Gorillapod - what's your opinion?

I think of getting a Gorillapod SLR Zoom for night photography or just whenever I want to be on the picture too.

I don't want to get a real tripod because it's too heavy to carry and takes too much space.

I like to idea of the gorillapod: it's small and can be attached to a tree branch, a handrail or apparently to any surface. That seems very convenient.

For the ones who have it, what do you think of it? Any reason not to get one?

Sorry but i just wouldnt feel comfortable trusting $3000+ ($4000+ after I get my 5D Mark II) worth of gear to something hanging from a tree branch. I understand its cheap and versatile, but it just doesnt have me convinced its secure enough...

Seen plenty of people here use one and it works fine. I look forward to getting one as an upcoming gift!

I have one, don't use it much, its definitely not very sturdy. I wouldn't bother trying to do long exposures with it, its not stable enough.

I have one and have used it a couple of times but not rally excited about it.

I have two. They're not easy to position and once you get them the way you want it they move ever so slowly from the weight of the camera. Not good for real long exposures. Once I get a background light for my portable studio, I might use it as a small light stand behind the subject.

I use a modified SLIK Pro 330DX

Shorter center column, Adorama Flashpoint F-1 Arca Compatible head instead of SLIK head.

This treks out to a total 2 pounds and 11 ounces which is pretty transportable - even for an old geezer like me. It is a great travel and boonie tromping tripod.

It holds my 40D and 70-200mm f/4L IS just fine.

This is about as light as I wish to go in supporting about two grand of photo equipment!

ben_r_ wrote in post #6628155
Sorry but i just wouldnt feel comfortable trusting $3000+ ($4000+ after I get my 5D Mark II) worth of gear to something hanging from a tree branch. I understand its cheap and versatile, but it just doesnt have me convinced its secure enough...

That's alright. My gear is worth a lot less than that and is much lighter too. My heaviest combo (400d + tamron 17-50) is roughly 1kg, so that's about a third of the maximum weight the Gorillapod can sustain.

If the rubber on the legs are as good as they claim, the grip shouldn't be an issue then. Or is the rubber slippery? How about the legs, do they get loose easily?

I'm really not a fan of conventional tripods. Too bulky. I'm not considering gorillapod vs tripod either. I know it cannot replace a true tripod, but the extra possibilities it allows (attaching it to a public bench, a pole, a tree...) is what attracts me.

shutterfiend wrote in post #6628288
I have two. They're not easy to position and once you get them the way you want it they move ever so slowly from the weight of the camera. Not good for real long exposures. Once I get a background light for my portable studio, I might use it as a small light stand behind the subject.

Which version of the gorillapod do you have? Is it the Zoom SLR? And which camera+lens do you use?

I'm very interested to know about the grip performance. As I just wrote it in my previous post, my heaviest combo is pretty light: just 1 kg.

thx

Id say your answer is in the above posts. From the way it sounds to me, most who have one arent too impressed with the possibilities it offers nor are the impressed by its lacking stability. At least thats how Im seeing it. Since I do not own one though and never have, Ill stay out of the conversation from this point on.

cedm wrote in post #6628361
Which version of the gorillapod do you have? Is it the Zoom SLR? And which camera+lens do you use?

I'm very interested to know about the grip performance. As I just wrote it in my previous post, my heaviest combo is pretty light: just 1 kg.

thx

I have the SLR-Zoom and the Original (which I've never used). I have a 5D, usually with a 24-105 and a 30D with 17-50.

There is a new one available http://www.warehouseex​press.com …/default.aspx?s​ku=1028431

Not sure if i would trust my gear to it. Not got one atm and not sure i would want one either.

I want one for simple things which a tripod can not be used for. One instance was at Arabian Nights. It's so dark in there that I could get a 5D shoot at ISO 3200 etc. But I used a cup upside down as a stabilizer with my 70-200 and started getting some great shots. Now Only if I had something not so wobbly and was made for that purpose, I could have gotten better shots.

All I see here are people trying to use it as a tripod. want to use it like a monopod. Just to create better stabilization but not actually leave it to run into the shot.

cedm wrote in post #6628338
I'm really not a fan of conventional tripods. Too bulky. I'm not considering gorillapod vs tripod either. I know it cannot replace a true tripod, but the extra possibilities it allows (attaching it to a public bench, a pole, a tree...) is what attracts me.

The good thing about a conventional tripod is that the weight is distributed evenly.

Benches, branches and poles sound romantic, but when you're working hard on setting up a shot you want to whip out the spirit level and make sure you've made sure. Again, I think they have good prospect as portable light stands for small strobes (speedlites).

I view it not as a tripod but as a somewhat easier-to-carry beanbag. I will use it as such; I'll conform the legs to the surface I'm using rather than try to stand my camera up at "maximum extension". If I need to get the camera up off the ground I'll use a real tripod.