Home > Gizmos & Gadgets > GLIF iPhone 4/4s Stand and Tripod Adapter
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The line between “phone camera” and “point and shoot camera” is getting blurrier all the time. With the release of the iPhone 4 and subsequent iPhone 4S, there are millions and millions of people walking around every day with a quite capable camera and HD video camera in their pocket every moment of every day. But being the thin and slippery item that it is, there are a number of times when you might wish for some help with propping or steadying your iPhone for a photo. This is where StudioNeat’s Glif comes in.
Here’s what StudioNeat has to say about the Glif:
“The Glif is an iPhone 4/4S accessory with two primary functions: mounting your iPhone onto a tripod and propping up your iPhone at various angles. Our goal was to create something small, simple, and elegant. But out of this simple design emerges countless uses. Mount your iPhone to a tripod for taking great pictures or making movies. Prop your iPhone up for hands-Âfree FaceTiming or to watch videos. All of that and more in a compact design that is manufactured in America.”
The Glif is made in the USA out of a rubberized (recyclable) plastic. It’s smaller than a pack of gum or a disposable lighter and fits in your pocket quite easily. The standard 1/4 20 tripod thread is the only metal part on the Glif. This allows you to stick the Glif in your pocket with little worry of it scratching up anything else you might be carrying.
There are two different connection points for attaching the Glif to your phone. The first is the “channel”, this allows you to use mount the Glif/iPhone combo to y tripod. And the second is the “notch” which allows you to prop up the iPhone without using a tripod. Both methods can be use with the iPhone in horizontal or vertical orientation.
Mounting an iPhone into the Glif takes something along the lines of a second and a half. Slide the phone in the channel or notch and there you are. The phone is held fairly securely, considering the materials, but it does not “lock” in. It would be a bad idea to walk around with your iPhone/Glif mounted on a tripod clung over your shoulder and assume that it wasn’t going to fall out. Horizontal or vertical mounting works well and is easy to switch. The tripod insert is metal and seems quite up to the task of holding a weight like iPhone.
The “stand” aspect of the Glif is clever, but not as useful for photographers as the tripod mount. This is mostly because in order to work, the stand feature holds the iPhone at a slight “leaning back” angle. And without a way to adjust that angle, the changes of it matching your photo composition perfect aren’t great. However, the stand does work excellently as a hands free stand for watching video or what have you.
Overall, the Glif is a great little gadget. Small enough to fit in your pocket, light enough to not be noticeable, and cheap enough to be no more than a weeks worth of lattes. It does what it says and not a lot more. But it does those things excellently.
| Pros | Compact, light weight, unique, well priced, versitile with both tripod and stand options. | |
| Cons | iPhone doesn't 'lock' in, stand angle is non-adjustable. | |
| Price: | $20 |  |
