Joby GP1-A1EN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod (Grey and Black)
by Joby
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Joby GP1-A1EN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod (Grey and Black)
Customer Review: Buy this tripod, it's simply amazing!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I use this tripod with my Panasonic Lumix TZ5 and I assume it works with all the Lumix lines since they have the same standard tripod mount. This device has single-handedly changed the way I take pictures! I recently went with my gf on vacation and we were able to get such amazing shots of the both of us in a huge variety of settings because we were able to take "self timer" pictures of ourselves - and all without bothering other people to constantly take photos for us! The picture taker is always missing from a shot, but not with the Gorillapod!
Pros:
- Small and portable. Lightweight and easy to carry around. I carry it around in the pocket of my cargo shorts all the time. I'm certainly not going to lug a big tripod around. So for me, it's either this or nothing.
- Flexible legs can be used to grip around just about anything. This enables amazing and creative camera shots. And I mean anything! We hung it on trees, railings, set it up on the street, on cars, tables, chairs, etc.
- Get the shot you want using "self picture". How many times have I bothered some stranger to take a picture for me so that everyone can be in the picture? Usually, they don't frame it exactly as you like, you are lucky to get a couple of shots before you feel like you're imposing and it's impossible to take the time to set the camera to settings that create a good picture. With the Gorillapod, those are issues of the past!
- Great for night pictures or any picture with a long exposure. Again, this is true of any tripod but who is going to lug around a big tripod just to take better night time shots?
Cons:
- Has some trouble holding weight of camera in a fixed position. The mount attaches to the side of my Lumix camera. Because of that, in certain positions, the neck of the tripod sometimes folds under the weight of the camera - particularly in situations where the camera is already tilted a little relative to the legs of the tripod. So far, I've usually been able to position the camera in such a way as to overcome this issue. However, if the base/neck of the tripod was much stiffer, would be better. If your mount is in the middle of your camera base, then probably won't be a big issue.
All in all, don't hesitate to buy this tripod. It has completely changed the type of pictures I take and dramatically increased my picture taking as well!
Customer Review: Tripod trying your patience? Try Gorillapod.
Summary: 4 Stars
I found this gem, the Joby Gorillapod GP1-0PEN at a silly tourist camera/binocular shop in my travels.
For roughly $20, I paired it up with my whimsically fun and cheap Norcent DCS-1050.
I was using a crappy tripod that came with a Barska spotting scope before this. Basically, anything was an upgrade. The spotting scope tripod worked better with my Canon EOS 20D. The Norcent has a really shallow tripod mount, causing me to use foam washers to keep a solid grip on all of the horrid tripod equipment I used.
Needless to say, it has given me a much easier time grabbin' onto parking meters, mailboxes, guardrails, handrails, and the occasional sleeping bum. Vacationers, photo-crazy mothers, and cheap burgeoning photographers with proper equipment will fall in love with Gorillapods. Serious photographers should like them too, but photography is worse than underwear for picky consumerism, one man's comfort is another's hell.
Keeping the "rubber grippies," clean helps this unit work even better. Keeping them dirty only means less surfaces to be able to grab onto. I've used pencil erasers and rough terrycloth with a touch of glass cleaner to keep them spit-spot and kung-fu gripped. Probably not manufacturer recommended but hey, its mine. I can (and will) buy another one if need be.
My only complaint is the length of the... tendrils... arms... tentacles... legs... appendages... yeah. If they were about one to two inches longer, I'd be down with that. Sure, less compact but hey.
I did experiment with the GP1-0PEN on my Canon EOS 20D, which isn't a HUGE camera, but really, no bueno. This model is meant for tiny ultra-compact cameras. In fact, from what I played around with, the "SLR" intended variant would probably have been doable if you only mount the camera body. No flash, no lenses, no batteries. Get the big SLR-Zoom model rated for over 6 pounds (GP3-01EN), not the 1.75 capacity standard SLR (GP2-00EN) one. In fact, the standard SLR-rated model is probably great for cameras between ultra-compact and SLR's. People need to read the packaging and recommendations a wee bit more it seems considering some of the complaints read here...
