Smartphone – ExpertPhotography

8 Best Long-Exposure Apps in 2024 (iPhone & Android Options)

Nick Constant — Tue, 14 May 2024 14:14:48 +0000

Today, we are showing you the best long-exposure app for your smartphone! Long-exposure photography is a technique that can produce stunning results. You can get smooth, misty waterfalls or even see the earth’s rotation through star trails!

We are lucky enough to have brilliant cameras in our smartphones. To get full control over these cameras, we may need an application. By exploring the best long-exposure apps, we will tell you which is best for smartphone photography.

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Looking for a convenient way to improve your photography skills without relying on free photo editing apps? Check out this video course that teaches you how to take stunning iPhone photos effortlessly.

8 Best Long-Exposure Camera Apps

Here are the nine best long-exposure apps for you to try. We have a mix of iOS and Android options.

But before starting with long-exposure photography, don’t forget to get a mount and tripod for your phone! They are just as essential for phones as for cameras.

1. ReeHeld

Smartphone Store	Smartphone Store iOS
Other Manual Photo Options	Other Manual Photo Options No
Paid	Paid Yes (10 Free Images)
Watch Integration?	Watch Integration? No
Key Services	Key Services Simple application to make long exposures with ease
Best For	Best For Photographers who want to make long exposures in the simplest way possible

Our favorite long-exposure app is ReeHeld. Thanks to its easy-to-use interface and simplistic design, it allows you to create long-exposure photographs with ease.

This app allows you to shoot up to 30-second exposures. It also claims that you do not need a tripod as it has AI stabilization. However, a tripod does make the results much better.

ReeHeld is a paid app, but it lets you take ten free long exposures. So, if you are unsure about this application, try it out for yourself!

This long-exposure app is dedicated to producing long-exposures. This application would suit photographers who do not want an extensive camera app.

2. ProCamera

Smartphone Store	Smartphone Store iOS
Other Manual Photo Options	Other Manual Photo Options Yes
Paid	Paid Yes
Watch Integration?	Watch Integration? Yes
Key Services	Key Services Complete control over your smartphone camera
Best For	Best For Photographers who want to use their smartphone to its full capability

ProCamera is a camera app with advanced manual settings. It’s designed to give you a DSLR-like photography experience.

Besides other settings—like ISO and exposure compensation—it lets you adjust the shutter speed. This feature makes this app suitable for taking long exposures with an iPhone.

You can set it to shutter priority or manual mode for complete control. After you have a shot with a slow shutter speed, you can edit it within the app.

Quality always comes with a price. This popular application is the most expensive on this list. But if you shoot a lot with your phone, it’s worth the relatively low price.

3. Slow Shutter Cam

Smartphone Store	Smartphone Store iOS
Other Manual Photo Options	Other Manual Photo Options Yes
Paid	Paid Yes
Watch Integration?	Watch Integration? No
Key Services	Key Services Provides a small screen inside your screen for a 'live' view of image as it is being made
Best For	Best For Photographers who are looking for a dedicated slow shutter speed application

The Slow Sutter Cam app is the most popular for long exposures on an iPhone. It even has a hashtag on Instagram you can follow if you want to see pictures taken with this app.

After opening the app, you must click on the Settings icon to adjust them manually. You can also choose from several built-in presets for specific scenarios.

These include Light Trail, Motion Blur, and Low-Light presets. With this app, you can achieve long-exposure effects with your phone that wouldn’t have been possible before.

Slow Shutter Cam will help you bring the most out of your long-exposure photos. And it is available for a low price.

4. ProShot

Smartphone Store	Smartphone Store iOS, Android
Other Manual Photo Options	Other Manual Photo Options Yes
Paid	Paid Yes
Watch Integration?	Watch Integration? No
Key Services	Key Services Simple interface with great control
Best For	Best For People who want advanced shutter control with simplicity

ProShot is a full-featured photography app for Android smartphones. The app is jam-packed with tools to help you develop your smartphone photography skills.

You have automatic, semi-automatic, and fully manual controls. That means anyone from beginner to experienced users can use this app with great success.

You have control over the aperture, ISO, and, of course, shutter speed. You can select long shutter speeds. Or you can use the manual shutter to give yourself even more creative control.

But it’s not just the basic exposure controls. You can shoot time-lapse videos. There are HDR and bokeh effects to add new layers to your smartphone photos.

5. Easy Long Exposure Camera

Smartphone Store	Smartphone Store iOS
Other Manual Photo Options	Other Manual Photo Options No
Paid	Paid No (Pro version available)
Watch Integration?	Watch Integration? No
Key Services	Key Services Long exposure app strictly for photographing in dark spaces
Best For	Best For Astrophotographers or night time photographers

Another great long-exposure app is Easy Long Exposure Camera. This application is dedicated to low-light and night photography. This makes it perfect for astrophotographers and those who want to take star trail photographs.

This application lets you take exposures up to 180 seconds long! This is an incredible amount of time.

One of the best features of this app is that it is free! A paid option allows you to adjust the ISO and apply noise reduction to your photographs.

Easy Long Exposure Camera is another application that simplifies long exposures. There are no distracting features, and everything is controlled through sliders. We highly recommend this as one of the best long exposure apps for astrophotography.

6. Camera+: Pro Camera & Editor

Smartphone Store	Smartphone Store iOS
Other Manual Photo Options	Other Manual Photo Options Yes
Paid	Paid Yes
Watch Integration?	Watch Integration? No
Key Services	Key Services Allows you to use presets for added style
Best For	Best For Free application but comes with ads

Camera+ is one of the most popular camera apps for phones. It gives manual control over shutter speed and ISO. It also offers image stabilization, RAW file shooting, and editing to enhance images.

With this app’s built-in presets, you can edit your images for specific purposes. These include macro or action photography.

The Slow Shutter preset makes it possible to take long-exposure photos even in daylight!

To access manual mode at all times, go to Advanced Controls and choose “always show.” You can choose either full manual or shutter priority mode.

This app is about twice the price of the other apps on this list. But it has a free option with ads. The paid options may be worth it for all the manual settings and features you get.

7. Manual Camera DSLR

Smartphone Store	Smartphone Store Android
Other Manual Photo Options	Other Manual Photo Options Yes
Paid	Paid Yes
Watch Integration?	Watch Integration? No
Key Services	Key Services Packed with options for manual controls
Best For	Best For Android users who want a fully customisable camera app

Manual Camera DSLR allows you to have manual control over your phone’s camera. The interface reminds the user of DSLR cameras.

It also lets you control the shutter speed for long-exposure shots. You can even record videos using the manual settings this app provides you.

This manual camera DSLR app is accessible for Android devices. It has a free version, but it doesn’t give you access to the app’s full capabilities.

8. Long Exposure: Motion ProCam

Smartphone Store	Smartphone Store Android
Other Manual Photo Options	Other Manual Photo Options No
Paid	Paid Yes
Watch Integration?	Watch Integration? No
Key Services	Key Services Easy interface to work through for custom controls
Best For	Best For Android users who want a simple long exposure application

As the name suggests, Long Exposure is an app dedicated to long-exposure photography. And anyone can produce stunning images with this app.

It doesn’t have a wide range of photography features like other apps. But it makes long-exposure photography easy and accessible. The controls couldn’t be simpler.

You select the exposure time and shoot. If you’re shooting day or night, the camera sorts out the other exposure settings. All you need to do is keep the camera in position. The app does have stabilization. But it only works for exposures up to five seconds.

A smartphone or mini tripod is the best solution for longer exposure times. And the Long Exposure app allows you to shoot for up to 20 minutes!

If you feel limited by the basic app, you can upgrade to the premium account. It gives you more manual controls. And you can shoot in RAW file formats. That’s perfect for fine-tuning your images using photo editing apps or software.

When Should You Use a Long-Exposure App?

We use a slower shutter speed than usual when taking long-exposure photos. By leaving the shutter open for a longer time, we can achieve certain effects that give a unique look to our photos.

Generally, we talk about long-exposure photography when the shutter speed is slow enough to blur motion. This usually means setting it to seconds instead of fractions of seconds.

Fireworks with long-exposure settings. Ⓒ Nick Dale

Photographers usually use this technique when they are aiming to blur motion:

Landscape photographers take long exposures to make moving water smooth and silky.
During night photography, it is used to create light trails of traffic.
Astrophotographers use it to let more light hit the sensor, thus capturing the stars.

You can also think of using a long exposure creatively. You can blur people in the street or capture motion during sports. You can even use it to draw with light in the dark.

You might think you are missing out on these opportunities if you don’t have a camera. Luckily, all this becomes possible with long-exposure apps.

Conclusion: Best Long-Exposure Apps

Long-exposure photography is an experimental technique you should try in your photography. It comes in handy in several niches of photography.

It gives your pictures a unique look. And with these apps, you don’t need a DSLR camera to take long exposures!

We hope you find the best long-exposure camera app to help you explore this technique more. If you want to explore another technique more, try our Total Time-Lapse video course to capture beautiful moments with motion.

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How to Best Shoot Smartphone Photography: A Complete Guide

Trevor Marshall — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 10:52:53 +0000

Our complete guide to smartphone photography teaches you everything you need to know to get the most out of your camera phone. It’s hard to overstate how much our phones have revolutionized photography.

