Customer Reviews

Gorillapod Focus

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Length:: 9:16 Mins

The quality of the materials is wonderfull, i thought the ballhead would be so-so but actually it outperforms the tripod. The ballhead can handle the 11 pounds this combo claims but the tripod doenst at some angles/positions.

The most important is to UNDERSTAND that if you buy this combo it doesnt mean that it will replace your regular (big) tripod. This tripod works wonderfull if you "hug" something with the legs. It also works great for macro... as you can check in my video. This tripod would have save me a lot of time asking strangers to take pictures of me and my girlfriend while traveling in Paris and Brussels.

In my video you can see how it handles a Nikon D90 + Battery Grip with 2 batteries + 18-200mm VRII + SB600 flash. I also tested it with a heavier D300 + 70-300mm VR + SB600 flash.

I am impressed with how this combo was able to keep everything thight hanging from a door and a tree branch.

I didnt rate it 5 stars because few sections of the legs came not as tight as the majority.

I hope this video helps, and check the pictures i uploaded too. This thing does exactly what it is suppossed to do, it fits in any backpack, its light and the ballhead is simply superb.

Length:: 0:40 Mins

The gorillapod foucs is a great tripod for slr owner's with large zoom lens. I use a Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only) and have a Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens attached to it. Even with the lens fully extended the camera doesn't shake or drop down. The tripod is also very light weight which makes it ideal for travel.
The only CON of the product is that the legs are a bit stiff and makes it a bit hard to wrap the legs around an structure. If you can live with that this is the best travel tripod for slr users

Gorillapods are great, but you need one thats one-model stiffer than what Joby says. For example, get this one if you have a D300, and dont expect it to hold it up very well with a 600mm/2.8 lens on it. But it will hold it up with medium size lenses. My previous one, one model down, was not strong enough for me to be comfortable putting a D300 on with anything heavier than the 18-200 mounted. Just be careful - its easy to dump your camera with this thing if you're not.

Length:: 0:54 Mins

The gorillapod is a great alternative to carrying a standard tripod and as long as you use a sturdy ballhead it can handle a full frame DSLR and a heavy lens. I've provided a video example using the gorilapod with a RRS-BH30 ballhead and L-bracket mounted to a Canon 5D Mark 11 24-70 f2.8

I purchased the Joby Ballhead X and Gorrilapod Focus to replace a Gorillapod SLR Zoom/ballhead combo. The SLR Zoom was just not up to the task of supporting my Canon 50D with any of my lens. I was not about to risk my camera on that pod so it went back to the store and a different solution had to be found. I ordered the Joby Ballhead X and Gorillapod Focus and they are a night and day difference from the SLR Zoom combo.

The Ballhead X is smooth in its repositioning and holds securely even when not fully tightened down. The pan base is a nice addition over the SLR Zoom ballhead and allows you to pan easily. This is not an option with the SLR Zoom ballhead. The included Arca-Swiss compatible mounting plate is aluminum and includes a flip out half ring on the mounting screw to tighten the plate securely to your camera. This is a big improvement over mounting screws that have a coin slot in the base. I was able to tighten the plate on the camera with no issues and no movement. There is a spring mounted safety "button" built into the mounting clamp that prevents your camera from sliding out of the clamp if you forget to tighten it.

The Ballhead X is not the be-all, end-all of ballheads. It is not a ReallyRightStuff BH55 and probably won't support a 400mm f2.8 so be realistic with your expectations. For what it is I am very satisfied. It is smooth, reliable, and strong enough for my camera and lens's. The addition of the Arca-Swiss compatible mounting clamp really is what makes the difference at this price point and opens it to a much wider realm of options like camera mount L-plates and camera specific mount plates.

While this review isn't specifically about the Gorillapod Focus its fitting to add a bit in here about it as many people will buy the Ballhead X and Gorillapod Focus to complement each other. In short, the Focus does what the SLR Zoom couldn't: Support my camera. The Focus does the job without breaking a sweat. Is it the perfect tripod? Nope. But then again its not trying to be. It is a small, lightweight, flexible support compromise. As of the time I write this, I feel like I can trust my camera on this product. Thats something I could never do with the SLR Zoom.

