The Tripod That Can Go Anywhere (With Your Small Digital Camera)

As I’ve said many times before in my reviews, I hate flashes. They suck the life and emotion out of so many photos. Digital camera flashes are the worst, often too harsh to be useful in most situations. Professional lighting is far better but also far more expensive. I’m not made of money so I often need to take pictures without a flash; an incredible feat without a tripod. Rather than trying to stay as still as possible by propping an arm up on something, I decided a tripod would be a wise investment.

Why I Purchased This Tripod
This tripod is actually my second tripod. I first purchased a Sunpack Platinum Plus Travellite Tripod for use with my digital still cameras and my camcorder. It is very light and compact for a nearly five-foot tripod, but can sometimes be too much for me if I’m going to be out all day. If I’m going to visit a museum, odds are I don’t want to carry a tripod around for hours, nor do I want to whip it out and set it up in the middle of exhibits. I wanted something much smaller that could be used in conjunction with whatever surface was around. I planned to use it only with my Canon Powershot Elph SD 600 which is an ultra-compact camera. Since I needed a tripod to support less than a pound, I planned to find one that was between six and eleven inches and could rest on a table. What I ended up buying was the Joby Gorillapod Tripod and it was even better than what I was looking for.

Tripod Features And My Experience
This tripod features three legs that bend and rotate 360 degrees to allow you to stand it on or wrap it around just about anything. I have propped this thing up on a chain-link fence, hung it upside down from a tree branch, stood it up on a table, wrapped it around a light pole, and attached it to several railings. I love the versatility it provides. I have yet to be in a situation where it has not been useful. The legs are easy to bend and secure, and once you learn how to adjust it for each type of surface, it provides a sturdy anchor for your camera.

This tripod has a standard mount that will fit most digital cameras. Rubber on the mount and on the feet keeps the camera and the tripod from sliding. There is also a lock ring to secure the camera. The package did not have a weight limit listed on it, but I have used it with the aforementioned camera and another camera that weighed less than 1.5 pounds with no problem. I wouldn’t recommend it for cameras much heavier than that, as it may make it harder for the tripod to keep its shape and perform correctly. At full height, this tripod stands 6 inches high. It weighs only 1.6 ounces, made out of a light plastic/rubber combination. When not in use, I usually bend it into a compact ball for easy carrying. It fits in my pocketbook with no problem. This tripod has a one year warranty included.

Price and Recommendation
I paid $24.99 for this tripod at my local Best Buy store. The convenience it offers was worth twice that price. I now have a tripod to take with me everywhere I take my digital still camera. I highly recommend it to anyone with a small camera (for those with heavier cameras, there is an SLR Gorillapod available listed in the related deals section). This tripod will help you get sharp images, without having to carry a few extra pounds around with you.