The Joby GorillaPod Micro takes the weak link out of using a tripod: You and me. Tripods, even tabletop modes, are infinitely useful but they’re also clumsy and often just something else to carry. Not the Micro 250. This diminutive model is designed to stay on your camera and deploy when needed. Three legs stay neatly together but can be quickly flipped open, providing stability and convenience at the first sign of trouble. There’s even a small ball head built within the Micro models that allows for 36 degrees of rotation.

The Micro 250 and Micro 800 are both available for pre-ordering $19.99 and $29.99, respectively. The only difference between the two is the weight they can support: the Micro 250 is good for small pocket cameras while the 800 can support up to 800g rather than 250g. (get it? Micro 800 can support 800g.)

The two models join the rest of Joby’s innovative (and growing) line of unique tripods. The company started off with just the Gorillapod, but steady added additional models over the years. The Micro line forgoes Joby’s traditional flexible arms, but is no less novel. This is the first tripod I seriously want.

The Ori ($60)is a fold-flat stand that protects your screen when you’re not using it, and turns into a nice platform when you fold it out. The Yogi ($30) uses the well-known Gorilla grips we’ve seen on other products (like tripods) and lets you suspend the thing from, say, the handlebar of your motorcycle, or the struts of your hang glider.

Given that Joby has launched their ultra-bendy Gorillamobile Tripod line for just about every iOS device so far, there wasn’t much question as to whether or not they’d make one for the iPhone 4. It just took a bit longer than we might’ve expected.

Joby has just announced the immediate availability of their iPhone 4-friendly tripod, bringing it in at a price a biiiit higher than the older models: $39.99 (as opposed to $29.99).

Like the past models, this one is a two part thing: the tripod itself, and a case that your wrap around the phone for the tripod to latch onto. Unlike past models, however, this one doesn’t seem to hook onto the tripod via a clip on the back; to be honest, I’m not entirely sure how this one holds things in place.

As a bit of an added bonus, that $39.99 also buys you a universal camera adapter (¼-20 screw mount) for the tripod, allowing you to plonk most lighter point-and-shoots on there for all those times when the iPhone just won’t cut it.

• Holds up to 11 pounds
• Machined aluminum leg sockets
• 3/8″ adapter screw lets you put a regular ballhead on

Pros:

• Wraps around pretty much everything
• Can actually take the weight of a heavy camera
• Legs hold the Focus tight on mounting point

Cons:

• Legs can become loose after long term use
• The MSRP of $99 brings you into “real” tripod range
• Ballhead X is an extra $69.95

Full Review:

The GorillaPod has gone though many permutations, and the latest is the Focus. Designed for a photographer who’s requirements run in the heavier end of the range, the Focus takes the basic GorillaPod design, and takes it to 11. Made from machined aluminum, the legs are more than capable of holding up my full size DSLR and telephoto lens. This really makes the GorillaPod Focus a good choice for someone who’s going off the beaten path to take some pictures.

It’s lighter then most tripods (unless you go really high-end carbon fiber) and it’s certainly more compact. I recently went on a photo hike with some friends, and while the rest of them were hauling around full size heavy tripods, I just strapped the GorillaPod Focus to my backpack and went on my way.

Is the GorillaPod a complete replacement for a full size tripod? Regrettably, no. While it’s ideal when you don’t need something full size, it’s not tall enough to replace your regular tripod. It is good for when you’re shooting outside and you know you’ll have something to put the Focus on or wrap it around. If you don’t have something to wrap the GorillaPod around, you can still use it – but it’s not nearly as functional. As a regular tripod, it’s too short to really be functional. As a place to put a camera that wraps around things, it’s great. Want to put it on a rock? Not an issue. Wrap it around a tree branch? Perfect. Need something to use at a sporting event? Wrap it around the guard rail on the bleachers and it will hold pretty much any camera securely.

Another potential issue: the larger GorillaPod models (the Zoom and the Focus, for example) don’t come with a ballhead; you have to buy one separately. That’s not to say that the Focus isn’t great by itself, you can use it without a ballhead, I just wouldn’t recommend it. The Ballhead X is a great partner for the Focus. It locks down tight, you can easily take the plate off the head, and being made from aluminum, it’s quite light. Like most ballhead mounts it’s not tightly accurate like a pan head, but it is great for quick adjustments.

