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Gorillapod Focus and Ballhead X at Engadget

Among Joby’s more recent offerings in the Gorillapod spehere are the big, metal Gorillapod Focus (designed to take the weight of pro bodies and big, chunky, fast-aperture pro zooms), and it’s matched ball head, the extremely named Ballhead-X.

Combined, they can support up to 11.1 pounds of weight in almost any situation: hanging of a street sign, hanging from a tree branch, ceiling fan… one time with the Gorillapod-Zoom I managed to hang it off a wall using just the door jamb.

So, if you’re interested in this quirky, sometimes-a-life-saver sometimes-just-gimmicky system, why not give the recent review by the fine folks at Engadget a read-over? Hit the external link below.

external link

Tripods and Pinched Fingers

So, as my co-worker beside me works on finding a tripod for a customer who insists on flip-locks over twist locks, I thought I should take a moment to talk about my thoughts on these two popular ways of telescoping tripod legs.

Twist locks are actually my preferred method, I find them faster, more comfortable, and considerably less likely to end in me yelling profanities after catching some soft, fleshy bit of my finger in a lever of DOOM.

However, some people have had problems with over-tightening twist locks, which strips them and makes keeping their camera tripods upright a very difficult chore. Flip locks are much more difficult to do this with, in general you set the initial tension to the right level and then it’s either on or off.

Maybe I just don’t trust flip locks because I’ve had the mechanism inside them snap while pulling the level down, which made me quite unhappy. I don’t tend to be much of an over-powering dude, so I’ve never killed a twist lock. To each their own, though.

If you like twist locks, Induro and Gitzo are big into those.
If you like flip locks, why not peep out some Bogen Manfrotto tripods, or maybe some Sliks?

Acratech’s Fancy GP Ballhead

Acractech GP Ballhead

OK, product spotlight time. I haven’t done one of these in a while, but it’s been a while since I stumbled across something cool like this. So, from the school of thought that goes “Hey! The top camera tripods cost me like 400 bucks, I need a ball head that rivals that.” So, here’s the Acratech GP, a nice $390 or so ballhead, but this one i think earns every single dollar they’re asking for it.

First, there’s the “mundanity”, which says the sucker can hold 25 pounds “at any angle”– remember that, we’re coming back to it in a moment. It weighs less than a pound, and takes Krik/Arca style plates. All very cool, but maybe not open-my-wallet-shell-out-390 cool.

Except, see how the degree scales are printed right side up and upside down as well? I wandered about that when I first saw it. Turns out, you can take the quick release off and mount the head upside down as well, giving you a nice panning, level head. Perfect for putting macro rails on. Flip it around the other way and you’ve got a ball head, but weight, with gimbal action. That’s right. It’s a ball head, it’s a pan head, it’s a gimbal. That’s pretty A-OK with me. Saves space inthe luggage, that’s for sure.

I don’t think we have these in yet, but that just means they’re coming. Me, I’d say if you want a ballhead worthy of a product highlight from me, I’d go with. How’s that for faux arrogance, eh?

Buy Something Cool, Get Something Useful

Christmas shopping is down to the final week, and I just remembered that we have a special coming to a close at the end of this month. No no, this is good, listen:

You buy one of a selection of Kata’s DR-465 Rucksack (available in several colors, including the one pictured here)

We’ll include this free Manfrotto monopod (yup, Manfrotto, maker of fine camera tripods).

There you go. I just made everything easy. Buy the bag for yourself, give the monopod to someone you love (if that happens to also be yourself, don’t worry, we won’t tell.) Is the monopod as good as a Trekpod? Well, not entirely, but heck, it’s free, and free is the best price.

Gizmos, nay, Doodads

It’s kind of a potluck Thursday here in the web department that I call home, and I’m not quite ready to smack out the next bokeh post, so I’m going to goof off today and mostly just point out a few odds and ends things I’ve seen kicking around the dusty corners of our site that interest me.

