Freewell Vlogpod review: your flexible friend

The Freewell Vlogpod is a tabletop mini-tripod that has three strong but flexible legs. The idea is that as well as popping it on a table, the legs can be wrapped around posts, poles, branches – or any other similar object that may be to hand – to shoot from an elevated height.

As the 'Vlogpod' name suggests, Freewell is aiming it at vloggers, but it's equally as useful to photographers who need a light and portable support without carting around a bigger travel tripod. Indeed, it has a nicely designed ball head topped by a camera mount that converts to a smartphone cradle, so is in the running to be both one of the best mini tripods, and iPhone tripods and smartphone supports. Let's see how it stands up to the competition.

Freewell Vlogpod: Specifications

Freewell Vlogpod: Price

While the list price is $50 / £45 / AU$90 is a bit pricey, I found some retailers were offering generous discounts at the time of writing, so it pays to shop around (our price-finding widget should hunt out the best prices for you). If you can pick it up for around the $35 / £40 / AU$78 that I found it for, then that's a little more palatable, and closer to the price you might expect to pay for a regular mini tripod.

That said, the Vlogpod's trick of being able to latch on pretty much anything could make it worth the extra if you like to shoot from up high but don't want to carry a big and heavy traditional tripod around with you.

Freewell Vlogpod: Design & Handling

The Vlogpod is 328mm long when folded, but when its legs are splayed for tabletop use, its maximum height is reduced to around 280mm. There is no center column for height extension, as found on some competing mini tripods; however, this is largely academic, as the product is designed not only to be used on a table or wall, but wrapped around a fence post or the branches of a tree, so it can go as tall as the objects in your environment. It does make it tricky to get the precise height you want, though.

When it comes to low-level shooting, the legs can be bent to achieve a lower height of about 150mm. Alternatively, they can be manipulated to different heights to form a level shooting platform when used on uneven surfaces.

The Vlogpod's flexibility comes from a seven-strand aluminum core, encased in ABS plastic reinforced with polyamide glass fiber (PA GF). The legs have a textured outer grip that is comfortable to hold, and the underside is ribbed to provide a firm grip. It is easy to bend the legs into shape with a little force, and they hold their shape well, gripping onto objects and supporting their payload without working loose. At the top of each leg is a 1/4"-20 socket for the attachment of extension arms and the like.

The legs are topped by a removable ball head that offers 360 degrees of panning movement, plus there's a cutout to enable vertical shooting. It moves smoothly and is firmly clamped with a locking screw. A regular tripod screw attaches cameras, or this can be recessed, and the base flipped out to reveal spring-loaded clamps to hold a phone.

There's a further 1/4"-20 socket on the ball head should the other three not quite be enough for you, as well as a pair of cold shoes at each side of the mount, though it has to be said that these are only likely to be of use when used with a phone, as they would sit underneath the mount when a camera is attached.

Freewell Vlogpod: Performance

There have been plenty of flexible tripod designs in the past, and the true test is how well its legs hold their shape once contorted into position. I'm pleased to report that the Vlogpod does this admirably. I tried it with phones, compacts and DSLRs, and found that I could trust it to keep its rigidity with quite heavy payloads. Its stated 3kg is pretty generous for a mini tripod like this, though you do have to make sure the legs are firmly wrapped with heavier camera and lens combos.

Part of this strength is due to its size, and while it's compact compared to a 'proper' tripod, the legs are quite thick, although their triangular shape means they fold together neatly. They're quite long too, but this enables them to keep a firm grip on supports of various sizes. It's pretty light, but still quite bulky to carry around without a bag, and there's no extending center column, so getting it to the desired height relies on finding suitable objects to put it on/strap it onto.

The ball head rotates smoothly and locks firmly, so once you've attached your phone/camera to a handy branch, it can be leveled up for straight compositions. The dual phone bracket and camera mount is a nice touch too, and handy if you like to switch between devices.

The four accessory screw sockets add to its vlogger-friendly credentials, enabling the attachment of all sorts of accessories such as mics and lights. The cold shoes are a nice-to-have bonus, but aren't of much practical use when shooting with a camera due to their positioning.

Freewell Vlogpod: Verdict

Mini tripods with bendy legs have been around for quite a while, but I was really impressed with the rigidity of the Vlogpod, which proved its worth by staying firmly in place once manipulated into the desired shape under a fairly hefty payload. It certainly feels like a better solution than the ball-and-socket designs of some competitors. It's a lot comfier to hold, too, so much so that it could also double as a selfie stick, albeit one with a pretty limited extension, as there's no extending column.

This lack of extension won't be a problem in tripod use, as long as you're in an environment with tall things to wrap it around. It's definitely lightweight, tipping the scales at just one pound (456 grams), but is a bit too bulky to stick in a pocket, and you'll need to tuck it into a bag. But it's a necessary tradeoff as its size gives it its strength and ability to wrap around an impressive variety of girths.

Alternatives

Neewer TP38: at digitalcameraworld.com

The Neewer TP38 has a similarly versatile camera plate that transforms into a phone cradle. This mini tripod has solid rather than bendy legs, but has an extendable center column for shooting at elevated heights and doubles as a selfie stick.

Benro Tabletop Flex: at digitalcameraworld.com

The Benro Tabletop Flex is a versatile mini-tripod that comes supplied with both solid and flexible legs, enabling it to extend to relatively lofty heights. It has the same generous 3kg load rating and plenty of attachment options.