For those of you looking to take better photos and videos with your Android or cameras, you may want to consider getting a mini tripod. Mini tripods can help you get stable shots otherwise not possible without carrying a full-sized tripod. I use many of them on a daily basis and let me give you a review of all the different mini tripods and smartphone mounts I use.
Mini Tripods I use:
1. Manfrotto Mini Tripod – I have been using this for a few years, I use it all the time to mount my Android smartphone, microphone, LED lighting, and even my heavy DSLR with a zoom lens. If you travel often and you want the stability of tripod without carrying one, this is definitely one of the best.
2. Clovis Mini Tripod – If you need something a bit more sturdy than the Manfrotto Mini Tripod to carry heavy camera gear and get lower to the ground, check out the Clovis Mini Tripod, which gets super low to the ground and also is made of metal.
3. Generic Smartphone/Compact Camera Mini Tripod – If you just need a mini tripod for your Android smartphone or compact camera, this generic smartphone tripod will do the job. It’s small, light, and the price is lowest of them all.
4. Pedco Ultra Grip Tripod – This particular mini tripod has 2 axis of adjustment to give you more interesting angles than a regular tripod. This is a pretty sturdy tripod but it is made out of plastic and may get wobbly in windy conditions. But it also comes with a velcro strap so you can easily wrap it around a pole or trees for interesting angles.
Smartphone Mounts I use:
1. Reticam XL – This mount works for small phones like Galaxy S6 up to bigger phones like Note 5, Nexus 6/6P, and on most Android smartphones. It is made out of pure metal, very sturdy and you can’t go wrong with this. The only thing I don’t like about this mount is that the mount covers center of the screen so it’s hard to type on the phone when your phone is on the mount. (e.g. When I am periscoping on it, I gotta take it out of the mount to type then put it back on.)
2. Vastar – This plastic mount is not the sturdiest but the most convenient and uses spring mechanism to hold your phone. It holds most smartphones fine, I have hard time with phones like Nexus 6 where it’s big and curved but otherwise works well for most Android smartphones. Also this mount is super lightweight, one of the reasons why I use this over the Reticam to mount my smartphone to my Phantom 2 drone.
3. Adjustable – This adjustable mount uses screw-in like the Reticam and holds your smartphone super firm. This will hold up to 6-inch smartphone that’s not curved. The best feature on this mount is that the mount does not cover the screen in anyway.
I also use a GorillaPod Focus, which is an excellent tripod for smartphones and heavy cameras. They also have smaller versions, which are solid.
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