Over the course of a number of design tweaks, Platypod has made a reputation for itself as one of many go-to’s for transportable digital camera help. With the brand new Platypod eXtreme, the corporate has made an much more configurable and versatile product, albeit with the identical outdated limitations.
Acquainted Design with Some Upgrades
At its outer reaches, the Platypod eXtreme measures 7.75 by 5.25 inches (19.60 by 13.34 centimeters) and is about 0.2 inches (5 millimeters) thick. In all, the aluminum plate weighs 9.6 ounces (272.2 grams), and it’s compact and easy sufficient to slip into most sleeve-style pockets. Generally, you’ll wish to use a ball head with it, so except you wish to connect and detach it typically and retailer that individually it’s going so as to add appreciable top to what was a reasonably skinny help system.
Both manner, the plate additionally comes with a carabiner clip and may be hooked up to the outside of a digital camera bag as properly. In my testing, that is how I selected to hold it round with an hooked up ball head.
Close to the middle of the plate is a non-removable titanium 3/8-inch bolt to which a ball head or one other accent may be hooked up. Titanium is corrosion-resistant, so its use right here is an efficient selection for assuring the longevity of one thing that may’t be eliminated and switched out.
Included within the field is a 1/4-inch male-to-male adapter which may be positioned in seven totally different spots across the Platypod. When you have an adjunct that makes use of this measurement or wish to strive mounting your digital camera on to the plate, you should use this as an alternative of a 3/8-to-1/4-inch adapter.
At every of the 4 corners are independently adjustable stainless-steel rubber capped legs. These legs can screw up and down the connector to make them longer or shorter, and with the Platypod eXtreme, can now be rotated at totally different angles. Beforehand, Platypod homeowners must unscrew the legs and utterly take away them when it was not in use. Now, they are often rotated in order that they sit parallel with the plate, conserving them hooked up however not getting in the way in which. Though a ball head on the Platypod can compensate for non-level placement, it could solely achieve this a lot earlier than the plate is simply too far out of steadiness and it turns into overly top-heavy. I discovered utilizing that not solely is that this new design for the legs nice for storage, however they’re extra simply adjustable for higher stability when utilized in mixture with a ball head.
The legs include detachable rubber ideas that cowl spikes which may be deployed on tough surfaces, however the caps permit the Platypod eXtreme for use on delicate surfaces. These simply slide off pretty merely and whereas I actually admire the good thing about with the ability to maintain the legs hooked up on the eXtreme, I’m fairly positive I’m going to lose these caps: we’ve swapped one drawback for one more, sadly.
Construct High quality
The Platypod is constructed from “aircraft-grade” aluminum and completed with a semi-matte black powder coat. In testing, that plate is kind of immune to bending: I used to be not in a position to twist or misshape it even after placing all my pressure into it. I even balanced the eXtreme at an angle and stood on my ball head and it didn’t give.
So if it’s by chance stepped or crammed into an area with different inflexible objects, the plate might be going to come back out simply superb. The corporate claims that the Platypod eXtreme can readily help digital camera and lens combos of as much as 22 kilos (10 kilograms), which is quite a bit lower than what I tried to hit it with, however Playtpod was most likely factoring within the 4 stainless-steel adjustable legs.
The black end is inclined to scrapes that may eat away paint to point out the naked metallic, and contemplating that is one thing that’s in frequent contact with all types of surfaces, I’d count on the underside to look fairly gnarly after simply a short time. The corporate might have most likely glued rubber padding to the underside, however this too would ultimately eat away and add weight. There’s not likely a easy resolution, so it’s extra one thing to bear in mind: the Platypod eXtreme gained’t look fairly perpetually.
A Specialised Instrument, Not a Tripod Substitute
In most conditions, a tripod goes to make much more sense to make use of over the Platypod eXtreme. This reality doesn’t take away from the Platypod’s talents although, as a result of it’s a unique device for a unique job. Each it and a tripod can mount a ball head and a digital camera, however they’re at their most helpful in several conditions. You may’t convey a full tripod to make use of in Grand Central Station in New York Metropolis, however you may most likely get away with putting a Platypod on the rounded marble guardrails. You wouldn’t convey solely a Platypod on a panorama images journey, as a result of a tripod goes to get the precise compositions you need with out compromise.
In brief, the Platypod eXtreme is skinny and lightweight by itself and may be simply carried round and deployed when the correct alternative presents itself, but it surely’s not a full-on alternative for the rest.
Keep in mind that that is additionally a Kickstarter undertaking, however given the corporate’s historical past and the very fact it expects to ship the eXtreme just about instantly after the marketing campaign ends, it seems that the Kickstarter is being handled extra like a pre-order than a crowdfund. Nonetheless, bear in mind there are not any ensures with Kickstarters.
Are There Options?
Platypod has been making iterations of its product since 2014, and the most effective different to the most recent eXtreme mannequin could also be looking for one of many older variations. They’re principally metallic plates with a titanium 3/8-inch bolt, so it’s not like they actually get outdated or get much less helpful over time, even when the corporate releases new variations. The newest eXtreme mannequin does a greater job at conserving all of the items collectively as a result of the 4 adjustable legs are built-in, but it surely’s sort of a distinct segment design bonus to an already area of interest product.
One other different can be a GorillaPod 3K or GorillaPod 5K equipment. These are basically tabletop tripods with slightly extra flexibility, actually, of their software due to the flexible legs. They will wrap round smaller poles or tree trunks and limbs, be strapped to something bigger, and total aren’t that a lot larger than a Platypod with a ball head mounted on high. I’ve had the 5K model because it was launched and is useful for a lot of the identical conditions I’d use a Platypod for.
Ought to You Purchase It?
Sure. When you want a pre-machined piece of metallic with a bunch of various use circumstances in-built, the Platypod eXtreme is one of the simplest ways to go.
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