This review is for the Joby GP8-BHEN Gorillapod Focus with Ballhead X bundle.

I'm a serious amateur photographer who purchased this product as an alternative to carrying my much larger and heavier Gitzo GT3530LS carbon tripod with Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead. I mainly shoot landscapes, interiors, and macro; I intend to use this product for these same purposes when I travel and for awkward macro positions.

I haven't used the product yet for actual shoots, but I have conducted several experiments with it to get a feel for its effectiveness and limits. Here are my comments:

(1) Before purchasing, I considered buying only the Focus Gorillapod and using my Really Right Stuff ballhead. The BH-55 ballhead is fairly heavy, so the Ballhead X was tempting. It's not well documented, except for a parenthetical remark on Joby's website, but I was very pleased to learn that the Ballhead X is Arca-Swiss compatible! I was a little skeptical how well it would work, but I am very pleased to report that the Ballhead X holds strong on my Really Right Stuff L-bracket and lens plates. The Ballhead X is no match for my BH-55, but considering the price and size/weight, I'm quite pleased.

(2) I experimented with putting the Focus/Ballhead X in various positions, loaded with combinations of the equipment I'll most likely use with it: Nikon D700 (with L-bracket), Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8, Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro, Really Right Stuff flash bracket, and Nikon SB-900 flash. Everything held firm when the camera was either completely horizontal or just a little tilted; however, as the camera was bent down (as would be necessary for macro work), the limit of the Focus was apparent - the legs were insufficient to stop the camera from slowly bending over. This "bending over" could be mitigated if one of the Focus' legs was placed right under the lens. I didn't weigh the various combinations of equipment, but I am certain all combinations weighed less than the stated limit of 11.1 pounds (although I never expected for the Focus/Ballhead X to tolerate that full load). Despite the fact that it wasn't too difficult to load the Focus/Ballhead X beyond it's practical limit, I am quite pleased with how useful it is. I believe the practical limit will provide many useful shoots for my intended purposes.

(3) Although I don't intend to use the Focus/Ballhead X to "strap" my camera to poles/trees/etc., I thought I'd experiment a little with it. This time I used only my Nikon D700 and Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens - a MUCH lighter lens than those mentioned above. I tried strapping the rig to a tree branch about 3 inches in diameter and a handrail on my interior staircase. In both situations, the rig seemed to hold OK, but honestly, I'm not sure I'd trust it - I certainly wouldn't load it with more weight than I did.

Overall, the Joby Focus and Ballhead X seems to be a quality product that should provide many useful shooting opportunities, without the need to drag along much larger/clumsier equipment. Time will tell if the individual links on the Focus remain tight (if they loosen up, the product is basically useless).

This tripod has really changed the game for me. It truly does allow you to capture any angle just about anywhere without having to haul a full sized tripod. It works incredibly well for self portraiture & is built strong. You can't go wrong with this one.

I've been looking for a flexible tripod to hold my Canon 7D for some unusual shots and I think the gorillapod focus fills that need quite perfectly. Originally I almost settled on the Joby GP3 Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Tripod for Digital SLR Cameras model but it just look too flimsy and plastic to me. This focus pod is definitely head and shoulders above the SLR Zoom in terms of build quality. The joints on the focus pod is mostly metal and give you a lot more confidence in trusting your expensive gear to it.

For my personal use, the focus pod can easily hold my 7D with 18-85mm zoom lens when used on a Gitzo ball head. However, my 28-300mm zoom proved to bit a bit too much for the combo but that's pretty much expected. When straightened (which can take a while since the joints are quite stiff) and tripod head removed, I can easily stow the pod in carry-on luggage. It does however lean on the heavy side so I think it's a bit of an overkill for point and shoot cameras. It's also a great tripod to carry around since it's much more compact then even 4-sectioned traveling tripods. I use Gitzo GC3320 Tripod Holster for Series 0, 1, 2, and 3 Tripods (Black) as a belt buckle for the pod and it works amazing.

