Strictly speaking, tripod should not be a part of an ultralight cyclist's luggage - it's too awkward and heavy and there should always be a way to get away with improvisation. But, as we grow old, we realize that a small compromise is often more comfortable than strict principles.
So here is my shameless compromise to a tripod for a smart phone. It's made of two clothespins, padded with pieces of cardboard. It weights 12 g. It should be useful when shooting self portrets on a bike or using long exposures. Not to mention that on a cycling tour clothespins can be used for their original purpose, to hang out something to dry or generally to pin something.
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| Clothespin "tripod" (actually a quadruped), front side. |
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| Clothespin "tripod" (actually a quadruped), rear side. |
The next episode of lightweight tripod is here. I resigned to the clothespins' tripod; it was too awkward to use, not very stable and too heavy (12g). The new version (4g) is here: take a plastic bottle, cut off a 3 cm strip from the middle part of it and cut two slots to hold your smartphone. I think this is the last step in the evolution of tripods and not even genetic manipulation could make it better.
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| Cut a part of plastic bottle |
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| Make 2 slots in the plastics to hold the phone. |
