The Go-Anywhere Platypod Pro

It’s a baseplate with tripod studs and a few screws. But this tiny package is a surprisingly flexible way to mount a camera.

. Photo by David Coleman " havecamerawilltravel.com
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Filed Under: Reviews, Travel Tripods
Topics: Platypod

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The idea behind the Platypod Pro is pretty simple. It’s a metal baseplate with holes drilled into it and a couple of tripod studs fused into it. But the elegance of the system is that the simplicity actually opens all sorts of flexibility. So it becomes a really handy addition to your travel camera kit.

It doesn’t exactly replace a tripod, although it certainly can in many situations. And it also opens up more possibilities for mounting in places that wouldn’t work with a tripod. But its most compelling feature is its size. It’s so small and compact that you can easily leave it in your camera bag just in case. With the Platypod Pro and a compact travel head, you’re not ready for anything, exactly, but it’s surprising how often it can come in useful.

Since I originally posted this review, the Platypod Pro has been discontinued. The most direct replacement for it is the Platypod Ultra, which adds a number of refinements. There is also the larger Platypod Max, which is designed for larger cameras.

Platypod Ultra Flat Tripod for Small DSLR, mirrorless, and Compact Cameras
  • Ultra tripod base plate is a flat tripod compatible with any tripod ball head except ones that have knobs...
  • At just 4.3 mm thick and about the size of an, 5.08 x 3.36, Ultra is the perfect travel buddy by fitting...
Platypod Max The Flat Tripod Base for Low Angles and Tight Spaces That...
  • Max is a flat tripod. Flat fits in any bag, gets close to your subjects, sets up quickly, and most...
  • Max comes with the plate, four spike feet and removable storage box, 1/4" - 1/4" male-to-male crossnut, a...

If you need to bolt the plate to a wall or some kind of platform, you can. And if you want to use it as a mini-tripod, you can. Attach a tripod head or put the camera directly on it. They all work, and the usage scenarios are endless.

Using the Platypod Pro with its spiked feet on uneven cobblestones in Lisbon, Portugal, with a Nikon D810 and an Oben BE-117 ballhead.
Using the Platypod Pro with its spiked feet on uneven cobblestones in Lisbon, Portugal, with a Nikon D810 and an Oben BE-117 ballhead.

The Basics

Platypod Pro

The baseplate is simple. The bottom is completely flat, so you can mount it flush against another flat surface. Four holes are pre-cut to make that easier.

Platypod Pro

The things that set it apart from just being a plate of metal with holes in it are the two tripod studs that are fused into the plate. They provide solid anchor points for things like tripod heads or cameras, and there’s no protrusion on the underside.

Platypod Pro
There are two tripod studs on the top. The larger one, a 3/8-16, is the standard for attaching tripod heads. There is also a smaller 1/4-20 stud, which is more common as the standard size and thread that fits into the bottom of most cameras.
Platypod Pro

The “legs” are entirely optional. If you want to simply lay the plate on the ground, you can. But you can also use the three screw spikes as a kind of mini-tripod. The corresponding holes are threaded, so you can adjust their height. And the screws are reversible, so you can use them as sharp metal spikes for grip or use the ends with the plastic covers if you don’t want to scratch the surface of whatever you’re putting it on.

Platypod Pro
The “legs” go into three threaded holes. They’re reversible, so you can use the sharp, spiked end or the end with the soft plastic cap.

It is possible to mount a camera on it directly, but I’ve found it far more useful with a small travel tripod head. In this example, I’m using an Arca Swiss Monoball p0 ballhead, but a more logical and cost-effective option when using with a DSLR or mirrorless camera is something like the Oben BE-117.

PlatyPod Pro Deluxe with Arca Swiss Ballhead

It’s available in different configurations. In the Deluxe Kit, which is what I use, it comes with the spikes and a nifty case that be used either flat or converted to a boxier case that you can also put your ball head in.

Platypod Pro
Platypod Pro
The case is convertible. In its standard profile it packs flat, but you can also fold it out to more of a box shape so that you can also fit in a small tripod head or other small accessories.
Platypod Pro

Specs

The plate is 5 inches long (12.7 cm) and 3 inches wide (7.6 cm).

It has a nominal load capacity of 90 pounds, but in practice, it’s going to be highly dependent on balancing the center of gravity safely. And chances are that any tripod head you put on it will have a load capacity well below that.

The naked plate weighs about 3.2 ounces (90 grams), and with the three screw legs, it’s 4.2 ounces (122 grams).

The case that comes in the Deluxe Kit is 5 ounces by itself (142 grams).

Need Something Bigger? Meet Max

I’ve found the Platypod Pro to work great with mirrorless and small cameras. It works quite well with DSLRs, but it’s not as stable as I’d prefer when using with a large DSLR like a Nikon D810, especially with the risk of it tilting sideways. And I don’t, and wouldn’t, use it with longer, heavier lenses where the center of gravity is shifted.

But the folks behind Platypod are creating have created a bigger version, the Platypod Pro Max.

Pros and Cons

I don’t necessarily consider the Platypod Pro as a replacement for a tripod (and it’s not pitched as one by the manufacturer). There are situations where it just doesn’t give you the options that a good travel tripod does. But there are also a lot of situations where a tripod is less than ideal but that the Platypod excels.

There are many studio or other permanent mounting situations where it can be handy to be able to bolt a baseplate directly onto something else. And the Platypod Pro is very good for that. But I’m focusing here on using it as a portable solution for travel photography.

And there are many positives to using it for that. It’s small, light, and discreet, and a lot easier to carry around than a tripod. There’s not much to break or fail even with the harshest treatment while traveling. And it can stand on all sorts of surfaces, both flat and uneven, from dirt, to cobblestones, to wooden fences. But there are also a few cons. Until the Max comes out, with its larger footprint providing more stability, the Platypod Pro can tip over sideways if you’re not careful when using a heavier DSLR, especially with the added height leverage when using a tripod head. And as simple as the screw/spikes are to use, they can also be a little tedious to attach and remove when on the go.

But overall, it can be a very useful tool to have in your camera bag. And it hardly takes up any space at all.

On a curved marble banister in [Sintra](https://havecamerawilltravel.com/tag/sintra-portugal/), [Portugal](https://havecamerawilltravel.com/europe/portugal/), with an Oben BE-117 ballhead and a Ricoh GRII mirrorless camera.
On a curved marble banister in Sintra, Portugal, with an Oben BE-117 ballhead and a Ricoh GR II mirrorless camera.

Price & Availability

The Platypod Pro is no longer available, but two newer models are.

The most direct replacement for this model is the Platypod Ultra, which is similar but adds a number of refinements.

Platypod Ultra Flat Tripod for Small DSLR, mirrorless, and Compact Cameras
  • Ultra tripod base plate is a flat tripod compatible with any tripod ball head except ones that have knobs...
  • At just 4.3 mm thick and about the size of an, 5.08 x 3.36, Ultra is the perfect travel buddy by fitting...

If you’re using a larger camera or video rig, the bigger Platypod Pro Max provides a more stable standing platform.

Platypod Max The Flat Tripod Base for Low Angles and Tight Spaces That...
  • Max is a flat tripod. Flat fits in any bag, gets close to your subjects, sets up quickly, and most...
  • Max comes with the plate, four spike feet and removable storage box, 1/4" - 1/4" male-to-male crossnut, a...

Images and product information from Amazon PA-API were last updated on 2023-10-01 at 05:21. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

David Coleman / Photographer

David Coleman

I'm a professional freelance travel photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. My images have appeared in numerous publications, and you can check out some of my travel photography here. More »

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