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Joby releases flexible SLR tripod

Candace Lombardi
In a software-driven world, it's easy to forget about the nuts and bolts. Whether it's cars, robots, personal gadgetry or industrial machines, Candace Lombardi examines the moving parts that keep our world rotating. A journalist who divides her time between the United States and the United Kingdom, Lombardi has written about technology for the sites of The New York Times, CNET, USA Today, MSN, ZDNet, Silicon.com, and GameSpot. She is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not a current employee of CNET.
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Candace Lombardi

Joby has finally released an SLR version of its Gorillapod.

As with the original Gorillapod, the Gorillapod SLR is a flexible portable tripod, consisting of a mount connected to three "legs" of flexible ball-and-socket joints. Because of the rubber grips around each ball, the tripod can be wrapped around virtually any object. Rubber feet also allow positioning on uneven or slick surfaces.

The Gorillapod SLR can support a digital SLR or compact video camera of up to 2.5 pounds. The camera attaches to the tripod via a 1/4-20 screw mount. The mount can then be left attached to the camera, for quicker locking and unlocking onto the tripod legs.

While Joby seems to be marketing the Gorillapod to outdoor photography enthusiasts, the gizmo may be more appealing to those shooting in low-light conditions, where any camera shaking by the user is an issue.

The Gorillapod was showcased at both CES 2006 and PMA 2006, but originally accommodated only compact cameras. In order to promote environmentalism, the San Francisco-based company offers a package-free version of the Gorillapod for $21.95 and a plastic-packed version for $24.95. The new Gorillapod SLR, priced at $49.95, comes in an unpackaged version only.