Even if you aren’t the type of person who takes and posts endless selfies online, there’s bound to be a time when you want to catch a great picture of yourself. To do that without sticking your arm out and mugging like a goofball while trying to operate your phone’s shutter button with one hand, you used to need someone to help you. If that someone is a friend or loved one, they always wound up being left out of the photo.
The CaseCam from designers Garett Ochs and Justin Cicero is called “The Ultimate Selfie Device.” The case, made to fit the iPhone 5 and 5s, is a low-profile tripod that lets you frame and preview your pictures before you take them. A flip-down mirror acts as a stable tripod base and also provides you with a right-side-up preview image so you can make sure that everyone is in the frame and looking fabulous.
The CaseCam also lets you set your iPhone down on a level surface to shoot steady videos. Whether you’re in the videos or not, the built-in tripod in the phone’s case is much easier to handle than a separate tripod that needs to be attached and carried separately.
You can control the picture taking by using the free app’s built-in timer or its very cool wi-fi viewfinder feature. The wi-fi viewfinder lets you use a friend’s iPhone to see what your phone’s camera is seeing, so even if you don’t have a clear view of the case’s small mirror you can perfectly frame every shot. There’s also an option to sync your phone with another iOS device to accomplish the same thing. The product’s Kickstarter campaign was a success, and the cases are expected to eventually retail at $40.