Standalone cameras are far from dead, but the smartphone has almost killed off the compact consumer camera. All the more reason to learn more about how to get the most from your phone’s camera. You get excellent results with just a few tricks and techniques.

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What Is Smartphone Photography?

Smartphone photography involves capturing photos using a camera integrated into a smartphone. And it has revolutionized photography.

It has made it accessible and convenient to take high-quality images anytime, anywhere. It lets us document our lives and share moments instantly.

Most of our recommendations here apply to whatever operating system you have. But some articles help specifically with iOS or Android. So let’s take a look at some of the best ways of improving your smartphone photography:

Smartphone photography basics
Shooting techniques
Niches
Photography Apps
Editing Apps
Photo management
Smartphone Photography Gear

Smartphone Photography Basics

Improving your smartphone camera photography is easy with a few simple tips. Clean your camera lens regularly to ensure sharp photos. Use manual controls like the exposure slider and tap-to-focus for more control over your images.

Avoid using digital zoom, as this can reduce image quality. Instead, get closer to your subject or consider buying an attachable lens. And shoot in good lighting conditions whenever possible for the best results.

Editing your photos can also help improve quality. Adjust sharpness and definition, but be careful not to overdo it.

If you want to improve the quality of your smartphone photography, these tips are a great place to start.

iPhone Camera Settings

Your iPhone has many exciting camera settings to help you take amazing photos. Turn on the gridlines in your camera settings to help you master composition using the rule of thirds. Adjust the focus by tapping the screen where you want the camera to focus.

Use Live Photo mode to capture movement and sound in your images. The Burst mode is excellent for capturing action shots. Just press and hold the shutter button. The self-timer is also perfect for taking group photos or reducing camera shake in low light.

The Exposure Slider lets you manually adjust the brightness of your photo. Tap the screen to make the slider appear, then move your finger up or down to change the exposure.

You can also use the iPhone’s built-in filters to adjust the look of your images.

Other iPhone camera settings let you select the image size, RAW and ProRes settings, and preferred camera.

iPhone Tips

Follow a few simple tips to take amazing photos with your iPhone. Use the swipe feature for quick camera access, and touch the screen to set focus on your main subject.

Pay attention to lighting direction and color for creative effects. And compose shots using the thirds grid rule and leading lines.

Use fill-in flash in the shade to brighten subjects. And experiment with different shooting modes, such as square, panorama, and portrait.

Crop your images for better composition. Enable HDR for more detail in high-contrast scenes. Use the View on Map feature to remember photo locations, and try a selfie stick to capture a broader perspective.

Master these iPhone photography tips, and you’ll take your iPhone photography to the next level.

Android Manual Mode

Switching to manual mode on your Android camera gives you complete control over your photos. You can adjust settings like ISO, shutter speed, and white balance to get the perfect shot.

Manual focus lets you choose your focal point, even if it’s not in the center of the frame. You can also play with depth of field by selecting a wide aperture for a shallow focus effect.

Going manual might initially seem daunting. But it’s the best way to improve your photography skills. Practice teaches you how to use the exposure triangle to capture stunning images in any lighting situation.

Check out this in-depth guide for more tips on mastering Android camera settings.

Lighting

Getting the best lighting for phone photography can be tricky. But there are some simple tips to remember.

Natural light is always best, so shoot outdoors or near a window when possible. If you must shoot in direct sunlight, look for shade or wait until the sun is lower in the sky to avoid harsh shadows and blown-out highlights.

The golden hour after sunrise or before sunset provides a beautiful, warm glow perfect for portraits and silhouettes. The blue hour before sunrise and after sunset adds a moody, dramatic feel to your images.

When shooting indoors, window light is your best friend. It diffuses the sun’s rays for a soft, even exposure.

Get creative with artificial lights in dark settings like fluorescents, incandescents, or neon signs. You can even use a friend’s phone flash for side lighting.

You can achieve excellent lighting for phone photography in any situation with a little experimentation.

Burst Mode With iPhone

The iPhone’s burst mode lets you capture rapid-fire shots, ensuring you never miss the perfect moment. To use it, open the camera app, then press and hold down the shutter button. Your iPhone keeps snapping photos until you release the button.

Burst mode is great for action shots but fills up storage quickly. Three seconds of shooting will give you 30 pictures! To pick the best ones, go to your Photos app, select the burst, and then tap the Select button to choose which photos to keep.

Burst mode works best in well-lit areas to avoid blurry shots. You can also get creative by using a fisheye lens attachment for unique close-ups or trying panning techniques for cool motion blur effects.

With a little practice and more iPhone photo burst tips, you’ll capture amazing action shots in no time!

Self-Timer With iPhone

The iPhone’s built-in photo timer is a great way to take hands-free photos. To set the timer, open the native camera app and tap the clock icon at the top of the screen. You can choose between a 3-second or 10-second delay.

The 3-second timer is best for landscapes and still subjects, giving you just enough time to let go of the phone before the shutter fires. For self-portraits or group shots, use the 10-second timer so you have time to get in the frame.

Before starting the timer, pre-focus your shot by tapping and holding on the area you want sharp. This prep locks the focus and exposure so the camera doesn’t hunt for a new point when you step into the scene.

Learning more about your iPhone’s photo timer helps you easily capture your desired shots.

Smartphone Photography Techniques

Once you know the best way to shoot with your smartphone, you’ll notice how most people get it wrong! Small changes can make a big difference in results. Smartphones are amazingly sophisticated and make up for lots of human errors. But the better the starting point, the better the results.

Panoramas With iPhone

Taking stunning panorama photos with your iPhone is easy. Open the camera app and select Pano mode. Hold your phone close to your chest and slowly pan from left to right, keeping the arrow centered on the line.

Using a tripod can help keep your iPhone steady for the smoothest shots. If you don’t have one, practice stabilizing your hand while panning. Compose your shot by choosing where to start and end the panorama.

It’s also a great option for capturing tall cityscapes. Rotate your phone and pan up.

Try moving your phone slightly up and down while panning or capturing moving objects for creative effects. For more features, you can also use third-party apps like Microsoft Pix or 360 Panorama.

We have a helpful resource available if you want to learn more about iPhone panoramas.

Blurring Background (Bokeh)

Taking pictures with a blurry background, also known as bokeh, can add depth and creativity to your iPhone photos.

One of the easiest ways to achieve this effect is using your iPhone’s Portrait Mode. This feature automatically blurs the background while keeping your subject sharp. The bokeh makes your photos look like you took them with a professional camera!

If you have an older iPhone model without Portrait mode, you can still blur the background using third-party apps like Tadaa SLR or Instagram’s Focus Mode. These apps use algorithms to separate the subject from the background, letting you create a shallow depth-of-field effect.

Try using lens attachments or make filters for even more creative possibilities! Experimenting with different materials placed before your phone’s lens can lead to unique and surprising results.

If you want the cleanest, most professional-looking bokeh, consider connecting your DSLR to your iPhone and using Photoshop to take a picture with a blurry background.

HDR With iPhone

HDR, or high dynamic range, is a technique for capturing a wide range of light in photos.

It takes multiple shots at different exposures and combines them into one image. HDR helps to balance the highlights and shadows, giving you more detail in bright and dark areas of your photo.

To use HDR on your iPhone, open the camera app and look for the HDR option at the top of the screen. Tap it to turn it on, compose your shot, and take the photo.

Keep your phone steady while it captures multiple exposures. Use a tripod or set your phone on a stable surface for the best results.

HDR works well for landscapes, high-contrast scenes, and backlit subjects. It can also help in harsh sunlight by reducing the intensity of shadows and highlights.

If you want more control over your HDR photos, try third-party apps like Pro HDR or TrueHDR. These offer manual settings and extra features to fine-tune your images.

Learning more about HDR on your iPhone is worth your time.

Long Exposure With iPhone

Shooting long-exposure photos with an iPhone is easier than you think. All you need is a tripod to keep your phone stable. You can use the Live Photos feature to apply a long-exposure effect automatically or try third-party apps like Camera+ 2 for more control.

To capture long exposures during the day, use ND filters to block out some light. You can also get creative with light painting by drawing in the air with a flashlight while the shutter is open. Don’t be afraid to experiment without a tripod for unique motion effects.

Editing your long-exposure shots can make them even more stunning. Increase the contrast and darken the blacks to make the light streaks stand out. You’ll be amazed at the creative possibilities of long-exposure iPhone photography with practice.

Our guide to iPhone long-exposure photography is a great resource for diving deeper into this technique.

Time-Lapse With iPhone

Creating time-lapse videos on your iPhone is simple. Open the native camera app and select Time-lapse mode. Press the record button to start capturing photos every few seconds, then press it again to stop.

For the best results, use a tripod to keep your phone steady. Consider using a fisheye lens to make your shots look more engaging. You can also use third-party apps like Hyperlapse for image stabilization or NightCap Camera for shooting time-lapse videos at night.

Look for places with good lighting and plenty of movement, such as traffic, people, or the sky. You can also try shooting a stationary subject with a busy scene behind it to create an interesting effect.

