REVIEW - iFootage Cobra Strike 3 - New Heights for Monopods
iFootage has developed a great name amongst photographers and videographers over recent years with high quality yet affordable products. With their latest addition to their monopod range, the Cobra Strike 3, they have gone even further to provide a fully specced product that really does tick all of the boxes. If you are after the ‘TLDR’ lowdown, this thing is incredible and should be part of any photographer/videographers kit. However, that doesn’t really do it justice, read on to find out more.
I’ve owned and used many monopods over the years and I’m sure like many of you, always just assumed that they are basically fancy sticks for balancing a camera on - how hard can that be? Well, of those many Monopods almost all of them have failed the test of time. They have either broken, been too fiddly to use or simply not been practical enough to use, in particular as you grow as a creator.
PLEASE NOTE: I WAS SENT THIS ITEM FOR REVIEW BUT NO OTHER PAYMENT OR CONTROL WAS EXCHANGED FOR PUBLISHING THIS UNBIASED REVIEW
I have a lot of faith in the stability of these things, but I DO NOT recommend walking away from them 😅
The Strike 3 (not to be confused with its sibling, the Cobra 3 - that ‘Strike’ part is very important, as we’ll see later) is pretty much all things to all users. Whether you shoot photo or video, use a basic camera setup or rig out heavy video cameras with long telephoto lenses - the Strike 3 has you pretty well covered. In combinations with the K5S fluid head, it really is a remarkable package that is pretty difficult to beat.
Design and Build Quality
The Strike 3 builds on years of the ‘Cobra’ line and it really shows that iFootage have put those years of experience to good use. I’ll cut to the chase and get the headline feature out of the way - single handed use! That might not sound like anything you’ve ever needed from a monopod but believe me, once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back! Gone are fiddly flip locks or twist locks to adjust the height of your monopod - now, a simple grip of the locking system and you can raise or lower the monopod to your desired height - it’s so simple.
I spent at least 30 minutes just extending and lowering the monopod in amazement! The amount of time it saves is incredible and you might be thinking ‘well it can’t be as secure as flip locks’ - believe me, it’s rocksolid, as I’ll show later with my own experiences. I can almost guarantee that this will change how all monopods operate going forwards. Not only is it intuitive and simple to use, but having another hand free means that you can keep operating your camera making fast shot setup and angle changes a breeze.
Video Source - Paule Heimlund via YouTube
Whilst we’re on the subject of angle changes, at the base you will not only find new improved feet for excellent stability, but iFootage’s pedal system for quickly adjusting the angle of the monopod. A simple press on the foot pedal releases the monopod so that you can freely move to a variety of angles. Press down further and return the monopod to the centre and it snaps back into a perfectly vertical position and automatically locks in place - ingenious. This feature alone makes using the tripod so fast and easy to get the angles you need.
It passed Tilly's 'sniff' test with flying colours 😻
The fun doesn’t stop there, at both the top and bottom of the tripod you will find the Cobra 3’s popular Quick Release system, allowing you to quickly detach either the fluid head or feet. Both have their own use cases but detaching the feet in particular reveals a rubber base, similar to what you would find on a traditional monopod for single point contact with the ground - useful in tighter spaces. However, the feet are part of the beauty of this monopod, they offer amazing stability!
Depending which package you go for, if you get the additional K5S fluid head (and if you shoot any video work I can highly recommend it) then the monopod really does come to life. The K5S has pan and tilt motions that can be locked for static shots and even has an additional arm for smoother camera movements. I was sceptical about how much I would need a fluid head for a monopod but it came in incredibly useful.
Phew, now that’s the main design out of the way we can look at build quality and as you would expect from iFootage, it’s excellent. The monopod feels robust and very tactile. It is a mostly metal with some plastic parts (again, depending on the version you get) but even where there is plastic, it is high quality and built to last. My only concern would be how the ‘Stirke’ system, the locking mechanism for adjusting height will fare over time - iFootage have rigorously tested it so I feel confident that it will last, time will tell.
Performance and Usability
I could talk for a very long time about this but I’m sure you’d rather I got to the point, it is excellent. There are so many well crafted features here from basic things like the included bag (that even extends if you want to leave the head attached) to the innovative ‘Strike’ system that I still can’t work out how it actually works! It really feels like iFootage have gone out of their way to build the most effective monopod they could.
I have been fortunate enough to use the Strike 3 on a few shoots now, one in particular was a seven hour event coverage that included both photo and video. The Strike 3 completely changed how I approached this. Normally, I would need to grab a few quick photos and then set a camera up on a tripod and slowly move it around the room, trying not to disturb the crowd or speaker, all whilst sweating and generally looking like I don’t know what I am doing.