...great product, grateful I have one. I'll buy more.
KW
Customer Review: Probably the best of the supercompact tripods
Summary: 4 Stars
As long as you don't expect the world of the Gorillapod, it won't disappoint. I've had a slew of small tripods for years (to match my succession of digital cameras; I'm tough to please). My Ultrapod II is good, sturdy and stable, but often not as versatile as this. I'll still keep that one around, though, especially after I got the quick-release head for it. For me, a quick-release shoe is a very big plus. My full-size tripods have always had this feature, but I've never been able to find it on the minis until the Gorillapod. It's extremely useful. No more struggling with screwing the tripod in when you need to take that quick picture, desperately trying to keep from cross-threading and stripping the plastic mounting threads common on today's cameras. The Gorillapod snaps onto the camera in about three seconds. This won't hold my camera as still as my 4-pound tripods, but it's a heck of a lot lighter and easier to carry with me all the time. While Joby lists the maximum weight capacity as 12 ounces, my camera still works fine despite being a couple of ounces over that. If there's one thing I don't really like, it's that it does take a bit of fiddling to straighten out the legs after use. But if you're not obsessively neat, you probably won't mind some slightly crooked legs. If you really want a bit more stability, see the Gorillapod SLR. A quarter pound heavier and twice the price, but when you need it, sometimes you need to bite the bullet. Or get the Ultrapod II if having superflexible legs isn't of paramount importance. That's a couple of ounces heavier still compared with the Gorillapod SLR, but its rigid construction and Velcro strap make it more secure in iffy conditions.Customer Review: Does not have a strong hold, deforms very easy
Summary: 3 Stars
I use this on my Flip video recorder. It is a lightweight recording device, but seems to over-tax the Gorillapod.
Main problem - The three arms can't cinch tightly to a surface. This is a big problem if you are mounting to a smaller, fairly smooth surface. You can get them tight initially, but there is no "clamping" force, so it slowly succumbs to gravity. Examples:
1. Back of a chair - I molded the legs around a dining table chair, which is rectangular. Bumping the chair caused the legs to slightly lessen their grip, making it tilt backward, losing the shot
2. Handle of a refrigerator - I molded the legs around the long, vertical handle of my fridge. Took many tries, got it to stay, but it wasn't clamped. It was precarious
3. Handlebar of a bike - I tried to mount to the steel handlebar of my mountain bike. No deal. Twenty feet into the ride, it toppled over because it couldn't cinch and hold.
As a stand-alone tripod, it works just OK...the legs are hard to exactly straighten, and on a smooth surface, they tend to spread apart. Examples:
1. On a granite countertop - Smooth surface meant I had to exactly balance my Flip on the center of gravity, and when I moved it around the counter, the legs spread out.
2. On a tile floor - See above.
Lastly, it is VERY prone to transmitting vibrations to the Flip video. When I sit it on the tile floor, the vibrations of people walking make a noticeable difference in the video.
OVERALL: JUST OK - 3 Stars. For the money, I expected more.
Customer Review: Excellent little accessory for your small camera or camcorder - I use it with my Flip
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an excellent little device. It's a very versatile mini-tripod that works great if you just want to mount your camera on a desk - but it'll even mount in a tree or on bicycle handlebars or on a car's rear view mirror if you like.
I use it mostly with my Flip Mino Camcorder, but I've also used it with my Canon VIXIA HFS10. It's strong enough to mount the larger camcorder on a desk, though I don't think I'd try mounting it on a tree branch with this. With the Flip, though, it can mount just about anywhere. It's surprisingly sturdy.
Three things I really like about it:
1. it's extremely portable. I don't always want to lug a tripod, but I can fold this up and stick it in my pocket anytime I plan to shoot video. Then almost any table, chair, or rock can effectively become for my tripod. It's light and easy.
2. it mounts almost anywhere, as mentioned above.
3. it has a quick release mount, which makes it especially handy. You screw the mount to the bottom of the camcorder and then slide it in until it clicks in place for tripod shots. If you want to handhold for a while you just release the mount - which you can lock in place if you like for security.
Whoever thought of this deserves some kind of genius award. A very neat accessory!