tripods

With its 5-megapixel camera and 720p video recorder, the iPhone 4 can capture some pretty impressive-looking images--as long as you hold it perfectly still. Indeed, as any savvy photographer or videographer knows, if you want the best results, you need a tripod.

The Canopy Kapok is an iPhone 4 case with a built-in tripod mount. It also comes with a pair of shutter-control buttons and a stand. It's not a perfect product, and the impending release of iOS 5 (which will turn the iPhone's volume-down button into a shutter release) limits its overall value. But you may find it worthwhile, if only for mounting your iPhone on your favorite tripod.

The Kapok comes in a clear-plastic shell that's maddeningly difficult to open--until you realize that the thick black bottom of the shell is actually the included stand. Also, there's a finger-hole near the top where you can reach in to push the Kapok down and out.

The case is your typical matte-black two-piece, with about 5/8 of an inch extra at the bottom to accommodate the dock connector. Other than that, it's very slim and light--good all-around protection if you decide to leave your iPhone in it full time.… Read more

Joby, the maker of the fun and versatile Gorillapod flexible tripods and other related products, released Gorillamobile for iPhone 4. It's a complete redesign of its product for the iPhone 3G/3GS, mainly switching from a full case that protected the sides and back to a simple bumper.

For $39.95, the kit includes a black, two-piece polycarbonate plastic snap-on bumper case, a 6.7-inch high Gorillapod flexible stand, and a universal camera adapter clip with screw so you can use the stand with a camera.

There are cutouts in the case for the dock connector, mic, speaker, headphone … Read more

About a month ago we first saw the Glif, a cleverly designed tripod mount and stand for the iPhone 4. But that seemingly can't be used with a case and is still preorder only with no real availability date. The XShot iPhone 4 Case, on the other hand, is a two-piece, slim hard case that protects the back and sides of the device, but also comes with a removable tripod mount and will be shipping soon.

To use it, you just snap the case on and slide the mount into notches on the bottom or lower left side of … Read more

Time-lapse photography is a fun way to make your pictures come alive, but it can be tricky to execute. This is because there are situations where you need to pan the camera, but the movements have to be smooth and consistent--which is why I find the Camalapse a clever idea.

By using a normal egg timer and modifying the ends to accept a camera and tripod, users can create smooth time-lapse photos. Simply turn on the shooter's time-lapse option, screw it onto the device, and set the timer. The Camalapse will then rotate a full circle within an hour, … Read more

Every day, the writers at CNET trawl the Web for interesting gadgets that may (or may not) be useful. Once in a while, we come across gizmos that make us go "Whhaat?" after which we discover that it's really an ingenious idea after all. One product that falls into this category is the Hatcam.

Simply put, this is just a normal baseball cap with a tripod mount on the bill. This lets you attach lightweight shooters such as the Flip video cam or a small compact and record whatever you are doing while leaving you hands free. … Read more

This past weekend I finally got around to using a very cool, and possibly unintended, feature of the Nexus One's $55 car dock. There's a large open space in the back where the phone's 5-megapixel camera can poke its head out. I'm assuming hardware maker HTC did this to keep from obscuring the nearby secondary microphone (which is used for noise cancellation), but the result is that you can still use the camera app freely--even when it's in car mode.

Sure this can be a little dangerous, but only if you're fiddling around with … Read more

Japanese peripheral maker Thanko is known for making some useful products such as the Stowaway keyboard replica, but the company is also infamous for developing novelty items like the vibrating bracelet that buzzes when you receive a call on your cell phone. The company's latest innovation, unfortunately, falls into the latter class.

Sporting an aluminum frame with a tripod socket at the bottom, the Desktop PC mount can be attached to any tripod and used to secure a notebook, thus acting like a podium for the budget-conscious. There are two elastic bands and a ledge to secure your laptop … Read more

It's always advisable to use a tripod when shooting landscapes because it helps keep the horizon level. However, if you're snapping on an uneven surface, you'll have to level the tripod head with the equipped bubble level, which can be quite a tedious task, especially when handling a bulky camera.

This is where the Acadalus CPS-H1 self-leveling camera head comes in handy.

The Acadalus mount has a built-in digital inclinometer, which detects how steep the camera's tilt is. At the press of a press of a button, the stepper motor (used in flight simulators) will automatically … Read more

If Pentax's approach toward a range of colorful dSLRs wasn't attention-grabbing enough (the K-x is available in more than 100 customizable options), the company's latest "innovation" should capture even more eyeballs.

Designed by Japanese artist Ossu Syugeibu, the Cameraman is a headless ragdoll that screws onto the tripod mount of your dSLR, so the shooter effectively becomes the head.

The face is the lens cap, which has a sketchy smiley profile. Sure, it looks ridiculous, but the Cameraman injects an element of fun into drab-looking dSLRs.

The Cameraman is available at the Pentax Online Shop … Read more