Have a look at our guide to learn more about iPhone time-lapse photography.

Light Painting

Light painting is a fun photography technique that captures the movement of light in a scene. You don’t need expensive equipment. A decent smartphone with manual settings or a long-exposure camera app does the trick.

To get started, rest your phone on a tripod or a stable surface. To avoid any camera shake, use a camera remote (or your Apple Watch) or self-timer. You can also use an LED light, flashlight, or even another smartphone as the light source.

Experiment with different exposure times and light sources to create unique effects. You can capture traffic light trails or “paint” letters and shapes in the air.

With some practice, you can create stunning, ethereal images with your smartphone.

Read our in-depth guide to learn more about l ight painting with a phone.

Smartphone Photography Niches

Phone photography has progressed way beyond just snapping pictures on the go. Social media is one area where the phone is possibly the dominant tool. It isn’t the only niche, though. So, we have gathered advice and ideas for various photography genres for you to look at.

Portrait With iPhone

The iPhone’s Portrait Mode is a game-changer for mobile photography. It lets you take stunning photos with a blurred background, similar to what you’d get with a DSLR camera. To use it, launch the camera app and select Portrait Mode.

Ensure your subject’s eyes are visible and you’re not too close or far away. Portrait Mode works best with a simple background that doesn’t distract from your subject. Turn on the gridlines to help you compose a balanced image.

After taking your portrait, you can edit it in the phone’s app. You can adjust the amount of background blur, try different lighting effects, and use the basic editing tools to perfect your image.

For even more options, try a third-party app like Snapseed or Lightroom. With these iPhone Portrait mode tips, you’ll take professional portraits quickly.

Fashion

Smartphones have advanced greatly and can now take amazing fashion photos. If you want to get into fashion photography but don’t want to invest in expensive camera gear, your smartphone is a great option.

To take the best fashion photos with your phone, prioritize good lighting. Early morning or late afternoon are the best times to shoot outdoors. Indoors, pose your subject near windows or doors to use natural light.

Composition is key, so use the Rule of Thirds grid on your phone to place your subject uniquely. Communicate clearly with your model about the mood and emotions you want to capture.

Experiment with different angles and use your phone’s Portrait Mode to blur the background. You can also have fun with detachable lenses and props to add variety to your shots. After shooting, use editing apps like VSCO or Adobe Photoshop Express to perfect your images.

Fashion photography with a smartphone takes practice, but applying these tips can create impressive work. Check out our in-depth article to learn more about smartphone fashion photography.

Food

Food photography with your phone is easier than ever. Use natural light from a window or shoot outside in the shade for the best results. Avoid artificial lighting, which can create unwanted color casts and make your food look flat.

Composition is key—turn on the grid overlay on your phone’s camera to help you place the main elements of your dish along the lines or at the intersecting points. Close-up shots can be great, but be sure the viewer can still tell what the food is.

Editing your photos is important, but avoid using filters at full strength. Instead, you can use apps like Snapseed, VSCO, or Lightroom Mobile to adjust exposure, brightness, white balance, and saturation.

With some practice, you can create food photography with a phone that looks professional and delicious.

Landscape With iPhone

Taking stunning landscape photos with your iPhone is easy with the right techniques. Use a tripod to stabilize your phone and prevent motion blur, especially in low light. Tap the screen to set the focus on your main point of interest.

To create silhouettes, tap the brightest area and use the AE lock. Tap the dark area for backlit scenes, use the AE lock, and take the shot. HDR mode is great for high-contrast scenes, capturing multiple exposures to produce a balanced image.

Shoot around sunrise or sunset for the best light and colors. Compose your shot using the rule of thirds grid, placing key elements where the lines intersect.

Taking landscape photos on your iPhone is a great way to capture the beauty of nature wherever you go.

Flower

Flowers make beautiful subjects for smartphone photography. With the right techniques, you can capture their natural beauty. Get close to your subject to highlight the flower’s intricate details and eliminate distracting backgrounds.

Shoot in soft, diffused light for the best results. Overcast days or the golden hours around sunrise and sunset provide ideal lighting conditions. You can also create an indoor floral still life near a window, using a sheer curtain to diffuse direct sunlight.

Experiment with unique angles and compositions to make your flower photos stand out. Try shooting from a low perspective or adding water droplets for a fresh, dewy look.

Editing apps with tools like curves and white-balance correction can further enhance your images. For more tips on capturing stunning flower photos, explore in-depth tutorials and techniques from experienced photographers.

Product

You don’t need expensive equipment to take great product photos. Your smartphone camera is all you need. Use a tripod to keep your phone stable and the shots consistent. A white backdrop, like construction paper or a blanket, works well for a professional look.

Adjust your camera settings for the best results. Keep the ISO at 100 to avoid noise, choose the right aspect ratio, and use autofocus. Attach a macro lens for sharp close-ups, and experiment with Portrait Mode for a blurred background effect in lifestyle shots.

Natural light from windows is perfect for product photography. Place your product near a window to take advantage of the soft, even light. Use table lamps with bendable necks and matching color temperatures if the light is too dim.

After shooting, use editing apps like Adobe Lightroom, VSCO, or Snapseed to color correct, adjust exposure, and remove blemishes. With these tips, you can take smartphone product photography that looks professional.

Street

Smartphone street photography is a fun and creative way to capture the world around you. Apps like Camera+ give you more control over your phone’s camera, with features like exposure lock, focus lock, and shutter release. Apps let you take better photos in tricky lighting situations.

When composing your shots, look for interesting backgrounds like walls or windows to frame your subject. Getting close to your subject can also lead to more compelling images.

Working on a photography project or theme is a great way to push your creativity. You could focus on a specific location, like a market or city, or explore ideas like light and shadow.

With some practice and experimentation, you can create stunning street photos with your smartphone.

To learn more techniques for smartphone street photography, check out our in-depth guide.

Action

Capturing fast-moving objects with your phone can be challenging, but simple techniques can help you get great action shots. First, anticipate your subject’s movement and be ready to take the shot. Pay attention to your composition, keeping your subject in the frame.

Using burst mode is a great way to capture the perfect moment. Press and hold the shutter button, and your phone rapidly takes many photos.

You can also try panning (following your subject from left to right or vice versa). Do this using a slow shutter speed to add motion blur to the background.

Experiment with different angles to add drama to your action shots. Low angles can make your subject look bigger and more heroic while shooting from above can show more of the environment.

Perhaps you want to capture fast-moving objects with a phone and fit everything in the frame. If so, consider using a fisheye lens or the built-in super-wide-angle lens on newer phones.

Nighttime With iPhone

Capturing stunning night photos with your iPhone is easier than you think. Start using a third-party app like Camera+ 2 that lets you adjust settings manually.

Keep your ISO between 400 and 800 to avoid grainy images. And use a shutter speed of 1/120 to 1/60 s (seconds) for handheld shots.

Stabilize your phone with a tripod to prevent motion blur using slower shutter speeds. Activate HDR to capture more detail in highlights and shadows. Try shooting during the blue hour just before sunrise or after sunset for vivid sky colors.

Get creative with long exposure effects like light streaks from moving cars. Play around with editing apps to adjust brightness, contrast, and other settings for the best results. If colors look distracting, try converting to black and white for an elegant look.

With practice, you’ll be taking incredible iPhone night photographs in no time.

Photography Apps

Smartphone photography has come a long way. There are many great apps for photographers of all levels. Camera apps like Photoshop and Pro Camera give you manual control over settings like ISO and shutter speed.

For editing, Lightroom Mobile and VSCO are popular choices. They have preset filters for quick adjustments and advanced tools for precise edits. Snapseed is another powerful editor with brushes for healing imperfections.

PhotoPills and The Photographer’s Ephemeris are helpful planning apps. These astronomy apps help calculate the positions of the sun, moon, and stars to find the best shooting times.

Flickr and 500px are great platforms for sharing your best work with the photography community. The best photography apps have made taking and editing stunning photos on your phone easier.

iPhone Camera Apps

The best camera apps for iPhone can take your photography to new levels. Camera+ 2 offers manual settings like ISO, white balance, and shutter speed. You can also shoot in RAW and edit the photos in the app.

ProCamera has features similar to Camera+ 2. You can also use your Apple Watch as a remote trigger. The long exposure feature lets you set a self-timer and exposure time for several seconds.

The Slow Shutter Cam app is great for long exposures and creating motion blur or light painting effects. It may not have all the newest iPhone’s Night mode features. But it’s still a solid option for creative photography.

Camera apps for iPhone can open up new possibilities for your mobile photography!

Android Camera Apps

If you’re an Android user, there are also apps to take your smartphone photography to the next level. The native camera app on most Android phones has improved. But many people want more control and features.

Apps like ProShot and Camera Zoom FX Premium offer ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation manual controls. For those looking to boost their social media content, apps like Adobe Photoshop Camera and Cymera have excellent portrait controls and fun filters.

Are you a keen photographer who wants the most control? Apps like ProShot and Camera FV-5 have DSLR-like interfaces and support RAW files.

With so many great camera apps available, you can find the perfect one for your needs. If you’d like to learn more about camera apps for Android, we have a detailed guide that covers the best options.

