Tired of contorting your body into position to take a great wildflower photo only to find out later that it was shaky or out of focus? Hoodman and Trek-Tech are offering a kit to help photographers take better macro photos. The kit includes the Trek-Tech T-Pod tabletop tripod and the Hoodman Right Angle Viewer. These two accessories will help get your camera lower, eliminate camera shake and make it easier to deal with awkward shooting angles.
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Manfrotto has released the M-Y 732CY Carbon Tripod to their successful M-Y family of easy and compact tripods. This carbon fiber tripod is perfect for traveling photographers who need a lightweight, portable tripod who don’t want to accept compromises on performance. When folded, it has a compact size of 16.7″, with an opened height of 53″, and a total weight of less than 2.1 lbs. Read the rest of this entry �

Joby launched the Gorillamobile for 3G/3GS earlier this month. It has limitless functionality and positioning capability for movie-viewing, talking, video-recording, and photo-taking for iPhone users. The Gorillamobile for 3G/3Gs features flexible, wrappable legs, four interchangeable quick-release adapters, a custom engineered, slim line iPhone case, two removable 3M high bond residue-free adhesive clips and a universal camera adapter. Read the rest of this entry �

Today’s (Final Day) Cheap Holiday Gift For Photographers Is:

Gift Certificates

This is the tenth and last installment of our Cheap Holiday Gifts For Photographers guide. When we think of photography gifts we always think of expensive cameras and lenses. But there are lots of other cool photography-related gift ideas that don’t cost a ton of money. Bookmark this page and check back every day for a new cheap holiday gift idea for your photographer. We’re going to try to keep them all under $50 and some will be under $20.

The Right Tripod and Head
Bogen Pros Share Tips and Tricks on Identifying Which Supports
Are Best For Your Equipment

Ramsey, N.J. (June 9, 2008)– Bogen Imaging, a leading distributor of top quality photographic support products and accessories in North America, is proud to announce a free webinar titled “Selecting the Right Tripod and Head.” Held from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EDT) on June 27, 2008, this course will provide photographers with useful tips and tricks when it comes to identifying which support products fit their needs.
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Manfrotto Introduces NeXt Generation Carbon Fiber Tripods
Evolution of Award-Winning X-Series Continues With New 190CXPRO3, 190CXPRO4 and 190CX3

Ramsey, NJ (March 3, 2008) – With the launch of its X-Series tripods in 2007, Manfrotto set a new standard in the professional photographic supports industry. Not only did the new X-Series boast a stylish design and industry leading performance, it represented a new facet in engineering. The Manfrotto Q90°center column system received critical acclaim and single handedly set the product offering apart from anything else in the market. Indicative of Manfrotto’s dedication to product improvement, the company is proud to announce the next chapter in the evolution of the X-Series with the introduction of a new line of carbon fiber tripods. Designed to supply shooters with an array of features geared specifically towards enhancing the imaging experience, the new carbon fiber family, dubbed “CX,” marks another milestone for Manfrotto and ushers in a new era for Manfrotto carbon fiber supports.

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Intro

There is no arguing that a tripod is the ultimate camera support. But sometimes you may want to carry something lighter, more compact and in some ways more capable than a traditional tripod. In those instances the Joby Gorillapod might fit the bill.
The Gorillapod comes in three models:

• “Original” - holds up to 9.7 ounces, has quick release
• “SLR” - holds up to 1.75 pounds, has quick release
• “SLR-Zoom” - holds up to 6.6 pounds, no quick release

My experience is with the Original and the SLR-Zoom. The SLR version wouldn’t work well with my cameras, so I passed on buying it.

Original

I remember seeing the Gorillapod online when it was first released. I didn’t really think much of it, since it seemed a bit gimmicky. The whole premise behind it was the ability to wrap its legs around something stable to create unique mounting opportunities. I had little faith in its performance, even though I had never had a chance to use it. However, it seemed to really catch on as time went on. Its reviews were favorable and its popularity spawned its two bigger siblings.

