Any recommended accessorie for taking better pictures and videos?

[kenny1999]

At the moment I am using a cheap tripod for taking pictures and videos, but the problem, I don't know if it's too cheap or if I was unlucky and got a badly designed one, I find it so troublesome to use the tripod, for example, it doesn't hold my phone firmly, it's so painful to adjust the position of the held phone.

Is there any newer accessories that can help taking better pictures and videos?

I mostly take pictures and videos of stable object, so I don't walk around and my target object doesn't move around.

I am not doing Tiktok, but it is better to have, than not to have a function that can help taking steady pictures and videos when the object or I is moving.

Is there something like kinds of tripod but better designed?

[Cornucopia]

It might help if you tell us what model you are referring to that you have.

The whole point of a tripod is stability. If you are not getting that with what you have, you should get something better.
I guess it depends on your budget expectations here, also. IMO, good photo tripods are $50-$500USD, and good video tripods are $150-$3000. But you won't need the top end of either of those, because it is partly based on weight, and a phone weighs nearly nothing, so doesn't need quite as much stability as say a digital cinema camera with special zoom lenses. However, it DOES need enough mass to stabilize, and many of the cheapo ones available are bad primarily because they don't have enough mass (and also because they don't have tight tolerances of the parts so are loose).

Scott

[kenny1999]

It might help if you tell us what model you are referring to that you have.

The whole point of a tripod is stability. If you are not getting that with what you have, you should get something better.
I guess it depends on your budget expectations here, also. IMO, good photo tripods are $50-$500USD, and good video tripods are $150-$3000. But you won't need the top end of either of those, because it is partly based on weight, and a phone weighs nearly nothing, so doesn't need quite as much stability as say a digital cinema camera with special zoom lenses. However, it DOES need enough mass to stabilize, and many of the cheapo ones available are bad primarily because they don't have enough mass (and also because they don't have tight tolerances of the parts so are loose).

Scott

Photo tripods and video tripods?? What's the difference? I didn't know that they are classified this seriously. Yes, I am not going for the high end one because of the budget but I am really done with the cheap one, legs are usually weak and not stable, parts are connected loosely, adjustment is bad......I will take photos more, I will take videos though. Do you have any recommendation on models or brands to look for? Thanks a lot.

Oh, forgot to say, I will mostly take pictures of objects placed on table with my iPhone 13, in that case, is it better to look for a tripod with short legs to put on the table rather than one with long legs to put on the ground?

I will also want to take pictures of the object from different angles, e.g. from the bird view, from the eye level view, or from tilted angles, I want to make a photo record of the object as detailed as possible.

[Cornucopia]

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Tripod
For an idea about the varieties.

Try panning a video camera properly & smoothly when its tripod doesn't have a fluid head nor bubble levelling and you will know what I was talking about the difference between still photo and video tripods.

Iiwy, I would get something like a Manfrotto, but I have no clue as to what is available on your side of the world.
Personally, I own 7 total tripods, a monopod, and a few special stabilizing items, but that is probably unusual for most consumers. That's what happens with a pro media background.

Do you want screw tightening leg segments or clamp latch ones?
You probably want a 3way (aka 6 degrees of freedom) head, as per your scenarios.

Scott

[kenny1999]

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Tripod
For an idea about the varieties.

Try panning a video camera properly & smoothly when its tripod doesn't have a fluid head nor bubble levelling and you will know what I was talking about the difference between still photo and video tripods.

Iiwy, I would get something like a Manfrotto, but I have no clue as to what is available on your side of the world.
Personally, I own 7 total tripods, a monopod, and a few special stabilizing items, but that is probably unusual for most consumers. That's what happens with a pro media background.

Do you want screw tightening leg segments or clamp latch ones?
You probably want a 3way (aka 6 degrees of freedom) head, as per your scenarios.

Scott

I really did not know about photo or video tripod. Either photo or video is taken with one smartphone and if either of them needs stabilizer, then both tripods should need it. I really don't understand the difference. At least, I never heard about it before.

