MOS Kick Review: The Perfect Time-Lapse Companion

You might take a lot of pics with your phone, but do you take really good ones? Sometimes, things like a sunset or fast-moving clouds require a bit more patience than we'd like, should we want a really good time-lapse. Even if we just want to capture a moment in time, a shaky wrist can ruin the shot. The MOS Kick wants to solve those issues for you, but is the crowdfunded stand the real deal, or another ho-hum Kickstarter project?

If nothing else, MOS is solid. It's made of machined metal which feels like aluminum, though I've not received confirmation on that. Still, MOS is as solid as they come, and won't get damaged in your bag.

Aside from the machined metal body, there's a screw-in placeholder for your phone that slides in and out as you need. The cushy pads give some confidence that, unless you squeeze to tight, the MOS won't be damaging your phone.

The MOS is a bit more than a phone mount, though. It also has a carabiner for attaching to a bag, a bottle opener, and threaded hole for use with a tripod. It's small on purpose, too; the team behind MOS want it to be easy to tote around, but strong enough to stand up to your needs.

MOS has two native display angles, 10-degrees facing slightly upward, and 10-degrees facing down when mounted in the opposite direction. Keep that in mind, here — you won't get a straight-on shot.

Mos was also designed with the iPhone 6 in mind. It fits a variety of phones, but bulkier devices need not apply. I've not yet run into a phone it doesn't fit, but if you've got something like an Otterbox case on your phone, this won't work unless you get brave and slip your phone out.

For what it was designed for, which is mainly time-lapse and still photos, MOS is great. The 10-degree angle isn't severe enough to cause concern, either, should you want to shoot a YouTube rant or something like that.

Attaching it to a tripod was simple, though keep in mind you'll need your own screw for that unless you have a base. For using it with a quick on-the-go tripod like the Manfrotto Pixi, MOS is amazing.

The MOS won't replace my Beastgrip for heavy-duty mobile photography, but it will find a home in my backpack along with the lenses and other mobile photography kit I tote around.

For $25, it won't break the bank in any way, and I'm finding more use-cases for MOS the longer I have it. Desk stand, tripod mount — it would also be a great home security mount if you used something like Manything.

MOS is currently being funded via Kickstarter, with pledges starting at $25. The campaign ends in about three weeks, and is now over halfway to its goal of $25,000.