The Joby Podzilla range is aimed at newbies, plus there's the Joby Compact range for pros
(Image credit: Joby)
As more and more people get into content creation, competition to provide the best tripods for vlogging is hotting up. Now Joby has launched not one, but two new ranges for this market, targeted respectively at newbies and the more experienced.
For beginners, the San Francisco company has developed the Joby PodZilla range. These flexible tripods, designed specifically for creatives starting out on their journey, are basically an update on the GorillaPod, replacing the ball joints with fully articulated legs. Coming in medium and large configurations, they boast a mobile phone holder and cold-shoe attachment points for portable lights and microphones.
For seasoned content creators, meanwhile, Joby has launched the Compact range of full-size tripods featuring four models: the Compact Light, Compact Action, the Compact Advanced, and the 2in1 Monopod. Read on for more details of both ranges.
Joby's new Podzilla tripods sport a functional flex design based around an aluminum core, covered in a grippy rubber outer, making them flexible and easy to position. Each leg is fully articulated, to allow vloggers to achieve a stable, level platform for recording, whatever surface they're placed on.
The Joby Podzilla Medium measures 9.8 x 1.8 x 2.1 inches (25 x 4.8 x 5.4cm) and features a ¼-20 inch locking wheel mount with push-button adjustability. It's designed for supporting lights, mics and cameras and smartphones, with a special GripTight 360 Phone Mount for the latter. Spring-loaded rotation makes it easy to swap from portrait to landscape format, and the tripod is available in grey, red, teal and yellow.
Its bigger sibling, the Joby PodZilla Large, measures 12.4 x 2.1 x 2.8 inches (31.5 x 5.5 x 7.3cm) and its ¼-20 inch mount is designed to support loads of up to 2.5kg. It also features a built-in bubble level to help you fine-tune your platform level.
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The Joby Compact range
Joby Compact is a new range of lightweight tripods (and one monopod) for vloggers on the go. There are four models, each designed for different shooting styles, locations, and types of content creation.
The Joby Compact Light is the lightest and simplest in the range, sitting somewhere between a mini- and full-size tripod. Weighing just 0.81kg, it can support a load of up to 1.5kg, and features a mobile phone mount. You can also attach lights, mics and your camera via a universal 1/4'-inch attachment, and there's a built-in ball head and single adjustment knob to lock it into place.
The Joby Compact Action is aimed, as the name suggests, at generating action footage. Featuring the same QR plate as the BallHead 3K, found on the GorillaPod 3K Kit, it also boasts an ergonomic joystick head with a scroll-wheel locking mechanism, and a knob for switching from photo to movie mode.
The Joby Compact Advanced takes compact mirrorless and DSLR cameras, up to a combined weight of 3kg. The three-way head allows for smooth tilting and rotating, while the QR BallHead 3K is the same as the one used on the GorillaPod 3K kit. The kitted version of this tripod (and the Compact Action Tripod) adds a rotating phone clamp, with cold shoe mounts on both ends.
Finally, the Joby Compact 2-in-1 Monopod provides a slimline solution when space is tight. It can support up to 1kg in weight capability and features a compact BallHead for when you need a selfie stick, plus a pin-Joint mount for action shots. The four-section design includes lever-lock legs, and the whole thing weighs just 0.28kg.
Tom May is a freelance writer and editor specializing in art, photography, design and travel. He has been editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. He has also worked for a wide range of mainstream titles including The Sun, Radio Times, NME, T3, Heat, Company and Bella.