Photo Storage

Smartphones make it easy to take photos, but storage space fills up fast. Free photo storage apps can help manage your growing collection. Dropbox and Google Photos are popular options that automatically upload and sync your images across devices.

iCloud is the go-to for Apple users, with 5 GB of free storage. Larger plans are surprisingly affordable. Amazon Prime members get unlimited photo storage with the Amazon Photos app. Microsoft OneDrive provides 5 GB of free storage for various file types.

Mylio takes a different approach by keeping your photos on a primary device instead of the cloud. Photography communities like 500px and Flickr offer free storage with some limitations.

We cover the best free photo storage apps in depth if you want to learn more.

Photo Recovery

Having a reliable photo recovery app can be a lifesaver. You might accidentally delete important photos or lose them due to phone issues.

These apps scan your device’s internal memory or SD card to find and restore lost images. They are quick and easy to use, making the recovery process simple.

The best photo recovery apps are compatible with both Android and iOS devices. Some even offer extra features like cloud backup or permanently destroying files. Choosing a reputable app ensures your data stays safe during recovery.

With the right photo recovery app, you can retrieve lost photos in just a few steps and avoid losing precious memories forever.

Scanner Apps

Do you have old photos you want to digitize but don’t own a scanner? You only need a smartphone to scan your printed memories. There are many photo scanner apps available for iOS and Android devices.

Adobe Scan is a popular choice. It uses AI to automatically correct perspective and remove glare and shadows.

Microsoft Lens is an all-in-one scanner that produces high-quality scans in formats like PDF, Excel, and Word. Clear Scanner has a user-friendly interface and advanced features like edge detection, all for free.

Photo Scan by Google Photos combines four separate scans into one glare-free image. Pic Scanner Gold and FilmBox by Photomyne can scan multiple photos simultaneously, and they offer editing tools to restore faded colors in old prints.

Try photo scanner apps with unique features for the best results when scanning photos.

Editing Apps

You can also use your smartphone for photo editing. We all know how great smartphone cameras are, but now you can enhance and adjust your images using editing apps.

You no longer have to rely on big, expensive photo editing software on your computer. You can do everything you need to do right on your smartphone. The apps don’t have some of the advanced tools of the full editing suits. But apps like Adobe Lightroom Mobile and Prisma have sophisticated tools for enhancing images.

See our full article on the best photo editing apps for more information. We’ll give you an introduction to editing apps below, but you need to see that article full picture.

Best Editing Apps

Editing your smartphone photos is a must to make them stand out. Many editing apps are available for both Android and iOS devices. Some are simple and only offer filters, while others have advanced editing tools.

Adobe Lightroom for Mobile and Adobe Photoshop Express are two popular options. They offer a variety of features and are easy to use. Snapseed is another great choice, especially for beginners.

VSCO is perfect if you like the look of film photography. It has a massive collection of filters and advanced controls. TouchRetouch is the best app for removing unwanted objects from your photos.

Check out our in-depth guide to learn about the best editing app options.

Background Removal Apps

There are many reasons to change the background of your photos. Sometimes, backgrounds are too simple or busy, so we want to change them completely. Other times, we can use a background app to make a subject stand out.

The best background change apps offer advanced tools, such as different blending modes and double exposures. They also let you create shadows to make your results look natural.

Simple apps are great for quick edits, while more complex ones are better for creating art pieces or surreal collages. When choosing a background changer app, look for accuracy, smooth brush tools, and a good selection of backgrounds.

Also, consider how much you’ll use the app and how simple you want the editing process.

Look at our guide to learn more about using a background change app.

Collage Apps

Creating photo collages is easier than ever with the right app. The best collage apps offer a variety of templates, layouts, and editing tools to help you make unique designs. Some apps even let you add videos and music to your collages.

Popular collage apps include Canva, PicStitch, and Moldiv. These apps have user-friendly interfaces that make it simple to arrange your photos. You can also add text, stickers, and filters to personalize your collages.

When choosing a collage app, look for one with plenty of layout options and the ability to adjust borders and backgrounds. You can create eye-catching social media or print designs with the perfect collage app.

Photo Management

As camera phone sensors gain more pixels, phone memory comes under increasing pressure. One way to alleviate this stress is to use a management and file transfer solution. You can use the native phone apps or opt for a third-party answer.

You might also want to scan or print images. If that’s the case, we have you covered!

iPhone to Computer

Transferring photos from your iPhone to your computer is simple. You have several options, including using the Photos app, iCloud, or Airdrop on a Mac. ITunes and cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox work well for PC users.

To transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac, connect your phone and open the Photos app. Select the images you want to download. iCloud Photos lets you sync images between devices wirelessly. Airdrop is another Bluetooth option, so you don’t need Wi-Fi.

Sending photos back to your iPhone is just as easy. Use iTunes to sync albums from your computer to your phone. Cloud services work in both directions, so you can upload from any device and access your photos anywhere.

If you want to transfer photos from an iPhone to a computer, these methods help keep your memories safe and accessible.

Live Photo Transfer

Apple’s Live Photos captures moments before and after you press the shutter button. This feature lets you save moving images that tell a story. To take a Live Photo, tap the icon with three concentric circles at the top right of your camera screen.

Encourage your subjects to move around to make the footage interesting. Look for elements like swaying trees or moving water in landscapes. You can edit Live Photos like regular images but with extra tools to mute the sound, choose a key photo, and add special effects.

Sharing Live Photos is easy, but they only play for other iPhone users. You can convert them to videos using apps like Lively to share on more platforms. For even more control, edit converted Live Photos in apps like iMovie or Adobe Premiere Rush.

Sending live photos is a great way to capture and share special moments!

Scanning Photos

Scanning photos with your phone is quick and easy. Use Google Photos or Microsoft Lens to digitize your printed pictures in just a few steps.

Google Photos has a simple interface that looks like a regular camera app. It also has an anti-glare feature to avoid bright spots in your scans. Follow the on-screen instructions to scan your photo, then crop it to remove any unwanted background.

Microsoft Lens works similarly but also lets you scan documents and whiteboards. It has various editing tools to touch up your scans before saving them as JPEG, PDF, or PowerPoint files.

Scanning a photo with your phone is a breeze once you get the hang of it.

iPhone Photo Printing

Printing iPhone photos is easy with the right tools and techniques. Use an online printing service like Shutterfly for high-quality prints. You can also print at home with an inkjet printer, but it may be tricky to get good results.

Taking your photos to a local photo lab is the most expensive and convenient option. Look at your iPhone’s resolution to determine how big you can print. Decide your printing purpose and choose the right print size.

Get your photos ready for printing by adjusting the resolution and other settings. Choose a photo paper type and size that fits your needs.

At home, use AirPrint for a quick printing process. Try a portable printer for more convenient printing on the go. We’ve put together a useful guide to learn more about iPhone printing.

Smartphone Photography Gear

There are many things to consider when choosing a new smartphone. Maybe your main consideration is the quality of its camera or how well you can use it for photography and video. That helps to narrow down the selection.

Almost every phone these days has a pretty decent camera. But the best ones excel, and we’re here to help you find your way through the options.

But there are other gadgets and gizmos that can enhance your smartphone photography. You can get attachable zoom or macro lenses. You can get tripods and gimbals for stabilization. And you can also get external microphones for professional sound recording.

We’ll give you an introduction to some of the best smartphone accessories here, but we also have a full article on the best smartphone photography gear. That’s the place to go if you want to see all the best camera phone gadgets.

Smartphone Cameras

The camera phone has revolutionized photography. Smartphones now have cameras that rival or surpass many compact cameras. The best camera phones offer multiple lenses, high-resolution sensors, and advanced features like optical image stabilization.

When choosing a camera phone, consider the number and type of lenses. A wide-angle lens is great for landscapes, while a telephoto lens helps you get closer to your subject. Look for a main sensor with at least 48 MP for detailed images.

If you want to learn more about camera phones, check out our guide. It covers the top Apple, Google, and Samsung models and details camera specs and features.

Our Top 3 Choices for Smartphone Photography Cameras

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512 GB Blue

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

iPhone or Android?

There’s no clear winner in the iPhone versus Android camera debate. The latest and best iPhone and Android phones have astonishing cameras, which is why the consumer-level compact camera has all but disappeared.

The top contenders are the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 8 Pro. The Phone 15 Pro boasts a 48 MP main camera, adding 2x, 3x, and 5x telephoto to the 0.5x and 1x. The Pixel 8 Pro gets a whole extra camera with a 48 MP sensor and an optical 5x zoom.

Choosing between the best iPhone and Android phones comes down to personal preference. When looking at side-by-side comparisons, you may prefer one over the other.

It might also depend on which operating system you prefer. Read our in-depth comparison to learn more about the differences between iPhone and Android cameras.

Best iPhone Camera

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the best iPhone camera available. It has a 48 MP main sensor, up to 5x telephoto zoom, and can shoot 4K video at 60 fps. The iPhone 15 Pro is a close second, with most of the same features except for the 5x zoom.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is still an excellent choice for those on a tighter budget. It has a 48 MP main sensor, sensor-shift image stabilization, and can also shoot 4K video at 60 fps.

