PGYTECH MANTISPOD PRO Mini Camera Tripod Stand, Vlog Tripod Flexible, Lightweight, 7 Modes Small Travel Video Camera Tripod for Smartphone iPhone/DSLR, Canon, Sony, Niko
| Weight: | 336 Grams |
| Size: | Mantispod Pro |
| Dimensions: | 23.5 x 15.5 x 6.5 centimetres |
| Brand: | PGYTECH |
| Model: | P-CG-020 |
| Part: | P-CG-020 |
| Size: | Mantispod Pro |
This has to be the ultimate mini tripod. It is well made, feels solid and has so many features that you can spend hours just playing with it. I have used this with my Cannon 77d with a 24-105L lens (a pretty heavy configuration) and it did not flex or give any sign that it couldn’t handle the weight. I have also used this with my cell phone and a few GoPRO cameras and once again it was flawless. The flexibility, the functionality, the construction, the engineering are all flawless making this the MacGyver of Mini tripods. If there are any flaws then it has to be the relatively high weight and the exorbitant current price. At around $50- $70 this would be a excellent but at the current price of over $140 it is just too expensive for a mini tripod.
This is a really nicely designed and very sturdy tripod that does so many things you are really going to want to read through the manual and practice all the different setups you can do! It’s a table top tripod of very sturdy construction that can hold quite a bit of weight but folds into a very small space. But besides just being a tripod it has other tricks. The legs can fold out till they are flat on the table, making it steady enough to hold a camera with a long lens on it. The top portion has a ball head that locks securely and has a nice drag function for panning without needing to unlock the ballhead. On top there is a quick release plate making it very easy to attach and detach the camera.
But wait, there’s more! You can straighten out the legs and move the ballhead to the end of one of them, giving you a nice extension arm when you want to hold the camera further away from you. On top of that there is a phone holder tucked away into one of the legs that you can pop out when you want to use the tripod with a phone. It’s designed to lock directly onto the quick release plate so you can switch between your phone and a camera without having to unscrew anything.
The last thing is the “mantis mode” which is basically an extra piece that folds out of one of the legs. This lets you hook the leg over top of a wall or fence so the tripod basically sits on the vertical face of the surface looking out. Could be good when you want to get a shot from further away, you can hang the tripod on a chain-link fence or other wall. Just be sure it’s got a good grip on the surface.
The only thing I’ve found that it isn’t so great at is holding a phone or camera in portrait mode. This requires you to tilt the ballhead 90 degrees to the side and kind of overbalances the tripod so it wants to tip over. I found that with my phone it would hold ok so long as you have it turned so one of the legs is sticking out right behind the phone. If you’re going to use portrait mode, practice a bit with it to find the most stable setup for your phone.
Highly recommended, a good tool for vloging, holding a phone, camera or even as a tabletop stand for a microphone!
Title says it all, well built, easy to use, must have for vlogger.
The PGYTech MantisPod Pro had been an awesome tool over the last few weeks. I have loved using it and it is truly versatile with so many different options for mounting your device etc. The handle is the key point to the entire system. This handle feels great in your hand and the ability to adjust quickly to a tripod and move to a more stable low profile stance is priceless. You can even use the hook to place your phone or camera on a wall or angled surface.
The multiply cold shoe mounts allow you to use your cell phone or small camera in so many different ways. And the built in Hidden cell phone holder blew my mind. Just awesome!
The unfortunate place I found failure with the Pro was in the ball head system. It is the reason for 4 stars instead of 5. It is truly a great setup but as you can see in the photo the bolt holding the arm in place to tighten the ball head in place has pulled the threads out and it is not functional. This was somewhat disappointing and I hope this is something they can upgrade in the design for the future but the handle itself is still awesome and works great.
While it was working as a complete system it is the best compact and light tripod design I have ever used and I have used a few. The handle is still fully functional and will remain a part of my travel kit. Looking forward to seeing what the version 2 has to offer. If I didn’t have the single issue I would actually rate this tripod as a 5star +.
If presentation is everything, then the PGYTECH Mantispod Pro is a five-star product.
The Mantispod is enclosed in a sturdy box, and upon opening the box the user is presented with a Quick Start Guide that illustrates how the mini tripod is used. There is a welcome note from the manufacturer, and then another sleeve that features a carrying case, more detailed instructions, and Allen wrenches.
Finally, fitting snuggly in the box, is the Mantispod tripod and ballhead.
The Mantispod feels like it is machined (built) well, and all of the locks and knobs close tightly and firmly.
The Mantispod features seven different modes for video shooting, vlogging, and photography. There’s also a mini phone holder built into one of its legs, and an additional cold shoe mount on the side for lights, microphones and other accessories.
Although it’s very well built the Mantispod is light (0.74 pounds), and has a load capacity of 5.1 pounds, so while most users will use the Mantispod with a cell phone or a compact camera from manufacturers like Sony, Canon or Panasonic, it can also be used with small mirrorless cameras like the Nikon Z50.
The unique feature of the Mantispod lets you hang the tripod from any surface making it easier to capture video or photos from any angle. The ballhead can be easily switched from 360-degree panning to portrait shooting with one easy step, and the Snaplock Plate is Arca-Swiss compatible.
