Best tripod for mobile in India

For most people, a tall extendable phone tripod with a Bluetooth remote is the best first buy. If you shoot on the move, a small flexible tripod is easier to carry. Whichever you pick, check the clamp opening against your phone with its case on, because a clamp that is too narrow makes the tripod useless.

A phone tripod looks like a small purchase, and a wobbly one ruins the footage you wanted to steady. The difference is in the legs, the clamp and the height.

Four types and what each is for

Tall extendable tripod. Stands from the floor to about head height or more. Best for reels, interviews, dance videos and anything shot standing up. Check the closed length for your bag.

Flexible or bendy-leg tripod. The legs bend and wrap around a pole, a railing or a branch. Good for travel and uneven ground. The limit is weight, so check what it holds.

Tabletop tripod. Small and light, good for a desk, a counter or a table. Fits in a pocket, but it cannot reach standing height.

Selfie stick with legs. A stick that opens into a small tripod. One tool for walking and for resting on a surface, with less stability than a proper tripod.

What to check before you buy

1. The clamp opening. Measure your phone's width with its case on, then compare it with the maker's clamp range. A phone with a thick case is the usual problem.
2. Load rating. A phone is light, but a phone with a ring light or a microphone is heavier. Check the weight the tripod is rated for.
3. Height, open and closed. Open height decides your shots. Closed length decides whether it fits in your bag.
4. The head. A ball head or a pan and tilt head lets you move the angle. A fixed clamp is cheaper and limits your framing.
5. Remote. A Bluetooth remote lets you start and stop recording without touching the phone, which avoids shake.
6. Landscape and portrait. Look for a clamp that rotates, so you can shoot vertical reels and horizontal video from the same tripod.

Using a tripod well

• Open the legs fully and lock them before you attach the phone.
• Put the heaviest part low. A top-heavy setup tips in wind.
• On a tall tripod, keep the centre column low when you can, because a raised column adds wobble.
• Use the phone's timer or a remote, so pressing the screen does not move the frame.

Before you buy

Decide where you shoot most, at a desk, outdoors or at home, and choose that type. Then compare the prices in the tiles above, and ask the shop to confirm the clamp fits your phone model with its case on.