Skimmer Ground Pod vs. Platypod

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Wade Abadie

Wade Abadie

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I’ve been considering purchasing a Skimmer Ground Pod for low angle shots. Also, the Platypod has been popping up on my radar as well. Does anyone here use either product? If so, how do you like it?

My intention is to put a quick release plate on the ground pod so that I can easily transfer my gimbal from my tripod to the ground pod and back.

I’ve seen some examples of homemade versions that look okay....but are either too heavy (like the frying pan versions) or just awkward and inconvenient to carry. I would appreciate any input you guys might have.
 
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Wade Abadie said:
Thank you for that link. It looks very similar but much less expensive. Do you have one? My only concern is that I’m wondering if it’s big enough to be stable with my 500mm F/4.
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I just recently bought it, but have not been able to use it yet. I cannot remember if it is a little bigger or smaller than the large Platypod, so you should check, but stability is also linked to how you set all of this up. I think the plate is quite flexible as far as configurations, and it feels quite thick as well. I would do a mock up of how you would configure it and then look at all or your options to see how your desired set-up would actually work. There are a variety of hole sizes on each plate, and that might make a difference to you.

--Ken
 
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Seems to me that you are missing your own point?
You are wondering as to the stability of the ultra-light plastic pods and yet you discount the frypan option as being too heavy?
The best option for stability 'is' the frypan due to its sturdiness and weight, although I have never heard anyone, ever, complain about the weight of a frypan??
IMHO
The BAT
 
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I'm using a Skimmer Ground Pod II for years and I'm very happy with it. To switch my Wimberley Head II from my tripod to the ground pod and back, I'm using the Kirk Tripod head quick release system https://www.kirkphoto.com/tripod-monopod-heads/tripod-head-quick-disconnect-system.html. The reason is, that I use several different heads on different tripods/monopods and even it is expensive, it gives me the comfort I want to have. But to be honest, you don't need it to switch just one gimbal head. Normally, I use the ground pod together with a 200-400 lens and the Wimberley head II. For transport, I attach it to my backpack with a snap hook.

From my personal point of view, the Platypod can't give you the safety and stability for a camera/500 lens combination.
 
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I got my Skimmer Ground Pod in the mail and took it out yesterday to test at a local park. I am VERY pleased with this product. Yes, it does seem a little pricey....but you’re not just paying for the plastic, you’re paying for the innovative design and convenience. It is lightweight, yet seems to be extremely durable and was very stable with the 500mm F/4! Also, it fits perfectly in the laptop slot in my backpack! This is a huge plus for me, to know it’s always there and easily available.

I installed a Haoge screw knob Arca clamp onto the 3/8 screw....so I can quickly interchange my gimbal back and forth from my tripod to the Skimmer ground pod. Overall I am very pleased, and can’t wait to test it out on some more serious subjects.

Here are a few of my initial “test” shots from yesterday....I spent approximately 45 minutes on my stomach, and never felt any fatigue. Game changer!

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For Wade:
IMO, you made an excellent choice by going with the Skimmer vs. the Platypod. I’ve owned the Skimmer for a little over a year now and use it when I’m shooting shore birds in the salt marshes or on the beach. My preferred gear is my Nikon 500 PF or my Tamron 150-600 G2 mounted on my Nikon D500. I’ve tried using a ball head and a gimbal head on the Skimmer, and have found the gimbal head to be much easier to control the angle of the camera. Of course, one can manage a lower angle with the ball head vs. the gimbal, but what I do is to drop the camera as low as possible on the gimbal.
My avatar was shot about a year ago while lying flat on my belly on a sandbar with the camera and lens mounted on my hands. NO skimmer pod or anything else - extremely exhausting when shooting for hours at a time in that position! Went out to that same location last month and shot for 4 hours straight, but this time WITH the skimmer pod. What a game changer!! Much less fatiguing, and it’s very easy to sneak up on the birds by crawling low to the ground and scooting the skimmer forward on the ground.
Those are some killer low-angle shots!
 
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topcat said:
I like this base, how stable is it?
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Unfortunately I have not yet had a chance to load it up and test it out. It seems to offer a few more configuration options than the bigger Platypod, and it is physically larger than the smaller Platypod, and that is why I chose it. Was hoping to do some close-up/macro work at ground level, but life has been a bit crazy around here these days, and photography has been put on a back burner of late. What were you thinking of loading on this type of platform?

--Ken
 
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Replytoken said:
Unfortunately I have not yet had a chance to load it up and test it out. It seems to offer a few more configuration options than the bigger Platypod, and it is physically larger than the smaller Platypod, and that is why I chose it. Was hoping to do some close-up/macro work at ground level, but life has been a bit crazy around here these days, and photography has been put on a back burner of late. What were you thinking of loading on this type of platform?

--Ken
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I was thinking of a Nikon D7500, with a macro or maybe a 70-300 lens. But I really don't know what I would use it for.
I was thinking of the small head from https://coloradotripod.com/ to use on it. I have a ball head, but I thought that the smaller head might be more portable.
 
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topcat said:
I was thinking of a Nikon D7500, with a macro or maybe a 70-300 lens. But I really don't know what I would use it for.
I was thinking of the small head from https://coloradotripod.com/ to use on it. I have a ball head, but I thought that the smaller head might be more portable.
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Unlike folks who want this type of setup for wildlife at ground level, I wanted a plate for close-up and for a two-light set-up for closeup. Two small LED panels on gooseneck arms is too much for a hot shoe, and while a cheese rail would probably work, I liked the plate as it puts no stress on the camera body. I am not familiar with the ball heads that you referenced, but I would say that lenses like the 105 micro-Nikkor or the 70-300 will test your setup as these are somewhat longer lenses without tripod collars or mounts, and they will give you a front-heavy load. If portability is important, then you may be sacrificing some stability for weight/size savings.

--Ken
 
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Replytoken said:
Unlike folks who want this type of setup for wildlife at ground level, I wanted a plate for close-up and for a two-light set-up for closeup. Two small LED panels on gooseneck arms is too much for a hots hoe, and while a cheese rail would probably work, I liked the plate as it puts no stress on the camera body. I am not familiar with the ball heads that you referenced, but I would say that lenses like the 105 micro-Nikkor or the 70-300 will test your setup as these are somewhat longer lenses without tripod collars or mounts, and they will give you a front-heavy load. If portability is important, then you may be sacrificing some stability for weight/size savings.

--Ken
Click to expand...
I think that you are right.
 
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I took the advice of Pimnauta from a previous thread "shot taken with ground pod made from old frying pan". Except i bought a new pan, checking several until I got the exact size and radius i wanted. It cost me £5/$6 and I added an old ball head. I think it will be great in snowy conditions, when lying down.
 
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