A selfie stick is used to take photographs or video by positioning a digital camera device, typically a smartphone, beyond the normal range of the arm.[1] This allows for shots to be taken at angles and distances that would not have been possible with the human arm by itself. The sticks are typically extensible, with a handle on one end and an adjustable clamp on the other end to hold the device in place.[2] As their name suggests, they are most commonly used for taking selfies with camera phones.
Some are connected to a smartphone via its jack plug, while others are tethered using Bluetooth controls. The connection between the device and the selfie stick lets the user decide when to take the picture or start recording a video by clicking a button located on the handle.[2] Models designed for compact cameras have a mirror behind the viewscreen so that the shot can be lined up.[3][4]
In contrast to a monopod for stabilising a camera on the ground, a selfie stick's arm is thickest and strongest at the opposite end from the camera in order to provide better grip and balance when held aloft.[5] Safety concerns and the inconvenience the product causes to others have resulted in them being banned at many venues, including all Disney Parks as well as both Universal Orlando Resort and Hollywood.[6]
- ^ "In Defense of the Selfie Stick". TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2014-11-27.
- ^ a b "Selfie Sticks Are Selling Out Everywhere". Business Insider Inc. 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
- ^ "Zuckerberg Selfie Stick". The Next Web, Inc. 2013-11-26. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
- ^ "Would You Buy a Zuckerberg Selfie Stick?". International Business Times AU. 2013-11-28. Archived from the original on 2014-11-30. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
- ^ Pogue, David (2007-08-09). "Five Fun Little Gadgets". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
- ^ Welch, Chris (26 June 2015). "Selfie sticks are no longer welcome at Disney theme parks". theverge.com. The Verge. Retrieved 5 October 2015.