Camera Flexibility - Best Tripods for content creation!
One of the key things I’ve learned in the last few months whilst juggling a day job, helping with home schooling and keeping a dozen 8 year old football mad kids practicing at home is that flexibility is extremely important. Being able to record a session in the garden, using multiple angles with different types of sound setup, then creating content for school homework and starting up a YouTube channel requires a certain amount of flexibility.
I’ve had to purchase and setup a minimum amount of gear and adapt it to fit small spaces in my home. Amongst all the equipment I bought, two of them are present in almost every day that I use the camera.
The GorillaPod by Joby
I am not sure if this was intentional by the company but the main audience for this product seem to be YouTubers. Many famous channels on YouTube feature this tripod. The main feature of the Gorillapod is its ability to flex each of the legs independently at various points.
The build of the 3K PRO is fantastic, done in Aluminium, and certainly feels high quality. It starts off quite stiff to be honest but with time, it starts to get more flexible and one can really get creative with the opportunities it gives. It allows the camera to be turned in many directions so you can use different formats to suit your needs, for example YouTube 4:3 or 16:9 format or turning the camera for an Instagram stories vertical format. All done, really quickly by adjusting the BallHead.
Oh yes, the BallHead. The version I got was the PRO kit that came with an excellent quality BallHead as well, which I’ve actually used on different tripods. So in summary, a versatile bit of gear that can be attached to trees, lampposts, OneWheels, rollerblades and skateboards if that is your thing! Personally I am too old for those wheelie things.
The Manfrotto Pixi Evo 2-section Mini Tripod (I know, a bit of a mouthful)
This one is a straight talking, no messing mini tripod. It has to be in your camera/kit bag. Virtually weight-less, it gives many of the features that the Gorillapod does, whilst being less bulky. Mainly to be used on flat surfaces though.
It does extend the legs which is fantastic for that extra bit of flexibility. Whether you are using a DSLR camera or smartphone, this little guy can really flex and become an extension of your arm!
I used the Manfrotto on my desk, on tables and also if I need to get a quick talking head style while I am out and about for my YouTube channels. It is extremely light and portable, so it is a bit of a no-brainer for me to have it always in my everyday carry gear.
Could not recommend this enough, at the price (circa £39 in UK) it is an extremely good option that you know will last for many years.
I’ve produced a video where I talk in more detail about these two tripods, the different scenarios where you might want to choose one over the other and I share a BONUS hack for vlogging on an iPhone (or any smartphone). I hope you enjoy it!
