Joby Announces Fresh Lineup of Compact Tripods and 2-in-1 Monopod

JOBY, long known for its useful and effective handheld support systems, such as the GorillaPod, is diving into the full-size arena with a line of lightweight and easy-to-use tripods and a clever monopod. These “Compact” tools are all built with the needs of on-the-go content creators and vloggers in mind and even pull some inspiration from the classic GorillaPod line to make the upgrade easier for those already familiar with Joby products.

Compact Light Tripod Kit

The Compact Light Tripod Kit is the smallest of the bunch and the aluminum build weighs just 1.8 lb while supporting up to 3.3 lb. It is designed for lightweight kits, such as smartphones or compact mirrorless camera systems, and has an incredibly easy-to-use design. The ball head uses JOBY’s classic design methodology with a single 1/4"-20 wheel-locking mount for attaching your camera—and a smartphone mount is included in the bundle. The smartphone mount even has cold shoes on both ends for attaching additional accessories, like a mic or light. Plus, the head has a single lock to make it near instant to go from ready to shoot to making adjustments.

Compact Action Tripod

Moving up the ladder, we find the Compact Action Tripod. Similar in design to the Light version―it even has the same load capacity of up to 3.3 lb—the Action brings a major upgrade to the tripod head. This one features a pistol-grip configuration that has the same QR plate as the BallHead 3K in the GorillaPod range. If you already have that kit, this is a sensible full-size upgrade.

The pistol grip deserves more time because it is a less-common option in the tripod world. A large, ergonomic handle makes movements easy and intuitive. A built-in bubble level will ensure your shots are, well, level, and a pan lock function will give you professional-looking pans.

Compact Advanced Tripod

While similar in design to the other two, the Compact Advanced Tripod features a 3-way head that can help a bit more support for photography and video. It is the strongest of the bunch with a load capacity of up to 6.6 lb—that’s more than enough for a full-frame camera with a 24-70mm lens—making it a good pick for those with a more built-out kit. It does come with the same advanced phone mount for easily switching between a compact mobile system and a full-size camera.

It also uses the same QR plate from the BallHead 3K for maximum compatibility across the line. Plus, the 3-way head makes it easy to make precise adjustments, thanks to a pair of control bars. Designed for those on the move, the control bars fold away for transport.

Compact 2-in-1 Monopod

Last up is one of the more intriguing options in the line: the Compact 2-in-1 Monopod. At first glance, it looks like a traditional four-section aluminum monopod that’ll take a lightweight camera, up to 2.2 lb, or an action cam with the included mounting options. However, underneath the rubber foot is a separate 1/4"-20 screw that lets you flip the monopod upside down, attach the ball head to the bottom, and make use of the large, rubberized grip area near the top to operate the system comfortably as a selfie stick. A neat trick for action-packed adventures.