Conclusion: If you need a small, lightweight tripod that’s easy to carry, the Focus (with the Ballhead X) is the way to go, although it is certainly a bit expensive. If you need something taller, you’ll need to buy full size tripod with all the full size tripod problems. MSRP on the Focus is $99, and the Ballhead X sells for $69.95.

Product Page: Joby GorillaPod Focus

You can find the rest of our posts here.

The booq Boa Flow camera bag goes to commenter Jay, for the photo of his camera bag!

The Joby GorillaPod goes to Jsarrafi, who submitted this photo to our email address!

And the lensbaby Composer lens goes to Alan Brandon, who submitted his photo via Twitter!

Really, though, you guys outdid yourselves. The quality and creativity of the submissions completely blew me away. Here are a couple of my personal favorites for your viewing pleasure.

Ansel hates his bag!

Eric’s bag:

Raymond’s bag:

Gregory’s bag:

Ricky’s tripod:

Daniel made up some wonderful stories to accompany his photos, which were a lot of fun to read.

The tripod decided it’s going to cross the street. All the major intersections in Salt Lake have flags that pedestrians are supposed to wave to make them better targets…I mean more visible to cars.

Ketaki’s tripod:

Georges’ tripod:

Doug’s lens:

David’s lens:

Carson’s lens:

Max Roper didn’t seem to read the contest instructions at all!

Once again, let me say that everyone who submitted went all out, and I’m really grateful for your efforts. Looking at photo after photo of bags and tripods and lenses wasn’t exactly something to look forward to, but you all made it a blast. It was also a treat to see people getting their friends and families involved in this!

Stay tuned: we have more stuff to give away soon, and you’ll definitely need to bring your A game the next time!

We have three lovely prizes to give away, each to a different lucky winner. Sorry gang: we only have one of each to give away, and we want to make as many people happy as we can. That’s the whole point of National Photography Month, in case you didn’t know. Oh yeah, and the contest, like National Photography Month itself, is only open to U.S. residents. (It’s not World Photography Month, after all!)

• Ballistic nylon exterior with water-repellant coating
• HD Foam laptop compartment for optimum protection
• Intelligent interior layout optimized for laptop accessories
• Side pockets for phone, music player, or water bottle
• Oversized YKK high-performance zippers
• Boa flow M (13-17″ MAC, 13-15″ PC) / Boa flow XL (17″ Laptops)
• Retail price: $199

To win the booq Boa, simply take a photo of your current camera bag.

Joby: GorillaPod SLR
Revolutionary line of tripods designed to affix cameras of any size to just about anything

• Versions to fit point-and-shoots to large professional cameras supporting up to 11 pounds
• Two dozen flexible leg joints bend & rotate for maximum tripod flexibility & functionality
• Rubberized rings and foot grips ensure a steady shot on any surface or structure
• Compact and lightweight design featured in bright 7 colors! (original GorillaPod)
• Complete line of attachments & accessories to satisfy even the most serious photographer
• Retail price: $40

To win the GorillaPod, simply take a photo of your current tripod.

Lensbaby: Composer
Ball and socket lens that delivers smooth selective focus photography

• 50mm ball and socket manual lens allows the user to tilt it to a desired angle and then focus using the manual focusing ring
• Locking Ring on the lens allows you to lock in the desired angle for extended shooting sessions
• Comes with the Lensbaby Optic Swap system, which allows the user to have an endless variety of looks and styles (optics sold separately)
• Magnetic aperture rings can be removed and swapped by using the Aperture Removal Tool
• Compatible with Canon EF (EOS), Nikon F, Sony Alpha A / Minolta Maxxum, Pentax K / Samsung GX, and Olympus E1 / Panasonic Lumix DMC cameras
• Retail price: $270

To win the lensbaby, simply take a photo of your current camera lens.

Sounds easy, right? Just take a photo of the thing you’re going to replace when you win this contest. In order to put a little spice into things, we require that your photo have something orange in it. Be creative. But remember, your photo won’t be considered if it doesn’t have some orange in it somewhere.

