REVIEW – I’ll be honest. I have always made fun of people who use selfie sticks. It’s true. I mean, why not just hold the phone in your hand when taking a selfie, like respectable people do, right? So when I saw the Mapleparty tripod/selfie stick I was a bit hesitant. What if I like a selfie stick? My children already think I take too many selfies as it is, so will they think I have lost my mind? But the Mapleparty is also a tripod, which I really need. So I decided to give it a shot. Let’s find out if I lost my mind.
What is it?
The Mapleparty is a tripod/selfie stick that expands to 80 inches in length and has multiple types of mounts to handle cameras, GoPros, cellphones, etc. It also comes with a Bluetooth remote control for activating the shutter on your cellphone camera and two small, attachable lights.
What’s in the box?
- Mapleparty Tripod
- A Bluetooth, rechargeable, removable remote that is integrated into the tripod handle
- 2 small, attachable, rechargeable lights with 6 different brightness levels
Product specifications
- Main body is 16 inches in length, made of aluminum alloy, extendable to 80 inches in length, and is 5 inches in circumference.
- Main body also expands outward to create a tripod stand
- Weight: 1.3 lbs
- Battery for remote: CR2032
- Cellphone clamp can handle phones between 2.55” and 3.74” in width
- Additional connections on the head: two ¼” screws, a cold shoe, and a ¼” nut
Features and performance
For years I have owned a regular tripod that I would use with a 35mm camera. But I no longer own a 35mm camera because my cellphone cameras have improved over the years. This means that if I wanted to use my cellphone to take a family photo, I couldn’t use the tripod unless I broke out the roll of duct tape to tape the phone to the tripod head. Not very effective. I could also stack up many boxes and perch my phone on top precariously, then use the timer on my camera while I run to stand in place with my family. Yes, it was hilarious, and I got no end of grief from my family for it! So it was time to get serious about this.
The Mapleparty head can rotate to whatever angle you use, 360 degrees around and 90 degrees up and down. The spring-loaded phone clasp can hold phones from 2.55” to 3.74”, so before you spring for this tripod, ensure your phone will fit that opening. The phone clasp can also rotate to shoot either portrait or landscape orientation. Also, it comes with two small light attachments that connect to the sides of the phone clasp. (see pics below) The lights have a USB-C connector to charge them, and when you press the power button on the side, you can cycle through 6 different lighting modes, depending on your needs. One thing to mention, though: if you rotate the phone clasp to landscape orientation, you won’t be able to use one of the lights. You can see that in the pic below. For Zoom meetings, I use my laptop webcam or work computer webcam, so I don’t need to use the Maplewood for video calls, but I can see where it would be useful to do so. You just expand the tripod legs (without extending the body out) and set it on your desk. Attach the small lights on the phone clasp to show some light on your face, and there you go!
So, in addition to the phone clasp on the head, what really intrigued me with the Mapleparty Tripod was the Bluetooth remote control that I could use to snap the family photo when I was ready. It snaps into the tripod handle, so you’ll never lose it. And it communicates with your phone via Bluetooth, with nothing to install or apps to download. You just load up your camera app and press the remote button, and it takes a picture! Simple as that. I can now report that my family photo-taking will never be the same! The Maplewood was a joy to use.
What I like
- Endless shooting angels with the multi-use tripod head
- Wide bottom when expanded as a tripod stand
- Compact and light
- Extendable to a ridiculous length of 80 inches!
- Remote control to activate the shutter on your phone camera
What I would change
- An integrated selfie shutter button in the handle so you don’t need the remote control. I want to have my cake and eat it too!
Final thoughts
I suppose if I were to be picky and list one thing that I would change about the Mapleparty Tripod is that it doesn’t have one of those buttons on the main body that triggers the shutter on your camera like some other selfie sticks I have seen. You must remove the remote from the handle and hold that in your hand to activate the shutter. Aside from that, I can’t think of anything I would change. If you want a selfie stick, get this one. If you want a tripod, get this one. It’s a wonderful product at a great price, and the remote control is a game changer. You won’t be disappointed. And yes, I suppose I have lost my mind.
Price: $39.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Mapleparty.
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Check out the Platypod Grip that works w your tripod. It works very well.
https://www.platypod.com/products/platypod-grip
I should have added that based on the geometry of the thing as compared to a real tripod I wonder how stable the thing is for longer exposures. If you actually use the 80″ extension it would be even more unstable.
I have used this for multiple trips and it works great! As you said the remote is a game changer. It is quite stable and Ive shot a quite a few sharp group photos. Extended selfie stick helps with different POV! I like it a lot!