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Food photography is one of many types of photography you can do with a smartphone. However, in order to get the best results possible, you need to use the right tools. A good tripod will go a long way in helping you capture awesome food shots with your phone.
Below are some tripods that are ideal for mobile food photography. Each of them has their own unique advantages, so it’s up to you to choose what works best for your needs.
Ubeesize HG50
Ubeesize is a recognizable name in the world of smartphone camera accessories, and the quality of their products have earned them a good reputation.
The HG50 has four-section telescoping legs with quick-release lever locks that stretch out to give the tripod added height. When folded, the tripod is only 40cm in height but it can extend to about 130cm in height.
The HG50 also has a rotating head that can be swivelled in any direction and locked securely. It has separate controls for panning and tilting, and can also switch the camera orientation between portrait and landscape.
What makes this tripod particularly good for mobile food photography is that it has a horizontal centre column, which can be controlled using the horizontal arm lock. This makes the HG50 perfect for getting overhead shots. Not only that, thanks to the dual ball head, you can also attach two devices or pieces of equipment at the same time using the universal 1/4-inch screw.
The Ubeesize HG50 smartphone tripod comes with a wireless Bluetooth remote which allows you to take photos from up to 10m away. This means you don’t even have to touch the camera once everything is set up.
Why it’s great for smartphone food photography
The collapsible centre column makes this a versatile tripod that can suit many needs. You can have it set up to take standard shots straight-on from the side or you can turn it sideways to allow you to take overhead shots of food.
It’s also very sturdy and comes with a Bluetooth remote, which allows you to leave the tripod and mobile camera undisturbed once everything is set up.
The downside
The HG50 is not a big tripod but it’s not small either. If you’re working with a very limited amount of space, then this tripod might not be suitable for you especially if you want to extend it all the way up.
Recommended smartphone mount: Ubeesize Cell Phone Tripod Mount
Check the price of the Ubeesize HG50 at:
Joby GorillaPod 500
Joby is one of the biggest names in smartphone tripods thanks to the popular GorillaPod line of flexible tripods. The GorillaPod 500 is one of several of their flexible tripods that are perfectly suitable for smartphones.
What makes the GorillaPod unique is its legs that are made up of several joints. This makes the tripod adaptable to uneven surfaces. But best of all, you can wrap the legs around various objects, which means you can position your camera in some interesting spots and angles.
The tripod itself is not big at all, so you can take it wherever you want to take shots of food. It only measures 19.5cm in height and weighs a mere 85g, but it can support cameras of up to 500g. So, it definitely handles the weight and size of smartphones with ease.
The Joby GorillaPod 500 is a great quality smartphone tripod. It’s made of stainless steel and ABS plastic designed for durability and stable performance. The rubber feet make sure that the tripod maintains a good grip on the surface.
By keeping the tripod legs closed, you can also use the GorillaPod as a grip to take selfies or for mobile videos.
Why it’s great for food photography
The Joby GorillaPod 500 is small enough to be set up on top of a table to take shots of food. It can support all smartphones and any digital camera up to 500g, thanks to its rugged and sturdy build.
Most impressive is how versatile the tripod is. Its flexibility allows it to be positioned or suspended from almost anywhere, which can make for some interesting mobile food photos.
The downside
If you have nothing around which you can wrap the tripod’s flexible legs, then you are limited in terms of the variety of shot angles you can get from it.
Recommended smartphone mount: Joby GripTight Mount Pro
Joby GorillaPod 500 available at:
Manfrotto PIXI
Manfrotto’s PIXI mini tripod is a fantastic tabletop tripod for smartphones. It is designed specifically for people who are looking for something that’s portable, lightweight, and easy to use. And because it’s a Manfrotto product, you can rest assured that the PIXI does the job it’s designed to do well.
The body of the tripod has a minimal design style and is made from stainless steel and Adaptor plastic for a fantastic and high-quality tactile finish. Not only is the Manfrotto PIXI well-built and solid, but it also has rubber feet to ensure that it remains stable and doesn’t slip.
The PIXI mini tripod has a ball head and a push-button mechanism that is designed to enable you to position and lock the ball head very easily. Pushing the button allows you to to move the ball joint freely. Releasing the button locks the ball head in position. This is useful for switching between landscape and portrait orientations.
Closing the legs of the PIXI allows you to hold it comfortably in your hand and use it as a handgrip for capturing great videos with your smartphone. You can use it with any smartphone or digital camera under 1kg.
Why it’s great for food photography
The Manfrotto PIXI is a mini tripod, so you can easily place it on a table to take food shots. The ball head is easy to move around so that you can easily take horizontal and vertical food photos.
The downside
At only 13cm high when operating, for some people, this tripod might be a bit too small and limiting. It has no a horizontal centre column nor does it have flexible legs that can have it suspended from above, so overhead shots aren’t easy to achieve with it.
Recommended smartphone mount: Manfrotto Universal Smartphone Clamp
Check the price of the Manfrotto PIXI at:
TAIROAD Phone Tripod
The TAIROAD Phone Tripod is a unique piece of equipment with a special feature-- it has an adjustable gooseneck with a smartphone holder at the end. The gooseneck sits on a rotating ball head that allows 360-degree horizontal and 90-degree vertical rotation.
The TAIROAD Phone Tripod is compatible with a lot of smartphones or you can use your own smartphone mount. It also comes with a universal Bluetooth remote for taking pictures from up to 10m away.
Why it’s great for food photography
This tripod is great for food photography because the tripod head’s ability to rotate freely and the flexible gooseneck make it easy to capture food shots from various angles.
And because it can extend from 40cm to 165cm, you can use it for a variety of situations.
The downside
If you’re looking for something small that you can quickly place on and off the table, then you might need to consider other options. This tripod is not necessarily huge but it’s not ideal for tabletop use. However, you can extend it from the floor up to the level of the table.
Check the price of the TAIROAD Phone Tripod at:
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that using a tripod will help you take stunning food photos with your smartphone but it’s completely useless without a good smartphone mount. So, be sure to remember to invest in one that will keep your phone secured properly.
