How to sync a monopod with an iPhone. The best selfie apps

All modern devices, such as tablets, phones or computers, have a camera installed. Smartphones usually have two cameras, one of which is front-facing and is used for taking selfies. Selfie is a convenient photographic format that allows you to take pictures of yourself or several people at once without outside help.

Just in cases where you need to capture a beautiful landscape or a large company, arm's length is often not enough. A selfie stick comes to the rescue, increasing the distance from the user to the camera lens. In this article, we will figure out how to connect a monopod to an Apple device, the types of such devices, and which selfie stick to choose when purchasing.

A monopod is an accessory that is a holder for a smartphone with variable length. The first selfie sticks were static and did not change in size, but now it’s hard to find one. Today's devices fold compactly, making it easy to carry with you. At the end of the stick there is an iPhone holder, adjustable in thickness. Expensive models are telescopic (they extend on their own) and are equipped with convenient latches. The handle is made of non-slip material so that neither the stick nor the phone falls out of your hands. How does a monopod work?

The smartphone is securely fixed to the selfie stick, after which the device connects to the phone wired (via a standard cord, the same as for headphones) or wirelessly (via Bluetooth channel), and then, after successful synchronization, allows you to remotely take videos or photos. Each monopod consists of these parts, regardless of cost and brand:

Almost any type of accessory needs to be charged from time to time - at the bottom of the device there is a standard connector through which charging occurs (you can charge it either from a computer or laptop, or through an outlet using a power bank). The wire should always be included. Typically, charging time is no more than an hour or two.

What types of monopods are there?

Selfie sticks come in different varieties: with Bluetooth, with a timer, with a wire and a button, and with voice control. Let's look at each of them.

Monopod with Bluetooth connection

The most popular among iPhone users are monopods with Bluetooth connectivity. The wireless connection is easy to use, convenient, and syncs with your device instantly. The chance that the 3.5 mm cable will break and stop working is much higher than the Bluetooth module breaking. Another plus is that there is no need to install third-party applications or utilities, because pairing occurs with the first click. The cost of the accessory varies depending on the brand and material.

Monopod with timer

The most inexpensive option is to buy a selfie stick without a camera control key. Usually such accessories come simply with a holder without any connection for an even lower cost. Such devices consist only of a retractable stick and an iPhone holder. Due to the fact that the functionality of the monopod is greatly reduced, you have to set a timer and have time to move the camera away and get into a pose in a few seconds.

Monopod with wire and button

This type is considered the most popular and is in the middle price segment. It is a tripod with a mechanical button on the handle and a short cable for headphones. When pressed, a special button captures a frame or starts video recording. The difficulty is that you will have to constantly reconnect the cord if it pops out. And for owners of iPhone 7 and above, you have to carry an adapter with you, since there is no suitable socket.

Monopod with voice control

This selfie stick is similar to the one that does not come with a wired or wireless connection and a button. The accessory with the Siri voice assistant also uses a timer. The device just costs more.

Connecting a monopod to an iPhone

Above we listed all types of selfie sticks, and now we’ll figure out how to connect them to an Apple device.

ThroughBluetoothchannel

Follow these steps:

One connection is enough for the phone to automatically connect to the selfie stick in the future when Bluetooth is activated (the iPhone will remember the accessory).

Selfie stick with timer

Starting from version 8 of iOS, all models that support this axis are equipped with a delayed shooting function. The standard time in the Camera app is 3 or 10 seconds. However, you can find programs in the App Store that allow you to change this setting. In such utilities it is possible to set an interval - at certain intervals, for example, every 5 seconds a new photo will be created. To take pictures using a timer, you must:

1. Secure the iPhone in the holder;
2. Set the timer or interval using third-party applications;
3. Take a pose and wait for the timer to expire.

