A tall stand for showing clothing or trainers face on.
Typical price
£18 to £30
Why we pick it
- Typical price
- £18 to £30
- Works with
Clothing and trainer shows need a full-body or full-shoe shot from in front. A tripod gets the phone to eye height and the remote starts recording from across the room.
Good for
- Clothing, trainers and talking shots
- Moving between rooms
Not for
- Straight-down desk shots
Our approved alternative for the same job: Overhead phone arm
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Standing shots: rails, models and trainers
A 150 cm tripod suits you if you film or photograph items standing up: clothing on a rail or a model, trainers on the floor, or yourself talking to camera on Whatnot, TikTok Shop and Vinted. It gets the phone to chest or eye height from across the room.
If you sell cards or jewellery and shoot straight down, you get less from it. For tabletop work, an arm that clamps to the desk holds the phone over your hands without legs in the way.
Height, clamp width and the remote
Aim for a maximum height of around 150 cm with the legs and centre column fully extended, and a phone clamp that opens wide enough for your phone in its case. Many clamps also turn to shoot upright or sideways.
A Bluetooth remote lets you start a video or take a photo from where you stand. Make sure the remote pairs as a camera shutter with your phone and takes a coin battery you can find in shops.
A 1/4-inch screw thread on the head means you can swap the phone clamp for a small camera or a pocket LED light later.
Distances for clothing and trainer shots
For full-length clothing, place the tripod about two to three metres from the rail with the phone at chest height, pointing straight on. Mark the leg positions on the floor with tape so your listing photos match.
For trainers, drop the tripod low and angle the phone slightly down at the shoe from about 50 cm away. Add an 18 in ring light or two LED panels to keep the colour the same through the day.
Kit for this step
Overhead arm, gooseneck or ring light stand
Overhead phone arm is the fallback, and the better choice for card breaks and small items filmed from above. It clamps to the desk and takes no floor space.
Gooseneck phone holder costs less and bends to a side or top-down angle in seconds, though it wobbles if you bump the desk.
18 in ring light with stand often comes with a phone holder in the middle. If you film yourself face on and need light anyway, that may cover both jobs.
Stability checks before you go live
Spread the legs fully and keep the centre column as low as the shot allows. A fully raised column on a light tripod sways when someone walks past on a wooden floor.
Hang a bag from the hook under the centre column, if there is one, to steady it. Record a 30 second test at full height before a long show, and confirm the clamp has not slipped down the phone.
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- Extend the legs first and keep the centre column low. Raised to full height on a light tripod, the column sways.
- Move the tripod between listing photos and your shop looks mixed; tape the leg spots on the floor.
- Pair the remote before you go live, or the first minutes of the show go on pairing it.
- A tripod puts its legs in frame for overhead card shots. Top-down work belongs on a desk arm.
- An over-tightened clamp can press the side buttons, so tighten until the phone holds and stop there.
Ranked in
Where it places in our rankings, and the reason.
Setups that use it
Complete kits this product is part of.
Guides that use it
Step-by-step help where this product does a job.
Questions
Can a phone tripod shoot straight down?
Some heads tilt to point down, but the legs end up in frame and the balance is poor. An overhead arm handles top-down shots better.
Will it hold a phone in a thick case?
Most clamps open wide enough for a phone in a standard case. Compare the clamp range in the listing with your phone's width in its case.
Does the remote work with any phone?
Most use Bluetooth and act as a camera shutter for both iPhone and Android. Some apps ignore it, so test it in the app you stream with.
Is 150 cm tall enough for full-length clothing?
Yes, for a rail or a model standing a few metres away. You get a straight-on shot at about chest height.
Can I fit a light to the tripod?
A pocket LED video light fits on top if the head has a 1/4-inch thread or the clamp has a cold shoe.
Alternatives
Other picks for the same job, cheaper and pricier.
Gooseneck phone holder
Bends to any angle for an overhead or side shot. It wobbles more than a jointed arm when you bump the desk, so it suits short shows and listing photos.
Typical price£12 to £20
See on AmazonOverhead phone arm
Card and small-item shows sell on the shot of your hands. An overhead arm holds the phone steady and out of your way while you open packs.
Typical price£20 to £35
See on AmazonCamera desk arm
A jointed arm with a desk clamp and a 1/4-inch screw, so a mirrorless camera or webcam hangs over the mat and stays put through a three-hour break. Pick one rated for your camera and lens weight, since a phone arm sags under a camera. If you stream from a phone, the overhead phone arm costs less and does the same job.
Typical price£25 to £50
See on Amazon