SmallRig 9.8 inch Adjustable Articulating Magic Arm with Both 1/4" Thread Screw for LCD Monitor/LED Lights - 2066B

I bought one of these to try it out for positioning lights for macro photography when I got tired of trying to get my Platypod gooseneck arms to stay where I wanted them. I've now purchased 3 of the SmallRig magic arms and will buy more soon. They're amazing! These are super cool, work great for holding lights, clamps, subjects, anything with a 1/4-20 hole. Seriously one of my favorite photography add-ons of all time. 11/10 for design, quality, and functionality, will buy more, can't recommend them enough, will probably use them for other projects like soldering!

BUY THIS FIRST.Whatever rigging you're designing, whatever the budget, BUY THIS FIRST. You'll save money in the end.I have four of these. They cost a lot more than some of the other solutions you might deploy for creating a double-ball adjustment between two 1/4"-20 attach points, but they work better than every last one of those other solutions I've tried. I have a parts bin with $150 worth of ball joints I don't use anymore. They're all heavier, more prone to slipping, and ultimately less useful than the Magic Arm.In the 1st picture I've used two Magic Arms (in conjunction with a couple of "cheese plate" pieces) to mount my Surface Pro to the end of a boom. This configuration keeps the tablet from rotating or unscrewing itself while I draw on it, and it is SUPER secure. Yes, it's a bit tricky to adjust since I need to loosen the clamp on both Magic Arms, but I've got it where I want it now so I leave it alone.The 2nd picture is the phone mount on my "Technocane" (a repurposed carbon-fiber monopod.) The phone's magnet-friendly case sticks to the magnet I affixed to the end of the Magic Arm. When I sit down, I can adjust the arm so the phone is facing me at the right height. It's very easy to adjust, and very secure when I cinch the center wing-knob tight again.Reiterating: BUY THIS FIRST. A friend pointed me at these, and I was reluctant to purchase one because SURELY I could make do with the other gear I had. I was wrong. Don't be like me. Don't spend a bunch of money on cheaper stuff that doesn't do the job.

I didn't read enough about how the "magic arm" functionality work before purchases. When first got it, I noticed how little friction the ball joints had and thought it would never stay in place with any amount of weight attached. What I quickly realized was that the center tension knob tightens everything.it's kind of neat how when you loosen the tension, all 3 joints become loose at once as if it were a ragdoll. This allows you to just place whatever is mounted in the position you want and tighten. No need to adjust each axis and tension individually. I don't use a lot of photography gear to know if this a special feature or not, but it's the first time I've seen it.I got this to mount an LED light for timelapses of 3D prints, and I'm using their adjustable clamp with it. You can buy them as a pair, but I found it's actually a dollar or two cheaper right now to get them separately.It's packaged well, holds its position even with weight, and looks good. I can't think of any faults so far. Even the price is really fair.

Works as it should.

The build quality feels extremely professional—full metal construction, smooth joints, and it locks into position super securely. I’ve used it to mount a monitor, and it held it in place without slipping at all. Everything feels premium, from the screws to the finish. Definitely one of the better articulating arms I’ve owned.

I'm using this as a mount for a portable monitor with 1/4" thread on the back, as a secondary desktop monitor for use with my PC. I'm not a camera person, and therefore don't know many camera terms. That being said, this little arm is adjustable in ways I've never seen on a similar product before. Most mounting arms have much larger "notches" where the bend in the arm is (like I said, I don't know the technical terms), but this thing's notches are microscopic which allows for much more versatility in positioning. Also, every last bit of this arm is a moving part. It truly is magic. All you have to do is loosen the single wingnut, which loosens EVERYTHING on the arm, and then adjust it to exactly the perfect position you want it in and tighten it. I wasn't expecting much out of this product, but I'm a huge huge fan of it after using it.Some people have complained it doesn't stay put. I have found that you REALLY have to tighten it as much as possible to get heavier things (like my monitor) to stay put but it does work great once you do. Also, this thing is not meant for anything heavier than a couple pounds or so, so keep that in mind.

Most versatile piece of equipment for photography/videography.

This barely holds my 2oz webcam in one position. I feel a bit silly using a giant Manfrotto arm for the webcam, but that's what I'm doing now since this little one didn't work. (Edit: to clarify, the arm IS strong enough to hold the webcam - but the attachment point, where it's connected to a clamp, can't be tightened enough to keep the arm from rotating out of position.)