Comparison selfie Sticks

The type of gadgets that the selfie stick was originally designed for.

— For phones. It would be more correct to call such models “for smartphones”, since they are most often used with smartphones. Anyway, modern mobile phones are not equipped with special devices for mounting on a tripod / monopod and can have different screen sizes and, accordingly, body sizes. Therefore, in monopods of this purpose, the role of fastening is played by a universal clamp with sliding jaws; By changing the distance between the jaws, you can adjust the latch to different case sizes.

— For action cameras. To mount action cameras in selfie tripods, special devices are used — a clip of a special design, a thread, or both. For more information about such mounts, see "Installing an action camera"; here we note that all of them are highly reliable.

— For phones and action cameras. Combined models that allow the attachment of both gadgets described above. Usually, the monopod itself has a mount for an action camera (clip, thread, and sometimes both), and to work with a smartphone, an adapter is supplied that is installed on such a mount.

Possibility of converting a selfie tripod into a classic tripod that can be mounted on any suitable surface. Note that this can be either a classic, floor tripod, or a desktop structure, a clamp, etc. And the transformation itself can be carried out in different ways. However, anyway, by purchasing a model with this function, you can do without buying a separate tripod (although such designs are still not suitable for complex tasks).

The length of the monopod when folded. First of all, ease of transportation depends on this parameter, although a fully folded design can also be used when shooting. It is also worth mentioning that a smaller folded length (for the same maximum length) can mean more sections, which complicates the design, increases its cost and somewhat reduces reliability.

The most compact modern selfie sticks when folded take less than 15 cm, the largest ones can have a minimum length of more than 30 cm(this is an inevitable consequence of the large overall length).

The longest length that the monopod can be extended to.

Longer length allows you to place the camera further away from the user and fit more space into the frame. It can also be useful when shooting in hard-to-reach places where you can’t just reach with your hand. Also, with the same minimum length, a larger maximum length means a wider range of distances available for a given tripod. On the other hand, the working size of the structure significantly affects its weight and price.

If we talk about specific numbers, then the shortest modern selfie sticks are up to 50 cm long. A value of 51 – 75 cm is considered average, 76 – 100 cm is more than average, and in the longest models they can expand to 1 m or more.

The number of separate sliding sections provided in the design of the tripod.

The more sections, with the same length, the shorter each individual section will be and the more compact the tripod will be when folded. On the other hand, an increase in the number of individual parts adversely affects the strength and reliability of the structure. When choosing the number of sections, manufacturers proceed from a compromise between these points; so long tripods tend to have more sections to keep them compact when folded.

It is also worth mentioning that in addition to multi-section sliding selfie sticks, fixed models are also produced, consisting of only one section. They are intended not so much for selfies, but for general convenience when shooting on a smartphone or action camera.

The type of tripod head depends on the type of mechanism that provides head rotation and tilt.

— 2D. Designs in which two separate axes are provided — for turning the head to the right and left and for tilting back and forth. Such heads are more complicated and more expensive than ball heads, but much more reliable, they are less prone to spontaneous shift. And in models with the ability to convert to a tripod (see above), 2D heads provide another advantage — they allow you to shoot by moving the camera strictly vertically or strictly horizontally.

— Ball. The platform in such heads is attached to the ball, clamped in a special mount (hence the name); by loosening the mount, you can arbitrarily change the position of the camera along any of the axes. Ball heads are considered a low-cost option: they are inexpensive and easy to use, but they are inferior to 2D mechanisms in terms of retention.

The presence of an adjustable leg in the design of the tripod.

Adjustable legs are called rods that do not expand telescopically, but are laid out on swivel mounts — in such a way that in a semi-unfolded (and sometimes fully unfolded) position, the structure has the shape of a zigzag. This feature gives some specific features that are not available for conventional telescopic rods, however, it makes it somewhat difficult to fine-tune the distance to the camera.

The presence of sections with special clamps in the design of the tripod.

The normal section for fixing in one position must be fully extended; this is not always convenient. The latches also allow you to fix the sections in any position, not necessarily fully extended. Thus, you can set almost any length of the rod (ranging from minimum to maximum). The disadvantages of such models are the high price and slightly increased weight.

Mounting method of the action camera provided in the appropriate tripod (see above).

— Clamp. Installation in a special clip for an action camera. It is worth noting that such a device differs markedly from the traditional lock for smartphones, which uses movable sponges. The clamp of this type has two slots into which special “ears” are inserted, placed on the box or body of the action camera. The "ears" have special holes into which a screw is threaded, fixing them in the slots. Thanks to this design, the mount is very reliable — which is important, given the specifics of the use of action cameras.

— Carving. A lock based on a threaded stud that is screwed into a hole on the camera body. This option is not inferior to the clamp described above in terms of reliability, however, for its use, action cameras must have an appropriate socket for a hairpin; it is not available in all models, and if it is available, it will not hurt to clarify compatibility. On the other hand, most often selfie sticks use a standard 1/4" tripod thread, on which you can install not only action cameras, but also traditional cameras (even SLRs in some models).

— Thread and clamp. Models that combine the two types of fastening described above at once. This combination usually looks like this: either the action camera itself or a platform with a stud for mounting the camera on the thread can be instal...led in the clamp. This is the most versatile option and is compatible with almost any action camera. On the other hand, such equipment increases the cost of the structure and somewhat reduces its reliability when used with a thread, and a variety of mounts is very rarely required — after all, usually a monopod is bought for a specific camera with a well-defined type of mount. Therefore, this option is less common than one type of attachment.