How to take pictures with a selfie stick with a wire and a button

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. First of all, install the iPhone in the clip;
2. There is also a 3.5 mm cord, similar to headphone cords. Insert the cord into the appropriate connector. If your model is iPhone 7 or higher, then use an adapter;
3. If the accessory matches the device, synchronization will occur immediately;
4. Take a test photo by pressing the button - if the test photo is saved, then the device is installed correctly and paired with the iPhone.

Taking pictures using your voice assistantSiri

Which selfie stick to choose

One of the key and main criteria when choosing is purchasing a suitable accessory. Not all monopods are equally adapted for Android and iOS devices. It is worth giving preference to the models listed below, which sync with the iPhone without any problems. At the moment the list is something like this, but it may change over time:

There are a lot of options for selfie sticks at the moment, and every time such interesting options appear that it seems as if we are already living in a parallel reality. For example, look at the screenshot below. This is an example of how the phone is automatically held on a small quadcopter with a propeller and holds the iPhone to take a photo of you with a timer delay. Most likely, in the future we can expect even more technologically advanced and thoughtful solutions.

The popularity of selfie shooting is growing every year, so manufacturers are coming up with a lot of accessories for it. One of the most useful for taking pictures of yourself is a monopod (selfie stick). Let's see how to connect this device to your phone and configure it.

Types of selfie sticks

But first, let's talk about the types of monopods. The design of selfie sticks is simple: a phone is attached to one end, and a shooting button is located on the other. In some models, the button is not located on the device itself, but on a separate remote control that comes included.

Based on the type of connection to the phone, these devices are divided into Bluetooth connection and wire connection.

How to connect a selfie stick to your phone

In order to connect a Bluetooth monopod to a phone on any mobile platform (Android, IOS, Windows Phone), you must perform the following steps:

• Enable monopod
• Go to phone settings
• Find the Bluetooth section
• Run “search for devices”
• When the phone finds the monopod, connect to it

Pairing smartphones and selfie sticks using a wire is even easier. It is enough to insert one end of the wire into the connector on the monopod, and the other into the audio jack of the phone.

What to do if your smartphone does not work with a monopod

A problem often arises when when you press the shoot button on a selfie stick or on a separate remote control, nothing happens, or the Zoom function on your smartphone is activated. In such cases, there is no need to rush to return the device to the store. For everything to work correctly, you need to reassign the functions of the phone buttons. It is not always possible to do this using standard system tools, so it is worth using third-party programs.

Android

Owners of devices running a green robot should pay attention to the Camera FV/5, SelphieShop Camera, and The Cellfie applications. You can purchase these programs on the Play Market for free.

In the Camera FV/5 program, you need to go to general settings and select the “Volume key functions” section, assign the necessary actions to them. In the SelfiShop Camera program, you don’t have to configure anything at all. The volume buttons automatically have a shutter function when working with a selfie stick. In The Cellfie, the shutter function is also natively set to the volume buttons.

Of all the apps listed, The Cellfie is the most convenient. Its functionality is much broader than that of any standard camera application on Android phones, so it can be used not only for selfies, but also for standard shooting.

iOS

If the selfie stick does not connect or does not work in conjunction with the iPhone, you can download the third-party BT Shutter program for free from the App Store. With its help, you will not only use the selfie shooting function using the volume keys, but also apply various effects to the photographs taken.

Windows Phone

Until recently, the default Windows Phone photography app didn't support selfie accessories. The monopod simply did not connect to the phone and users had to download third-party applications to use the selfie stick. But just recently this feature finally appeared. Now the proprietary Lumia Camera application recognizes “sticks” connected to the phone.

There are no third-party programs for the monopod in the Windows store yet. However, given the growing popularity of such devices, their appearance is a matter of time.

• If the monopod does not connect to the phone, you can try turning off Bluetooth, turning it on again and trying to establish a connection with the device again.
• Selfie sticks are not yet able to work with two phones at the same time, so before connecting the monopod to a new phone, you must first disconnect the old connection.
• The design of monopods does not allow large batteries to be built into them, so their continuous operation time rarely exceeds one hour. Therefore, do not forget to turn off the selfie stick when not in use.