If you want to learn more about the best iPhone camera, our comparisons can help you find the model that best suits your needs and budget.

Our Top 3 Smartphone Photography iPhone Cameras

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512 GB Blue

Apple iPhone 15 Pro (128 GB)

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max 128 GB

iPhone Accessories

The best iPhone camera accessories make an incredible piece of technology even better. Our top pick is the HP Sprocket Portable Printer. It’s battery-powered, prints wirelessly, and the photos are fadeproof.

The Selvim 4-in-1 Phone Lens Kit is like a Swiss army knife with attachable optics. It includes telephoto, fisheye, wide angle, and macro lenses that snap onto your phone. The ATUMTEK Selfie Stick Tripod is perfect for selfies and group photos.

These iPhone camera accessories can help you take your mobile photography to the next level. iPhone camera accessories are a great way to get the most out of your phone’s camera and expand your creative options.

Our Top 3 Choices for Smartphone Photography iPhone Accessories

HP Sprocket 3 x 4 Instant Photo Printer

Selvim 4-in-1 Phone Lens Kit for iPhone & Android

ATUMTEK Selfie Stick Tripod

Phone Tripod Mounts

Tripod mounts provide a stable base for your smartphone, letting you capture sharp photos and smooth videos. They come in various designs.

Some have flexible legs that wrap around objects to telescoping selfie sticks that double as tripods. Others even include Bluetooth remotes for wireless control.

Look for a mount with a secure grip to hold your phone firmly in place. Spring-loaded clamps and rubberized pads prevent scratches while keeping your device safe.

Compact and lightweight options are ideal for travel photography. They fold small to fit in your pocket or bag, ready to use whenever inspiration strikes.

You can take your mobile photography to new heights with the right phone tripod mount. Our top recommendation is the Manfrotto Mini Tripod Kit with a universal smartphone clamp.

Our Top 3 Smartphone Photography Tripod Mounts

Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod

JOBY GorillaPod 1K Kit and Smartphone Mount

Joby GripTight ONE GorillaPod for Smartphones

10 Tips for Professional Food Photography with a Phone

Trevor Marshall — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 17:02:55 +0000

Food photography is a challenging and rewarding art form that can be a lot of fun to learn. Whether you want to spice up your social media or take photos for a cookbook, knowing the right food photography techniques is a must.

In this article, we’ll provide ten tips for taking professional food photos with a phone. We’ll discuss how to use your phone’s camera to take great photos. And we’ll provide some tips on how to edit them to wow your viewers.

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How to Shoot Food Photography With a Phone

Shooting food photography with a phone is similar to shooting with a DSLR or mirrorless camera. But there are a few differences. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about food photography with a phone.

1. Develop Your Individual Style for Consistent Results

Succeeding on social media these days means having a consistent brand. Your images don’t have to look the same. But there should be certain elements that are consistent throughout your photos.

This could be a palette made up of two or three of the same colors or similar backgrounds in all of your images. It can also mean that all of your pictures are dark and moody or, conversely, light and airy.

If you look at the most successful Instagram accounts, you will find that most of them have repetitive elements. All of the images have a specific look and style.

Take a good look at your images and figure out the consistencies you see. Through that, you’ll develop a style over time. The more specific you are in your approach, the better your feed will look. This helps draw an audience that resonates with your style.

2. Tell a Story With Your Photos to Engage Your Viewers

Close-up images and minimalist photos look great. But what about adding a narrative to your pictures?

You can give your viewer an idea of a broader story taking place beyond the confines of the frame. It could be anything from a table setting with partially cropped-out elements or someone’s hands serving food. Including people in your food photography gives context to an image and makes it relatable.

The next time you are shooting lattes in a cafe, take a picture of your friend’s hands holding the mug. Or if you’re at a restaurant, take the shot just as they are tucking into their brunch.

3. Elevate Your Food Photos in Post-Processing

It’s best not to use filters in food photography. But your pictures will likely still need some editing to look great.

The best approach is to use apps like Snapseed, VSCO, or Lightroom Mobile. Of course, there are many other great photo editing apps. But these are the three I would recommend the most.

Make sure to adjust your images for exposure, brightness, white balance, and saturation. If necessary, you can also add a bit of clarity for contrast.

If you find some filters that look good, don’t use them at full strength. Apply them and adjust the image as needed. Unfortunately, one-click edits don’t tend to work as well in food photography as in other photography genres.

4. Style Your Dishes for Delicious Results

Food styling is essential in food photography. You can have the right angle, perfect exposure, and an excellent subject. But if the dish looks sloppy, the result will be unappealing.

If you’re shooting at home, use herbs and garnishes to elevate the aesthetic of your image. You can also use other food items like chunks of bread or extra sauce. Sometimes, I even sprinkle some coarse salt or pepper onto my food to give it texture.

Whether shooting with an iPhone or a DSLR, photographers usually bring items like vintage cutlery or squares of linen to restaurant shoots. Doing so adds a bit of pizzazz to what may be otherwise dull and typical flatware.

5. Use a Color Wheel to Create Visual Harmony

Food photography is unlike other kinds of photography in that it’s best not to use filters when editing. The colors need to be natural and work together for your images to look their best.

The color wheel shows you what colors complement each other. It is your guide to harmonious compositions.

I refer to mine all the time when I’m planning my shoots. You can move the arrows and triangles around to see which tones work best together.

Combinations that work very well are blue and orange, purple and yellow, or red and green. These colors are opposite each other on the color wheel.

6. Compose Your Smartphone Food Shots Using a Grid

Composition is a crucial skill you need to learn when it comes to taking pictures.

I think of composition rules as guidelines because they don’t always work for every image. But you should still keep them in mind to get the most out of your pictures.

First, you need to understand negative and positive space in the composition. Positive space is the area occupied by your subjects. Negative space is the empty area in the image.

Negative space allows the eye to rest as it moves through the images. In contrast, filling up your frame might give the viewer a claustrophobic feeling.

The rule of thirds is arguably one of the most useful food photography tips you’ll get for composition. It’s a compositional guideline that divides an image into nine equal sections using two horizontal lines and two vertical lines. The critical elements in the scene fall along these lines or at the intersecting points.

This grid helps add harmony to your images and will aid you considerably in creating your composition. Thankfully, your smartphone already has this grid as an overlay when you turn on your camera.

All you have to do is place your focal point where the lines intersect. Your main point of interest could be anything from a garnish to a piece of meat you want to showcase.

You can even use the golden ratio if you want to take this concept even further. It’s an even more powerful compositional tool that works particularly well for smartphone food photography.

7. Use Neutral Backgrounds to Highlight the Food

In food photography, you want the backdrop to be neutral because the food is the star. Anything else in the image needs to support it, not detract from it. A background that is too colorful or textured draws the eye away from the main dish.

With smartphone food photography, it’s hard to get bokeh. If you have a more modern smartphone, you’ll likely have access to portrait mode. This will help you achieve some bokeh. If not, it’s a good idea to keep your background simple.

A bit of creativity will serve you well. You don’t always have to shoot food on the table. I sometimes put the dish on a concrete floor or neutral-colored tile with an interesting pattern.

Another thing is that a lot of food pictures on Instagram look messy. And I don’t necessarily mean the food itself, but the environment. Often, there are too many props that distract the viewer.

One of the best food photography tips I can give you is to go for a tight shot. Close-ups and macro shots of food can look great. Just be sure that you are not shooting so close that the viewer won’t be able to tell what food they are looking at.

Also, don’t overlook unintentional drips or smears on plates. They can be distracting and challenging to fix in post-production.

8. Make the Most of Your Phone’s Wide-Angle Lens

One of the biggest mistakes people make when shooting food with a smartphone is choosing the wrong angle. More basic smartphone cameras have a very wide-angle lens. This means that certain angles will cause your images to look distorted.

A 1x lens will typically look good. To get the best results, shoot overhead or straight on to your subject instead.

The reason flat lays and overhead shots have become so popular is because of the angle you shoot from. It eliminates depth and makes your photos pop. You can fit a lot more elements in the scene, and it’s relatively easy to compose.

However, this angle doesn’t work for everything. It’s terrible when taking pictures of tall foods such as burgers.

When you shoot tall food like burgers, lay your camera on the table for a straight-on shot. That way, you showcase all the ingredients in the dish. From this angle, the wide-angle lens also helps make the food look bigger than in real life.

9. Get the Perfect Exposure With Bounce Cards

iPhones can correctly expose pictures when shooting in ideal conditions. But you don’t always get the best lighting in food photography.

Smartphone food photography requires constant problem-solving. But a bit of creativity combined with what’s already around you can go a long way!

You can boost the brightness of your scene by using a piece of white foam core as a bounce card. As the name suggests, a bounce card reflects some of the light from the main light source onto the set.

You can also invest in a reflector kit and bring it to a restaurant to diffuse the light. Or you can open reflectors to bounce more light onto the dishes.

Your smartphone also has a feature called “exposure lock.” It keeps the exposure at the level you want to create a well-lit image. Simply tap on the screen and you will see a sun icon appear. Move your finger up or down to adjust your exposure accordingly.

10. Use Natural Light for Food Photography

When you shoot with your smartphone, ensure that you are using natural light.

