Customer Reviews

Pocket Pod Fully Adjustable Camera Support System- Camera Bean Bag - Tripod Replacement. Canon Rebel XT XTi XS XSi T1i T2i 7D 10D 20D 30D 40D 50D 60D 300D 350D 400D 450D 500D 1000D EOS 5D 1D 1Ds 1v Mark I II III IV MKII MKIII MKIV MK1 MK2 MK3 MK4 T2 K2 A1 AE1 AT1 AV1 EF F1 FTB T90

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

UPDATE: The manufacturer said they offer a larger sized bean bag. That's not the point is it? Don't keyword spam the item on Amazon to attract sales, instead, you should not include DSLRs like Canon's 7D camera in the advertising.

Sometimes you simply can't bring a tripod with you! I bought this in the hopes of being able to put my camera on rocks and other uneven surfaces to make HD video/picture taking a lot easier. Here's the results from the tests:

THE GOOD
1. Portable.
2. Very stable for smaller cameras like Canon PowerShots or other point and shoots.

THE BAD
1. Not enough material inside the bean bag to safely stabilize the heavy DSLRs consistently. If you are using heavy zoom lenses, I do NOT advise you use this bag. Smaller lenses like the primes, and some macros can work fine.

THE SUMMARY
We tested this with professional gear, point and shoots in practical situations. Point and shoot cameras worked extremely well on weird edges and the "edge of couch" test. A Canon 7D DSLR camera + Rode Stereo VidMic + Battery Pack Grip + Canon 35mm f/1.4L took a bit of time to stabilize on the edge of a couch but we were able to pull it off after a couple minutes reshaping the bean bag. But I definitely did not feel it was stable enough to hold the weight. If you got a small camera, buy it. A big camera, you need a much bigger bean bag.

I take a lot of pictures of wildflowers in places where tripods just don't work, but I need a steady, dry surface to put my camera. This works for those situations. I can use it stretched out, or folded. It can be molded somewhat to provide a better angle. I especially like that it keeps my camera off the ground or protected from a fence post or whatever I may set up on. All these bean bags seem a little overpriced, but then many of the accessories I buy for my cameras seem that way to me. Maybe I'm just cheap. It does add a little weight to my camera bag, but at least it will fold up and fit in there. Won't replace my tripod, but is a good accessory for those tough shots. I use a Canon Rebel XTI mainly.

This bean bag is one of the best-built I have owned. I usually travel backroads and hike extensively with my photo gear. This beanbag is a simple way to set up a shot quickly and still have some stabilty. Sometimes a tripod or monopod is just not feasable...this product has saved more shots than I can count. Easily sets up on rocks and other hard to reach places to give the camera a great platform. I would not leave my nearly $5000 set-up on the bag on a benchtop like the product photo, but when used in a controlled situation it is definitely worthwhile. The divided sections make the beanbag easy to configure to the situation at hand...or lay flat for a scratch/dirt resistant mat.

There are times when you are just wandering, observing and suddenly you find yourself wishing you'd hauled that cumbersome tripod along ... not ! I carry this little bean bag in my vest pocket and if I find a shot I have to take & need stability, there it is right at my disposal. I set the bean bag in a convenient spot, stabilize the camera, confirm the shot with the viewfinder and the "Live view" mode. I then use the Canon Wireless Remote Control RC1 and shoot the picture.

The only suggestion I would make is to make it a bit larger, fill it more... I'd like a bit more assurance the camera isn't gonna fall - so far it hasn't..... yet !

I use it and recommend this item, but with reservation.

1) This is a good beanbag, as such it's simple, useful, and portable.
2) What it isn't, that other beanbags are, is inexpensive.
3) The marketing, which splits this item into Canon beanbags and Nikon beanbags, and then names specific models makes no sense at all, except to mislead people that somehow this is specially made for their camera model and therefore is worth the extra price.
4) In my opinion, get the beanbag elsewhere and use the money you save to buy another camera accessory.

I ordered this product to travel with me on a trip, instead of having to take a table top tripod or travel tripod. Generally I use "found tripods", such as the top of my car, a rock, or table. This product seemed perfect to aid me. However, due to the bulk, I ended up leaving it behind more often than taking it with me, and didn't end up using it during my last trip at all!
It seems a good, sturdy product, and I thought it could add extra padding for my very lightly padded camera bag. I definitely recommend it if you don't want to carry a tripod. It is not too heavy, and you can shove it in the bottom of any bag without fearing damage. But I guess I am too stuck in my ways. Perhaps on my next trip I'll use it more, and write a new review.