Gear News and Reviews

There are times with even the lightest carbon fiber traditional tripod isn’t handy or doesn’t work for a particular application.  That’s when you should reach for Joby’s Gorillapod SLR Zoom.  At a lightweight 386g it hardly weighs more than a can of soda and collapses down to a mere 28cm including the optional Joby head.  With a maximum weight capacity of 3000g (6.5 pounds) it should handle most of your SLR needs with ease.

Weighing a scant 386g this tripod can go anywhere you go.

Joby Gorillapod SLR Zoom with head and Panasonic GH1 mounted.

The Gorillapod SLR Zoom easily handles this small SLR. Panasonic with kit 14-140 lens mounted.

I’ve mounted a 5D MkII with Canon 100-400L IS to it (this was a bit extreme), but would not want to use that setup unless it was an emergency.  However, I wouldn’t hesitate putting on the 5D with any shorter zooms such as the 70-200 f/4L IS or primes of 200mm or less.

Unique wrap-around legs give this tripod a lot of flexibility to use in awkward situations.

Wrapped around the arm of a directors chair the Gorillapod was perfectly steady to take long exposures.

If this Gorillapod is a little too big there are two other smaller sizes available, the Gorillapod Original and the Gorillapod SLR.  For heavier duty applications there is the larger Gorillapod Focus.  The only fault that I’ve come across so far is the ball head getting stuck in place even when the tightening screw is loosened.  After trying to pry it loose one time and smashing my knuckle I found that twisting the head is a more effective way of breaking it loose.  This is a minor issue considering all the benefits you’ll get from having a Gorillapod as part of your standard kit.

I can’t really find an excuse to leave this tripod at home.  It’s small, lightweight, flexible and surprisingly sturdy.  It doesn’t take up much room in your bag, but can save you in a pinch.

Joby Gorillapod SLR Zoom

GNAR Rating: 5-Stars

I’ve often thought that finding a good camera bag is often more difficult than choosing a new lens or a new body.  Forget trying to find the ‘perfect’ bag.  To my knowledge such a thing does not exist. I am sure that I can speak for many photographers and say that we are also bag-aholics.  If you’re reading this and feel comfortable sharing, leave a comment and tell us how many bags you have.

No, this is not the Crumpler 7 Million Dollar home, but it is the closest I've come to finding the perfect bag is this well worn Domke F-3X. It has it's flaws, but is still my most used bag.

The closest I’ve come to finding the perfect bag is the Domke F-3X.  It lacks a lot of items that make a good bag good, but it’s been consistently at my side more often than any other bag.  Now, it’s faded, frayed, stained, smashed and somewhat dirty, but it remains my go-to bag.

This photo shows a fully packed bag with two camera systems and additional lenses. Normally I wouldn't pack it this tight, but it's nice to know that it can handle all that gear.

In my search for a good day bag I was looking for a messenger style bag that could hold a body (or two) and a few lenses in relative comfort.  After reading bag reviews and trying on bag after bag I settled on the Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home (7MDH).  It was a messenger style bag that met most of my requirements.

A peek inside the Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home. In this photo it is packed for a flight. Normally I wouldn't be carrying around a large headphone case.

First, I like messenger style bags for the ease of access and changing lenses on the fly.  I’ve never been a fan of backpack style bags, but I understand their benefits in certain circumstances.  Second, the 7MDH wasn’t too big, I didn’t want the option of carrying every lens I own, because I would probably do just that, carry every lens I own.  Third, it was sleek.  It doesn’t have too many protruding pockets, zippers, hooks, flaps, etc…  And finally, I like a black bag, because it’s slightly less conspicuous.

In the past I’ve been a fan of more traditional camera bags such as Tamrac, Lowepro, and Domke.  Billingham is just too rich for my blood.  I started to notice more and more people carrying Crumpler bags and thought I’d take a look.  I liked what I saw.  They appear to have excellent craftsmanship.  The material is a high quality nylon mesh that looks like it can take quite a beating.  Only time will tell since this bag is new to me.  The lining feels like a high density foam that should cushion moderate falls or bumps.  The inner compartment comes with the usual dividers that can be configured in nearly any imaginable configuration.

From the Crumpler website:

Water resistant 900D shell & 300D Ripstop lining, 1 x external pocket w/ internal mesh pocket, 2 x internal side pockets, 2 x external accessory attachment straps, 1 x mesh zip pocket under clip & Velcro release flap, padded & Brushed Nylon lined main compartment w/ 8 x configurable dividers, plastic stiffening layer in base, carry handle, adjustable shoulder strap & shoulder pad.

With some of the gear removed you can see the the contents a little better. It should be noted that this bag has excellent padding all around. It adds to the bulk of the bag, but offers the obvious protection if dropped.

The only drawback I have found so far is the way the front snaps closed.  The fittings on the top flap are recessed into the lining of the front flap just a little and this makes it hard to connect to the other quick release snap.  This isn’t a deal breaker though.  Other than that, there is little not to like about this bag.

The Crumpler 7MDH unpacked.

An itemized list of contents:

• Canon 5D MkII
• 16-35 f/2.8L II (mounted)
• 70-200 f/4L IS
• 50mm f/1.4
• Panasonic Lumix GH1
• Lumix 14-140mm OIS (mounted)
• Lumix 7-14mm
• Lumix 20mm f/1.7
• Bose QC15 headphones
• iPhone
• Extra 5D battery
• Compact flash cards x2
• Small homemade follow focus for 50mm
• LCDVF
• Joby SLR Zoom Gorillapod

The front pocket wasn’t packed, but could easily hold airline tickets, passport and a small book.

This isn’t what I would normally pack for day’s outing.  This particular pack was for a two week European trip, so I’m cramming as much as I can into the smallest space possible.

GNAR Rating: 4-Stars

At the time of writing the 7 Million Dollar Home sells for approximately $140.

Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home