TravelPod Pro: the ultimate travel tripod

Designed for mobile shooting, the TravelPod Pro is both a tabletop and normal height tripod, but also a selfie stick and a monopod, all packed in a tripod that folds half the length of traditional tripods.

After the Mini and Selfie tripod versions that started its TravelPod line, Shiftcam is back with a new accessory for mobile shooting, revealing a tripod that can transform into everything you need on your journey. The travel-friendly TravelPod Pro is a full-height tripod, able to extend up to 1398mm, that folds to half the length of a traditional tripod (22cm closed), meaning it can be easily carried around, even in a small sling bag.

With a weight of 0.82kg and a maximum load of 3kg, the TravelPod Pro is a versatile shooting solution that is compatible with anything from pro cameras with the 1/4″ screw to a smartphone with its built-in universal phone clamp. Or you can attach to its standard tripod screw mounting your own support, from ShiftCam’s ProGrip to any other accessory you might use that is compatible with the 1/4″ screw. The built-in universal phone clamp makes it easy to go from panorama to portrait mode, but thanks to the 360 degrees rotating ball head, you’ll be able to achieve the same with an external clamp attached.

The TravelPod Pro is an interesting solution for anyone using a camera that needs a tripod with a small footprint, to carry around when space and weight are limited, if they understand the limitations in terms of maximum height and weight of this model… and probably stability with a heavy camera on top.

A tripod, selfie sticker and monopod

Mobile shooters, on the other hand, may have here a real solution, if they are willing to spend $109.99. The TravelPod Pro looks like a good support platform for smartphones, a compact and somehow – lightweight tripod with the advantages of being, in fact, as Shiftcam claims, everything you need on your journey.

The TravelPod Pro can be used as a stand for tabletop photography, and it extends from there all the way to shoulder-height to work as a normal tripod adequate for most of the needs of those photographers and videographers who need to carry their gear around. It also allows the user to invert the tripod legs, so as to get the tripod head on the center column closer to the ground, which is great for macro photography and all those low-level shots that are, otherwise, difficult to achieve.

Besides working as a tripod, the TravelPod Pro it can also be used as a monopod, a feature I deem is very interesting, both for normal camera usage but also for smartphone shooters. A monopod makes it easy to support a smartphone when you need to work “run and gun” style, both capturing photography and video (if you’re not using a gimbal…). The monopod (which is the removable center column) can also be used as a selfie stick – if you need one of those.

A versatile and more stable tripod

Here is a quick reading note with the key features of the TravelPod Pro tripod from Shiftcam:

• A light and versatile tripod that is travel friendly
• Quick deploy, shoulder height full-size tripod
• Designed for both mobile and cameras
• Compatible with any mobile through built-in smartphone clamp & any devices with tripod mount including ProGrip
• In the box: Includes a Tripod, built-in phone clamp, sling bag

For anyone who needs to travel light, this is, no doubt, a solution to consider, even more so because it can go from a stand for tabletop video or photography, at 22cm, to 6.5 times its height, offering the point of view a normal travel tripod gives. Although I’ve not tried the TravelPod Pro, it looks as if able to offer more stability than some flimsy solutions available. That explains, I believe, the price – which is $109.99, if you’ve forgotten.