Some jobs require both
handheld and locked down shots in environments that are inconsistent
with full-sized sticks. Others dictate that you travel lightly,
shoot handheld, and quickly grab some steady shots as well.
In these situations, a small tripod may not be sturdy enough
to be trusted with an expensive camcorder. A large tripod would
take too long to set up and would be too intrusive for the shoot.
What you need instead is a small, strong and inexpensive gorilla.
Joby has provided innovative photographic
accessories for years, mostly notably its line of small, flexible
still camera tripods called Gorillapods™. They feature unique
grasping legs that firmly tether "point and shoot"
or digital SLR still cameras to an appropriate surface to provide
stability to the shot. The Gorillapod Focus, a larger and more
robust version of the original product, now offers this functionality
for camcorders up to eleven (11) pounds. This is a nice accessory,
but is not indicated for every shoot. I don't recommend using
it with rails, 35 mm adapters, or any unbalanced configuration.
The Focus doesn't require a level surface
to achieve a balanced, level shot. The three legs incorporate
nine flexible, bendable machined aluminum sockets that are adjusted
to level the camcorder. Three gripping soft ball feet provide
a sturdy platform.
The Focus includes an adapter screw for
1/4- and 3/8-inch cams and tripod plates. Once attached to a
quick release plate, you can move between the Focus, your main
tripod, and a shoulder mount support. It's pretty versatile.
I attached it to a Marshall V-R70P-HDA to monitor a shot.
Joby offers a few accessories for its
products, including additional mounts for its smaller tripods.
Though not a deal breaker, no bubble leveling gauge is provided.
As I stated, maximum load is about eleven (11) pounds, but I
don't suggest using the Focus with rails, adapters or any accessory
that would render it unbalanced. The unit weighs about a pound
and measures about 12-inches long.
Two Gorillapods were used to photograph
the product shots you see here. The Focus with the HMC150 was
photographed with a Nikon D200 mounted on the SLR-Zoom. I also
used a Canon "point and shoot" with the Original Gorillapod.
The Panasonic HPX170 also worked well with the Focus.
This is a nice mini tripod, good flexibility,
solid construction, and easy to set up and use. Its machined
aluminum sockets with anodized gunmetal finish provides a professional
look, as well. While not for every shoot, it provides an innovative
tool for the right shooting environment.
Copyright ©2009 David A. Saraceno
David A. Saraceno is a motion graphics artist located in Spokane,
Washington. He has written for DV Magazine, AV Video, MacHome
Journal, and several state and national legal technology magazines.
David moderates several forums on 2-pop.com,
contributes as a Level IV at the Apple Discussions, and is active
at dvxuser.com.