Your phone has an amazing camera built into it. While some cameras are better than others, even the most budget-friendly Android phone has a camera that can take awesome photos and video with the right settings and in the right hands.
Some people just have a knack for taking great shots, but for the rest of us, there are a few things that can help you take your skill as a photographer and videographer to the next level. Cyber Monday deals mean it's the right time to find them, too!
Your phone has all sorts of fancy behind-the-scenes features to help you take a picture while you're holding it in your hands. No matter how steady you are, things will shake around and this can lead to focus and sharpness issues when these features aren't enough.
Pro cameras depend on super fast shutters speed lights and expensive gear to help more, but the best way to take a photo that looks great is to use a tripod. Specialized mounts exist to attach a phone to any tripod, but with a deal like the Aureday 62-inch Tripod Kit, you can get everything you need for $16: a collapsible tripod, the smartphone mount, and a Bluetooth remote. It even doubles as a selfie stick.
A tripod is great if can leave your phone in one spot, but sometimes you need to pick it up and move around for a great video. A gimbal stabilizer is great here and will keep your video steady while you're moving around.
You can spend well over $100 for a professional 3-axis gimbal if you need one, but for steady shots while walking and even running, a single-axis unit is usually good enough. You can pick up a great one like this 1-Axle Gimbal Stabilizer from Obudyard for about $30 at Amazon.
Sound is important for every video you'll take and it's easy to forget that. Your phone has a built-in set of microphones that can do a great job recording sounds most of the time, but you can really improve things with an external microphone.
Ideally, you want something small and wireless, and lav mics that clip to a shirt or the strap of a bag are perfect. This $27 kit from Caiord includes two rechargeable Lavalier microphones, a receiver that plugs directly into your phone, and requires no setup — plug it in, turn it on, and things just work.
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