Manfrotto MCLAMP, Universal Smartphone Clamp with Thread Connections, for iPhone with or without Case, Foldable, Compact Size, Vlogging, Black

My smartphone has an astrophotography mode I was keen to try, but it only kicks in when the phone is absolutely stationary and needs to remain still for about two minutes. I needed a tripod, and this one looked perfect.The tripod is nice and light and when folded up is about the size of a banana - 18cm long (without the smartphone clamp), and about 5cm wide. The three legs swivel out from the top - they don't extend - and it stands about 14cm tall. At the top of the tripod there is a screw fitting onto which you can attach a compact camera, and there's also a clamp for smartphones which you can either attach at the bottom, or on the back which is good for taking photos of the sky, or ornate ceilings, pointing straight up. The clamp pulls open and grips the sides of the phone. It doesn't pull very wide apart - narrowest width is about 5.5cm and the widest it goes is about 6.5cm - so don't buy it with the intention of putting a tablet in there. The back of the clamp also has an extendable kickstand of sorts, so if you want to take a photo with your camera but don't need the full tripod you can always unscrew the clamp, extend the kickstand, and just use that.At the top of the tripod there is a large red button. If you push this in the screw part of the tripod can now move freely on a ball joint, and when you release the button it locks in position. It feels sturdy and robust, as with the rest of the tripod.I really like this tripod and look forward to taking more pictures of the night sky, and also putting it in my case when we go on holidays.

This is very good

A number of weaknesses:The clamp is very stiff. It takes a lot of force to open the clamp’s jaws. Often, I pressed the iphone inadvertently when fitting the clamp, triggering an app. This is especially annoying when using the iphone as a webcam, through Camo and such, as when you reverse the phone (to use the rear lenses) the clamp – being wide - hides the apps on the front. Then, if by mistake (and it happens most of the time) you press an app whilst clamping the phone, you need to un-clamp the phone to reset, re-clamp and so on.The swivel button is low quality. Needs substantial pressure to release the ball mount, making small adjustments difficult.Heavy. I purchased it for travel but its heavy.The “Joby JB01492 GripTight ONE Micro Stand” does the same job but is much smaller, lighter and folds flat i.e., better for travel. Other advantages of the Joby are:a) It doesn’t need a button to release the ball mount as there is enough friction between the mount and the base for the iphone to stay in place. A finger push is all that’s needed for small adjustments. A very useful improvement when the tripod is some distance away such as using the iphone as a webcam.b) The Joby clamp consists of two thin arms. As a result, when you mount the iphone backwards (when using it as a webcam) the screen is not obscured as it would be with the Manfrotto.a+b) Overall the Joby is a better design for travel.When it comes to using it static, it’s a toss-up. Manfrotto is heavier, bigger and more stable. It is also likely that Manfrotto’s swivel will outlast Joby’s i.e. the Manfrotto will last longer.

Good value for money, excellent quality, recommended.

Bought this to go with the Manfrotto LED I got. I already have two mini tripods but I’m really pleased I got this one. The legs are very strong and stable, easy to I’ve yet hold their position when in use. You need to press the little red button to swivel the ball joint. Once it clicks, it is easy to move the head to get the angle you want. I got the version with the iPhone clamp as an extra - I mostly use it with the LED and my DSLR. The clamp is very firm and attaches to the tripod in two positions for maximum flexibility. It also has a little flip out stand on the back for use in video calls or holding the mobile upright when reading recipes. A but expensive, but I think it is very good quality and am happy with my purchase.

The media could not be loaded. Kindly sent to me for review this is a really good quality mini tripod.As soon as you pick it up you can feel it's much better quality than lower cost mini tripod, it feels solid, well built, and it's something you can trust your equipment on.The legs fold in for easy storage, or for using this for selfies. Note the legs are solid and don't bend, this isn't the sort of tripod that allows you to wrap it round a tree for quirky shots.On the top is a standard thread that can be used with cameras, camcorders and video cameras. You can also use mobiles via the included adapter that also acts as a mobile stand thanks to the little kick stand on the back.These are held in place by an incredible impressive lock. The red button on the front 'unlocks' the mount allowing you to adjust it's position, let go of the button and it won't move. At all. You'll see me try and move it in the video and I can tell you now I didn't manage to budge it even a millimeter!This means you can pop a DSLR camera on the tripod and you don't need to worry about the weight causing it to topple over, which could be especially disastrous if you're shooting from a high position.In this case you really do get what you pay for, the build is so much better than lower cost mini tripods, I feel a lot better about using my Nikon D5100 with this than with cheaper plastic options.