Tripods are a complete pain in the ass. They are big and ungainly, so carrying them is always a hassle. Of course, a quality professional unit is also very expensive. To carry a really functional unit every day you can expect discomfort on both your back and your pocket book… or so it seemed to me when I began shopping for a compact and versatile tripod.
The iPhone changed my life. No longer am I tethered to a laptop or a wifi connection – I can roam the world taking comfort in the fact that in a pinch, I can manage all of my sites and more from a little device that fits perfectly in my pocket. Quite frankly, I couldn’t live without it.
I carry a Nikon DSLR and love it, but it’s not exactly pocketable and is just flat-out inappropriate as an EDC camera. Enter the Panasonic Lumix GF1. It’s a small camera that is suitable for pocket carry, but sports features that seem more inline with a full-sized DSLR:
– 12-magepixel CMOS sensor
– 3″ LCD
– 720p HD Video recording
– Built-In Flash
– SDHC Storage
– Mini-HDMI output
– Image stabilization
– and more…
Of course, all of this tech-glory comes at a price – $900. None of my favorite reviewers have gotten their hands on one yet, but I will update this post as soon as they do…
Thus far, I’ve done all of the video reviews on The Gear Journal using the famously fabulous Flip Mino HD camera. It’s a tiny little device that takes incredible HD footage. Hack yours with a wide angle lens and it is nothing short of amazing. All that said, Kodak just released yet another mini HD camera that touts some very impressive specs. How about flip-beating 1080p video, built in electronic image stabilization, 5 megapixels, and an external mic jack? Hard to beat… I see one in my future. So long as it is similar in size to the Mino HD, it will be great for EDC. Check it out.
