Matty Graham and the AP team pick the best camera phone tripods and mounts to help you level up your smartphone photography and videography.
The quality of photo and video in smartphones has accelerated beyond belief. Their sensors have reached the 200MP mark, and there is now more choice than ever. With computational processing power in today’s flagship phones second to none, it’s no surprise that many professional content creators now depend on smartphones to get the job done. A corresponding ecosystem of excellent accessories has sprung up to help.
For those serious about producing high-quality stills and video, one of the best investments you can make is a solid tripod – and there are plenty out there for smartphone users. From miniature sets of legs that can be quickly deployed on a tabletop, to flexible mounts that can be wrapped around branches and poles for an unusual perspective.
Alternatively, there are also mounts that can be used to clamp a smartphone securely on a standard, full-size photo or video tripod, as well as stabilising gimbals that help create smooth footage on the move – ideal for run-and-gun vlogging.
Below, we round up our picks for the best smartphone accessories for photography, but first, let’s take a close look at these different types of accessories you can buy for your camera phone. If you’re still looking for your ideal phone for photos and videos, check out our guides to the best camera phones for photography and the best budget camera phones.
Here’s a quick glance at the best smartphone tripods and mounts in this article:
- Best gimbal for smartphones: DJI Osmo Mobile 6 – buy now
- Best smartphone tripod: Benro Tablepod Flex Kit – buy now
- Best smartphone mini tripod: Manfrotto Pixi EVO 2 mini tripod – buy now
- Best smartphone quick-release plate: Benro ArcaSmart 70 – buy now
- DJI OM 5 – buy now
- Zhiyun Smooth 5S – buy now
- JOBY Smart Stabilizer – buy now
- Best smartphone slider: JOBY Swing Phone Mount – buy now
- Zhiyun Smooth Q4 – buy now
- Mini smartphone tripod: Manfrotto Pixi Mini Tripod – buy now
- Flexible smartphone tripod: GorillaPod Stand PRO – buy now
- Smartphone LED light: JOBY Beamo Mini LED light – buy now
What are some accessories you can buy for your smartphone?
Mini tripods – best for long exposures and video
Just as when using a mirrorless camera to capture long exposures, there are times when a tripod is equally advantageous to shooting with a smartphone. Now, because they weigh much less than bigger cameras, mini tripods are an excellent solution to provide stability and keep your smartphone still, while remaining small, portable and convenient.
Along with being important when shooting long exposures, mini tripods can be used to hold the camera while capturing selfies or group pictures. And they are essential for capturing time lapse video footage where it’s critical the smartphone stays still.
Stabilisers – why would you need one?
A stabiliser (or “gimbals” as they are also known) are powerful and very useful accessories that bring a host of big benefits to smartphone users shooting stills or video. Most come with built-in extension rods to capture wider fields of view or shoot stills from an aerial viewpoint.
However, it’s moving video footage that really benefits from a gimbal as most offer a three-axis system to correct for any pitch, tilt or yaw, enabling you to move around while still capturing smooth footage. Most gimbals also pair up with a companion app to unlock further features and functions such as follow focus and tracking.
Lights – what are they for?
Any smartphone photographer who has shot in low light conditions will tell you that darkness can compromise image quality. The solution is to invest in a light, but with smartphone photography, you want to keep your kit lightweight and convenient. The trick is to source small, power LED lights that can illuminate your subject with flattering light without creating a heavy payload. While this is predominantly a list of tripods and mounts, we also recommended a solid, affordable smartphone LED light that will give you a little illumination at a pinch.
Read on as we count off the best camera phone tripods and mounts you can buy right now.
Best phone tripods and mounts
Best gimbal for smartphones: DJI Osmo Mobile 6
At a glance:
- Type: Gimbal / selfie stick
- Price: $149 / £135
Most photographers will be familiar with DJI for its range of industry-leading drones, but the brand also makes amazing accessories for smartphones. The Osmo Mobile 6 is the latest to be available to smartphone photographers. Best described as a handheld stabiliser gimbal, it folds down to a portable, travel-friendly package that can be opened up and used when the right photo moment presents itself.
Featuring a built -in extension rod to increase the distance between user and smartphone when capturing wider selfie shots, there’s a lot of tech built-in to this three-axis stabiliser – take the DJI’s Active Track 5.0 technology, which allows you to follow a subject around for smoother video footage. For all this, the Osmo Mobile 6 tips the scales at just 309g.
Pros:
- Packed with high tech features
- Lightweight package
Cons:
- More expensive than rivals
Best smartphone tripod: Benro Tablepod Flex Kit
This kit includes both rigid and flexible legs, as well as a phone clamp and a neoprene carry case. Photo credit: Andy Westlake
At a glance:
- Type: Mini / flexible tripod
- Price: $159 / £120
To be prepared for a range of situations, the Benro Tablepod Flex Kit is a great way to cover your bases. It’s effectively two tripods in one, featuring both rigid carbon fibre legs and flexible Gorilla-pod style legs that can be manipulated to rest on uneven surfaces, or grip protruding objects like branches or poles. Both sets of legs can be used simultaneously: the flexible legs holding extra accessories like lights, while the rigid legs support the whole setup. Alternatively, you can reconfigure the kit to turn it into a selfie stick.
