awesome.

4. A subscription to a magazine known for its photography. I don’t mean this in a read-Playboy-for-the-articles way, I’m talking about periodicals that are famous for their cutting-edge imagery and contributing photographers. Shutterbugs are always looking for inspiration, and I, for one, would love a subscription to a magazine like American Photo, National Geographic, or Vanity Fair, to name a few. Figure out what type of photography your loved one is inspired by, and shop accordingly. Not only will the magazine provide some cool ideas for capturing images, your recipient will have some good reading to take along with them on those interminable flights. Bonus.

5. A cool camera strap. Earlier this year, I went on a trip with 12 other women — we all rented a home on the Oregon coast for a 4-day getaway. As it happened, a large percentage of us were photographers — which meant that cameras were everywhere. I have to tell you, whether you’re a Nikon fan or a Canon fan or a whatever-other-brand fan: cameras look a LOT alike. At times it became damned near impossible to tell the difference from one camera to the next — and God help you if you just rested your camera somewhere for a minute. Sometimes I thought I’d never see my camera again.

A few of the more savvy of our group, however, had replaced their camera’s store-issue camera strap with some really distinctive straps, making it easy to spot their camera from 10 paces. When I returned home, I purchased a couple for my own cameras. I think they’d make a unique gift — and as with the camera bags, Etsy is a great place to find some unusual ones.

6. Picture frames. I have to say, I’m awful about displaying my photographs in my own home — yet there’s nothing I love better than visiting someone’s home that has tons of photographs around, chronicling their travels and their lives. If your favourite photographer is similar, why not buy a few cool frames to nudge her into showing her work with pride? And on a related note, consider a gift of this book, with all sorts of great ideas on how to display your photos. I purchased it a couple of months ago, and it’s truly inspiring. I haven’t actually used any of the ideas yet, but maybe if someone buys me some picture frames …

7. Practical paraphernalia. It’s not particularly romantic or clever, but photographers can never have too many memory cards or polarizing filters, batteries or microfiber lens clothes for their cameras — just make sure you know the size of their lenses or the make and model of the specific camera, and go for it. In the alternative, if you’re afraid that all of this sounds far too technical to trust to your own judgment, a gift certificate to a local camera specialty store would always be welcome.

8. Fun stuff. And finally, there are some really cool things out there that a photographer might not think to purchase for himself, but would love to t
ry. Consider purchasing a Lensbaby, a lens which focuses one point of an image, and then warps the outer edges, creating a cool effect (see Willy Volk’s example to the right). Or, how about a super-secret spy lens: this handy contraption allows you to point your camera in any direction, misleading your subject into thinking you’re taking a picture of something else. Fantastic.

And finally, although this is technically not for still photography, it’s unreal how many photographers I’ve spoken to who said they want the Flip Video Camcorder for Christmas. And starting at US$ 149.99, for a camcorder, this is a real bargain.

Happy shopping everyone! As always, keep sending your great questions to karen.walrond@weblogsinc.com, and I’ll try to tackle them in upcoming posts. In the meantime, keep clicking.

Karen is a writer and photographer in Houston, Texas. You can see more of her work at her site, Chookooloonks.
And for more Through the Gadling Lens, click here.