If you own a mirrorless camera or DSLR, or plan to attach other accessories to the GorillaPod, the 1K, 3K or 5K are most suitable. On the plus side, this makes attachment simple – there’s no initial fiddling around with base plates. However, you still need to screw the head into your chosen device, and removing it takes more time. For the sake of simplicity, I’ve ignored the Video and SmartPhone models of the GorillaPod, choosing to focus on the models most suited for stills photographers. In general, if you own a compact camera or anything weighing less than 500g (1.1 lbs), you can opt for the GorillaPod 325 or 500.

One thing to note – even if own a lightweight compact camera such as the Ricoh GRIII, I’d actually recommend you buy the aforementioned GorillaPod 500 rather than the 325, just to give me a bit of additional strength and stability when bending the GorillaPod around objects. One seldom touted benefit of a GorillaPod, particularly one as compact as the 325, is that it provides a more substantial hand grip for shooting than using the camera alone. This is a new size GorillaPod that hasn’t previously been available – a beefed up version of the 325, coming up next in the review. This is the macdaddy of all GorillaPods – the one Casey Neistat and all other famous YouTubers use to support their vlogging rigs.

The best GorillaPods for point and shoot & small cameras

Pro Tip: If in doubt, always go for the GorillaPod rated one higher than your considered max weight capacity. i.e. even if you own a lightweight Sony a6000, I’d still recommend choosing the GorillaPod 1K, just in case you ever attach a heavy lens. 2. Means of Attachment The main thing you need to work out when selecting a GorillaPod is the combined weight of the object you want it to carry.

Durable medical grade ABS plastic GorillaPod and thermoplastic elsastomers (TPE) for secure joints in legs that flex, grip and wrap around whatever you want Lightweight, precision-engineered ball head for versatile mounting of mirrorless and compact DSLR cameras, pro accessories and other devicesWhy? Well because the GorillaPod 5K Kit is the strongest of the lot, and is most likely to be able to provide the securest, most reliable support for any equipment with a 1/4″ tripod mount hole in its base… as long as its combined weight is under 5 kg (6.6 lbs), of course. On the flip side, the GorilllaPod 3K is a lot lighter, and has a neat little bubble level built in to the ball head which can aid in getting a level shot – something that can be a bit of a challenge when using GorillaPods as regular tripods on a flat surface. If you’re using a large zoom lens, it’s also worth choosing a stronger GorillaPod model than the combined weight of your camera + lens, since the weight of zoom lenses often extend away from the centre point of the tripod. The 1K is also surprisingly light at only 197 g (0.43 lbs), making it ideal to have a couple stashed in your camera bag at all times – this is what I do, usually to support flashes or mini LEDs like the powerful but tiny Manfrotto LumeMuse. While the smaller GorillaPods tend to feel a little like well-engineered toys, the 5K Kit feels like a serious piece of gear.

I say ‘combined’, since often you’ll need to take into account a camera body plus lens, or even additional video equipment like lighting, mics, and monitors.While the legs are available separately, I can’t think of a good reason why you’d want to buy a GorillaPod without the head (which included with the Kit). There’s not much more to say about the GorillaPod 500 – it’s a simple bit of kit that allows you to stabilize or secure your compact camera in places that wouldn’t normally be possible. An example set up to attach to the end of the GorillaPod 1K might be the Fujifilm X-T3 with Fujinon 23mm f/2 WR lens – basically any set up with a combined weight of under 1 kg (2.2 lbs). There’s also a cut-away section to allow fast and easy portrait orientation positioning of your device.

The second thing you may need to consider when selecting a GorillaPod is how you’d like to attach it to your camera or other device. The second piece of advice is to invest in at least one GorillaPod higher in maximum weight capacity than you require. Super compact flexible tripod stand for lightweight compact cameras, point & shoots and 360/action cameras. However, that’s not to say that the build quality of the GorillaPod 325 isn’t great – it’s just that everything feels that much smaller. Perhaps it’s just my big hands…! i) Fixed– the GorillaPod head screws in directly to the tripod hole on the base of your camera. To remove your camera, you need to unscrew the entire GorillaPod.That said, the GorillaPod 1K does a fine job in securing devices weighing within its max carrying capacity to thin poles, posts and anything else you can find that fits the bill. I’ve also assumed you’ll need the ‘GorillaPod Kits’ where available – a ‘Kit’ refers to the GorillaPod legs plus tripod ball head. Rubberised ring and foot grips provide positive traction for extra stability in all kinds of terrain For lightweight compact cameras weighing less than 500 g (1.1 lbs), the GorillaPod 325 is the tiny little flexible tripod for you. Once you have the total combined weight, you can see how it lines up with the maximum capacity of each GorillaPod.