As stated above, we’re going to have three different winners, but you’re welcome to submit a photo for each of these items in order to increase your chances of winning something.

What do you do with the photos you’ve taken? You can send them to contest@crunchgear.com with a subject line of “National Photo Month”. Or you can tweet them with the hashtag #cgphoto. Or you can post them to the photo site of your choice and link to them in the comments.

We’ll pick a random winner for each item on Monday afternoon, to give everyone plenty of time this weekend to celebrate National Photography Month!

via Wired

Let’s face it: working in a coffee shop or other non-traditional workspace presents some unique challenges. We here at CrunchGear know how hard it can be to remain productive while that prima donna with the yappy dog in her purse orders another triple latte, and that damned Kenny G song plays for the second time in an hour. We’re here to help, with a wonderful assortment of life-improving products to help you make the most of your remote office experience! Complete contest rules after the list of fabulous prizes.

SmartSwipe: “Personal USB credit card reader keeps your credit card and identity completely safe when shopping online.” Whether you’re registering another domain for your virtual enterprise, buying plane tickets to meet with that new client, or refreshing your wardrobe, you can use the SmartSwipe to conduct your transactions with more safety and confidence than ever before. No more worrying about someone looking over your shoulder as you key in your credit card details!

DualPix HD720p: “Ultra-mobile, high definition webcam for notebooks.” If your laptop or netbook doesn’t have a webcam built in, you can use this one to conduct video chats with clients, peers, and complete strangers!

Moshi: Voice Control (VC) Travel Alarm Clock: “First palm-size voice activated compact, sleek, and dependable alarm clock for travelers.” I like Moshi. You like Moshi? Maybe not so helpful in a coffee shop, but definitely helpful on those business trips.

booq: Taipan lift laptop bag: “Practical and compact checkpoint friendly laptop bag designed to move through airport security with ease.” Even more useful on a business trip than Moshi! Navigate the airport security check with ease.

PogoSketch: “Touch screen stylus transforms MacBook trackpad into an affordable pen tablet for premium drawing programs.” Save yourself the hassle of printing, signing and scanning contracts! Use the PogoSketch to use your MacBook’s trackpad area to sign your name electronically.

powerFUZE: “Home & Car charging system allows users to carry just one charger for all USB based devices.” Keep your peripherals charged as you make the arduous commute from your home to the coffee shop!

GorillaMobile: “The most versatile Joby tripod yet with 3 adapters to mount or stand almost any mobile device.” Whether you’re taking pictures of your coffee shop, or participating in a speakerphone conference call, this handy gadget will make sure other coffee shop patrons know you mean business.

Star Wars USB drives: “Fully sculpted 3D designer Star Wars character USB Drives.” Nothing says “I’m a professional” quite like Star Wars themed USB thumb drives!

UrbanEars Tanto: “Full-size fashionable, functional, and stylish headphones.” Help drown out the awful sounds of every day humanity, so you can focus on that all-important design project!

iSkin Vibes and Vibes FX for BlackBerrys: “Fashionable cases for your BlackBerry Curve 8900, Storm and Bold.”

Contest Rules
It’s simple: take a photo of the place in which you do your work. Folks in regular offices or cubicles can enter, if you like, but we’re really interested in the non-traditional workspaces like coffee shops, coworking facilities, and city parks. It’s up to you if you want to be in the picture or not. Email the photo, along with your complete name, to contest@crunchgear.com. Use the subject line “My office picture”. If you don’t use that subject line, you won’t be eligible to win.

We’ll pick a random winner on Wednesday, around noon Eastern time.

Here’s the full press release:

Joby Launches Gorillacam, a Free Camera Self-Timer App for iPhone

Gorillacam extends the functionality of the iPhone’s camera and, together with Joby’s Gorillamobile iPhone stand, is the perfect solution for hands-free photo taking.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – December 9, 2009 – From the photography experts at Joby, creators of the award-winning Gorillapod line of flexible tripods and the Gorillamobile iPhone stand, comes the Gorillacam, a free, feature-packed camera application for the iPhone.