Most food pictures regular people take in restaurants look horrible because of artificial lighting. Fluorescent and other types of artificial lights create unwanted color casts. As a result, they cause your pictures to look hard and flat.

Your food needs to look as fresh as possible to look appealing. To achieve this, natural light is the way to go. Professional food photographers use large and expensive studio lights to mimic natural, diffused daylight.

But how can you shoot photos at home without strobes or expensive equipment? Simply bring your plate to a window with natural light or shoot outside in the shade.

Make sure you stay away from the bright sun as it creates hard shadows in your scene. If you can’t avoid it, shield your dish with a small diffusion disc or panel. It works much like a window in softening the light.

Conclusion—Food Photography With a Phone

Smartphone photography should be fun! And food photography is no different. These tips will help you create some delicious-looking photos. Explore what works and what doesn’t. Experiment with different techniques for different dishes!

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Which iPhone Has the Best Camera? (Best iPhone Camera)

Trevor Marshall — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 14:28:51 +0000

It’s hard to keep up with the latest smartphone developments. And choosing the best iPhone camera is no different. After a period of incremental change in camera specs, the iPhone 14 had significant improvements. The 2023 iPhone 15 was a more incremental change, but we think it still puts it at the top of the pile.

We’ve considered all of the camera specs of all of these cameras. And the iPhone 15 Pro’s sensor size, processor, and camera options put it in a class of its own.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro are our top picks. Like the 14, they use the biggest sensor Apple has ever used. It has 48 MP, up to 240 fps slow motion, and sensor-shift image stabilization. It shares all of this with the previous generation iPhone 14.

With this new model, you also get the latest version of Smart HDR. And perhaps most significantly, on the Pro Max, there is a whole extra level of zoom. It adds a 5x optical zoom to the 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x found on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. It’s a significant step up, and it makes it a worthy flagship for the tech giant.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best iPhone Camera

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512 GB Blue

Apple iPhone 15 Pro (128 GB)

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max 128 GB

What Is the Best iPhone Camera?

All of the current iPhones offer excellent cameras. The image processing makes it easier than ever to achieve amazing results. We’ll look at the best iPhone cameras in more detail. But first, here’s a summary of the best models.

Our Top Pick

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512 GB Blue

Maximum 48MP sensor
Up to 5x telephoto
Macro capability
240 fps slow motion
4K video at 60 fps

Best All-Around iPhone

Apple iPhone 15 Pro (128 GB)

48MP sensor
Three-camera system
Macro and portrait modes
240 fps slow motion
4K video at 60 fps

Best iPhone 14

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max 128 GB

48 MP main sensor
Sensor-shift image stabilization
77mm telephoto lens
4K video at up to 60 fps
240 fps slo-mo at up to 1080p

Best iPhone 13

Apple iPhone 13 Pro 128GB Alpine Green + Subscription

Three-camera system
12 MP on all cameras
4K video at up to 60 fps
Sensor-shift image stabilization
Portrait mode for enhanced bokeh

Best Value iPhone 14

Apple iPhone 14

Two 12 MP rear cameras
4K video at up to 60 fps
Sensor-shift image stabilization
Comes with the Dynamic Island feature
TrueDepth front camera with AF

Best Non-Pro Model

Apple iPhone 15 (128 GB)

48 MP main sensor
Fast f/1.7 lens
230 fps slow motion at 1080p
4K video
Sensor-shift image stabilization

Best Budget iPhone 13

Apple iPhone 13 512GB Midnight + Carrier Sub

4K video at up to 60 fps
12 MP front and rear cameras
Night mode
Sensor-shift image stabilization
Fast f/1.6 main camera

Which iPhone Has the Best iPhone Camera?

The current flagship iPhone leads the way for quality and versatility. But the other iPhone cameras in this review are all worth a look, especially if your budget won’t stretch to a brand-new iPhone 15 Pro Max.

1. iPhone 15 Pro Max

Release Date	Release Date 23/09/2023
Main Camera	Main Camera 48 MP
Telephoto Camera	Telephoto Camera 12 MP
Ultra-Wide Camera	Ultra-Wide Camera 12 MP
Front Camera	Front Camera 12 MP
Max Video Resolution	Max Video Resolution 4K/60 fps
Max Video fps	Max Video fps 240/1080p
Image Stabilization	Image Stabilization Sensor-shift
Key Features	Key Features Up to 5x zoom, True-Depth front camera with autofocus, Dynamic Island feature
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for the best iPhone with incredible cameras

With the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple introduced a specification gap between their Pro Max and Pro models. The latest Pro Max adds a 5x telephoto, which isn’t included in its smaller sibling. All its other features are the same except for a bigger screen size.

The biggest upgrade with the 15 was the adoption of the USB-C port. Given that iPads and all modern Mac laptops have this, it isn’t such a leap. But there were also some improvements in camera features.

Some of these were aimed at video lovers. The iPhone 15 now has log video recording and Academy Color Encoding. Chances are you will know what these are if you need them. In short, they help to ensure both increased detail in highlight areas and consistency in color throughout the process.

There is a slight improvement in video capability. 4K video is now available at 60 fps, and you get ProRes 4K video at 60 fps on the front camera.

In most other respects, the new version is largely the same. The screen size and resolution are the same. Speed is improved with the A17 Pro chip and a 6-core GPU instead of the 5-core of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

So, the changes are largely incremental, but the 5x telephoto is a genuine step up. The other improvements are all worthy, and the USB-C port could be important too. Apart from the overall compatibility, it allows the iPhone 15 Pro Max to record high quality video to an external drive. And that’s important, given how space-hungry pro-level video encoding is.

2. iPhone 15 Pro

Release Date	Release Date 23/09/2023
Main Camera	Main Camera 48 MP
Telephoto Camera	Telephoto Camera 12 MP
Ultra-Wide Camera	Ultra-Wide Camera 12 MP
Front Camera	Front Camera 12 MP
Max Video Resolution	Max Video Resolution 4K/60 fps
Max Video fps	Max Video fps 240/1080p
Image Stabilization	Image Stabilization Sensor-shift
Key Features	Key Features True-Depth front camera with autofocus, Dynamic Island feature
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a comfortably sized iPhone with top features

As we have already seen, the iPhone 15 Pro shares most specs with the Pro Max. This makes it a very capable performer. One of the most remarkable capabilities of the iPhone 15 Pro range is its low-light shooting. You can shoot handheld in partial moonlight and still get beautiful photos. It’s remarkable.

The form factor of the Pro seems perfect to me. The Pro Max is too big for my taste, but for some it’s worth it for the 5x telephoto. And for some, the extra screen size or longer battery life makes it a compromise worth making. But for me, the iPhone 15 Pro hits the sweet spot of being large enough without being too much.

In many ways, the iPhone 15 Pro is neck and neck with the Pro Max. But the lack of the 5x telephoto is its one weakness. Nonetheless, it’s an outstanding camera phone.

3. iPhone 14 Pro Max

Release Date	Release Date 16/09/2022
Main Camera	Main Camera 48 MP
Telephoto Camera	Telephoto Camera 12 MP
Ultra-Wide Camera	Ultra-Wide Camera 12 MP
Front Camera	Front Camera 12 MP
Max Video Resolution	Max Video Resolution 4K/60 fps
Max Video fps	Max Video fps 240/1080p
Image Stabilization	Image Stabilization Sensor-shift
Key Features	Key Features True-Depth front camera with autofocus, Dynamic Island feature
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a superb iPhone with incredible cameras

When Apple released the iPhone 14 in September 2022, it marked a significant jump in camera specs. The previous flagship—the 13 Pro Max—had a 12 MP main camera. The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max pushed this to 48 MP. Interestingly, they use this 48 MP capacity to give what Apple calls “optical-quality zoom.” In effect, you shoot in 48 MP RAW and can zoom (aka crop) to a 12 MP 2x telephoto.

We’ve put the Pro and Pro Max together in this review. That’s because their photo capabilities are the same. The difference is in the size of the screen. If you don’t mind the extra size, you’ll get to appreciate your photos much more on the bigger screen.

The 48 MP main camera on the iPhone 14 Pro/14 Pro Max is a 24mm f/1.78 seven-element lens. It is notable for its quad-pixel construction and its sensor-shift image stabilization (IS). This is used to give supersmooth video and to keep your shots sharp.

A 12 MP 2x telephoto 48mm f/1.78 “lens” is achieved by using a sensor crop from the main camera. Both have 100% focus pixels, which means both have edge-to-edge autofocus.

The 12 MP ultra-wide lens is a 13mm f/2.2 six-element lens. The 120-degree field of view will give you GoPro-like images and video. Like the main camera, it has 100% focus pixels.

The final lens on the back of the phone is a 12 MP 77mm f/2.8 six-element telephoto lens. It has optical IS in both photo and video modes.

So the camera configurations are impressive. But smartphone cameras are not all about lens sizes and specs. What enables your tiny smartphone camera lens to produce stunning results is the software.

Once the light from the lens hits the sensor, smartphone manufacturers apply lots of tweaks. These make up for the shortcomings of the small lens, which is smaller than a fingernail.

