The increasingly popular Joby GorillaPod has introduced a new member to it's family in the shape of the Joby GorillaPod Focus GP-8. Able to easily cope with up to 11lbs of weight, the Joby GorillaPod Focus GP-8 is the biggest and strongest GorillaPod so far, supporting its load on machined aluminium sockets, which provide fantastic flexibility whilst enabling the Focus GP-8 to, like its brothers and sisters, grip tightly to almost any surface.
Until Photokina I was a virgin GorillaPod user, but at the show I used one of the smaller GorillaPod's to stabilise my camera and camcorder whilst getting some footage of the action. My favourite uses for the GorillaPod were "Shoulder-Cam" where the GorillaPod wound itself around my bag strap whilst i wandered around the stands, and the more adventurous "Escalator-Cam". I say adventurous because the GorillaPod, and my camcorder, faced almost certain death if i was not quick enough in unattaching the Pod once we'd reached the end of our journey up, or down, the escalators...
The GorillaPod Focus GP-8 is strong enough to support SLR cameras with larger telephoto lenses or digital video cameras and can even be used with any professional tripod heads you already own. Providing the same stability as a tripod but at a smithereen of the weight, the Joby GorillaPod Focus GP-8 weighs just 1.1lbs (500g) and can be folded down into a very small size which will fit in your kit bag without being cumbersome.
I found the GorillaPod I used a fantastic accessory to my foray into film-making - it is truly incredible what these things can grip onto, whether creating a stable platform on a tiny ledge, or wrapping its legs around a seemingly flimsy branch, the GorillaPod has many uses, all of which give very satisfying results.
So, there's only one thing left to say about the GorillaPod Focus GP-8: Try it, you WILL like it.
