Accessories
Glif Makes iPhone 4 Tripod Friendly
My iPhone 4 has pretty much replaced my point and shoot cameras, but it’s tough to keep the iPhone 4 steady when shooting videos or shooting photos in low light. Enter the Glif, a simple gadget that makes it possible to mount the iPhone 4 on any tripod. It also acts as a kickstand, which can come in handy when reading or using Facetime.
Glif Montage from Glif on Vimeo.
The Glif isn’t available to order in the traditional sense. Instead, it’s being produced by a couple of guys that are raising money for the first production run on Kickstarter.com. A $20 donation reserves a Glif from an early production run.
The idea for the Glif was first formed when we realized the iPhone 4 is literally the best camera we’ve ever owned. With the addition of HD video recording and High Dynamic Range photography, it’s clear Apple is positioning the iPhone as a very high quality portable camera. But because of its small form factor (and Apple’s minimalist design approach) it will never contain a threaded nut for attaching a tripod – standard on almost all photo and video cameras. Solutions for mounting an iPhone to a tripod exist (DIY or otherwise) but they are typically bulky and cumbersome. Our goal was to create something small, simple, and elegant.
I’ve placed my pre-order and so have a couple of thousand others, which means the project’s exceeded its goals. So far, the project’s raised over $55,000.
This is an example of a video where I could have really used a Glif in conjunction with my monopod.
To learn more about the Glif, visit theglif.com.
Jason G
10/06/2010 at 11:17 am
I wonder how this $20 will compete with the $5 ones you can snag from eBay? https://bit.ly/9fNtex
Looks promising though.
PC Treasures
12/09/2010 at 8:13 pm
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the Glif, the company I work for (PC Treasures) makes a ten-dollar product called the Grippit, which allows you to attach your smartphone to your tripod without having to first remove it from its protective case. Check it out at https://www.digitaltreasures.com/camera_acc_details.php?recordID=07471