A cell phone tripod ensures sparkling clean photos and videos with the smartphone. The tripod guide explains what types of tripods there are and which one is right for your smartphone.
Professional photographers and videographers know: Without a reliable tripod, working on the perfect picture is little fun. Unintentionally blurred images give the viewer the feeling of looking at woodchip wallpaper rather than being captivated by the image. Especially when there is little light and a correspondingly long exposure time, there is no way around the tripod. Because the longer the exposure time of the camera, the more likely it is that images will blur unintentionally.
But there are also stylistic reasons for a long exposure. For example, when photographers photograph a waterfall and want the water to “blur” in the photo to illustrate the movement of the element. Such a long exposure is almost impossible from the hand. Despite all the technical refinements and integrated image stabilizers, the smartphone camera is no exception. That’s why more and more cell phone photographers have a small cell phone tripod on board, especially on vacation.
Mobile phone tripod: A clipper is usually sufficient
Do you already have a tripod for your photo or video camera? Then use it for your smartphone too! All you need to do is buy a suitable clipper for your cell phone. It can be screwed onto the tripod head and holds the smartphone securely. Incidentally, this combination is also often recommended for new purchases.
Why? Most tripods, which were developed solely for smartphones, have one thing in common: poor workmanship. It is therefore better to dig a little deeper into your pocket for a good tripod.
If used properly, high-quality tripods can last for one or even several decades. And if you later buy a system or SLR camera, you can also use the tripod with it.
Conversely, you can of course also use a cell phone tripod with a normal camera. However, the load capacity of the tripod is important, because normal and photo and video cameras are usually heavier than smartphones. Therefore, pay attention to the maximum carrying capacity of the tripod head. If the camera exceeds that of the smartphone tripod, you should buy another tripod for the camera.
What types of cell phone tripods are there and what makes a good product?
When choosing a tripod, what you want to create with it is decisive: If you use your smartphone for filming, you need a video tripod. Use the tripod for photos. The tripods for photos or moving images differ in their heads.
With the video tripod, the head can be rotated and tilted to film the famous pan. That is why there is always a handle on the video tripod. The head of the photo tripod, on the other hand, is more static and folds to the side if necessary to shoot portrait format pictures. A tripod head that can reasonably do both has not yet been invented.
Regardless of whether it is intended for photos or videos, a good tripod is characterized by three things:
Mini tripods and gimbals for smartphones
Mini tripods are probably the most common mobile phone tripods. The lens heads of the tiny ones are static. Videographers do not film a pan or the like with the small tripods. A gimbal or alternatively a travel video tripod makes more sense for this task.
The Gorillapod is probably the most popular cell phone tripod on the market. This is due to its maximum flexibility thanks to the ball legs. They make it possible for the tripod to be held on round rods (e.g. on street signs). In addition, the feet of the gorilla pod are magnetic. Ideal for attaching the tripod to the fridge or other metal objects.
In addition to this flexibility, the manufacturer offers a wealth of accessories that make life easier for vloggers and videographers in particular. Also included are small light sources for perfect lighting or microphones. Both harmonize perfectly with the Gorillapod. The highlight: You can attach light sources and a microphone to the flexible legs. The free leg then serves as a handle so you can film a perfectly lit selfie smack.
If you only need a table tripod for your smartphone, take a look at the premium manufacturer Manfrotto. He has a tiny table tripod for sale. It by no means offers the range of functions of the Gorillapod and is limited to the essentials. In this case it is a smartphone holder to attach the mobile phone in landscape format.
Anyone who wants to film or take photos upright will have a problem with this model and should use a Silk Mini Pro 7. The ball head of the Slik tripod gives it the flexibility to mount a smartphone clipper so that the photo or video can be taken upright.
No tripod in the true sense is a gimbal. This is an additional image stabilizer for cameras. Compensating motors on the axes of the camera frame ensure that moving images do not blur while running – at least until the gimbal’s battery is empty. Whether you really need this device depends a lot on what you’re filming and how.
A gimbal usually only makes sense if you want to record fast movements while running and you want it to be as clean as possible. There are also subtleties such as a time-lapse function, in which the gimbal automatically pans very slowly and takes a picture every 30 seconds. Communication between the gimbal and smartphone is handled by an app in which you can set different video modes.
DJI is one of the most popular manufacturers of smartphone gimbals. His OM5 is one of the most popular smartphone gimbals. The associated app naturally offers a time-lapse mode and object tracking. The gimbal can also hold a smartphone horizontally and vertically depending on how you want to film.
