There are an increasing number of rigs available to smartphone videographers, such as selfie sticks, jibs and stabilizers. The Morphi is intended to replace all of those tools, by combining them in one modular device.
Currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign, the Morphi was designed by photographic equipment manufacturer Cam Caddie, which previously brought us the Scorpion camera-stabilizing mount.
At the heart of the Morphi are four steel arms, which are joined together at the ends via hinges that can be tightened down and locked by hand. Running the length of either side of each arm is a sort of rail-like channel, which accepts the cold shoe mount of a third-party device such as a light or shotgun mic.
Additionally, the Morphi's adjustable-width smartphone mount can be attached to any of the arms, utilizing an included ball head mount – the latter also allows actioncams or small DSLRs to be used instead of a phone.
According to Cam Caddie, the Morphi can set up in at least 20 different configurations. Among these are a two-handed brace that puts the smartphone in the middle, a Scorpion-like stabilizer, a shoulder brace, a jib and a selfie stick. An included Bluetooth remote can be mounted on the device, allowing users to start and stop and recording without having to reach out and touch their phone.
Optional extras include a clamp mount, a pair of suction cup mounts, a cold shoe adapter for thread-mount accessories, and even a "matrix mount" that allows users to shoot video while swinging their inward-facing smartphone around themselves like a lasso. There's also a power bank, mic and LED light, for people who want to stay system-specific.
Should you be interested, pledges start at US$99 for a basic setup that includes a tripod mount (which will later become an optional extra). The planned retail price for that package is $190. Assuming the Morphi reaches production, it should ship next April.
You can see it in use, in the video below.
Source: Indiegogo
