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Joby Action Series GoPro Mounts

Joby has some new action camera mounts. I've been testing out the suction cup and clamp with the new locking arms.

Joby Action Series Mounts Suction Cup - GoPro Mounts

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 4 weeks ago // Categories: Mounts & Grips

Deal: GoPro HERO9 Black Bundle

GoPro is running a deal on the new HERO9 Black, their newest and best camera. It's a bundle that includes the HERO9 Black, a 1-year subscription to GoPro, a Magnetic Swivel Clip, a spare battery, a Floating Hand Grip, and a 32GB SD card. It's all for $399.98.

Joby is best known for its Gorillapods. They’re those flexible mini tripods that have flexible arms that look like a bunch of interlocking balls. Depending on the model, they can work with anything from small pocket cameras right up to DSLRs. I’ve used a variety of these over the years, and they work very well.

Now, they have a new range that’s focusing specifically on action cams like GoPros. They’re calling the new range the Joby Action Series™ (and yes, they really have trademarked that).

Several of the items in the range make use of that distinctive Joby flexible arm. But the ones I’ve been most interested in are the sturdier locking arm system. It provides a more rigid lock than the GorillaPod arm, so there’s less movement in the camera.

Joby Action Series Mounts Suction Cup - GoPro Mounts

The locking arm is modeled directly on the type of locking arm that RAM mounts have used for quite some time.

Joby Action Series Mounts Suction Cup - GoPro Mounts

But where the RAM versions are all-metal and incredibly strong, the Joby version is made of lightweight plastic. That means the Joby versions are much lighter (and less likely to go through the windscreen if it comes off, for that matter). Joby is specifically marketing these for lightweight action cams, whereas the RAM mounts are utilitarian jack-of-all-trades that are used with a wide variety of payloads.

So I’ve been putting two of them through their paces–the Suction Cup & Locking Arm™ (yep, more trademarks) and the Action Clamp and Locking Arm™.

Joby Action Series Mounts - Clamp GoPro Mounts

Joby Action Series Mounts Suction Cup - GoPro Mounts

Both are also available with the GorillaPod Arm in place of the Locking Arm. The range also includes an Action Grip™ (basically a handle bobber), an Action Grip & Pole (the grip on a selfie stick), an Action Jib Kit, hub adapters to attach multiple cameras together on the same mount, and various tripod and GoPro connectors.

Suction Cup & Locking Arm

This works basically the same as other GoPro suction cups. The suction cup locks with a rotation of the red ring just above the cup.

Joby Action Series Mounts Suction Cup - GoPro Mounts

The arm locks in place with a single knob that makes the entire arms act as a clamp on a ballhead on each end.

Joby Action Series Mounts Suction Cup - GoPro Mounts

Action Clamp & Locking Arm

The top arm of the action clamp part slides pretty freely when there’s no pressure on it. But when there’s pressure on it, it forces the arm to lock against the ridges up the length of the column.

Joby Action Series Mounts - Clamp GoPro Mounts

The maximum opening of the clamp is about 2 inches (5 cm), and the center of the locking bolt is about 1 1/4 inches in (2.7 cm).

Joby Action Series Mounts - Clamp GoPro Mounts

The surfaces of the pads are plastic. They’re not especially grippy on their own, but it works well enough for a lightweight camera. The top pad has a groove across it that’s designed to help stabilize it when using on non-flat surfaces.

Fits 360° Cameras

The boxes have a big red sticker saying that they fit 360° cameras, meaning cameras like the Ricoh Theta S, the Samsung Gear 360, and the forthcoming KeyMission 360.

In reality, there’s less to that than it seems. It’s just the marketing department getting a little carried away. It simply means that the mounts have a 1/4″-20 attachment, which is the standard tripod thread. So yes, you can put a small 360° camera on them, just as you can put just about any other type of small, lightweight camera. By that measure, just about any camera mount ever made in the history of camera mounts fits 360° cameras.

The Good & the No-So-Good

These work quite well for what they’re designed for. The locking arms provide a more rigid alternative to the GorillaPod arms but are still flexible and easy to use.

My biggest criticism concerns the price you pay for using lightweight plastic on the locking arm. And that is that it simply doesn’t clamp down very hard. Turn the tightening knob as much as you like, but there’s still going to be surprisingly easy to move. In situations where there’s not much in the way of force on the camera, that’s not much of a problem. But add some bumping and momentum as you get on fast-moving platforms, and that can become a problem when the camera slips from where you locked it. And I definitely do not recommend using it with anything heavier than a GoPro. If you are planning to use with anything heavier, or if you really need something with even more stability, I’d recommend taking a look at the RAM mounts. They’re more expensive and heavier, but they’re also incredibly solid.