While this kit is one of the more expensive accessories for a smartphone, we concluded in our review that it justifies its asking price. The bendy legs are a little fiddly to use in practice, but once you get used to their quirks you effectively have a little portable studio setup on your hands. The lightweight but sturdy carbon fibre legs are easy to carry everywhere with you, for shooting at a moment’s notice.
Pros:
- Incredibly versatile
- Light but strong carbon fibre
- Kit includes phone clamp
Cons:
- Relatively pricey
- Flexible legs can be fiddly
Read our Benro Tablepod Flex Kit review.
Best smartphone mini tripod: Manfrotto Pixi EVO 2 mini tripod
The Manfrotto Pixi EVO 2 mini tripod is an affordable option
At a glance:
- Type: Mini tripod
- Price: $33 / £42
While photographers using mirrorless cameras need to cart around big, heavier tripods, smartphone photographers can do things the easier way. The EVO 2 is one of the best mini tripods around to pair with your phone device. Capable of supporting up to a whopping 2.5kg, the mini tripod offers two different leg angles to give stability on uneven ground.
With a choice of three colour combinations, the aluminium build is lightweight yet robust and the EVO 2 even offers the ability to tilt the device a full 90 degrees, so smartphone photographers have the choice to shoot in landscape or portrait modes.
Pros:
- Rugged design
- Two leg angle options
Cons:
- Additional phone clamp needed.
Best smartphone quick-release plate: Benro ArcaSmart 70
Mount your smartphone to your regular tripod – and add accessories like an LED light. Photo credit: Andy Westlake
At a glance:
- Type: Arca-swiss compatible clamp
- Price: $62 / £37
If you already have a decent amount of photography kit but find yourself increasingly using your smartphone for serious shooting, this clever gadget from Benro could allow you to use it for a bargain. It’s a smartphone clamp attached to a mounting plate that’s compatible with standard Arca Swiss tripod heads – essentially, it lets you use your phone on one of the standard best tripods for photography – which you may already have.
Additional accessories such as LED lights can also be affixed to the top of the clamp via the cold shoe. If you already own a perfectly good Gitzo for your camera, this device is a cost-effective adaptor that will allow you to use it with your smartphone, too. In our review, we found it to be beautifully made and highly effective for its intended function – with the quick-release functionality making it possible to quickly swap between phone and camera if so desired.
Pros:
- Excellent build quality
- Broad phone compatibility (up to 85mm wide)
- Cold shoe attachment
Cons:
- Pricey for what it is
- Fairly niche use case
Read our full Benro ArcaSmart 70 review.
DJI OM 5
DJI OM 5
At a glance:
- Type: Selfie stick / gimbal
- Price: $129 / £95
Now that it has been superseded by the Osmo Mobile 6, the OM 5 (note the different way DJI names its smartphone gimbals) is now a much more budget-friendly route into smartphone supports.
Offering a three-axis stabilising gimbal to allow capture of smooth video footage or sharp long exposure stills, the OM 5 features an innovative magnetic design, enabling the smartphone to be clipped in and out of the gimbal at lightning speed – important if you are racing to capture a special movement.
Despite a 215mm extension rod that turns the gimbal into a selfie stick, the OM 5 folds down to just 174.7×74.6×37mm – perfect for those who are travelling and have limited space for equipment. Thanks to a USB-C charging port, it takes just 1.5 hours to charge to full and offers an operating time of 6.4 hours.
Pros:
- Useful extension rod
- More affordable than newer models
Cons:
- Magnetic design may not suit all
Read our DJI OM 5 Smartphone Gimbal review.
Zhiyun Smooth 5S
Zhiyun Smooth 5S. Image: Zhiyun
At a glance:
- Type: Gimbal / selfie stick
- Price: $169 / £154
If you are looking for a bells and whistles accessory for your smartphone photography, this could well be it. The Smooth 5s is a three-axis smartphone gimbal that takes things to a new level.
Not only does it keep a smartphone steady when shooting stills and video, but it also features a powerful built-in 650 Lux luminance LED light to illuminate subjects close to the gimbal. Along with the built in light, the 5S can also accommodate two more additional lights, essentially enabling creators to film single-crewed.
Other features include an integrated joystick to help you manoeuvre the smartphone at your leisure, and dials and mode buttons to quickly access different features. The 5S has a number of built-in creative modes so you can get creative; including a panorama option that will move the camera automatically to shoot multiple frames before merging them together.
Pros:
- Innovative LED lights
- Built-in creative modes
Cons:
- May be overkill for some users
JOBY Smart Stabilizer
JOBY Smart Stabilizer
At a glance:
- Type: Gimbal / selfie stick
- Price: $138 / £85
JOBY is better known for its range of mini tripods, but did you know the brand also makes a gimbal for smartphones too? Priced at the entry-level point of the market, the JOBY gimbal comes with a mini tripod, carry bag and features a telescopic handle that extends out to 7 inches to help provide wider-angle compositions.
