If you carry a tripod and selfie stick for your smartphone while you’re away on holiday, you’re only adding to the stress on your shoulders by adding weight to your luggage. The selfie stick tripod can do both. You need a tripod. You might even need two tripods if you’re shooting video, panoramas, fireworks, timed exposures, selfies, or macro work in addition to general photography. Choosing the right tripod for your work style is important, and if you approach it in the right way, it’s not difficult at all.

Read on for details on how to buy the best selfie-stick tripod.

1. Tripod type

There is a wide variety of tripods, so if we split them into five basic groups: pocket, desktop, portable, medium, and rugged/studio, it would be easier to surround them. Category names indicate their primary application. For example, photographers who mainly shoot wildlife should consider portable models, but should not overlook other styles.

(1) Pocket tripod

The pocket tripod fits easily into a bag or purse, making it handy for restaurants, zoos, hiking, and other places where you might not want to carry larger items. They can hold the weight of a compact digital camera and can be a real lifesaver when you’re trying to take a temporary family photo or selfie. If the Pocket model is short and sturdy enough, it may support a mirrorless SLR, but be careful not to overload it. In all cases, look ahead with some kind of adjustable head, even if it’s basic.

(2) Table tripod

Benchtop tripods are great for macro shots, group shots, and other situations where you can place the camera on a flat surface other than the ground. They are light, small, and easy to pack, making them ideal for travel. In some cases, such as when you’re trying to take a close-up of an aquarium, they’re better than full-size tripods because they can be placed on a table close to the aquarium. Many photographers press the adjusted legs of smaller tripods against their chests for extra stability — sort of like a hollowed-out shoulder rest.

(3) Portable tripod

The portable tripod is perfect for hiking, and biking. They’re lightweight and easy to carry, and you won’t regret carrying them around. All products support digital (or film) SLRs but are careful if you use a telephoto, especially if the front is heavy. They are a little short in highly extended areas, but the trade-off is excellent portability. Often, they can be strapped to the bottom of a backpack or small kit for easy transportation. I keep one in the trunk of my car.

(4) Medium-sized tripod

The midsize tripod fills the gap between the lightweight portable tripod and the heavyweight studio tripod. There are many attractive models to choose from in this category. They are a great choice for video cameras because they are very stable and most can be used with a pylon. You’ll find a variety of configurations, with and without complex ball heads, fluid heads, pan heads, and so on. If you’re looking for a lightweight but need a sturdy platform, check out models with carbon fiber legs. They combine the best of both worlds, and while they’re worth it, they tend to be more expensive.

(5) Rugged/studio tripod

Rugged/Studio tripods are large, sometimes almost immovable, and are always used with specialized heads. This is the domain of professional photographers, who often buy a specific type of tripod to fit a specific need.

2. Common features of tripods

All tripods have eight characteristics in common. The matrix below shows the specifications and materials most commonly associated with each particular type of tripod. These are provided as guidelines, not hard and fast rules. For example, most medium-sized tripods are between 48 and 60 inches in length, with exceptions at both ends of the scale.

Also, note that the maximum load capacity figure is an approximation. If you’re hanging heavy equipment, read tripod specifications or check the manufacturer’s website. Many people don’t know how heavy their camera-lens combination is.

3. Things to look out for before choosing the best selfie stick tripod

To choose the best selfie stick tripod for yourself, you should always keep the following in mind:

(1) Length

You should always look for options that offer good extensibility in terms of length. While some of the smaller options are 7 inches to 35 inches in length, you’ll also find longer options, like 18 inches to 62 inches. So choosing the right length for your type of use is entirely up to you.

(2) Materials

Since all the selfie stick tripod options are of considerable length, the quality of the product’s construction becomes a very important check feature. The stick should be made of high-quality materials such as stainless steel or aluminum.

(3) Bluetooth range

Most selfie stick tripods come with a Bluetooth remote control that lets you take photos from a distance. It’s convenient and better than using the timer function on your smartphone when taking beautiful family photos.

(4) Supported devices

It is important to check whether your phone is suitable for the selfie stick phone stand. Not every phone holder is the same size, and neither are all smartphones. So be sure to check which smartphones are compatible with the selfie stick tripod. If you want to be more sure, check the width of your smartphone and compare it to the size supported by the phone’s stand. That way, you can find the perfect selfie stick tripod for yourself.

(5) Installation features

Don’t forget the mounting feature on any selfie stick tripod. The more tuning features you get, the better for you! So far in this list, we have mentioned various options to support both horizontal and vertical camera modes. This is possible because most selfie sticks include a 360° swivel phone stand and a 180° swivel head. On the other hand, if you still want to use your camera with a tripod, don’t forget to look for a ¼ inch screw mount, as most cameras are mounted with that.

4. Conclusion

Everyone should check before buying a selfie stick so that they can spend their money on the right products. The selfie stick tripod doesn’t have a lot of technical details, so with these tips in mind, you can buy the best selfie stick tripod.

FAQ：

Can I use a selfie stick as a tripod?

The Selfie Stick can indeed attach to the tripod mount. It has a small hole in the bottom with a standard universal thread (1/4-20 UNC), into which you can screw in the thread on the top of the tripod (or any other compatible camera equipment).

Can I use a selfie stick for video?

Most people don’t realize a selfie stick is more than just a metal rod that attaches to your phone. It’s also a remote control. Almost all models have a button built into the handle, and with a press of a said button, you can snap a picture or start recording a video.

What does a selfie stick mean?

A selfie stick is a long device with a holder for your phone at one end and a button at the other that you can press to take a photograph of yourself.

Do people still use selfie sticks?

As camera technology continues to advance, some selfie sticks (such as taking large groups of photos and effortlessly snapping amazing travel shots) may have become obsolete, but that doesn’t mean they’re useless.