The Café Broadcaster

If, like me, you are always seen in the best cafés and restaurants with the most beautiful people showing off your fabulous lifestyle...you'll want one of these. The complete phone rig. The heading image, No. 1, is a temptation for a lot of people who have small travel cameras - a tripod that can pack into a pocket or purse and is strong and steady enough for any tabletop work. Tall or flat, it will support a surprising amount of weight so your dim-light shots with compact cameras will be rock steady. Picture No. 2 is the tripod erected. Note the additional threaded holes round the legs for other accessories like lights or microphones. Those who decry the lack of a quick release plate on top should remember that this would add bulk and weight. N0.3 shows the phone and light holder - looking rather like a railway semaphore. The light can revolve all round the camera position and be locked in place. There it is in N0.4 giving the highball signal. You can either go ahead at full speed or stop for a cocktail - rye and ginger ale in a tall glass - when you see this. N0.5 is the phone mounted - in this case one borrowed from a staff member. Most phone cases now have enough ferrous content to be attracted to magnets - and there is one in the centre of the bull's eye on the mount. My little Samsung doesn't cling, but you can get stick-0n plates to make it stick. The rig will hold a good deal of weight between the light and the phone, but be warned that there are limits...