JOBY GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Review: If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution to start creating travel content then then this Kit is a great place to start.
{Tech} for Travel
JOBY GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Review – $199/£179/€199
Smartphones are incredibly powerful and handy devices, and over the years, they have replaced those point ‘n’ shoot cameras and camcorders we took with us to capture our holidays and travels.
Then, as social websites grew, it became more common to share this content with friends and family. So now it’s easier to take and show off.
Most travellers will be content with using only their smartphone and maybe an app or two to tweak before sharing. Still, some will want a more professional finish, and this is where the JOBY GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit comes into play and why I was keen to review it.
Is it worth the effort and space to carry and set up before recording an event, or is it better suited to content creators?
JOBY Mobile Kit Features
I’ve long been a fan of JOBY products and was a customer way before I reviewed them. I liked the Vlogging Kit because it proves as a cost-effective way of getting all of the essential JOBY items needed to get started.
and has all of the cables & connectors needed to get going consists of:
- GorillaPod® Mobile Rig 4.99 | £100.95
- Beamo™ Mini LED Light .95 | £59.95
- Wavo™ Mobile Microphone .95 | £34.95
Individually the main items retail collectively at $204.94/£195.85 before adding the cables, connectors and travel pouch to keep them all in.
GorillaPod® Mobile Rig JOBY
At the heart of the kit is the GorillaPod® tripod rig, one of the most versatile tripods on the market with its patented ball and socket design. It can bend, twist and grip most surfaces, parallel or vertical, and stays in place thanks to the rubber feet and raised edges on the ball joints.
On first use, I found the tripod stiff to adjust while adjusting it to the position I needed it in. But after some help, they slightly loosened and were easier to manoeuvre. I’ve continued to use the GorillaPod Vlogging Kit beyond the review period, and these joints haven’t reduced any further, so I’m confident it’s just stiffness in the new product phase only.
Each of the three feet is finished in the same rubber coating and has plenty of surface area to provide a sturdy frame for any peripherals attached. At the top of the tripod is a 1/4″ screw connection.
The second half of the rig contains the smartphone mount and two “arms”, both with a 1/4″ connection on the end. With the Vlogging kit, you’ll get a cold shoe and GoPro mounts, both of which can be attached over the 1/4″ connectors.
The GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit lets you rig up your phone and give your content real impact. Specifically created for owners of the latest iPhone or Android phones, you’ll have everything you need in one box.
JOBY
Beamo Mini LED Light for JOBY GorillaPod
The Beamo Mini LED is by far one of the best all-around mobile lights I’ve used and reviewed at this price point. It’s made from an Aluminium shell with a rigid plastic back panel that forms a waterproof case up to 30m.
As a part of the JOBY Mobile Vlogging Kit, the Beamo comes with a diffuser and a 40cm USB-A to USB-C charging cable. To ensure the waterproofing on the light, the USB-C port on the light is first filled with a removable rubber plug and sealed with a red plastic clip.
Inside is a single LED capable of reaching 1,000 lumens when at full power. On the left side are two buttons to control the brightness, which I found trickier to use with larger fingers.
There’s a single softening diffuser included in the kit, and whilst it does make a notable difference, the fit onto the Beamo light isn’t great. I found it easy to knock off when I adjusted the JOBY Mobile rig arm with the light on. A minor annoyance, admittedly, but one that means it could be easy to lose when you’re filming outside and moving around.
The good news is that the power performance was relatively consistent with JOBY’s benchmark, which states around 100 minutes of power at 50%. What I found more impressive was the standby time. I left almost two weeks between using the Beamo whilst reviewing the JOBY Mobile Vlogging Kit, and it still had over 70% power remaining.
Around the exterior of the Mini LED is another cold shoe mount and a 1/4″ thread socket. This means using one to connect to the rig, and the other is free to support another peripheral.
Under the backplate is a magnet that I found suitable strong enough to hold its weight and let me use the Beamo Mini LED off the rig.
Wavo Mobile Microphone
If video quality is poor, that’s bad, but if the audio is inaudible, it’s worse, and this is why JOBY has included the Wavo Microphone into the Vlogging Kit. This “shotgun” style microphone is made from aluminium and comes with TRS & TRRS to work with smartphones and DSLR cameras.
The red plastic support is not the most robust piece of plastic and may break if excessively packed/unpacked for use which could be an issue as this is the only way to mount the Wavo mic to the JOBY Vlogging rig. On its base is a cold shoe mount with a 1/4″ socket.
Alternatively, the mic can be unclipped and held while you’re using it. You’ll need to extend the TRS/TRRS cable, though.
I tested the Wavo outside on a breezy day, using the windjammer, which is also included, and there was a notable improvement to my video audio. This might not be the first accessory most would consider for a smartphone, but if you’re generating content for your brand, blog or social channel, you’ll need it.
myJOBY App
The free to download JOBY app isn’t part of the Mobile Vlogging Kit, but I gave it a test during the review and whilst it’s by no means the most powerful or feature-rich app for video capturing, it did have some upsides.
As I mentioned earlier, the Beamo Mini LED is difficult to control with big fingers; the app can sync the light to your smartphone via Bluetooth. The set-up was very quick and easy. I wish some Bluetooth earbuds would connect that fast!
If you choose to use the myJOBY app, it can record video, both standard and slow-mo, and capture images but offers little to no control over the settings. When you’re using one or more JOBY lights, you can create scenes with them by configuring each light brightness, strobe and flash setting, then bundling them into a group for a more accessible selection.
A Great Gen Z Gift
I can see the benefit of travelling with the JOBY Mobile Vlogging kit, but do accept it might not be ideal for all who don’t want the hassle of a short set-up. There is one group it is perfect for, though. Gen Z.
This age group of kids and teens only knows digital and are more adept at sharing social content than any generation before them. If you have or know any, then there is a good chance they are used to capturing and recording content already, either for a school project or in trying to become the next Tik Tok star.
No matter the purpose, and with the holiday season just around the corner, the JOBY Mobile Vlogging Kit and a simple secondhand smartphone would make a perfect gift!
JOBY GorillaPod® Mobile Vlogging Kit Specifications
| GorillaPod® Mobile Vlogging Kit | |
| Dimensions | 33 x 12 x 8cm |
| Weight | 540g |
| Colour Options | Black |
| Materials | Aluminium Zinc Aluminium ABS Plastic Polyurethane Hytrel® TPE & TPU |
| Smartphone support | Min Width – 61mm Max Width – 100mm |
| Wavo Mobile Mic | Weight / 7g Dimension / 8.1 x 2.2 x 2.2cm Output / 3.5mm Colour / Black+Red Sensitivity / -31 Signal to Noise Ratio / 76m |
| Beamo Mini LED | Weight / 110g Dimension / 3.9 x 5.1 x 5.1cm Battery / up to 100 mins Charge / USB-C Colour / Grey Lux@1m / 470 LEDs / 1 Waterproof / Yes to 30m Lumens / 1000 |
| App | myJOBY Android | Apple |
| In the Box | Gorillapod Mobile Rig Beamo Mini Light Wavo Mobile Microphone TRS Cable (DSLR camera) TRRS Cable (smartphone) Lightning Adapter Cold Shoe Mount GoPro Mount USB-A to USB-C Cable Travel Pouch |
Where to Buy?
The JOBY Vlogging kit is available direct from JOBY at 9/£179.