Joby focus gorillapod

Yup, I have one. I would have said it was pretty solid up until very recently. It held my D800 with a 70-200 pretty steady, used it down by the river on mushy banks, and wrapped around a fence. But lately 2 of the balls on the end of the legs have become very loose and it's harder to get it to keep steady on a flat surface. It's still solid wrapped around something, but on a flat the weight tends to push it down pretty easy - unless I curl the legs for strength. No idea why the balls became so loose, it's not like I used it a whole lot. For a dslr + short zoom though, it's about the best you'll get outside a proper tripod.

I should add that I didn't get the X-head, I bought the legs alone and added a manfrotto ball-head.
 
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WillNicholls said:
Interesting thanks for that.

I'm looking to put d4 and 200-400 on it with x head. Rated up to 8kg so theoretically should be ok?
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Not according to the website its not 5Kgshttp://joby.com/gorillapod/focus/

Nikon 200-400mm f4 3.3kg
Nikon D4 1.3kg (edit)

and not only that, but it would be very unstable with such a large lens on, better off investing £90 in a decent tripod
 
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pete.rush said:
Not according to the website its not 5Kgshttp://joby.com/gorillapod/focus/

Nikon 200-400mm f4 3.3kg
Nikon D4 3.1kg

and not only that, but it would be very unstable with such a large lens on, better off investing £90 in a decent tripod
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Thing is I'm going to the jungle and need a Gorillapod for use in tree tops. Would it be ok with a stronger head?
 
WillNicholls said:
Thing is I'm going to the jungle and need a Gorillapod for use in tree tops. Would it be ok with a stronger head?
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The Gorillapod forcus X is limited to 5Kgs support weight (camera + lens), your camera and lens is 4.7kgs which is 0.3kg below the design limit, if you want to risk several $$$ worth of camera equipment on something that you're almost at the weight capacity limit on then its upto you, but I won't risk it.

Even something like the magic arm limited to 3kg
http://photo.tutsplus.com/tutorials/shooting/the-simple-guide-to-mounting-a-remote-camera/

But there might be an option here
http://www.b-hague.co.uk/hague_camera_clamps_brackets_mounts.htm
 
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WillNicholls said:
Interesting thanks for that.

I'm looking to put d4 and 200-400 on it with x head. Rated up to 8kg so theoretically should be ok?
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It's possible you could get it stable, you'd have to really work it to wrap it strong enough. It would be at your own risk. If you were to do this I would keep a hand on it too while shooting! I wouldn't recommend though. There must be a better solution out there

As mentioned, the legs are only rated to 5kg, always go by the lower stats.
 
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WillNicholls said:
Interesting thanks for that.

I'm looking to put d4 and 200-400 on it with x head. Rated up to 8kg so theoretically should be ok?
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Honestly?................:eek:


Get a long wimberley plate, a decent heavy duty ball head and some ratchet straps. Tightly strap the plate to the tree,attach ballhead and attach gear to that. Do the necessary adjustments.
 
I use the focus and x head and the best advice I can give is to always keep the camera strap around your neck because it's not a case of iff but when it will fall over.It's a superb piece of kit and works very good but wouldn't put anything more than a 5d3 sized body and 70-200 F2.8 on it-and that's pushing it IMO.
D4 + 200-400 is asking for serious heartache.

Gary
 
Phil Young said:
Ratchet straps are a great idea!!!

I'm going to get some.
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Not sure if you are taking the pee or not Phil............:)

Seriously, get a longish bar, does not need to be an expensive one, drill and put a bolt through it into the head, tighten it up then ratchet it to a tree branch,trunk,gate rail or whatever.Attach yur camera to the ball head,set it up, attach wireless remote, sit in car, watch and wait,out of the rain and cold.................:thumbs:
 
fracster said:
Not sure if you are taking the pee or not Phil............:)

Seriously, get a longish bar, does not need to be an expensive one, drill and put a bolt through it into the head, tighten it up then ratchet it to a tree branch,trunk,gate rail or whatever.Attach yur camera to the ball head,set it up, attach wireless remote, sit in car, watch and wait,out of the rain and cold.................:thumbs:
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I was being serious...it's a great thing to have in the bag. I'm sure I could find some use for it with my monopod and pistol grip ball head :)
 
Ok, no probs fella. Handy things for all sorts of uses.
 
WillNicholls said:
Having just done some more research, d4 and the lens only come to 4.7kg so the 5kg max load of the focus gorillapod will be fine?
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I with Gary, it won't work with the setup you want to use, although you are correct the weight of the D4 isn't what I had quoted above, (my mistake) it's 1.3 Kgs, but with camera and lens its still very near the limit of the gorillapod 5kg limit which isn't really designed to carry larger lenses.
 
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I've got SLR Zoom version, rated 3kg. 5D2 + 24-105mm weights no more than 1.7kg. Due to the centre of gravity is near the lens, the Gorillapod can't hold it up very well, slowly slips under the weight of the lens.

So unless your gear weights less than 2kg, I won't go anywhere near its limit.
 
WillNicholls said:
Having just done some more research, d4 and the lens only come to 4.7kg so the 5kg max load of the focus gorillapod will be fine?
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Stay away from the max load, honestly, that thing won't hold your gear while wrapped round something.

Generally when it comes to tripods/heads I want the max load to be double what my gear weighs to achieve some form of stability and security.

What Frac posted makes more sense...
 
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