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The 4 Best Smartphone Tripods In 2020
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Smartphone tripods make it easier to take steady photos, film clips, or enhance your work-from-home video conferences. The best smartphone tripods are lightweight and have Bluetooth-enabled remotes for easy control, swivel heads, and adjustable phone mounts that expand to at least 3.5 inches in width to accommodate a range of models. Smartphone tripods come in a variety of heights, including everything from miniature table-top versions to ones that extend to more than 5 feet tall.
Phones come in a wide range of sizes, which is why you’ll want to look for a smartphone tripod with an adjustable cell phone mount. Each of the tripods on this list features a mount that expands to at least 3.5 inches wide to ensure that it'll easily fit some of the largest smartphone models out there, including the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, even when they have protective cases. You’ll also want to look out for smartphone tripods featuring joints that allow the head to swivel in different directions so that you can always get a great angle. Bluetooth-enabled remotes (many of which have a radius of up to 30 feet) can allow you to take selfies and group shots from a distance at the touch of a button.
It's also worth noting that some smartphone tripods are more portable than others, so one that weighs under 4.5 pounds (or 72 ounces) is best if you plan on toting yours around — but some weigh under 7 ounces. Adjustable or flexible legs can be helpful when you're shooting on an uneven surface. Finally, a tripod with a ring light can provide bright, even lighting when you need it, while a selfie stick functionality can be helpful, too.
These smartphone tripods provide steady support to instantly elevate the quality of your photos and videos. Even better? They all happen to cost less than $40 on Amazon.
1. The Best Budget Smartphone Tripod
Weighing just over 10 ounces, this compact tripod from Shengsite offers a swivel head with 180 degrees of lateral and 360 degrees of vertical rotation. It has flexible 7.5-inch-long legs that are designed to keep your phone secure, even on uneven surfaces. The phone mount can be expanded to a whopping 3.75 inches, making it great for the biggest of phones. Plus, the Bluetooth-enabled remote can be controlled from up to 30 feet away. A GoPro mount, screw, and platform are also included.
Promising Amazon review: "At this price, I would have never imagined I'd be as pleased as I am with this little tripod! It gets the job done, and the remote is an extra bonus. Simple to assemble and can apparently be used with a little sports camera as well, though I have only used it with my iPhone X."
2. The Most Portable Smartphone Tripod
This smartphone tripod weighs less than 7 ounces, making it the lightest tripod on this list and the best for on-the-go use. The adjustable phone mount expands up to 3.54 inches — while smaller than other phone mounts, it can still accommodate large phones. The head can swivel a full 360 degrees, and the 8.26-inch bendable legs can stand up straight or wrap around objects like handrails and tree branches. The tripod comes with a Bluetooth remote that features a 30-foot reach and a GoPro mount, and it's compatible with cameras, too.
Promising Amazon review: "I bought this tripod for a backpacking trip to Yosemite National Park. The bendable legs of the tripod can be set atop boulders, wrapped around tree branches, etc, and still produce a stable shot. Plus the tripod is quite compact when you fold the legs — can fit easily inside a backpack or purse — great for hiking, travel or just walking around a city. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a compact tripod with Bluetooth remote!"
3. The Best Tall Smartphone Tripod
This tall smartphone tripod extends from 18.2 inches to 62 inches in height (that's over 5 feet!), yet it weighs less than 20 ounces (1.2 pounds). You can use the tripod as a selfie stick when it's folded up, or expand it to the ideal height and snap the locks in place to use it as a tripod. The 180-degree head allows for easy maneuverability, the Bluetooth remote lets you snap pictures from up to 30 feet away. The phone mount can be easily adjusted up to 3.75 inches in width, too. The set also includes a Bluetooth remote and a GoPro adapter.
Promising Amazon review: “This is a great phone tripod. The tripod comes in two pieces--the stand and the phone mount--but it is very easy to assemble. The mount is expandable and has accommodated both an iPhone 8 and iPhone 8X with no issues. [...] But my favorite thing about this tripod is how tall it gets! It's perfect for videos and can get tall enough for eye level if needed for tutorials or close up shots."
4. The Best Smartphone Tripod With A Ring Light
With more than 40,000 ratings, this popular smartphone tripod is equipped with its own ring light that features three warmth modes and 11 brightness levels so you always find your light. The retractable stand extends from 17.5 inches to 51 inches, the head swivels 360 degrees, and the mount extends up to 3.6 inches. The entire tripod weighs under 40 ounces (2.5 pounds), even with the light. The light is powered by a USB cord, which you can conveniently plug into your laptop, outlet adapter, or other USB port.
The manufacturer doesn't specify a range for the included Bluetooth-operated remote, but one user reported: "It paired easily with my iphone and it works perfectly to start or stop video from a distance." Another reviewer reported the Bluetooth working up to about 10 feet. The set also comes with a detachable selfie stick.
Promising Amazon review: "This is an absolutely solid, multi-functional, easy-to-use, tripod, ring light, and phone holder for making videos, lighting yourself for Zoom / Google Meet Meetings, or just adding a little light to your workspace when you need it. [...] Multiple settings for the light - different colors and brightness. The tripod is stable, sturdy, and can sit low or high - being completely adjustable vertically and the angle of the light. The expandable phone clip is strong but easy to get your phone into."
