With the rise in popularity of the selfie, comes the selfie stick that even our Commander in Chief has found useful. IK Multimedia yesterday announced the release of their newest product, the iKlip Grip, a multifunction smartphone camera stand that literally is a 4-in-1 device. Not only can it be used for fun “selfies” to share on social media sites, it is quite handy for a multitude of uses to include a camera handler/stabilizer, a tripod, a monopod, or an adapter. I was given the opportunity to preview this product and was quite impressed.
The iKlip Grip comes neatly packaged with easy assembly instructions. One of the great features is the Bluetooth technology with remote control that works with iPhones, iPods, digital cameras and Android devices, and allows for quick and easy access to capture images and/or video. The instructions indicate that it will work with digital cameras and smartphones with screens from 3.5” to 6”. Based on the size of the iKlip Grip, I’m not sure what size digital camera it could handle, but I assume a smaller model.
I have an iPhone 6 and had no problems whatsoever setting up the iKlip Grip with my phone. Upon opening the box, I was literally up and running taking photos and videos within five minutes – it was that simple!
The monopod / selfie stick has a nice, sturdy, durable handle which also doubles as a tripod stand. It can be used fully retracted for low table-top use, adjusted to varying heights depending on your needs, or extended to its full capability of approximately 20 inches for the selfie shots. It also comes with an elastic band to clip on the remote so you can wear it around your wrist while in use, or clip it on the stand while not using it so it doesn’t get misplaced (which I have a tendency to do!).
The clip part that holds your phone is IK Multimedia’s iKlip Xpand Mini that is used on all of their iKlip products. At first, I removed the protective case from my iPhone thinking that would be required, but realized it can be used without removing the protective case and, in fact, to me, felt more secure with the case on. The clip is expandable and as I mentioned earlier will fit smartphones with screens from 3.5” to 6” and is made of a non-sticky, rubber surface IK Multimedia refers to as a “Gorilla Grip” surface that keeps from scratching or marring your device. The clip also easily rotates on a pivoting-ball joint allowing for a full range of motion to capture different angles allowing you get the best angle and position for every shot.
I can think of so many different uses for this handy device as I’m not really into taking selfies. As a media outlet that covers various events, I think it would be a great device to use at press conferences. Recently while attending a press conference at the NAMM convention, most of my videos were taken while in a crowd, so there were a lot of “heads” in the way. The iKlip Grip would have been of great use and made my videos look more professional! I can also see it coming in handy while conducting interviews by yourself either using the monopod stick or setting up the tripod.
Musicians can benefit from this device to film practices, create YouTube videos for their fans, live stream performances on popular streaming services like Periscope, and anything creative minds can come up with!
It’s great for friends and families, too. Take selfies, group photos or videos of fun events, special moments, holiday gatherings, or any other fun shots, and immediately upload to your favorite social media site.
These are just a few of my ideas and I’m sure you can come up with some of your own.
It’s compact and can easily fit in a backpack or gig bag and retails for $59.99. The only thing I wish is that it came with a pouch for storage and travel, but I’m sure I can find something cute that will work.
For more on the iKlip Grip from IK Multimedia and to get yours today, visit www.iklipgrip.com