Designed to extend the iPhone’s native camera functionality, the Gorillacam adds many features that are unavailable in the basic camera application, including a self-timer, time-lapse, and continuous rapid-fire shooting.

The Gorillacam’s self-timer function allows the user to set a custom time delay, which is ideal for taking group photos or self-portraits. At last iPhone owners can get into their own photographs and become part of the memories.

The Gorillacam is the perfect complement to Joby’s popular Gorillamobile for 3G/3GS, an iPhone stand with flexible, wrappable legs that attach to virtually any surface, providing iPhone owners unmatched flexibility for taking photos, recording video, watching movies, or talking hands-free. The Gorillamobile attaches to the iPhone via a custom engineered protective iPhone 3G/3GS case. When used in conjunction with the Gorillacam app, it opens up a world of new possibilities for iPhone owners and encourages “iPhoneography”.

In addition to the self-timer, the Gorillacam allows for extremely fast, uninterrupted shots, up to 1.6 frames per second. Photos save automatically in the background allowing users to fire off a sequence of photos. Also built into Gorillacam is a time-lapse feature that can take multiple photos spaced at user-specified intervals as short as 1 second or as long as 2 minutes.

Additional capabilities include:

• Press anywhere – turns the entire screen into a shutter button.
• 3-Shot burst – takes three photographs in rapid succession. Never miss a second of the action. Plus, no more photos ruined when someone blinks!
• Grid overlay – compose more interesting shots with a rule of thirds guide. Also great for lining up landscapes or buildings.
• Bubble level – take level shots every time. Works in both vertical and horizontal modes, and is ideal for horizons or panoramas.
• Share – upload or share photos easily from within the Gorillacam.

The Gorillacam is available for free in the iPhone App Store. http://joby.com/gorillacam

For additional product or company information, please contact media representative Mark Olson at markolson@maxborgesagency.com.

ABOUT JOBY

Joby creates well designed product solutions that enhance the creative and active capabilities of consumer electronics. The Company revolutionized the camera accessories market in early 2006 with its Gorillapod line of flexible tripods and continues to redefine the consumer electronics market with its Gorillamobile and Gorillatorch product lines. Founded in 2005, Joby is a privately-held company headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with offices in Santa Cruz, CA; Geneva, Switzerland; Singapore and Shenzhen, China. For more information about Joby please visit joby.com.

“The proliferation of ‘iPhoneography,’ in addition to the 3GS’s video and camera upgrade, has only increased the already demonstrated need for an adaptable iPhone stand,” said Joby CEO Forrest Baringer-Jones. “We created the Gorillamobile for 3G/3GS to address the consumer’s dual needs around both protecting and supporting the iPhone while capturing video or shooting still images.”

Progress marches on…

Flexible, wrappable legs and super-strong magnetic feet allow you to attach the Gorillatorch to just about anything; illuminate your target while keeping your hands free!

All that for a mere $30 USD. I can’t wait to see what Joby comes up with next!

The Professional Ball Head is a tripod head for the DSLR Gorillapod – or any tripod for that matter – that offers 360-degree panning and 90-degree tilt. It has a locking knob as well as a level to ensure your odd shots are at least not crooked. The device will be available in July for $44.95.

Designed to work with the popular Gorillapod SLR-ZOOM model tripod, the Gorillapod SLR-ZOOM Ball
Head affords users the ability to easily tilt and rotate their cameras, while still enjoying the versatility and
unwavering support of a Gorillapod on virtually any surface!
Built with the serious photographer in mind, the Gorillapod SLR-ZOOM Ball Head is lightweight and
compact, yet still robust enough to support SLR style cameras with zoom lenses. It further extends the
functionality of the Gorillapod by allowing even more creative camera positions and better chances to
capture great shots!
While it is optimized for use with the Gorillapod SLR-ZOOM tripod, the ball head is equipped with a univer-
sal camera adapter (1/4” tripod screw) and can also be used atop many other tripods. The ball head
includes a bubble level quick-release clip that can remain attached to a camera for effortless, instant setup,
ensuring a perfectly level photo every time!