iFootage announced the Cobra 3 Strike monopod that tries to improve on the company’s already great monopod series by adding the ability to extend and retract it one-handed.
Video monopods became popular over the last decade thanks to their small footprint and ability to enable complex camera moves with minimal effort. Compared to tripods, they are typically faster, take up less space, and provide filmmakers with more flexibility.
iFootage makes, arguably, the best monopods on the market — at least according to PetaPixel‘s YouTube Director Jordan Drake — but has not rested on its laurels and continues to iterate on the design.
Searching for ways to upgrade, iFootage decided to focus on speed and ease of use, which is how it arrived at a new one-handed extension and retraction trigger. With the press of a trigger button located at the top of the center shaft, the tripod’s height can be adjusted extremely quickly — the company says upwards of 75% increased speed and productivity — as angles and heights can be shifted in 0.8 seconds.
“Experience instant adaptability and seamless gear transitions with our one-click release system. With one click, you can release the tension and swiftly attach your gears and accessories,” the company says. “Get leaning shots with stability. The foot is strategically designed with specialized grips and materials to ensure a secure and stable hold, allowing you to tilt it up to 130 degrees with no worries.”
The addition of the new trigger did not come at the cost of previously excellent features like the pedal located at the base that allows a filmmaker to push and pull the monopod in a full 360-degree rotation to enact various camera movements. Pressing the pedal again snaps it back into position within 0.5 seconds, iFootage claims.
The center shaft can be quickly removed and the video pan/tilt head can be attached to the feet directly, enabling low-angle shots.
The iFootage Cobra 3 Strike video monopod combined with the base has a folded length of 83.7 centimeters, a full extended length of 150.3 centimeters, and tips the scales at 1.6 kilograms. It supports a five-kilogram payload capacity and is made of aluminum.
iFootage opted to launch the Cobra 3 Strike on Kickstarter where it is available for $179, a substantial discount over the eventual $299 the company will sell it for when it becomes generally available. iFootage says it intends to deliver to backers by September 2024.
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Image credits: iFootage