The Joby GripTight POV Kit is a well designed, compact smartphone mount that also works with GoPro devices.
Another day, another smartphone mount. This one comes courtesy of Joby, a Californian accessory manufacturer who’ve made quite a few nice products in the past. Taking it out of the box, it’s obvious that portability was a key factor in the design. Folded away, it measures just 3.5-inches in length and about 2.5-inches in width, making it perfect for carrying around in a coat pocket or rucksack. While it won’t replace your tripod, it is nonetheless a simple and convenient mount for those who want a bit of stability in their video recordings. Build quality seems about the same as other mounts on the market, with Joby opting for plastic over metal. We noticed a bit of flex in the handle but nothing serious, though you may want to avoid putting it under any sort of serious pressure. A nice side-effect of using the all-plastic design is that the Joby GripTight POV is very light, weighing just 52g.
One of the key areas that separates this from other mounts we’ve seen in the past is a locking mechanism for the cradle itself. Most mounts tend to operate with a spring mechanism, which allows the grip to accommodate a variety of devices at the expense of a more secure fit. As we know, spring mechanisms can get a little loose over time and are prone to wear, so the Joby counteracts this with a tightening mechanism round the back for keeping your handset more secure. Getting your handset into the mount is fairly simple, with a counterclockwise rotation loosening the mount and allowing the smartphone to slot into place. Once that’s done, you just tighten things up to the desired level.
Much like the iKlip Grip Pro we looked at yesterday, the Joby GripTight POV comes with an additional Bluetooth shutter attachment that operates in the same way. Using the 1/4″ cold shoe mount on the top, it can be attached directly to the grip or used separately for some remote snapping. Pairing was incredibly straightforward, with a simple press of the button until it connects to your device and glows blue. On the topic of the hot shoe attachment, it’s nice to see this included on a grip and gives it plenty of uses beyond traditional hand operation. You could easily attach a light for night operation, or a shotgun microphone for better audio. The handle itself is also easy to remove and can be replaced with any standard action camera mount. GoPro users and people who want to attach it to a bike helmet will welcome this feature.
Verdict
While the price may feel a bit steep at £40, the Joby GripTight POV is nonetheless a well designed smartphone mount that can be used for plenty of uses and compliments GoPro products very well.