The battery lasts up to 10 hours and you can even charge up your smartphone from the gimbal using the included cable, allowing you to continue with your smartphone photography. Weighing 428g, more features can be unlocked by accessing the free Smart Stabilizer app, including focus tracking options.
Pros:
- Affordably priced
- Companion app
Cons:
- Heavier than rivals
Best smartphone slider: JOBY Swing Phone Mount
JOBY Swing Phone Mount
At a glance:
- Type: Smartphone slider
- Price: $139 / £139
Here’s a clever accessory that will appeal to smartphone content creators who wish to capture professional-looking time-lapses, videos and B-roll. Designed in partnership with Syrp, the device connects via the JOBY motion app and can be programmed to move, adding motion to your time-lapse creations.
A battery life of up to three hours, the Swing mount offers a linear travel distance of 38cm and can support a payload of 600g, which should cover all but the heaviest of smartphones. Other features include a built-in bubble level to ensure straight horizons, and there’s also a Ballhead 1K and GripTight phone mount accessory bubbled into the package.
Pros:
- Innovative design
- Companion app
Cons:
- Limited appeal or stills shooters
Zhiyun Smooth Q4
The Zhiyun SMOOTH-Q4 COMBO kit with its light
At a glance:
- Type: Gimbal / selfie stick
- Price: $99 / £85
Smartphone gimbals don’t need to be big or bulky. The Q4 is one of the smallest packages on the market. Tipping the scales at just 370g and measuring just 181x107x56mm, this is a gimbal you can fold down and carry around in your jacket pocket. Despite being small, the Q4 offers a max operating time of 15 hours – more than enough for most photographers who are heading into the city to capture some fun content.
The design is far more simplified than the more pro Zhiyun Smooth 5S but the Q4 does boast a 215mm extension rod to shoot from a wider angle and a multi-functional control wheel enables quick operation and switching between modes.
Pros:
- Folding design
- Long battery life
Cons:
- No built-in LED
Mini smartphone tripod: Manfrotto Pixi Mini Tripod
Manfrotto Pixi Mini Tripod with Smartphone clamp
At a glance:
- Type: Mini tripod
- Price: $39 / £48
When you need a tripod to keep things steady, but are restricted to travelling light, the Pixi Mini from Manfrotto be your solution. Small enough to fit in the pocket of your jeans and highly affordable, the lightweight build of this mini tripod disguises a robust build that will stand up to standard knocks and bumps.
The Pixi Mini features a push-button mechanism that enables the small ballhead to be manoeuvred to whichever composition you need. And there’s a 1/4 thread to pair up with the phone clamp attachment to hold your smartphone in place. Weighing just 170g, this mini tripod can hold up to a whopping 1kg – in case you need to start adding to the rig with accessories such as lights.
Pros:
- Tiny design for portability
- Robust and lightweight
Cons:
- No extension rod for wider angles
Flexible smartphone tripod: GorillaPod Stand PRO
GorillaPod Stand PRO
At a glance:
- Type: Flexible tripod
- Price: From $45 / £64
If there’s a more versatile support for smartphone photography out there than the GorillaPod then I don’t think we will find it. This innovative tripod features malleable legs that can be flexed into positions to make use of supports you didn’t think would be possible. Wrap the lens around a tree, a fence post or even the frame of a bike – the possibilities are endless.
Built with premium ABS plastic and stainless steel and weighing 244g to keep it light and portable, the GorillaPod PRO measures just 5.5×7.5x31cm and is best described as the swiss army knife of smartphone supports. There are bigger versions of the GorillaPod available but this model hits the sweet spot on both price and design for smartphone photography.
Pros:
- Innovative design
- Affordable price-point
Cons:
- Some may not like the design
Smartphone LED light: JOBY Beamo Mini LED light
JOBY Beamo Mini LED light
At a glance:
- Type: LED light
- Price: $53 / £60
As the saying goes; let there be light, and the solution to this is to invest in a Beamo Mini length for your smartphone photography. Designed to minimise flaws and produce flattering skin tones, the lights feature not one but two cold shoe mounts so they can be added to smartphone rigs and they even have a magnetic backing.
The great thing about these flights is their robust build; in fact they are both waterproof and rugged so you should have no qualms about using them in harsh weather conditions. At full power, the light offers 1000 lumens and power can be ramped up in five steps. JOBY offers these clever lights as single items, two-light kits and bundled with its mini tripods.
Pros:
- Waterproof and rugged design
- Bright output
Cons:
- Better suited to smartphone rigs
Text by Matty Graham, with contributions from Jon Stapley.
Related articles:
- Best camera phone accessories for photography and video in
- The ultimate guide to tripods
- Best camera phones for photography
- Best smartphones for video
- Best used smartphones to buy
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