One example of this is the portrait-friendly 77mm lens. It benefits from its large-ish maximum aperture to produce bokeh and throw the background out of focus. But additional processing will enhance that effect.

Video is well-covered on the iPhone 14 Pros. With a headline figure of 4K at up to 60 fps, you also get Apple ProRes video. And there are other modes, including Cinematic mode, which shoots at 4K HDR at 30 fps. You can also get that GoPro look with 240 fps slo-mo at 1080p. With image stabilization and an ultra-wide lens, it’s quite the feature.

The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max used to be the clear winners of the best iPhone camera award. That is until the iPhone 15 was released. But they are still superb phones. If you want the best viewing experience, then go for the Max. If you like a smaller phone, the iPhone 14 Pro is for you.

4. iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max

Release Date	Release Date 24/09/2022
Main Camera	Main Camera 12 MP
Telephoto Camera	Telephoto Camera 12 MP
Ultra-Wide Camera	Ultra-Wide Camera 12 MP
Front Camera	Front Camera 12 MP
Max Video Resolution	Max Video Resolution 4K/60 fps
Max Video fps	Max Video fps 240/1080p
Image Stabilization	Image Stabilization Sensor-shift
Key Features	Key Features Excellent nighttime shooting capabilities and all-day battery life
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a lower-priced three-camera system

We’ll consider the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max together as well. The cameras are the same, with the difference being screen size and battery performance. The iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max is still a fantastic camera on any smartphone, whether iOS or Android. And you get an excellent set of camera hardware and features.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 12 MP sensor resolution. And that’s for the cameras on the front and rear of the phone. The front camera has a wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture. This is perfect for snapping some stunning selfies!

Other photographers will be more interested in the rear camera. It’s a triple-camera unit with three separate lenses. There’s an ultra-wide lens with an f/1.8 aperture. There’s an f/1.5 wide-angle lens. And there’s a telephoto lens with an f/2.8 aperture to complete the trio. The three lenses give you incredible shooting options. It’s a versatile smartphone for photographers.

The native camera app is packed with photography features. There’s a portrait mode for front and rear cameras. There’s depth control for accurate shooting. And there’s a night mode for after-dark photography. The Smart HDR is great for stills, but you also get HDR video recording.

The 13 Pro Max is a fantastic video camera too. You can shoot 4K Dolby Vision videos at a frame rate of 60 fps. And you have Cinematic mode for pro-looking videos. It adds a shallow depth of field to the footage. And it can shift focus from one subject to another automatically.

We recommend the version with 512 GB of memory. But you can get the 1 TB model if you need more storage. The battery life is excellent, which is one of the reasons the iPhone 13 Pro Max beats the iPhone 13 Pro. It has an improved battery life, and the bigger screen allows you to see your photos more clearly.

5. iPhone 14/14 Plus

Release Date	Release Date 23/11/2022
Main Camera	Main Camera 12 MP
Telephoto Camera	Telephoto Camera N/A
Ultra-Wide Camera	Ultra-Wide Camera 12 MP
Front Camera	Front Camera 12 MP
Max Video Resolution	Max Video Resolution 4K/60 fps
Max Video fps	Max Video fps 240/1080p
Image Stabilization	Image Stabilization Sensor-shift
Key Features	Key Features True-Depth front camera with autofocus, Dynamic Island feature
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a modern iteration of the iPhone, but who's happy with a dual-camera system

The main difference between the iPhone 14/14 Plus and the Pro versions lies in the camera. It’s immediately obvious as there is a cluster of two, not three, lenses on the back. What’s missing is the telephoto lens. And this means there is no ProRes 4K or macro video.

Other than that, photographic performance is the same. The iPhone 14 Plus offers a larger screen. But the choice between these two and the Pro versions is entirely down to how important the extra telephoto lens is for you.

6. iPhone 15

Release Date	Release Date 23/09/2023
Main Camera	Main Camera 48 MP
Ultra-Wide Camera	Ultra-Wide Camera 12 MP
Front Camera	Front Camera 12 MP
Max Video Resolution	Max Video Resolution 4K/60 fps
Max Video fps	Max Video fps 240/1080p
Image Stabilization	Image Stabilization Sensor-shift
Key Features	Key Features True-Depth front camera with autofocus, Dynamic Island feature
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a solid iPhone with USB-C connectivity

The iPhone 15 offers fewer compelling reasons for upgrading from the 14. That’s not to say it’s a bad phone camera. Indeed, it is excellent in many respects. But the lack of a third rear camera and some camera features do make it a little less attractive.

That being said, you get a 48 MP sensor and a superb display with 2000 nits maximum brightness. This makes seeing your 4K video and your HDR photos with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio all the better. It lacks the macro and Apple ProRAW features, so that is a consideration if they are important to you.

The iPhone 15 is a brilliant camera phone and offers very good value. It is, for sure, less capable than its more expensive Pro stablemates. But it is unlikely to disappoint.

7. iPhone 13/13 Mini

Release Date	Release Date 24/09/2022
Main Camera	Main Camera 12 MP
Telephoto Camera	Telephoto Camera N/A
Ultra-Wide Camera	Ultra-Wide Camera 12 MP
Front Camera	Front Camera 12 MP
Max Video Resolution	Max Video Resolution 4K/60 fps
Max Video fps	Max Video fps 240/1080p
Image Stabilization	Image Stabilization Sensor-shift
Key Features	Key Features Night mode and Portrait mode with advanced bokeh control
Best For	Best For Getting a recent iPhone without breaking the bank

You will notice a pattern with the iPhone 13. It’s pretty much the same as its Pro/Pro Plus siblings but without the telephoto camera. But in every other respect, the iPhone 13 matches its more expensive counterpart.

The iPhone 13 Mini packs the same features into a smaller body. And it does so at a decent cost saving. It’s a great way to go if you want a better price or a smaller phone.

Buyer’s Guide—What to Look For in the Best iPhone Camera

There’s some technical stuff you’ll want to know to help you find the best iPhone camera. You must look at a few camera specs when hunting for the best iPhone camera. And knowing this information will help you make the right decision.

Sensor Resolution

Sensor resolution is one of the best indicators of image quality. We measure resolution in megapixels (MP). The number of megapixels refers to the number of pixels on the camera’s sensor. The general rule is the higher the MP count, the better the image quality. Looking at the MP shows you which iPhone camera has a higher resolution.

You should be looking for an iPhone camera with a 12 MP resolution or higher. That gives you wonderful image quality. Older models have a lower pixel count. While that does mean a downgrade in quality, they can be cheaper. You also need to check the MP for the front and rear cameras. The front camera sometimes has a lower resolution than the rear cameras.

Optical and Digital Zoom

iPhone cameras have zoom capabilities. You won’t see anything much beyond a 2x to 5x zoom range. But that can help you get the shot you want. You also need to know the difference between digital and optical zoom.

Optical zoom is where the lens elements move to change the focal length of the lens. That’s a mechanical process. You might experience chromatic aberration with this type of zoom. But the overall quality of your image stays the same.

Digital zoom is where the camera zooms in digitally. Rather than increase the focal length, the camera enlarges part of the image by cropping in. This means the quality of your image decreases the more you zoom in.

Image Stabilization

Image stabilization reduces the effect of camera shake. That means you get a sharper image without signs of motion blur. Not all iPhones have stabilization. But it’s a handy feature that adds to the iPhone camera quality.

Some cameras have optical stabilization. This helps counteract movement in the camera lens. Plus, there’s sensor-shift stabilization. This reduces the movement of the sensor. All iPhone cameras in this review have image stabilization.

Conclusion: The Best iPhone Camera

The iPhone 15 Pro Max marks a significant leap for Apple’s phone camera offerings. It threatens to take a bite out of the action camera market. And it offers a credible alternative to Micro Four Thirds cameras for video.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best iPhone Camera

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512 GB Blue

Apple iPhone 15 Pro (128 GB)

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max 128 GB

5 Best GoPro Gimbals in 2024 (Compare GoPro Stabilizers)

Christopher Bryan-Smith — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 11:58:24 +0000

Using the best GoPro gimbal, you get incredibly smooth footage from your GoPro camera. You might not think you need a gimbal when recording with a GoPro, but they can make a huge difference. Many of the gimbals on this list are compatible with other devices, so they are great photography tools.

The Hohem iSteady Pro 4 is the best GoPro gimbal, easily taking the top spot on our list. It has a good range of shooting modes, is affordable, and is compatible with many types of cameras. This includes action cameras and GoPros.

Our Top 3 Choices for the Best GoPro Gimbals

Hohem iSteady Pro 4 Gimbal

Zhiyun Crane M3 Gimbal

FeiyuTech G6 Max Stabilizer

What Is the Best GoPro Gimbal?

The best GoPro gimbal gives you ultra-smooth, professional-grade footage from your action camera. The Hohem iSteady Pro 4 is our top pick. But there are four other options you can choose from, including the Zhiyun Crane M3 Gimbal and the FeiyuTech G6 Max.

You might not think you need a gimbal stabilizer to record with a GoPro. GoPro cameras have one of the best camera stabilization systems, with Hypersmooth 6.0 stabilization. But this is designed for recording action footage when the camera is attached to a helmet or handlebars.