(Image provided by Joby)

A little over a month ago I was at a local electronics store shopping for a case for my Canon TX1. Right above the cases hung the original Gorillapod and the SLR version of it. Never having the chance to use one, I was curious enough to take a closer look at it. The case is a blister pack, but it’s not sealed, making it very easy to open and examine. What I found was a compact, light set of legs that wrapped around its display “branch” very snugly. On a whim, I decided to give it a try.

(Image provided by Joby)

Once I got it home I started putting it through its paces. Right from the start I was impressed by how sturdy the little legs were. With the TX1 mounted on it, a considerable amount of force was needed to get the legs to collapse. The joints held strong enough to make it a viable micro-tripod alternative. But, like any chain, the elements are only as strong as their weakest link. Some of the joints hold much better than others, and I noticed that in some positions the stress of even a moderately heavy camera would collapse the weakest joint on a leg, making the whole thing collapse. It’s not difficult to work around this with different leg positions and bends, but something to be aware of. With most small cameras this won’t be an issue, but it can become a problem with heavier setups.

Though surprisingly strong, the plastic construction sacrifices a lot of rigidity. With the TX1 I need to use the self-timer to allow enough time for the shaking to subside. Any sort of touch makes the camera tremble, making long-exposure shots difficult without a timer or remote. This can also make precise framing difficult. You just never know if the image is framed the same way after the shaking subsides.

SLR-Zoom

Even with its shortcomings, the Gorillapod impressed me enough to make me curious about the largest of the three versions. About two weeks after getting the original, the SLR-Zoom was at my doorstep.

Though it exhibits less of the shaking that plagues the little version, it still suffers from the weak link syndrome. But I found this more difficult to work around with the SLR-Zoom because of the extra weight it is meant to support. I am unable to use the legs splayed out like a tripod because there are several joints near the mounting plate that are weaker than the rest. This causes the legs to buckle unless they are shaped just right, reducing the unit’s usefulness as a small tripod replacement. The legs still hold tight when twisted around oddly shaped things, but when fully loaded I have a hard time trusting it. Granted, fully loaded to me means having a ballhead on along with my 20D with grip and 70-200 IS. Though I have not weighed it, I’m confident that I’m pushing the bounds of its weight specification. So if you intend to use it with a similar setup I suggest you test it thoroughly to see if it works for you. Once the ballhead is removed and a more reasonable lens is attached (17-40L) the setup becomes much more stable. Even wrapping it around the oddly shaped armrest of an office chair results in a reasonably stable platform.

Bottom Line

What it comes down to is that the Gorillapod, in its many incarnations, achieves some of its goals most of the time, and others in certain specific situations. It is useful as a tripod replacement as long as you stay under its rated weight. It shines when you are able to utilize its unique design to wrap around things or fit into odd spaces. But even then, you have to remember that the legs don’t exert any force on the object they’re grasping, relying instead on friction and gravity. Friction is hard to come by on account of dirt and lack of clamping force, but if you can utilize gravity and use the Gorillapod to act as a hook then it can pull off feats that no other tripod can. The only thing that compares is a magic arm/superclamp setup, but that is a much more costly set of gadgets that limits you to a certain usable thickness of clamping surfaces. Like with everything else, it’s a tradeoff. If you have a stable tripod but want something light and compact to have as an alternative with a light to medium-weight camera setup, then definitely give the Gorillapod a look try. But if you are looking for a steady and reliable camera support for most situations, you might want to stay clear.

Overall I like both the Gorillapod and the SLR-Zoom. In those instances where they are useful I am really glad to have them. These are tools that shine in a narrow realm of uses, for all the good and bad that comes with that distinction. My recommendation is to buy with caution.

By Laurence Chen, July 21, 2007

Manfrotto is one of the established names in tripods. Their commitment to quality and functionality marches on and the 190XPROB model is yet another example of their ongoing efforts to redefine what it means to use a tripod. The aluminum Manfrotto 190XPROB has a center column that, with a push of a button, releases from the vertical plane and pivots in the unique leg/head assembly to a horizontal position.