An import tip: you do need a regular tripod head to use the gorillapod. The threading on the pod won't fit into regular camera sockets. I recommend getting a ball head with level indicators to help you level your shots. However if your SLR have in-camera level indicator (such as in the 7D) then you can probably get away with a simpler head.

1. I use the tripod, probably more than the typical photographer due to my interest in panoramic photography. Thus, I've had occasion to use many types of tripods over the years (Bogen, Manfrotto, Gitzo... the traditional aluminum vs carbon fiber etc... etc...). Furthermore, one must understand and accept the premise that no one tripod is going to be appropriate for all situations.

2. With that being said, if you need a table top type tripod or a flexible tripod, then this is a no brainer purchase. Unlike the cheaper / smaller Joby tripods (which I have purchased in the past-> bad choice), this unit was well made, sturdy / solid, and most importantly is set up to utilize a ball head. The ball head issue is critical in my opinion because this will allow one to more securely hold their camera in place as well as more easily set up the camera for a shot. If you buy the cheaper Joby products that don't allow one to utilize an independent ball head, you're camera may sag at that junction point (it's somewhat difficult to explain but trust me on this one).

3. Now there may be folks wondering if they do need this bigger unit; it is definitely bigger than the lower end models (but definitely still compact compared to a regular tripod)--> I would advise that IF you shoot with any camera (s) other than a true small point / shoot, then just get this unit. As many have noted in their reviews, Joby overestimates the weight capacity of their units and thus don't waste your money on the cheaper models. Just get this one unit, which then should last for hopefully a long time and you'll experience a solid little tripod that actually works. In terms of the extra costs of buying a little ball head--> just get one, because you'll always be able to use that ball head with other tripods down the road. Various companies make nice little ballheads (velbon, really right stuff, the joby one looks fairly decent etc...)

First thoughts of Joby Gorillapod Focus GP8.Joby Gorillapod Focus
This is a short first thought on my latest toy. Its specs report it to be able to hold 11 pounds. I am not sure how valid and important a metric that is. Most importantly it is the largest of the Joby products. It lists for almost 110$ US on Amazon, but I got it for 53$ US due to future shipment date and sale prices. I bought this for use with a D300 and a 55mm f2.8 MF and a 18-200mm VR. I got it for hiking and snowshoeing so I could be in the picture without having to lug a monopod or tripod. I wanted to attach this thing to an adjoining tree and get into the picture... I also wanted to use this as a basic small travel tripod, again to allow me to get into the picture. Once I got this, I found it quite nice for a very low tripod to take macro photos of small flowers like crocuses and such.

I would recommend always using a head; In my case, I use the same smaller head I use on my monopod, a Manfrotto 486RC2 head. This smaller head fits perfectly on the top of the Gorillapod. It also allows you to align everything so that gravity goes straight down the tripod and then focus the camera where you want.

I would not recommend trying to photograph in portrait position without a L bracket. With the right head, you obviously can do it but the center of weight is all wrong and the vibrations are magnified. And even pressing the picture release button with this Gorillapod aligned correctly with gravity will move the camera; doing so with the camera in non centered portrait position, even more so.

Perhaps it is best not to think of this as a tripod; instead think of it as a hybrid mini tripod attachment device. The gorillapod focus does not dampen vibrations; I bet it increases them. But as an attachment device with the goal of attachment and hands free tripod operation, it has no real product opposition in the marketplace for the price.

In short this product will force me to improve my technique: Shutter up; Remote actuation; correct weight alignment on Gorillapod; etc. But for me and its intended use, I think I am going to like it a lot. In the short time I have had it has already proved worth its value.
PS, while I got a reduced price due to agreeing to a future shipment date, I got mine delivered earlier than estimated. Yahooo!