Platypod burst onto the scene a few years back, solving a problem that was often overlooked and primarily addressed by balancing cameras on beanbags. Back in 2018 I wrote a piece for the Platypod Blog about how my Ultra was the worlds most travelled Platypod, having racked up some 25,844 air miles and touching soil in 21 countries. Since then it’s easily more than quadrupled.

Since that time Platypod has also launched several new products, including the Platyball Elite and the Platypod eXtreme: -

The Platypod eXtreme integrates the spikes which collapse alongside the frame of the eXtreme and offers more mounting points than before. The Platyball Elite turns ball heads upside down, allowing us perfectly flat panning in a great, ergonomic design. The whole setup from the photo above was used to create the panorama below.

This is Haífoss in Iceland and the short hike was made even easier with the minimal gear required, thanks to Platypod. But a few years on, what do I think of them now?

I’m constantly blown away by the ingenuity of the inventor, Larry Tiefenbrun. The ideas and concepts he comes up with are on another level - he solves problems we didn’t know we had and he does it in such a way that our lives become easier, giving us more time to concentrate on creativity. I always have my Platypod with me and I use it at every opportunity.

Platypod makes light work of many tricky situations in photography. So in short, here’s my verdict on Platypod a few years down the road: -

Winner!

If I were in a position to award Platypod the recognition of being the brand of the century, I would. I’m often asked about Platypod and how I use it, and whether I’d recommend it. Absolutely 100%, without question, I’d recommend a Platypod to any photographer. It slides into the smallest place in our camera bag (or pocket) and is worth its weight in gold. So there we have it - Platypod is going strong. In the words of Scott Kelby, “everyone has a Platypod, you should too.”

Much love
Dave