However, your smartphone must not be heavier than 614 grams (g). The following applies here: The higher the buffer between the manufacturer’s information and the real weight, the better, because the battery lasts longer with a light device.
Travel tripods for mobile phones
If you want more than a table tripod for your cell phone, you can look at travel tripods. They are actually intended for normal cameras, but thanks to Clipper they also harmonize with the smartphone and are usually better processed than pure smartphone tripods.
Whether it’s a photo or video tripod, it has to be as light and handy as possible when travelling. At the same time, a secure footing is just as important as a height that can be adjusted as far as possible in order to give videographers and photographers the greatest possible creative freedom.
This is important, for example, for close-ups in nature. Photographers want a tripod that can be set up as flat as possible.
An ideal video tripod when traveling is the Manfrotto Befree Live. It weighs around 2000 g and can carry a maximum load of four kilograms (kg). This is easily enough for a smartphone and most system cameras also harmonize with a tripod if the lenses used do not go beyond all dimensions.
Its minimum working height is 40 and the maximum is 151 centimeters (cm). According to the manufacturer, the clip system can then be set up quickly and easily. The tripod head features a fluid system that, according to Manfrotto, allows for smooth panning movements.
Conclusion: An ideal and relatively light travel companion for videographers who film with a smartphone, SLR or system camera.
If you are looking for a handy photo tripod for the holidays, the Rollei C5I could be just right. It is the first tripod to use rotary locks instead of clip switches to extend the legs. According to the manufacturer, its 360-degree ball head allows photographers the greatest possible creative freedom.
Incidentally, according to Rollei, you can put a maximum weight of eight kg on your head. Overall, the Rollei C5I weighs only 1666 g. When folded, the tripod measures a cute 41 cm. When extended, it is a maximum of 159 cm high, the minimum height is 21 cm.
Conclusion: Regardless of whether it is a single-lens reflex camera, a system camera or a smartphone: the Rollei C5I is a solid companion when travelling.
Professional tripods for smartphones?
If you not only film with your smartphone, but also own a camcorder or a professional system camera, you can use a professional tripod. However, such a purchase is far oversized for a smartphone alone.
A professional video tripod should offer a secure footing. In addition, videographers benefit from solid workmanship and a flexible tripod head that can be rotated or tilted as gently as possible. All of these properties are more likely to be found in tripods from premium manufacturers.
You want to rely on one of these if you also want to use the tripod with other cameras. An excellent companion for videographers is the Manfrotto Pro Video MVH502A. To use the tripod with a smartphone, you need an appropriate clipper. If you use it with another camera, it must not weigh more than seven kilograms. The counterweight compensation is a maximum of four kilograms.
Otherwise, the tripod offers everything a videographer could wish for: According to the manufacturer, the tripod head enables particularly smooth panning and tilting movements thanks to so-called fluid cartridges. The assembly succeeds via the clip switches on the legs of the tripod. Of course, a carrying bag is also included in the scope of delivery.
But there is a catch: With its weight of 5500 g, the Manfrotto Pro Video may be too heavy for some creative people to spontaneously tuck under their arm. After all, its height of 168 centimeters (cm) is high enough to film a standing interview.
Conclusion: If you only want to film with the smartphone, the Manfrotto MVH502A is oversized and does more work than it is worth. However, if you also have a system camera that you use to record moving images, the tripod is a good companion.
Of course, what applies to the video tripod also applies to his brother, the photo tripod. If you are looking for a photo tripod, you should choose a tripod that is stable and very durable. One manufacturer of such premium tripods is the Japanese company Slik (headquarters: Hidaka City). With its Slik Pro 700 DX, the manufacturer makes beginners just as happy as professional photographers.
Smartphone photographers again need a suitable clipper if they want to use the tripod. With a weight of 3670 g, the tripod is on the threshold of “too heavy” for some people to spontaneously take it with them on a hiking tour. The weight is both a curse and a blessing: On the one hand, it ensures a secure footing even on rough terrain, on the other hand, it’s annoying to carry the tripod with you for a smartphone photo.
The legs of the tripod secure clip switches that want to be opened for setup. Its maximum height is 190 cm and the minimum height is 21.5 cm.
Conclusion: If you only take photos with your smartphone, the Slik Pro 700 DX is a bit oversized. On the other hand, the investment is worthwhile if you have a system or single-lens reflex camera with you on your photo tours or plan to buy such a camera.
Note: This article was first published in January 2022.
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