Many of the videos posted with my reviews were recorded using a camera or mobile phone mounted on a tripod. That setup generally delivers a crisp video image centered on a person. A fine arrangement, so long as that person stays "in the frame," as the Hollywood directors might put it.But what if the dancing girls moves stage left or the kitchen maven carries her concoction toward her oven? How will the camera follow her? This unbranded tripod will, or at least it will try to.
The tripod has its own built-in camera that hones in on the face of the video actor. Once it knows who to follow, it activates a built-in motor to rotate the camera to the left or right. And it does that job pretty well, so long as the actor doesn't move too quickly.
In its resting state, the tripod is basically a chunky selfie stick with an extendable neck. It becomes a tripod when you release and tighten its four legs. Extend the nested tubes and the tripod will stand almost six feet tall.
Getting the device to do its tracking magic is fairly easy, despite its tiny and poorly-written manual. The tripod has a control panel that includes a small removable remote. You pair the remote with an Apple or Android phone by following typical pairing steps. Flipping a switch on the backside of the tripod unlocks the rotator motor and setting the phone camera to selfie mode will allow you to see what the camera sees while its recording.
I took the tripod for a test drive outdoors in my driveway and my granddaughter got it to follow her as she circled the kitchen island. The tracking system worked reasonably well, as long as we didn't move quickly or stray very far to one side.
I was pleased to note that the rotator motor was quieter than I expected. I don't think it will interfere with video recording or live streaming. And I liked how the phone mount held my phone securely, tilted up and down and adjusted to vertical or horizontal positioning. In addition to manual, the tripod's legs were my only concern. They are made of thin and lightweight plastic that undermines the tripod's stability when it's fully extended.
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Written by Ric Manning
Follow me on Twitter @ricmanning and read my technology columns at My Well Being.
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