Tripod News

In my review of the original Platypod Pro I suggested that it was “Quite possibly the coolest camera support around.” Well, here’s news: it just got bigger—and better. 

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It was with considerable dismay that I discovered, after my story on gimbal mounts appeared in a recent issue of Shutterbug, that Really Right Stuff (RRS) manufactures a gimbal mount as well; in fact, some might argue it is one of the best conventional gimbal mounts currently being offered among top-tier gimbal mount manufacturers.

Built primarily of CNC-machined black anodized aircraft-grade aluminum stock, RRS’s gimbal is one tough mount. And it’s also beautiful, to boot. Manufacturing quality is as good as it gets—and the postproduction finish and fit are impeccable. The custom knurled pitch lock knob for the articulated arm is solid aluminum. The custom pan knob is solid aluminum as well, but additionally has a rubber grip to facilitate rotation. Importantly, both knobs are located on the same side of the gimbal, thus facilitating access and allowing the user to release or tighten both with just one hand.

How many times have you come across the perfect evening scene – camera in hand – only to be left watching instead of shooting because there was not enough light? Should have had a tripod!

My impression of a tabletop tripod was probably like yours—a squat, three-legged support that collapsed down to handily fit inside a camera bag. After unpacking the 17 camera supports that arrived, I had to modify my definition of the genre to include designs that mushroom to roughly 2 feet when fully open—and some with considerable girth and heft. That also meant extending my thinking to models with a center column and multiple leg sections, which might be more correctly termed “mini” tripods. Either way, in contrast to a standard tripod at its full height, the tripods under discussion, when fully open, have a small footprint and should effortlessly fit in tight spaces.

Selfie Sticks predate the smartphone by several years. But it wasn’t until all mobile telephones adopted the (more or less) same thin, flat, rectangular shape that universal selfie holders could flourish. Here we look at five great ways to hold your phone in the best position for self-portraits, steady video clips, vlogging or Zoom.