Selfie stick (selfie monopod)— the most controversial accessory for iPhones. However, I think users like it for its photography assistance. That's why I selected for you the best selfie sticks sold in Russia.

If you decide to buy a selfie stick, buy only the best one. I recommend buying a monopod for no less than 1000 rubles, since inexpensive monopods break quickly and do not hold the iPhone well. I have selected the best selfie sticks, including monopods of various price categories and capabilities.

Update May 2019: My list of the best selfie sticks for iPhone leaves Harper and Rekam, and their place is taken by excellent monopods from Baseus, Huawei and BlitzWolf

Baseus

I'll start with the most popular and compact selfie stick for iPhone - Baseus. Excellent quality, reasonable price and easily connects to iPhone via Bluetooth. The monopod extends up to 80 cm, and 19 cm when folded easily fits into a pocket. You can attach any iPhone to the Baseus monopod stick, from the iPhone SE to the iPhone XS Plus. The smartphone mounting bracket can be rotated 360°, which makes it possible to set the appropriate angle to get a good picture. The price of this selfie stick is 1500 rubles, sold at.

BENRO 33

If you are an avid photographer and are looking for a selfie stick combined with a tripod, you should pay attention to the Benro 33. The selfie stick is available in three colors: red, blue and green. Extends up to 85 cm, and the smartphone compartment is wide enough to accommodate any iPhone.

The monopod kit includes: selfie stick, phone mount, GoPro mount

Huawei Honor

I'm sure you've heard of it at least once, and maybe you even have a smartphone from Huawei. But it produces not only smartphones, but also monopods for selfies, which have an excellent design and are made of high-quality materials.

Despite the not very high cost of 1200 rubles, the monopod has fairly compact characteristics: it extends up to 64 cm and 18 cm when folded. Also suitable for all iPhone models and available in white, black and pink.

Xiaomi Mi Tripod Selfie Stick

The most stylish selfie stick from this review, the monopod weighs 155 grams. Extends up to 50 cm, and the smartphone mount can be rotated 360°. Supports all existing iPhone and Android smartphone models.

I note that the Xiaomi Mi Tripod selfie monopod can be used as a tripod and has Bluetooth support. The price of the Xiaomi Mi Tripod stick is about 1000 rubles.

BlitzWolf

The last selfie stick in this roundup is the BlitzWolf, a detachable button on the handle with Bluetooth 3.0. The smartphone mount rotates freely 360°, which helps you take unique photos. You can attach any of the existing iPhone models. Price from 1099 rubles.

Conclusion: There are now a huge number of selfie monopods in stores. In this review, I only reviewed the ones I liked. If you share your opinion in the comments, readers will be grateful to you.

When purchasing a monopod, popularly called a selfie stick, you must take into account the characteristics of the phone itself. We are talking about the operating system, since most of these devices are “tailored” specifically for a specific OS. Also, when choosing, you need to look at the characteristics of the model and the type of connection of the monopod to the smartphone.

Most often, devices are synchronized via Bluetooth, but such selfie sticks have a high price. Even if the phone matches the monopod with all the characteristics, it may still not be recognized. Sometimes the device is detected by the system, but things go no further than synchronization. To understand why the selfie stick does not connect, you should highlight the most common problems and look at options for solving them.

This problem can occur on any operating system, as well as on any smartphone. If there is no response from the smartphone, you can immediately conclude that there is no signal. To make everything work, you should go through the following points sequentially. First you need to install the monopod app. Almost every selfie stick has its own proprietary application, most often it is distributed free of charge.

There are also universal applications, for example, SelfieShop Camera(Download).

The program is available in all stores of the largest operating systems. Once the program is installed, you should connect the monopod to your smartphone. Wired devices are becoming less and less common these days; they have long been outdated. Therefore, in the example we will consider the option with a wireless connection.

