Gorilla Pod Focus

Just received this as a BD present this weekend. I can see many uses for it, however, I am not sure whether this really could be used underwater without it being damaged by the salt water. Anyone have experience with it?

Steve

Just received this as a BD present this weekend. I can see many uses for it, however, I am not sure whether this really could be used underwater without it being damaged by the salt water. Anyone have experience with it?

Steve

Steve

There were some threads on the Gorilla Pod that seems to indicates it works pretty well.

Gorilla Pod

A good one in the video section Video

No one mentioned damage yet....

Hi Steve, those Gorilla pods are really nice and extremely durable. Although I will admit I have not taken it underwater...don't know why I havent thought of that. Ill email our Joby rep and see if he sees any potential problems with salt water.

SLR Zoom Focus works very well as an uw tripod. I migrated to it from SLR Zoom when it was released as my primary uw tripod when shooting video, and it has worked splendidly. I use it on a Light & Motion Bluefin w/ Fathom 110 and Sunray 2000 (no floats for macro shooting for stability) and it has never even wobbled. The old tripod worked, but wasn't as strong as I'd like.

As far as corrosion goes, my tripod screw is ugly, but the legs are fine.

Even at $100+, if it wears out it is a lot cheaper than the old tripods I used to ruin.

Just received this as a BD present this weekend. I can see many uses for it, however, I am not sure whether this really could be used underwater without it being damaged by the salt water. Anyone have experience with it?

Steve

Steve,

I was just thinking the same thing the other day. Well somewhat the same thing. I was going to make an underwater video tri-pod out of Loc-Line. Which I believe the same material. They use them for video and flash arms, and being plastic should not be any problem in saltwater. The only problem I see with the Gorillapod versus making one with Loc-Line, is the Gorillapod does have some type of metal in it. If you just take a piece of flat aluminum or stainless, drill three holes, and bolt on three Loc-Lines you have almost the same thing, except you know it will be good in seawater. I have to wait for my housing before I can fit it out. The reason I like the Loc-Line versus commercially available tri-pods for underwater, is cost and flexibality.

Danke for all the feedback.

Steve

BigPhillyFish, Gorillapod is solid material designed specially for the job, as opposed to Locline which is hollow material designed for pumping coolant on machinery. Locline makes a lot of noise when you move it around and scares the fish off. However the Gorillapod plastic tripods go floppy after a while of underwater use. I've ended up supergluing several of the joints because they just got too floppy. However the metal version might hold up better over time.

Does anyone know if it would be possible to separate and join the metal links of the "Focus" version to make the legs longer without making them floppy as well? Otherwise I'm going to make a totally new tripod out of strobe arms.

I found the Gorillapod not nearly rigid enough for my macro work with the larger housings. It tended to collapse and sway with current. Weighting further wasn't an option as it just collapsed the pod. I think this is a good solution however for smaller housing. I also think that if you mounted 2 of these pods on the bottom and removed a leg from each you would have an excellent 4 pod.

I know the Loc-Line makes noise, but no more then when your breathing. I used a piece of 3/8" PVC pipe inside of the loc-line and it stops loc-line from collapsing, yet is still very flexible. I did the same set-up for my UK Light Canon, because the light is so heavy. But, if you connect the loc-line to a metal plate you could put 3, 4 or even 5 legs off of it. And if there spread out enough, shouldn't have any problems. When my video rig comes in, I will have to make one up, and test it out. I just didn't like the metal on the other Gorilla thing. Salt water would eat through that pretty quick.