First up is this clever hackjob, the CMS-FLAT (catchy name, right?) by DM Accessories. So, here’s the skinny, some new Canon Camcorders (the HF10 and HF100) started using a new type of hotshoe, the “Mini Advanaced.” This is particularly frustrating for a lot of filmers since, y’know, it doesn’t let them mount their old lights on some pretty stellar new camcorders. So, here we go, clever solutions at work. These jobbies slide into the Mini Advanced hotshoe and give you a universal coldshoe. Bada-bing.

Confessions of a Coffee Addict, pt 2

I Gots the Jitters 2

Hello again everybody, I’m still Derek and this is still Coffee Addicts Anonymous. Last session we talked about using tripods to eliminate shake from my jitters. This time, we’re going to explore some other options for keeping those shots steady.

1. Trekpods. Last time I complained that tripods are too awkward for someone trying to remain flexible in their composition (ie, me). Monopods are more flexible, or at least easier to move around with, but don’t quite cut it like a tripod does. Fortunately, since this is The Future we no longer have to compromise. The Trekpod is the interesting cross-breed of a monopod and a tripod. Functionally, it’s a monopod until you unlatch a strap at the bottom and then, WHAM, it’s got three little legs lending it more of a tripod stability. But, don’t take my word for it, watch their surprisingly infomercial-like video for yourself:

http://www.trek-tech.com/content/movies/lossless/TrekPod_nature_photography.mpg

2. Optical Image Stabilization. Ok, sure, not as good for night shooting, but OIS in any form is nice. I shoot Olympus digital cameras, and they use in-body stabilization turning any lens I mount into a mean, precision-ground jitter fighting machine. I can’t speak for the effectiveness of Canon or Nikon’s lens-based systems, but I know combining f3.5 with my in-body OIS has allowed me to pull crisp shots off at dusk at a focal length equivalent to 800mm, so if you’re waffling about paying more for real (optical) IS, don’t. Unless you only shoot at high noon (you photo cowboy, you), or in a studio, you’ll find use for IS.

3. The DIY solution. This went around all the DIY photo blogs for a while, so if you’ve seen it before you’ll just nod knowingly. If you need flexible, portable stabilization, this’ll help in a pinch, but it won’t save those long lens night-time shots from getting a bit soft. It is pretty darn neat, though:

$1 Image Stabilizer For Any Camera – Lose The Tripod

Confessions of a Coffee Addict, pt 1

I Gots the Jitters 1

Hi everybody, I’m glad you could join us today. My name is Derek, and I’m a coffee addict (murmur of support and hellos). I know, I know. It’s just, it’s such a nice arrangement, my addiction. I get to not have splitting headaches, and hey, I’m providing revenue streams to developing countries, right? Right?

But, I’m not going to let it get in the way of things that matter to me, like my photography. So, I’m here to tell you about the world where dark roast meets lens hoods.

We’re going to start with tripods. Now, me, personally, I don’t like them much. Don’t get me wrong, there’s something inexplicably neat about them, I just hate having to use them. I tend to shoot available light because tripods hinder my mobility to move around and explore a subject.

But, good luck hand-holding even a stabilized camera once the sun sets and getting a crisp shot (no, honest, the blur is an artistic decision, not a technical failing, I promise!). Especially since after a pot or two my hands aren’t exactly surgeon-steady. So, tripods.

The big names here of course the Bogen Manfrotto tripods or Gitzo tripods. But, since I’m an art shooter (read: not getting paid for this) I have a hard time justifying a tripod that costs twice as much as my camera when I’m only going to use it for one out of fifty shots.

Fortunately, there’s Induro. They make camera tripods that approach the quality of the big guys, if not meet it, except at a price I can afford. I’ve been playing around with them, and I’m thinking of getting one soon to replace my current studio tripod. I have their brochure on my coffee table. I use one of their SA-0 ballheads on a Gorillapod Zoom to hold a wireless flash unit. But, how can you not love something like the A214 (pictured), 20.9″ Folded / 65.84″ Extended for under 130 bucks. Now, that I can justify.

Next time, getting mobile without getting shaky.

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