Hasselblad with Gorillapod?

mprice · Sep 25, 2009

Anybody ever use a Gorillapod with their Hasselblad? If so, what model?

I'm looking for something portable and flexible to use with mine, these seem like the perfect thing but wanted to get a few more opinions before getting one.

Thanks for the info...

Sirius Glass · Sep 25, 2009

Unless it is one hugh Gorillapod, I would not think that it is strong enough to hold the weight of a Hasselblad. If one large enough exists, why use it instead of a tripod?

Steve

mprice · Sep 25, 2009

The two larger sizes both are rated for the weight of a Hasselblad, just not sure how stable they'd be. As far as why not just a tripod? I'm hoping to have something that I can attach to about anything and fit in my bike bag...could be that I need to get a small tripod, just looking for something with a few more options.

Barry S · Sep 25, 2009

I looked at the larger Gorillapods and wasn't impressed with the stability for anything but a small camera. Honestly, a small tripod would be the best solution, but I sometimes use a Manfrotto Magic Arm with a Superclamp.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...Bogen_Imaging_143RC_143RC_Magic_Arm_with.html

You can clamp the Superclamp to just about anything, and put the magic Arm in any position, but there are limits to what you can if you want to keep the rig stable.

Q.G. · Sep 25, 2009

Using another Manfrotto arm, with superclamps at both ends, one gripping the first arm (with camera on top), will help stabilize the set up.

Bob-D659 · Sep 25, 2009

Leica tabletop, it works well with a Linhof 6x9 even.

bdial · Sep 25, 2009

I have one of the little original P&S Gorillapods, and I tried putting the Hasselblad on it just for fun once. The legs did ok, but the camera was much to heavy for the head to hold it upright unless it was balanced very carefully. But the camera is way out of that 'pod's range. I think one of the larger ones rated for the Hasselblad's weight would do fine, depending on what you're looking to accomplish.

Poisson Du Jour · Sep 25, 2009

For the sake of sense and sensibility, invest in a proper tripod for the Hasselblad and leave the Gorillapod to the SLRs.

My small Gorillapod is ideal for wrapping my Canon G9 around one of my Manfrotto CF tripod legs to get an almost same-viewpoint image in tandem with my EOS 1N. It doesn't hold the G9 stable in the vertical position though. Because of the G9's weight, I also carry a small Ultrapod, first brought into service 28 years ago and is an ever-reliable stand-in when the Gorillapod just won't do. More uses: the Gorillapod is often called in to use hold upright my Sekonic L758D for cordless flash/ambient exposures at ground level.

Dr David Hall · Sep 25, 2009

I would really like to hear the final solution on this!. I own a Gorilla pod but would not risk MY Hasselblad on it due to risk of camera damage. I do not think the Gorilla pod can be damaged by a camera of any kind. If someone gets it to work, then I may try. Thanks for the creative thought about this equipment.

Poisson Du Jour · Sep 25, 2009

The Gorillapod is unlikely to be damaged by a camera, but the reverse is true if you overload it; the risk is there, and published by the manufacturers of that tripod. I have seen digital SLRs on the bigger Gorillapod, but never a medium format camera (that really is cringe worthy!). The solution is a small extendable tabletop tripod from Velbon, Slik or Manfrotto with an appropriate weight-rated ballhead, but I'd still angle for a bigger, ground-to-nose tripod, which is what I travelled with for years on my bicycle touring journeys (it was a black Slik table-top tripod that also featured legs that could be splayed to ground level, the centre-column reversed and even had retractable spikes on the feet. I imagine somewhere this tripod is still around (not in my case, though; it was sold off around 1988) ... something similar to the less well featured but still very suitable Slik Sprint Mini II GM.

Venchka · Sep 25, 2009

Berlebach Table Top Tripod?

Sirius Glass · Sep 26, 2009

Poisson Du Jour said:
For the sake of sense and sensibility, invest in a proper tripod for the Hasselblad and leave the Gorillapod to the SLRs.

I would agree with you except the Hasselblads are SLRs [except the SWC, Flexbody, Arcbody and Xpan]. I think you meant 35mm SLRs when you wrote SLRs.

Steve

Andy K · Sep 26, 2009

I use my Gorillapod with my Bronica SQAi, plus speed winder, plus metered prism, with no problems.

Sirius Glass · Sep 26, 2009

Andy K said:
I use my Gorillapod with my Bronica SQAi, plus speed winder, plus metered prism, with no problems.

You are a greater risk taker than am I.

Steve

Andy K · Sep 27, 2009

Not really Steve. The Gorillapod Focus can hold up to 5kg (11lbs). The Bronica is nowhere near that heavy.

jamie · Sep 27, 2009

I don't really see the risk in trying it as long as you keep the strap around your neck and you're ready to catch it in case it falls.

John Koehrer · Sep 27, 2009

And if you fall, hope the Gpod will hold you.

dacookieman · Sep 27, 2009

Make sure u have it strapped on your neck just in case.

A friend of mine tried it in the field, and his rolleiflex ended up in 3 pieces, when one of the pods legs gave way and the whole setup took a tumble.

Tis was a sad day for him.

viridari · Sep 28, 2009

mprice said:
Anybody ever use a Gorillapod with their Hasselblad? If so, what model?

I'm looking for something portable and flexible to use with mine, these seem like the perfect thing but wanted to get a few more opinions before getting one.

Thanks for the info...

I don't have a 'blad but I would never dream of putting a camera on mine. I bought one of the big stout models to use for hanging flashes up in odd places (strobist style) and I've been very disappointed. I wouldn't risk a $1,000+ camera to one of these flimsy novelties.

Andy K · Sep 28, 2009

viridari said:
I don't have a 'blad but I would never dream of putting a camera on mine. I bought one of the big stout models to use for hanging flashes up in odd places (strobist style) and I've been very disappointed. I wouldn't risk a $1,000+ camera to one of these flimsy novelties.

Flimsy novelties? Have you tried the top of the range, aluminium, Gorillapd Focus? Even my old Gorillapod SLR Zoom could handle my SQAi with ease. Maybe you had a defective unit.

mprice · Sep 28, 2009

Thanks everybody for the input, the thought of the camera hitting the ground and ending up in pieces (like the Rollei mentioned above) is a scary one for sure...guess I'll take my camera over to the store and try putting it on one of the larger ones and see how it sits. In the end it sounds like I might just be better off with small tabletop tripod instead. Thanks again for the help.

Hasselblad with Gorillapod?

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