Product Review: Joby GorillaPod Hybrid Tripod

Great tripod! Comparison of options

I was looking for a light tripod for SONY NEX 5N, which is 17.1 oz with its 18-55mm lens. My choice was between GorillaPod GP2 (an older version that has over a hundred great reviews on Amazon.com) and this new model GorillaPod Hybrid (which had no reviews at the time I bought it). I decided to go with the new model for two reasons: it supports slightly heavier cameras (giving me room to add a bigger lens to this camera) and has dual action knob for horizontal and vertical orientation.

The tripod fits my camera perfectly: the quick release fits tightly and holds the camera securely. I tried wrapping the legs on various odd objects and various angles, it worked extremely well! Even when I press the button to take a photo there is no noticeable bounce. In a low light I would use a timer, which I do even with a regular tripod. An added bonus I did not expect is that it fits into my camera bag if I tilt down the head.

Below are some details I collected while deciding which GorillaPod will be the best for my camera. I hope others will find the summary useful as well. The most important thing is to buy the GorillaPod that can handle the weight of your camera (with the heaviest lens it takes, battery, etc).

Comparison of the old GP2 GorillaPod vs the new Joby GorillaPod Hybrid:
New: Dual action knob for horizontal and vertical movement for portrait or landscape orientation
New: Supports up to 2.2lbs [34 oz] compared to 1.75 lbs [23.4 oz] for GP2
New: Its weight is 6.4 oz compared to 5.8 oz for GP2

GorillaPod Original:
For point and shoot cameras up to 11.5 oz
Its weight 1.6 oz

Old GorillaPod SLR:
For SLR cameras up to 1.75 lbs
Is weight 5.8oz

New GorillaPod Hybrid:
For SLR cameras up to 2.2 lbs
Its weight 6.4 oz

GorillaPod SLR-Zoom:
For SLRs with zoom lenses up to 6.6 lbs
Its weight 8.5 oz

GorillaPod Focus:
For SLRs with big zoom lenses up to 11 lbs
Its weight 1.1lb

Common to all:
All have quick release
All have bubble level

Overall this is great tripod and so light. I am looking forward to traveling with it instead of several pounds of the old trusty Manfrotto tripod.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review  ★★★★★