Joby Gorillapod - A lightweight tripod for hiking, trekking and backpacking
Balancing my Gorillapod on top of a guard-rail at the tourist station on Aiguille du Midi above Chamonix, France, enabled me to capture this image looking over Aiguille du Plan towards Aiguille Verte, Les Droites and Les Courtes. (Follow the link for printing options)
A common theme when I write gear reviews is how lightweight an item is. This is simply because the lighter the weight of my pack the easier it is for my to move quickly and keep up with the elite athletes I like working with.
If there's one piece of camera equipment I usually don't want to be lightweight, it's a tripod.
With tripods, you get what you pay for and if you don't go for one of the professional models and shell out some serious cash you run the risk of your images not being tack-sharp. Professional tripods and ball-heads however, even if the tripod is made of carbon fibre, are bulky and heavy and will slow you down. They are best suited for jobs when you hike in e.g. at dawn to a location and stay there until dusk, or when you're travelling on a hill or mountain but shooting only landscape images.
So what do I take on occasions where a great landscape opportunity may arise, e.g. on a multi-day trekking shoot in the French or Swiss Alps, but it's not the sole purpose of the shoot? The Joby Gorillapod tripod (I use a previous model to the current 5K Pro Kit called the Focus) is a small, strong but lightweight tripod that is multi-functional and ideal for occasions where you may need a tripod but you're not 100% sure. I find it to be an ideal trade-off between carrying my main tripod (a Manfrotto carbon-fibre model) and nothing at all.
What I use a tripod for
Time lapse photography - E.g. to photograph moving clouds
Landscape photography - Primarily mountain landscapes at dawn or dusk
Long exposures - E.g. in conjunction with a 6 stop ND filter
Flash photography - A tripod can double as a light stand
What I like about the Joby Gorillapod tripod
It's strong - The 5K Gorillapod easily holds the weight of both a Nikon D810 or Nikon D4S with a 24-70mm f2.8 lens.
It's multi-functional - The adjustable legs let you wrap it securely around a number of objects in the outdoors, e.g. a tree branch, rock, fence post, etc. Plus it doubles up for use as a light stand and it can also provide you with extra reach if you have to hold a flash.
It's easy to carry - It's held perfectly by the tension straps on the side of of my rucksacks and camera backpacks
What I'd change
Although I don’t often use it as I use an L plate on both my cameras I'm always wary of losing the provided Arca-Swiss compatible QR plate if the tightening screw comes loose whilst travelling. There's a touch of magnetism on it but not enough I feel to stop it falling off. Perhaps they could introduce a safety leash.
Occasionally I wish it was a little taller, perhaps twice the size - this would help when using it as a light stand but obviously it would make it heavier and more bulky to carry.
Alternatives
Joby Gorillapod 3K - Lighter still but not as strong. Ideal for consumer gear or as a light stand.
Camera bean bag - Not as functional but serves as a relatively stable base for landscape shots
The world around you - The lightest option of all. Use whatever is around you to stabilise the camera, e.g. rucksack. stones, etc.