After installation, you should go to the application and its settings. There you select the “Device Testing” item. In order for the phone to recognize the selfie stick, you need to press the photo button on it. This should result in a code that is entered into the program settings. This way the application will “remember” the stick, and you won’t need to enter the code each time. Now you can move on to creating a photo. If you can’t do it, then you need to look for the problem in the monopod. You cannot discard options with a defective model or damage to it. First of all, you need to check the software connection of the devices. If there are no problems with this, you need to check the fastenings and wires.

Device inactivity when there is sound

This problem is also on the list of common problems. The monopod can be connected to a smartphone, the initialization code is entered correctly. But when I press the button, nothing happens. In this case, you need to go into the settings of the camera itself on your phone. There should be an item with the approximate name “Action of the shooting key” (it differs in different versions of Android). The user will need to delve into the settings to set the order: shooting, shutter and photo. After this, the monopod can start taking photos.
Sometimes the problem may be in the application itself; it may not work correctly. In this situation, you can try installing the application Camera360(Download).

Setting up the application does not take much time.
You just need to install the program, connect the monopod and go to settings. There, select the “Capture” item. In some situations, this can help and the device will take a selfie in one click.

Smartphone problems

Also, the selfie stick may not connect due to problems with the smartphone itself. For example, the device has an outdated operating system, but a monopod requires a fresh OS. If we are talking about this case, then you just need to update the operating system and connect the selfie stick again. There is a chance that everything will work correctly.

Another mistake may be the wrong choice of the monopod itself. As already mentioned, they should be matched to smartphones. A person who is not very tech-savvy may purchase a device that is completely incompatible with his smartphone. This usually happens when the device is purchased as a gift. A person simply does not have the opportunity to clarify the technical characteristics of a smartphone. To avoid this, before purchasing a monopod, you need to clarify the characteristics of the smartphone, especially its operating system.

Monopod problems

There may also be a problem with the monopod’s charge, especially when it is connected to a smartphone for the first time. Devices sit in warehouses for a long time and are not charged. After purchasing a selfie stick, you need to immediately charge it. If there are no signs of operation, the problem may be either the power cord or the battery. Often the contacts on the charger come loose, causing the monopod to not charge. If there is no indicator signal when you connect the device to the charging cable, then you need to replace the battery.

Features of connecting a monopod

It is important to secure the smartphone correctly. The fixation should be tight. Monopods in which the phone “walks” are not worth buying. Wired devices connect to the headphone jack, and in order for the camera to take selfies, you need to set the volume buttons to take pictures.

What should I do if the monopod still doesn’t work?

If the selfie stick still doesn't work, you can use a few tricks to ensure that the device is still useful. You can take photos using the timer on your camera. The monopod will only serve to hold the phone. You can start burst mode. With this type of shooting, several photos will definitely turn out successful.

A more exotic way to solve the problem is to install a program Whistle Camera(Download).

The essence of the program is that the camera will turn on when the whistle blows. Only the program does not recognize a regular whistle; it requires a whistle that is used in sports.

A selfie stick (monopod) is a device that allows you to take a photo of yourself from a good angle without outside help.

The first analogues of a modern monopod appeared back in 1985 - the so-called “telescopic extension for supporting compact cameras” was patented by two Japanese innovators.

However, 10 years later, their invention was included in the book “101 Most Useless Japanese Inventions.” With the active development of Instagram and other social networks, the popularity of selfie sticks has grown rapidly, and today no one considers them useless.

Using a selfie stick, you can take an original photo against an interesting background or take a photo with the whole group of friends so that no one is left out of the frame.

You can find several types of monopods on sale at prices ranging from 200 rubles to 20 thousand or more, but the most popular are selfie sticks costing 1000-2000 rubles with a button built into the handle.

Such devices do an excellent job of their duties and, if handled with care, will last for many years.

Using a selfie monopod with a button is very convenient: just secure the smartphone in the holder, extend the telescopic “arm” to the desired length and press the button.