The Good

  • very lightweight
  • quick and easy to attach and adjust
  • works well in situations where the camera is not getting bumped and jolted
  • suction cup gets a good grip

The Not-So-Good

  • the locking arm doesn’t lock as tightly as I’d like. This generally isn’t a problem unless the camera is being jostled or whipped around when mounted on something moving.

Overall, these are a handy addition to the options for mounting GoPros. While Joby’s IP lawyers have gone on an orgy of trademarking, I can’t imagine it’ll be long before there are knockoffs readily available. I like that these are much lighter than RAM mounts, although they’re not really a replacement.

Price & Availability

As I mentioned above, there are several different configurations available. The two I’ve been using are the suction cup with locking arm and the clamp with locking arm.

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By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on January 28, 2021

Categories: Mounts & Grips

I may earn a commission for purchases using links on this page. Learn more.

GoPro News & Deals

New Smart Remote GoPro will be announcing the new Smart Remote for the HERO9 Black on December 17, 2020. The HERO9 Black isn’t compatible with the previous version of the Smart Remote.

HERO8 Black firmware v2.0 now available. Enables webcam mode; enables Display Mod compatibility; expands HyperSmooth 2.0 High and Boost availability to more video settings; general bug fixes. Update through the mobile app or manually.

GoPro Launches New Live Streaming Service for GoPro PLUS. GoPro has launched their own live-streaming platform for PLUS subscribers. It’s a pretty bare-bones offering for now, with livestreams shared with a dedicated URL. This is alongside their efforts to make the HERO8 Black useful as a webcam when connected to a computer (via USB plug-in-play, not requiring the Media Mod accessory with HDMI out). New firmware adds that functionality for Mac users, and the Windows version is in Beta.

New GoPro Zeus Mini Video Light. GoPro has released released a new video LED light designed to complement their GoPro cameras. It’s tiny, waterproof, and has a built-in magnetic swiveling clip. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters), has four levels of brightness, and includes a diffuser to cool the color temperature to 5000K. GoPro claims that the built-in battery lasts up to 6 hours (presumably at the lowest brightness setting, although they don’t specify). It’s available now and priced at $69.99.

DJI Osmo Action firmware update adds live streaming. DJI has released a firmware update for the Osmo Action (v. 01.08.00.10) that adds live streaming support, so you can upload directly to platforms like Facebook and YouTube (it goes through the DJI Mimo mobile app). They’ve also improved the in-camera video stabilization. You can find the new firmware here.

New Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO8 Black from Isotta. Isotta, an Italian brand specializing in underwater housings, has announced a new high-quality underwater housing for the HERO8 Black. It’s an aluminum housing depth-rated to 650 feet (200 meters), has a one-handed open/close switch, double o-rings, and can be used with filters. There’s also a dual-handled tray to go along with it. And like all their housings, it’s in their distinctive red. Priced at $450, it’s only for those who need a highly specialized piece of underwater kit. It’s available for preorder from underwater specialists Backscatter.

Light Mod Now Shipping The Light Mod, one of the three new GoPro accessories, is now shipping. It’s a standalone light that is waterproof, rechargeable and compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was originally announced along with the HERO8 Black, but it hasn’t been available until now. It’s priced at $49.99, and you can find them at GoPro.com.

GoPro MAX Now Shipping. The new 360° camera, the MAX, is now shipping.

GoPro HERO8 Black and Max Unveiled. The new GoPro cameras and accessories have been unveiled. I have a rundown of the highlights of the HERO8 Black here.

DJI Osmo Action vs GoPro HERO7 Black. I’ve posted my detailed hands-on comparison of the Osmo Action and the HERO7 Black. There’s a lot similar between the models, but once you start digging down into the details there are differences that can help in choosing between them. And each has strengths the other doesn’t have. You can find my review here.

GoPro HyperSmooth vs DJI RockSteady. The new DJI Osmo Action also has built-in electronic stabilization to smooth out video. They’re calling it RockSteady (GoPro has HyperSmooth). I’ve been out testing them side-by-side. You can see the results here.

GoPro Deals page. I’ve put together a dedicated page on GoPro deals. So if you’re looking for cheap GoPro deals, check it out.

DJI Osmo action 4K Camera. Best known for their camera drones, DJI has released a new 4K action cam that’s taking direct aim at the GoPro HERO7 Black. It shoots up to 4K60 video and 12MP stills, includes electronic stabilization, has high-dynamic range video at 4K30, voice commands, a touchscreen on the back and another smaller live view screen on the front, and is waterproof down to 36 feet (11 meters). It’s priced at $349, and they’re now available at B&H Photo.

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About Me

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

I’ve owned and used every GoPro since the HD HERO and particularly like finding new and different ways to use them to capture photos, video, and time-lapse.

You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com.

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