The Strike 3 changed all of this. The 5 kg payload meant that I was able to balance my R5C rig on top and even though neither iFootage or I would recommend ‘letting go’ of the monopod with a camera balanced on it - that is exactly what I found myself doing. I was shocked at the stability of this monopod even with a pretty decent sized rig balanced on top. This free’d up my hands to grab photos and in general, just move a lot quicker whilst adjusting height/angles and still getting rock solid shots. Happy camera operator and more importantly, happy client.
In real world use, the Strike 3 is excellent and delivers everything I had hoped for and more...
I would say there is a tiny learning curve to using the foot pedal and ‘Strike’ system but within minutes, it starts to feel natural. It’s like getting into a car you haven’t driven before, you just need to learn where the controls are but it isn’t long before you’re flying along. One of the best value propositions for the Strike 3 is just how much flexibility it offers and how creative you can get with the shots. With a height range of 71cm with the monopod only, or over 150cm with the monopod fully extends, you have most shots covered - and that’s before you get really creative and just combine the fluid head with the feet for super low angle shots - no monopod needed at all!
Video Source - Kyle Watts via YouTube
Pro’s and Con’s
As you can tell, I’m quite a fan of this monopod so I’m going to set myself a challenge and start with some cons, though I will stress, it was a real challenge to find any.
Con’s
The main downside for most will be the price. It starts from $299 (UK prices not available at time of writing) and with the K5S fluid head rises to $449. For most, that may make this a choice between a dedicated tripod or an all singing and dancing monopod. Having used both, I can really see an argument for the Strike 3 - it’s versatility is incredible. However, there is no getting away from the fact that there are cheaper options out there. Not many will be able to boast such high specifications and almost none will be as simple and intuitive to use.
The next con is the overall size. For some applications the minimum length of just over 71 cm and weight of 1 kg (both going up slightly depending on which package you choose) make this a dedicated choice to carry. In years gone by, I have carry a simple carbon fibre monopod that was both half the weight and length of the Strike 3 - the basic monopod pretty much just lived on my bag ‘incase’ I needed it, where as the Strike 3 feels far more of a choice as to whether I carry the additional item - though the included bag does at least make it simpler to carry.
Pro’s
I will try to restrain myself but the ‘Strike’ system is genuinely ‘game changing’ (I promised myself I wouldn’t use that phrase but it really is!). It is so simple to use and makes the way I operate so much smoother. The foot pedal and quick release system mean that this is by far the most versatile monopod that I have ever used and in conjunction with the K5S fluid head - I’ve already picked this system up over my $2500 Gitzo tripod setup on multiple occasions.
The high quality material and attention to detail really makes you feel like you are using a premium product. I often think with some camera gear manufacturers that they must not actually use the products - with iFootage, it feels like they’ve tested their products to destruction - tweaking every little detail so the user experience is perfect. That is how I see this, almost perfect.
Final thoughts
In all honesty, I harassed iFootage a little as I was desperate to try the Strike 3 as I thought it might offer a few benefits to me as a solo operator. However, I didn’t think I was quite prepared for how blown away I would be by it. The quality is excellent, the innovation is incredible but more than anything else, it just seems to open up new possibilities both in terms of speed and creativity.
With the K5S fluid head, I can use the included Manfrotto style plate to quickly switch from the monopod, to a gimbal or even a bigger tripod, making solo shooting fast and easy. This means that I can produce better work for clients in a shorter time and ultimately, that’s where I see the value proposition of this monopod. I understand that it may represent a large investment for some photographers/videographers - but if used right, I can almost guarantee this monopod will pay for itself in terms of time saved and the creativity it unlocks.
The Strike 3 has made me fall in love with iFootage even more. It feels surprisingly good to see a company dedicated to making products that make our lives as content creators easier. Rather than simply creating products with basic iterations - they seem dedicated to making genuine innovations and really pushing the industry forwards. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!
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About the Author - Ross Jukes is a professional Photographer and Videographer with over a decade of experience. Working in both Digital and Analogue formats, Ross has worked with international clients, had his worked published numerous times and exhibited his work extensively. With a passion for all things photographic, Ross combines his experience, enthusiasm and dedication to his art form to create engaging and educational content for the photographic community.
Disclaimer: All links to Amazon UK/US are affiliated links - you will still pay the same price but I will receive a small commission. All information provided in this blog is intended either for educational or entertainment purposes and is accurate to the best knowledge of the author. However, further research/professional advice should be sort before making purchases/implementing any advice given and no responsibility is taken by the author or parties mentioned here within.