In this case, the signal from the button to the phone can be transmitted in two ways:

1. By means of a wire that is inserted into the headphone jack of the smartphone;
2. Via Bluetooth connection.

How to connect and configure a button on a selfie stick

Connecting a selfie stick with a button to any modern smartphone is much easier than it might seem at first glance.

We bring to your attention several instructions, following which you can easily connect a wired or Bluetooth monopod to an iPhone or Android smartphone.

Connecting and setting up a wired selfie stick on Android:

1. Securely secure the phone in the holder on the monopod;
2. Insert the plug into the headphone jack (all the way);
3. Turn on your smartphone and open the standard photo application;
4. Extend the required number of monopod sections and take pictures by pressing the button located on the handle of the device.

If, when pressed, the smartphone does not take photos, but changes the sound volume, you should look into the camera settings on your phone, select “Action on the volume key” and set the “Shooting” function for this key.

VIDEO INSTRUCTION

There are several special applications for a selfie stick with a button - Selfishop Camera, Retrica, B612.

In most cases, you can take selfies without additional programs, but their presence opens up additional opportunities, since these utilities were created directly for creating selfies. For example, you can apply unusual effects to a photo, adjust the color balance, etc.

Setting up the Selfishop app

Installing and setting up the Selfishop Camera app takes no more than two minutes.

1. You just need to download the free application from the Play Market, connect your smartphone to the monopod, launch the application and press the shutter button on the monopod.
2. When you connect for the first time, a warning “A new button has been found” will be displayed on the screen; you need to select the “Shoot” action for it and click “remember”.
3. In the future, no additional actions will be required.

Setting up a Bluetooth monopod on Android:

1. Before you start, make sure that the monopod is charged (if the model has batteries, you should check their condition);
2. Turn on Bluetooth connection on your phone;
3. Turn on the monopod to connect to your smartphone;
4. In the phone menu, in the Bluetooth connections section, find the name of the monopod, select it to establish a connection;
5. Go to the standard or additionally installed application for creating photos and videos and take test pictures by pressing the button on the handle. If the devices are paired, but the camera does not respond to button presses, try using a third-party application for Android - B612, SelfieShop Camera, or the like. Their installation is described above.

VIDEO INSTRUCTION

Connecting and setting up a wired selfie stick on iPhone:

1. Securely install your iPhone, secure the selfie stick holder;
2. Connect the cord from the monopod to the headphone jack (3.5mm audio jack). In most cases, the device is automatically detected by the iPhone (with the exception of cheap Chinese versions) and is instantly configured to work.

If, when pressed, the iPhone does not take a photo, but changes the sound volume, you need to go to the camera settings and in the “Action on the volume key” tab, set the “Shoot” command.

Setting up a Bluetooth monopod on iPhone:

1. Place your iPhone in the monopod clamp;
2. Turn on the power of the selfie stick (on/off button on the handle);
3. Turn on Bluetooth mode on your smartphone. A flashing light on the monopod will signal the start of device pairing;
4. Start searching for new devices on your iPhone, select the name of the monopod and wait for pairing.

The standard iPhone Camera application is used for shooting. The next time you turn on the devices, the connection will be automatic.

Why doesn't the button on the monopod work?

It's one thing if the monopod button does not work correctly- instead of taking photos, he turns the phone volume up or down. In this case, you just need to go to the camera settings on your smartphone, select “Action on the volume key” and set the “Shooting” function for this key.

If your smartphone does not respond at all to pressing buttons on the monopod(provided that the device is charged), this indicates incompatibility of the devices. Such problems most often occur with smartphones from Sony and Alcatel.

The whole problem, as a rule, lies in the design of the audio output jack - it is made for a headset and has four contacts in the plug.

Cheap monopods use 3-pin plugs. If this is the case, then for correct operation it is enough to buy an adapter for a 3.5 mm audio jack from 3 to 4 pin.

Even if the devices could not be paired, this will not prevent you from taking a good selfie. It is enough to set the timer for a few seconds in the standard camera application, press the “photo” button, move the smartphone to the desired distance and wait for the bird to fly out.