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There’s no doubt about it: investing in camera support system for your smartphone will greatly improve your photography. Whether you use a tripod, a monopod, or even a handgrip, you’ll definitely need a mount for your smartphone.
Without this important piece of equipment, you’ll find it quite difficult to keep your phone steady on any support system.
There are plenty of mounts to choose from, and some tripods do come with their own mount included. However, I’ve personally found that a lot of times, these mounts are cheap, flimsy, and wear out quickly. This obviously puts your smartphone at risk of getting damaged.
To help you keep your phone safe, I’ve compiled a list of five mounts for smartphones that are of superb quality and can last you for a very long time.
1. Manfrotto PIXI Clamp
Beautifully designed and well-crafted, the Manfrotto PIXI Clamp is made to safely attach any smartphone to any camera support system-- it doesn’t have to be a Manfrotto product.
It’s made out of ABS plastic, and has rubber grip inlays to keep your phone in place. It’s spring loaded and can stretch from 60mm to 104mm wide, so it can support a wide variety of phones. The lever at the back locks the phone securely in place.
The nice thing about this smartphone tripod mount is that it has two 1/4” attachments-- one on the bottom, and one on the side. This means you can attach you smartphone to the tripod horizontally or vertically for landscape and portrait shots.
Should you wish to attach a light or whatever other accessory above your camera, there is a cold shoe mount on top that allows you to do that.
The Manfrotto PIXI Clamp is a tough and very durable mount that will definitely last you a long time. The double security with the lever at the back is a big win for me because it reassures me that my phone will remain secure should the springs wear out.
You can get your very own Manfrotto PIXI clamp tripod from Amazon. It’s honestly one of the best there is out there.
2. Shoulderpod G1
Shoulderpod is a name that is quite popular in the world of smartphone photography accessories. They have a smartphone tripod mount called the Shoulderpod G1. It may not look as fancy as the Manfrotto PIXI Clamp, but it plays a big role in a bigger, more elaborate Shoulderpod smartphone rig.
The G1 itself is a solid and very reliable adaptor for mounting a smartphone to a tripod or any other camera support system. It’s adjustable to hold devices that are 48mm to 93mm wide.
However, this mount is not spring loaded, so you have to turn a thumbscrew to extend the clamp and secure your phone in place. Once in place, you then tighten the screw.
The advantage of this is that you don’t have to worry about the springs that hold the phone in place losing strength over time. The down side is it takes a little longer to set everything up.
The G1 can stand on its own horizontally and vertically, which is ideal for when you just need to support your phone without a tripod.
It is mould-injected in a high resistant polymer and includes machined brass inserts and soft rubber pads, so it’s definitely built to last.
The one let down is that the G1 only has one 1/4”-20 thread. If you want to take portrait shots, you have to tilt your tripod head 90 degrees.
I really like this mount because, not only is it top quality, it’s also a building block to other grips and rigs that are perfect for smartphone photography and filmmaking. It’s also available at Amazon.
3. Ulanzi ST-03
The Ulanzi ST-03 might appear small, but it packs a punch. This mount is made entirely of metal and anti-slip rubber grips. So you can be sure that your mobile will be safely secured to the tripod and won’t slip out.
This mount also boasts a thumbscrew that you can turn to adjust the width of the clamp. It can hold any smartphone that is between 58mm and 104mm.
There’s also a hidden cold shoe mount right at the top of the clamp. This is perfect for any extra accessories you might want to add to your setup such as a light or a microphone.
This exquisitely designed phone mount is made of aerospace aluminium alloy and only weighs about 87g. The foldable design and small size of the Ulanzi ST-03 make it pocket-friendly and perfect for travel. That’s a really big plus for me.
You can head on over to Amazon to get your hands on this really fantastic piece of gear.
4. KobraTech Universal Smartphone Mount
The KobraTech smartphone mount is a durable adaptor that can securely hold any device that’s between 58mm and 104mm in width. This is large enough to fit any phone with or without a case. Rubber padding ensures that the phone is kept comfortably in place.
What sets this mount apart is that it is actually made up of two mounts-- a “normal” mount, and a swivel mount. When the swivel mount is attached, you can easily change the phone’s rotation between landscape and portrait.
This is actually quite useful because a lot of mounts that can switch between portrait and landscape need to be detached from the tripod, rotated, and then screwed back on.
KobraTech’s EZ Swivel design allows you to change your camera’s orientation without having to detach the mount so you can get your shot quicker.
Unfortunately, the KobraTech smartphone mount does not have a cold shoe mount, so you can’t attach any additional accessories.
Overall, this is not a bad smartphone mount. It also comes with a wireless remote shutter, which allows you to control the shutter from about 10m away. Definitely worth checking out.
5. Joby GripTight Pro
From the makers of the famous Gorillapod tripod, comes the Joby GripTight Pro smartphone mount-- a mount versatile like no other.
This premium clamping mount is made of durable ABS and stainless steel. It is universally compatible with any device, provided it is between 56mm and 91mm wide. The clamp is has TPE grips to keep the phone secured in place.
Like most of the other mounts listed here, the GripTight Pro doesn’t rely on a spring load system to keep the phone in place, but rather locks it in place by turning a thumb dial. Once the phone is secured, it’s not going anywhere.
Similar to the KobraTech mount, the GripTight Pro can also switch from portrait to landscape orientation without having to detach the mount from the tripod. What’s more, this mount can also be tilted up and down.
I’m personally a big fan of this mount. It’s strong, sturdy, and very well designed. It’s also available on Amazon, should you wish to check it out. I’m pretty sure you’ll love it as much as I do.
And there you have it. Different mounts, different designs, each with their own unique advantages but all guaranteed to keep your smartphone securely mounted to whatever support system you’re using.
Forget about the cheap and flimsy mounts. They might do the job in the short-term, but they might end up costing you dearly down the line. Invest in a good quality mount and take your smartphone photography to the next level.
And if you're thinking of investing in your first tripod, consider these important points that will help you get the right tripod for your phone and your needs.