I am able to buy many imported products including Amazon in different regions. Can you recommend something for me that will suit my needs?

[Subtitles]

I bought this tripod from Amazon USA.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087CBFZ9C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1
You have the option to order it with a bluetooth remote, but it is much cheaper to order from AliExpress. It is a useful controller if you want to be in the video or picture as you stand in front of the mobile and click on the remote when you are ready, without even showning it. Also make selfies using the rear camera as it has better quality than the front.
This Tripd comes with a mobile holder but I didn't like it and ordered this holder.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Q7WJSWY/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

[jagabo]

Either photo or video is taken with one smartphone and if either of them needs stabilizer, then both tripods should need it. I really don't understand the difference.

When taking stills you typically set up the tripod and take some pictures. You adjust the tripod then take some more pictures. It doesn't matter much how smooth the motion is while make the adjustments. You just want the tripod to stand still while you're taking the pictures. With video you often pan while shooting. You want the pans to be smooth, not jerky. Hence the use fluid heads (which make the tripod heavier and more expensive).

And don't forget: the tripod is only as good as the surface it's standing on. For example, if it's on a wooden floor that bounces as people walk around the room, those vibrations may be passed to the camera and show up as shakes in the video and noise in the microphone. Or if the tripod is on thick grass it may move with each gust of wind. These types of problems are especially important when using high zoom factors.

[kenny1999]

Either photo or video is taken with one smartphone and if either of them needs stabilizer, then both tripods should need it. I really don't understand the difference.

When taking stills you typically set up the tripod and take some pictures. You adjust the tripod then take some more pictures. It doesn't matter much how smooth the motion is while make the adjustments. You just want the tripod to stand still while you're taking the pictures. With video you often pan while shooting. You want the pans to be smooth, not jerky. Hence the use fluid heads (which make the tripod heavier and more expensive).

And don't forget: the tripod is only as good as the surface it's standing on. For example, if it's on a wooden floor that bounces as people walk around the room, those vibrations may be passed to the camera and show up as shakes in the video and noise in the microphone. Or if the tripod is on thick grass it may move with each gust of wind. These types of problems are especially important when using high zoom factors.

I don't quite understand what you said about tripod for video. Did you mean stabilizer that uses some calculation to keep the video look like stable or exactly what you see with your eyes in the video, with little vibration?

High zoom factors? What is it? Zoom in or zoom out?

[realspeed]

before buying any tripod extend it out fully to see how stable it is

[Cornucopia]

Either photo or video is taken with one smartphone and if either of them needs stabilizer, then both tripods should need it. I really don't understand the difference.

When taking stills you typically set up the tripod and take some pictures. You adjust the tripod then take some more pictures. It doesn't matter much how smooth the motion is while make the adjustments. You just want the tripod to stand still while you're taking the pictures. With video you often pan while shooting. You want the pans to be smooth, not jerky. Hence the use fluid heads (which make the tripod heavier and more expensive).

And don't forget: the tripod is only as good as the surface it's standing on. For example, if it's on a wooden floor that bounces as people walk around the room, those vibrations may be passed to the camera and show up as shakes in the video and noise in the microphone. Or if the tripod is on thick grass it may move with each gust of wind. These types of problems are especially important when using high zoom factors.

I don't quite understand what you said about tripod for video. Did you mean stabilizer that uses some calculation to keep the video look like stable or exactly what you see with your eyes in the video, with little vibration?

High zoom factors? What is it? Zoom in or zoom out?

Not a gravitational/centrifugal or electro-mechanical or computational stabilizer, NO, just a solid way to keep the camera still (exactly what you see with your eyes in the video, with little-as-possible vibration).

High zoome factors = Zoom in (enlarge)

Scott

[realspeed]

A phone is far from ideal for videos let alone taking photos. Go out and get a proper camcorder first then a manfrotto Befreelive tripod.