This feature makes shooting down much easier, especially when the tripod is used next to a table. If you’ve ever tried to do copy work with a traditional tripod and ball head, you know this can be tricky.

Tripod users tend to have a strong preference for one of the two leg-locking mechanisms. The 190XPROB, like all Manfrotto tripods, uses flip locks. I happen to like flip locks and these feature large tabs that are very easy to open and close which makes adjusting them fast and simple. My older Manfrotto tripod uses twist-knob clamps and I must say these newer tabs work far better.

The 190XPROB is 48 in/122 cm tall with legs fully extended, and your choice of head will also add a bit (my Manfrotto 3-way 804RC2 adds about five inches). It’s the shortest tripod I’d be comfortable with owning. The 190XPROB’s center column gives you another 9.5 in/24 cm for a maximum height of 57.5 in/146cm inches if you need it. For vertical use, I generally recommend you avoid extending the center column or extend it as little as possible since the extension can compromise structural stability, torsional (twisting) rigidity, and vibration dampening.

Recently I have photographed a lot of food. Since I’m not a studio guy I don’t have the specialized equipment to regularly shoot food or other small things on a table. But this is exactly the kind of work where the Manfrotto 190XPROB can make life a lot easier. Of course, the subject could be flowers or macro stuff or any other work that requires getting above the subject for an overhead view, in or out of a studio.

By extending the center column and locking it in horizontal, you can position your camera about 12 in/30.5 cm away from the center of the legs. Of course, you have to be careful about the stability of your setup since the weight of the camera is now off-axis and could cause the tripod to tip over. Nonetheless, this back and neck-saving feature gives you much more flexibility when working above your subject.

Once you’re in position, use a remote release or the self-timer found on most modern cameras. Not only is the horizontal stability more delicate, but the 190XPROB’s center column tends to vibrate when it’s set to horizontal, particularly if your tripod head and camera are heavy. Unfortunately during my testing I did not have a remote. Thus I found that the gentlest touch was necessary to prevent the camera from vibrating. Fortunately the combination of the camera’s mirror lock up and two-second timer worked well. When shooting outdoors or doing macro work, I’d highly recommend using a remote as it would make life easier all around.

An added benefit to using a tripod when working with others is that they can see the shot and provide immediate feedback. During my food assignments I would step back from the camera while the editor or chef viewed the image displayed on the camera. We could then make small refinements to the composition or lighting together. This would have been much more difficult shooting without the tripod holding the camera position above the food.

In addition to going horizontal, the same center column release can fully invert for using your camera upside down, close to the ground. I wish I had brought this tripod along with me recently on a day hike. Since our trip occurred midday, I thought there were no serious landscape photo opportunities. As usual, something else presented itself: a swarm of orange butterflies in a field of purple flowers. I wasn’t keen on laying down on the dusty trail, but it’s a dirty job and someone’s gotta do it. The tripod could’ve done it instead.

If there is a drawback to the design of the 190XPROB, it’s that the horizontal extension is limited to 90 degrees from the axis of the legs. This is easily worked around by using the head or leg extensions to change the camera angle, but it’s not always very fast or precise. Slightly better ease-of-use and more angular variety may be found in the Gitzo Explorer series of tripods. Manfrotto also offers a horizontal accessory arm (3059B) that mounts atop your existing tripod legset but it also limits you to 90 degrees.

The Manfrotto 190XPROB delivers traditional tripod stability along with a uniquely designed neck and back-saving horizontal clamp for fast downward camerawork. If you’re looking for an affordable all-in-one tripod for broad photographic use, I recommend you include the 190XPROB on your list of candidates.

Full Disclosure: The tripod reviewed here was received as a gift from Manfrotto during a sponsored factory tour in May 2007. At the time I received the tripod, I owned (and still own) another Manfrotto tripod along with a half dozen Manfrotto light stands and several other miscellaneous supports, clamps, etc.

By Laurence Chen www.lchenphoto.com | www.buythebestcamera.com