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[OM] Re: gorillapod slr zoom

Subject: [OM] Re: gorillapod slr zoom
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:02:19 -0800
Dan Mitchell wrote:
> Moose wrote:
>   
>> The alternative compact tripod I also rather like is the Ultrapod II. 
>>     
>
> I've got the 'medium' gorillapod and an ultrapod II, and they're good for 
> different things.
>
> The gorillapod is handy if you're hiking and want to wrap it to a tree, or a 
> bench, or a railing or whatever -- but if you're hanging things sideways then 
> the weight will be more likely to flex it.
>
> The ultrapod has a tiny ballhead on top, which is not strong enough to hold a 
> very heavy lens, 
You're the second to say that. What are people using on it, 80-200/2.8s?
> but when it _does_ work it's rigid, because the base has no flex, it's all in 
> the head. It also has a velcro strap which you can use to wrap around 
> (relatively smooth) vertical surfaces in a pinch, it'll work fine on 
> lampposts, not so well on trees or anything that's too large.
>   
Neither will the Gorilla fit large things.
> Downside of the ultrapod is that you only have so much room to raise/lower 
> the angle, and if the lens is too long the whole thing can overbalance.
>   
Perhaps s is simply balanced, with a strong enough ball head to hold any 
lens that is appropriate for the leg circle diameter.
> Summary: both are better than nothing, 
Yup. The Gorilla looks way cooler. As in my later post, I still think 
the Ultra is better in the end - and WAY better value
> but personally for travel tripods, I like this one:
>
> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/147126-REG/Slik_611_465_Compact_Tripod_XL.html
>
> It's not very solid, so you probably still want self-timer to avoid shake, it 
> takes a while to set up, but it _is_ a real tripod which you can use on very 
> uneven surfaces, and it's small enough to fit into a backpack or hang on the 
> outside of a smaller pack, it weighs very little, it's cheap, and the one I 
> have has lasted surprisingly well.
>   
That's getting into a different category. I tend to travel with both 
something Ultrapod size and something this size. The one I have weights 
a little less, extends a little bit higher and has a ball head, which I 
prefer in a traveler like this. BUT - MOST OF ALL - it has flip lock legs.

I'll put up with twist lock legs, barely, on my larger, CF tripod, if 
only because that's all that was available and that also worked at the 
time. In a travel tripod, no way. I can have mine set up with camera 
mounted and ready to shoot in about 30 seconds. And...it's impossible to 
over tighten a lock.. At the moment, I have the larger Velbon 343 head 
on it and the smaller one it came with on the Gorilla.

Of course, it's no longer made, but still on Amazon to look at. 
<http://www.amazon.com/VELBON-343E-Lightweight-Photographic-Tripod/dp/tech-data/B00006HOO1/ref=de_a_smtd>
 
The new version has some sort of "one twist for all leg sections" design 
which I haven't tried 
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00020H3H6/ref=dp_cp_ob_title_0/105-8122907-8844447>.

I prefer holding the camera with moderate downward pressure to 
freestanding with a light tripod. That tends to damp the vibration in 
light, aluminum legs.

Moose

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