May 3, 2018
Octopus Travel Pod review by Barry Clark – 28 April 2018
I’m a firm believer in the benefits of using proper camera support; I own two tripods and a Joby Gorillapod. I find them invaluable not least because I like to take pictures at twilight and at night. I also find that a tripod slows down the picture taking process leading to better composition and ultimately better photographs.
I was, then, intrigued to be offered a new mini-tripod, the Octopus travel pod. It’s slightly bigger than my Joby but – despite its compact size – it is capable of supporting a much heavier camera. While I use the Joby only with my light Fuji X20, the Octopus will take the weight of my hefty Nikon D90 SLR with a 35mm f1.8 lens.
The Octopus offers the photographer a light but highly versatile support which can easily be clamped around seat backs, fences, branches, car doors and many other objects. It also has a collar at the base of the ball and socket head which allows the legs to be quickly positioned at two different heights. The Octopus is robust and solid so shooting long exposures is no problem.
I’d always want to have a mini tripod, especially when I travel; a stable and versatile support creates so many opportunities for the photographer. The Octopus is an ideal travelling companion as it is light, robust and can be used with a variety of cameras.
The Octopus’s real trump card is its price – it represents extraordinary value for money.