In case you’ve somehow missed it, the iPhone 17 Pro has arrived, touting an impressive new camera array and functionalities that show Apple means business when it comes to professional-grade photography and videography.
I don’t fall into either of those categories, but I am a content creator; in addition to my writing, I’m a frequent contributor to TechRadar’s TikTok and YouTube channels. That involves an awful lot of content capture, often showing my hands-on experience trying tech – sounds fun, right? Well, instead, picture me holding my phone in my teeth while using my hands to operate a coffee machine and praying I don’t end up with a third-degree burn and a smashed phone.
There are ample tripods and phone mounts on the market, and I’ve tried a fair few; while image stabilization on iPhones is pretty good, these can really help the overall quality of your content by reducing interference, allowing you to step away from the viewfinder and even charge your phone during power-hungry creative sessions.
Specifically, my new favorite is KraftGeek’s new JustTap Magnetic Phone Tripod, which the brand sent to me along with the PowerShutter Power Bank Stand to try out, and I’m in love with these affordable, easy-to-use MagSafe accessories.
MagSafe and sound
Available in black and white, the tripod itself is lightweight at 15.8oz / 0.45kg and compact at 13 inches / 33cm long, and it’s super easy to use. Simply tap the base on the ground and the legs will spring forth; from there, it’s just a case of raising the telescopic ten-section aluminium rod to your desired height (up to 66-inches / 167cm) and, hey presto, you’ve got a tripod ready to go.
At the top sits the MagSafe phone holder, which can be tilted on a 180-degree axis and holds the phone in both vertical and horizontal orientations. It’s pretty damn solid too; I can afford to whack the tripod and wobble it around a fair amount before the phone inevitably falls off, but I wouldn’t recommend being too rough with it, regardless.
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Embedded in one of the legs is a holder for the magnetic Bluetooth remote, which has a 32ft / 10m range and charges via. USB-C. That, of course, makes it easier to take great shots of yourself or capture action as it happens, but it pales in comparison to my favorite part of this bundle: the PowerShutter Power Bank Stand.
Instead of a remote control, this accessory features a tactile shutter button, but it also delivers 10W magnetic fast charging and is equipped with a 5000mAh battery. Shaped like the grip on a traditional camera, it snaps onto your phone to deliver charging, and has a second magnetic ring on the other side that allows you to attach it to another accessory; in my case, the tripod, but you could also opt for a MagSafe light.
I thought it to be a little gimmicky at first, but it’s actually become one of my most-used accessories. Not only is it great for stabilizing your shots and giving a bit more grip for one-handed photography, it’s also multi-functional; I use mine as a tabletop stand for watching media or scrolling one-handed.
Get creative
The tripod isn’t perfect – these kinds of pop-out, low-clearance stabilizing legs don’t offer much central support balance, so it’s prone to wobbling slightly, and especially so when the wind picks up. Plus, you can’t adjust the leg heights to work on less even surfaces, but these gadgets are not exactly rugged if you want to use them on the road, anyway.
Its durability is a little questionable, too; the telescopic main stem seems well-made enough in my month of semi-frequent use, but over time, I’ve seen these degrade in more budget-friendly devices.
Still, at $42.99 / £38 for the tripod and $36.99 / £25 for the shutter powerbank, I’m really impressed with these handy accessories, so don’t be surprised if you catch them in the reflection of my product review snaps!
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josephine.watson@futurenet.com (Josephine Watson)
