This simple accessory will help you take better photos and videos with your phone
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AmazonSmartphone cameras are as capable as they’ve ever been — and, possibly, ever will be — but the hands you use to hold them haven’t gotten any less shaky under duress. If you’re a hobbyist looking for the smoothest shot possible, or you just want to take videos on the move without them coming off looking too janky, it might be worth looking into a dedicated smartphone mount.
If you do, you should consider the Shoulderpod S1. Shoulderpod is a small, Barcelona-based company that specializes in these things, and while the S1 is its basic, entry-level kit, it should be enough for most people interested in capturing steadier shots. At $35, it's also relatively affordable.
The kit itself is simple: There’s a clamp for the phone, a detachable aluminum handle for extra grip, and a wrist strap. The clamp is easily adjustable, and can hold phones anywhere from 1.89 to 3.66 inches wide. (So, most phones.) It’s made from plastic, but it doesn’t feel cheap, and more involved photographers can hook it up to a tripod. Conveniently, it also doubles as a stand, letting you prop your phone up on a desk when you’re not out and about.
When you are, though, the S1 works as it should. It screws in tightly and keep your device secure, which results in less shakiness than you’d probably have otherwise. The potential complaint here is that there’s no shutter button on the grip, though you could argue that’d only result in a bunch of accidental shots anyway.
The S1’s been around for a couple years, and it’s earned plenty of positive feedback in that time. Reviews from Digital Trends, DPReview, CultOfMac, and CNET have been good, and the device has a 4.6 rating after 250 user reviews on Amazon.
Now, you’ll need to be a fairly avid smartphone photographer — with a good smartphone camera — to get anything out of this in the first place. If you are, though, the Shoulderpod looks like a dependable fix to a common problem.
Shoulderpod S1, $34.90, available at Amazon.