How to connect a selfie stick to a smartphone

Before proceeding to the analysis of the nuances of pairing selfie sticks with smartphones, we recommend taking time to the material "Buy a stick — make great selfies", where we are talking about the original ways of using monopods. And a selection of good options for purchase can be found in the article "Hand extension: TOP 5 selfie sticks".

There are two main types of selfie monopods that connect to mobile devices wirelessly or wirelessly. �

Wireless connection via Bluetooth network

The connection of wireless selfie sticks with smartphones does not require unnecessary gestures and is carried out in just a few simple steps. First you will need to turn on the power of the monopod, wait for the light indication of the stick's readiness to connect to light up, activate the Bluetooth module on the mobile gadget and pair them. In the vast majority of cases, these actions are quite enough for mutual "friendship" between devices and the beginning of their further collaboration aimed at obtaining interesting angles when shooting "selfies".

There are no external cords in the design of wireless selfie sticks, besides the radius
Bluetooth network actions allows you to control a camera removed from a tripod at a distance.

Many wireless selfie sticks are equipped with a separate mini-remote control, which is often much more convenient to use than groping with your fingers for the button on the monopod rod. However, the wireless controller can be mounted on a tripod handle or duplicated with a separate shutter release button. There is no difference in connecting a selfie stick with or without a remote control.

An important point. Make sure that the selfie tripod and remote control are charged to it, otherwise the monopod turns into a regular smartphone holder without a duplicated camera shutter button.

Monopods for phone

Wired connection with a cord

A detachment of wired selfie sticks provides controlling the shutter of the camera of a mobile device through a 3.5mm audio jack. Even a child can handle this kind of connection. Judge for yourself, the user will only need to insert a flexible cord with a plug into the headphone jack and voila — the smartphone is ready to take pictures.

Wired monopods for taking selfies are attached to a smartphone by means of a small
a "process" cable that is inserted into the 3.5 mm mini-jack audio jack.

Note that the wired method of connecting a selfie stick is not always correctly recognized by some models of "mobile phones". In particular, many Sony and Samsung smartphones are guilty of this. It is not necessary to get upset prematurely about this, because there are ways to solve the problem and they do not require special "dancing with tambourines".

Useful to know. In light of the mass refusal of smartphone manufacturers to have a 3.5mm audio jack on board mobile devices, wired selfie sticks are not suitable for working in pairs with every modern phone.

Popular camera phones

Problems and ways to solve them

The lion's share of known problems when connecting selfie tripods is due to the fact that the monopod is incorrectly recognized by a smartphone. At best, the mobile gadget sees it as a headset, as a result, the reaction to pressing the shutter button becomes, for example, an increase in volume. Everything is solved by reassigning the volume control swing function to "shooting" photos in the standard camera application, and if there is no such menu sub—item, third-party applications act as a lifesaver, where there are guaranteed to be advanced shooting settings. The most popular of them are: SelfieShop Camera, The Celfie, Camera 360 for Android and BT Shutter for iOS. The above applies equally to both wireless and wired monopods for selfies.

The point of reassigning buttons for photo and video shooting, as well as zoom control, is presented in the expanded settings of the standard
camera applications, and in its absence — in the interface of third-party programs for shooting with a selfie stick.

Sometimes, in the case of wired solutions, all manipulations turn out to be in vain and the selfie stick stubbornly refuses to work as a means of remotely releasing the camera shutter. Such instances are subject to replacement with something else, or the user has the right to use small tricks, which will be discussed below.

Useful to know. If you have a Bluetooth monopod, there should be no chance of problems with its connection.

Bluetooth Monopods

Little tricks

There are several right ways to persuade a smartphone to take a photo from the distance of an elongated selfie stick rod:

by setting a timer;
command by voice or gestures;
with a smile. Some of these commands are "sewn" into the standard camera application, while others are available in third-party programs: Drive Cam, Smile Cam, etc.

The smartphone camera can be taught to take a picture as soon as the faces in the frame begin to smile.

Before buying a selfie stick, it is advisable to check its compatibility with a mobile device, in close conjunction with which it is planned to be actively exploited. The thing is that some sticks are "friends" purely with "apple" smartphones or devices with an "operating system" under the sign of the "green droid" (and versions 4.4 and higher). However, most selfie tripods are universal solutions for different systems and are equally well suited for the role of a "hand extension" when shooting yourself, as well as friends and loved ones, without resorting to the help of strangers.

Smartphones with front flash

A useful tip in the end. In order to avoid the smartphone falling out of the mount on board the selfie stick, it is highly desirable to "undress" the phone before installation, freeing it from the case. This way a more reliable landing of the mobile gadget in the holder provided for this case is achieved.

Have a good shooting!