I've been the little brother of the Gorillapod for my digicam (then as a gift), and am very grateful for that thing - you can order really everywhere photograph, whether on rocks, trees, fences, etc. I have my father - a great amateur photographers with two fairly heavy SLR - purchased the larger version here and as small as it looks in the picture, he's really not. The hinges are quite large, definitely thicker than marbles, rather richtug nice round cherries or large grapes, and keeps yes 1Kg weight! The joints can also be quite well adapted, but not too light, so it does not bend the same a when it buckled a big camera. The built-in small compass is a little tidbit to and definitely useful just for off-road - My father is thrilled;)