Gearing Up

THE SELFIE GROWS UP:

Expandable selfie sticks let you put yourself front and center for cellphone shots wherever you roam. But if you want to wow your followers with the gorgeous scenery — and also take better smartphone selfies — we’ve found a gem of an alternative. The MEFOTO Backpacker Air is a diminutive (10.4-inches, folded), 2-pound travel tripod equipped with many of the photo-enhancing features of bigger tripods that serious photographers count on to take ultra-steady shots. Mount your cellphone (or compact camera) to the rotating ball head atop the tripod’s center column (a cellphone holder adaptor is included), and you get 360-degree panning capability that allows for beautifully aligned panoramic shots. But wait, there’s more! With a few twists of some hardware, the tripod’s center column detaches and converts to a telescoping selfie stick, with your ball-head-mounted cellphone at your service. An included rechargeable Bluetooth remote control unit lets you trigger the camera for selfies minus that insidious outstretched arm that appears in the usual selfie-stick shot. Back in tripod mode, the three fivesegmented anodized aluminum legs telescope from 11.2 inches to more than 3 feet — and you get a shooting height of nearly 5 feet with the center column extended. A secure twist/extend/ lock mechanism keeps the legs stable at whatever height you choose. The MEFOTO Backpacker Air supports up to 8.8 pounds. For photos using full-size cameras and long lenses, MEFOTO offers the slightly larger and heavier Roadtrip Air Tripod, which supports up to 13.2 pounds, and the Globetrotter Air Tripod (for up to 17.6 pounds). All three models come in a range of neon colors, include the detachable telescoping Selfie Stick feature, smartphone holder and Bluetooth remote camera trigger unit, and come with a drawstring carry bag.