Caravanya tests: Camera and Smartphone Tripod Baoluo 3120

On a camping vacation, there are many beautiful moments you want to capture: a beautiful view of the mountains, the perfect sunset, or fascinating and charming corners of a city you have visited. So you will most certainly take many pictures during your trip. It's a pity if not all of your fellow travelers can be in it because someone always has to take it, or it comes out blurred. A tripod is a practical gadget to avoid this. But which tripod performs well on the one hand and is in the low-cost sector on the other? In this test, we will introduce you to the Tripod 3120 from BaoLuo, talk about the price/performance ratio, and show you the main functions.

This camera and smartphone tripod can currently be found on Amazon for 19.94 €, with an average rating of 4.3 stars at 1,147 ratings (as of September 2020). For this price, you get a size-adjustable tripod, an attachable cell phone holder, and Bluetooth remote control to trigger the camera function. All of it fits in the included carrying bag.

While the cell phone holder, the mid-level spreader, and the flip-locks are of plastic, the legs of the tripod are an aluminum alloy, which makes them more scratch-resistant. Rubber feet at the end of the legs prevent slipping on smooth surfaces. When set up, the tripod makes a rather rickety impression. But once it is upright, you can work with it. In this respect, the tripod performs quite well for the price.

The construction of the tripod allows for many different camera settings. With the help of the lowest locking screw, you can change the height of the tripod head independently from the legs. The second locking screw, directly below the spirit level, is used to turn the tripod head horizontally (up to 360°). With the uppermost screw, you can adjust the angle of the quick-release plate so that both front and top-down shots are possible.

A 1/4" standard screw is used to attach the camera or cell phone holder. The latter makes a stable impression. A smartphone fits securely in the holder, which can be rotated up to 360° without fear of falling out. On top of the tripod is a spirit level, which makes aligning the camera horizontally very easy. However, due to the mobility of the cell phone holder, the spirit level is ineffective when used with a smartphone.

As described above, the tripod comes with a remote control to trigger the camera function. It works for pictures and videos and connects to the device via Bluetooth. It is compatible with Android and iOS and has separate buttons for each operating system to take a picture or start and stop recording. The two buttons are rickety but work. The remote control is wireless and battery operated (CR1632). A plus point: The battery is included.