360 Camera Accessories

Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod: best selfie stick with built-in tripod

Best selfie stick tripod
Best selfie stick tripod

If you’re looking for a selfie stick that has a built-in tripod, the Insta360 2-in-1 Invisible Selfie Stick with Tripod could be the best one for 360 cameras and even smartphones.  Here are its advantages and disadvantages.  Jump to 05:21 of this video to see it in action:

I have dozens of monopods and selfie sticks but the selfie stick that I had been using the most was the Benro MK10 because unlike many of my other selfie sticks, it is pocketable.  At the same time, it is significantly longer than most of my other pocket-sized selfie sticks.  Finally, it is invisible to my 360 camera.  However, the biggest issue with the Benro MK10 is that to use it with a 360 camera, you had to remove the ballhead, which seems to have become much harder in the past couple of years.

The Insta360 2-in-1 Invisible Selfie Stick + Tripod is a new selfie stick tripod with a built-in tripod and it has since become my favorite selfie stick.  Here are its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

1. It’s one of the longest

Top: invisible selfie stick; middle: selfie stick tripod; bottom: Benro MK10
Top: invisible selfie stick; middle: selfie stick tripod; bottom: Benro MK10

Most selfie sticks with built-in tripods have limited length.  The Benro MK10 for example, is about 35 inches from tip to tip, and it’s already one of the longest pocket-sized selfie sticks that I’ve tried.  The Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod on the other hand, extends to 41.5 inches, almost as long as the popular Invisible Selfie Stick (46.5 inches).

2. Wide base

The Insta360 selfie stick tripod has a wider base
The Insta360 selfie stick tripod has a wider base

Compared to other selfie stick tripods, this selfie stick tripod’s base is wider, at a diameter of around 12 inches.  The legs can also be partially collapsed for tabletop use.

3. Invisible to 360 cameras

The selfie stick tripod is invisible to 360 cameras
The selfie stick tripod is invisible to 360 cameras

The Selfie Stick Tripod is narrow enough that it falls within the stitch line even of slimmer 360 cameras such as Ricoh Theta or Insta360 One X2, and therefore appears invisible to 360 cameras, as though your photo or video were shot with an invisible flying camera.

4. No twist locks

Some selfie sticks such as the Invisible Selfie Stick use twist locks to extend or collapse.   With this selfie stick tripod, you simply pull it out to extend it or push it in to collapse it, making it faster to use.

5. Semi-automatic opening and closing.

This is one of the fastest selfie sticks to use and to store.  After you press the button at the base to unlock the legs, the legs will open automatically as you extend the selfie stick.  And when you collapse the selfie stick, the legs will also close automatically.  See the video above for a demo.

6. Doesn’t flex

The selfie stick’s shaft is made of aluminum alloy and can support the weight of most consumer 360 cameras such as the Qoocam 8K (243 grams) without flexing.  With heavier professional 360 cameras such as the Pilot Era (690 grams), it can flex slightly when fully extended.

7. Pocketable (barely)

The Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod fits in my front pocket but will protrude a couple of inches
The Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod fits in my front pocket but will protrude a couple of inches

The Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod is significantly more compact than the Invisible Selfie Stick and can fit in the front pocket of my jeans, although it will protrude by a couple of inches.

8. Affordable

Unlike some monopods, the Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod is very affordable at only $25.  However, please note that it is currently available only from Insta360.

Disadvantages

1. Legs not individually adjustable

One issue with the Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod is that the legs are not individually adjustable.  This means that it is harder to use on inclines or uneven surfaces.  In that case, you’ll need a sandbag or ankle weight to keep it from falling over.

2. No 1/4-20 hole.

Another issue is that it does not have a 1/4-20 tripod hole on the bottom, so it cannot be mounted on another monopod or tripod stand.

Conclusion

The best selfie stick is the one that you can use most often.  The Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod strikes the best balance of portability and usability.  It is almost as long as the popular Invisible Selfie Stick, while being more portable and faster to use.  For other monopods and selfie sticks, check out my comparison here.

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Mic Ty

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  • I can imagine a catchphrase for the point number 7: “are you happy to see me or you have the new insta360 selfie stick tripod in your pocket? ” xD

    • Joke aside, that’s a good product and a good improvement to the old one. Compairing to the bushman monopod v2 or the best360 monopod how good do you think it is?

      • They are for different purposes. The Insta360 Selfie Stick Tripod is pocketable and is the kind I use more often and is ideal for casual use. But if you want a longer selfie stick for cinematic shots, then you would switch to Bushman or Best360.