Although on the expensive side, the Mantispod is solid, very versatile, and is small and light enough to carry in a backpack, a small camera bag, or even a big pocket. The biggest issue is learning how to use it and take advantage of all it has to offer. The included instruction guide is limited, and videos on You Tube are probably more useful.
The PGYTECH Mantispod Pro is highly recommended, and the thoughtful way it is presented to the consumer reinforces that this is a premium mini tripod.
Bought this based on a review on YouTube. It is absolutely the best hand held tripod device I’ve used. Very sturdy and versatile. Highly recommended!
You take a look at the price tag and ask yourself why would you spend this much on a mini-tripod?
The answer is that it’s a great piece of engineering that you have to hold in your own hands to understand how much detail and thought was put into this.
Coming from a GorillaPod this was a shockingly major upgrade. PGYTECH thought about every little thing you could do with a mini-tripod, and come up with a polished solution for every one of them. This thing is sleek, yet lightweight but sturdy. Every joint has a locking mechanism that feels like it securely holds your expensive equipment. It holds my A7C with a Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 on tripod or mantis mode without losing even a little bit of balance, and that was amazing to me as it required a lot of jiggling and massaging with my GorillaPod.
It takes a while to understand all the possibilities and modes this tripod has to offer, so some manual reading is required to operate it at its full but once it’s done, you know that you’ve got the best travel mini-tripod available on the market as of today. A text review won’t tell you enough about the possibilities this thing has, look it on on YouTube. The hype is true, it’s a step ahead.
The “Mantis-mode” feels solid and like every other feature it has several failsafe measures that will put your mind at ease if you understand how those work and how to maximize the use of them.
Every little thing has a lock/stop/knob that feels of quality construction and feels that if operated precisely over time, will last for many years.
The ball-head on the “Pro” variation was made with a lot of care to detail. It comes with a mini Arca-Swiss mount that you can permanently mount on your camera and will fit other Arca-Swiss mounts.
I appreciated the high quality of the accessories it comes with as well, the carrying bag feels sturdy and looks great.
To summarize, i would recommend this product if you’re looking for the best travel tripod/vlog, selfie and with this clever mantis-mode that feels worthy of holding your expensive, heavy equipment, while creating new memories or work projects in an all-inclusive package.
This mini-tripod does so many things, holding your camera or smartphone in so many different configurations (including being a mini selfie stick) that it’s almost overwhelming. Really, unless you use it _a lot,_ you’ll spend a fair amount of time saying “wait — what does this lever/knob do?” every time you pick it up. But once you re-figure it out, you’ll see that it does just that thing, whatever it is, that you need it to do.
Very good looking, with excellent fit and finish throughout; this is a beautifully made mini-tripod. There are more expensive mini-tripods out there, but it’s hard to imagine how they could do more than this one does, or do it any better.
So I heard about this earlier this year and was impressed by the initial reviews I saw, overall it lives up to all those expectations. everything is super easy to adjust and everything locks so nothing is moved on accident. the swing out leg is great if you need to attach the tripod to a fence, door or a tree for an interesting filming angle. The tripod is also really sturdy being made out of magnesium I don’t see it failing on me anytime soon. one of the best things about this tripod oddly enough is the arca swiss style plate it comes with, it has a ring with bearings on it that prevents the screw from loosening even if the plate get shifted out of place, this makes it really sturdy and feels secure even if you hand tighten it. my only issue I’ve had with my tripod is the rubber on the handle started loosening after only 2 days which is a little concerning specifically around the hidden cold shoe flap but other than that this tripod has pretty much lived up to all my expectations and if you’re in the market for something small and portable like a gorilla pod I highly recommend you buy this instead, it will last you a lot longer and is a lot more versatile in my opinion.
Finally an elegant selfie stick!
The Mantispod is made out of high quality material. All details are thought well and well engineered. Finish of the product is awesome. The hidden phone holder attachment is really cool.
It takes some time to figure out how this works and you’ll have to give a few looks at the user manual but you’ll be surprised how nice this works and how handy it is. It is strong, easy to put on, easy to use, easy to adjust, easy to remove.
I loved the mantis function. You can truly make this tripod hang in anywhere, on a tree, on a car window, on a chair, office cubicle, curtain bar, wire fence… virtually anywhere.
It not only works as a selfie stick but also a table top tripod for your camera, cell phone etc. So it is a great small tripod to keep in your hand luggage which will aid you at the hotel room to watch a movie on your phone, regardless of how you want to lay on the bed.
Also it is a beautiful stand for getting honeymoon photos without asking to anyone, by using the delay function of the cameras.
I haven’t seen many tripods at this category. The item is very presentable and attractive. You’ll not be ashamed to table this in a caf or a meeting.
So glad that I have got this item and would strongly recommend it.
There are so many videos on Youtube about this mini stand. Everyone seems to rave about it and I have to say now that I have it in my hands I think the hype is worth it. There really isn’t another mini tripod like this on the market.
I love the ARCA Swiss mount on the top. There are a total of 7 different positions you can put this tripod into. More than I’ll probably ever use and many more than just the pictures I included in this review. The build quality, which is mostly metal with some plastic, is rock solid for me so far.
I have been using this with my Sony A7C and really couldn’t be happier. If you are a vlogger, then this is pretty much THE mini tripod to get. Skip the Joby ones as they just tend to fall apart after several months of use, at least for me. This tripod has a much better build quality.