Getting smooth, shake-free footage can be difficult when recording handheld footage. That puts people off using the GoPro as a videography camera. It’s a shame because the 5.7K video from the GoPro HERO12 Black is so fantastic.

The GoPro’s cubic design lends itself to action photography. But it isn’t great for recording movie-style videos by hand. That’s why a gimbal’s ergonomic, handle-like design is so beneficial to those shooting with a GoPro.

The best GoPro gimbals also have specific shooting modes to help you capture certain types of shots. Some have modes like Pan Follow, 3D Inception, and Sports that improve your GoPro videography. Knowing a gimbal’s shooting modes will help you find the best one.

Here’s a quick rundown of all the best GoPro gimbals. We look at each gimbal in more detail in the section after. And we have a buyer’s guide at the end. If you need more information before you buy, we answer common questions about gimbals.

Our Top Choice

Hohem iSteady Pro 4 Gimbal

Supports a wide range of action cameras
iSteady 5.0 anti-shake tech and splashproof design
Quick mounting with spring buckle release clip
Remote control, one-click shooting
Up to 14 hours of battery life

Best Camera Compatibility

Zhiyun Crane M3 Gimbal

Compact size with exceptional performance
3-second quick release for easy balancing
Built-in touch screen and LED lighting
Power Delivery Fast Charge for extended use

Best Gimbal Set

FeiyuTech G6 Max Stabilizer

Made of durable, lightweight, space-grade aluminum
Advanced photo, video, zoom, and focus controls
Splashproof and dustproof for action environments
High-capacity 8-hour battery with reverse charging

Best Pro-Grade Gimbal

Hohem iSteady MT2

Works with GoPros, smartphones, DSLRs, mirrorless
L-bracket included for low-angle shooting
AI tracking and composition features
17-hour battery life from 3-hour charge

Best Beginner GImbal

INKEE Falcon Plus Gimbal

Excellent range of shooting modes
Small, lightweight, and foldable design
Bluetooth connectivity
9-hour battery life

5 Best GoPro Gimbals

Now, we take a closer look at all the best GoPro gimbals. You can determine whether your action camera is compatible. We also list all the shooting modes of every gimbal. So you can decide which GoPro gimbal is right for you.

1. Hohem iSteady Pro 4

Brand	Brand Hohem
Compatibility	Compatibility GoPro HERO7 to HERO12, DJI Osmo Action, Insta360 ONE R, Sony XR0, SJCAM, Yi 4K
Stabilization	Stabilization 3-axis
Dimensions	Dimensions 11.8 x 5 x 2 inches / 30 x 12.7 x 5 cm
Weight	Weight 0.8 lb / 365 g
Battery Life	Battery Life 14 hours
Other Key Features	Other Key Features IPX4 water-resistant rating
Best For	Best For Anyone shooting with a GoPro or action camera

The Hohem iSteady Pro 4 is the best GoPro gimbal. It’s a well-made piece of equipment. And it’s compatible with a wide range of action cameras. Along with its affordable price tag, it has excellent shooting modes for specialized video capture.

It’s compatible with all the latest GoPro models, going back to the Hero7. Considering we’re now at the HERO12, that gives you a lot of freedom. You don’t need the latest model to use this GoPro gimbal.

The iSteady Pro 4 is also compatible with other action cameras and GoPro alternatives. These include the DJI Osmo Action, Yi 4K, AEE, SJCAM, Insta360 One R, and Sony RX0.

The iSteady’s 5.0 Anti-shaking Algorithm provides excellent stabilization. It is almost on par with more expensive gimbals. The small motors are also very quiet, which is an obvious advantage.

The mini-USB port in the head lets you charge your camera while it’s mounted on the gimbal. Although, one downside of this model is that the head is fixed. That means you can’t swap it for a smartphone-compatible head.

It has plenty of features for creative filmmakers, including the various shooting modes listed below. It also has a 600-degree panning range. And the battery life gives you 14 hours of uninterrupted use when fully charged.

You connect the device to your camera using the impressive Hohem Gimset iOS/Android app. It manages the following functions:

Gimbal Calibration
Remote Control (shooting mode)
Saved Profiles (a setup for action with a faster follow speed)
Settings (sensitivity, speed)
Firmware Update
User Manual

There are also several buttons on the grip to help you control the camera:

On/Off
Mode Toggle
Quick Lock
Custom F1 and F2 Function (controlled via the app)
Joystick
Trigger (on the front)

Plus, there are various shooting modes:

Pan Follow
Pan and Tilt Follow
All Lock
All Follow
3D Inception
Sports
Time-Lapse

The Hohem iSteady Pro 4 is a must-have for filmmakers using a GoPro camera. It has all the shooting modes you need, letting you shoot any footage you need with your action camera. It’s easy to use and affordable. What’s not to like?

2. Zhiyun Crane M3 Gimbal

Brand	Brand zhi yun
Compatibility	Compatibility GoPros, action cameras, DSLR and mirrorless cameras, smartphones
Stabilization	Stabilization 3-axis
Dimensions	Dimensions 11 x 6.2 x 3 inches / 28 x 15.7 x 7.6 cm
Weight	Weight 2.6 lb / 1.1 kg
Battery Life	Battery Life 8 hours
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Quick-release plate for cameras, mini tripod, Bluetooth connectivity
Best For	Best For GoPro users, videographers who use a wide range of cameras

The Zhiyun Crane M3 Gimbal is a professional-quality, handheld, three-axis GoPro gimbal. It works with all GoPro HERO models, from HERO5 to HERO12. It is also compatible with mirrorless cameras from top brands like Sony, Fujifilm, and Canon.

The only problem with using it for your GoPro is that you need an adapter (included in the Combo package). And you get limited functionality. But the white, black, and red design looks and feels good. Plus, the build quality and stabilization are excellent.

Other features include a 1.2-inch color touchscreen. It has a built-in 800-lumen LED light with dual color temperatures and variable brightness. And the eight-hour battery life is another positive. This lets you work for long periods without stopping to recharge.

The built-in Bluetooth connectivity lets you operate the camera or GoPro without a wireless connection. But if you prefer, you can still control it through a cable.

You connect the device to your camera using the Zhiyun Play smartphone app (available for Android and iOS). There are also several buttons on the grip:

Power Button
Photo/Video Button
M Button
Fill Light Control Wheel
Adjustment Wheel
Joystick
Trigger Button (on the front)

The touch screen is a little tricky to master. And sometimes, it can’t tell the difference between swipes and taps. But it’s divided into four convenient windows:

Mode (to switch shooting modes)
Balance (to see the balance status of the three gimbal axes)
Info (to change language, see device information, or do a factory reset)
Settings (including Auto Calibration, Parameter Settings, Parameter Reset, and Control Wheel customization)

There are also seven shooting modes:

Pan Follow Mode
Lock Mode
POV Mode
Follow Mode
Go Mode
Vortex Mode
Portrait Mode

The Zhiyun Crane M3 is fantastic if you need a gimbal that works with different types of cameras. Its build quality is excellent, and it has pro-level functionality. And while it is a bit pricey, it will undoubtedly improve your video recording.

3. FeiyuTech G6 Max

Brand	Brand FeiyuTech
Compatibility	Compatibility GoPros, action cameras, compact cameras, DSLR and mirrorless cameras
Stabilization	Stabilization 3-axis
Dimensions	Dimensions 11.8 x 7.9 x 3.2 inches / 30 x 20 x 8 cm
Weight	Weight 1.5 lb / 680 g
Battery Life	Battery Life 9 hours
Other Key Features	Other Key Features GoPro and smartphone adapters, splashproof, USB-C charging
Best For	Best For Videographers needing a full gimbal set with adapters and cables

The FeiyuTech G6 Max is a three-axis GoPro gimbal with adapters. It can mount action cameras, DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and smartphones. Its heavy payload is 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg).

It’s made of dustproof, splashproof aerospace aluminum alloy and silicone. So, the IPX4-level construction promises excellent durability.

It also boasts plenty of features, including an OLED screen and several shooting modes. It has a three-axis lock and reverse charging. And you get a healthy nine-hour battery life.

The gimbal also comes with a quick-release plate for quick installation. Mounting or dismounting your camera only takes a few sections.

It works with all GoPro models from HERO5 to HERO12 (although the GoPro HERO9 is “uncontrollable”). It also works with other action cameras, including the Sony RX0 and RX0 II, the SJ6 LEGEND, and the YI 4K.

You can connect the G6 Max to your camera by cable or Wi-Fi. And you can always use the Feiyu ON smartphone app. But the grip lets you control most operations with one hand, including shooting and mode selection. Here’s the list of buttons and dials:

Power Button
Magic Focus Ring 2.0 (for zoom, focus, 3-axis rotation, and adjusting ISO, white balance, exposure, etc.)
Shutter Button
Function Button
Camera Mode
Joystick
Trigger (on the front)

The OLED screen displays the gimbal and camera settings. This includes the current working mode, power consumption, and Bluetooth status. It also controls vertical shooting, time-lapse, and the strength, hand wheel, and other camera settings.

There are various shooting modes:

Pan Mode (default)
All follow/POV
Follow
Lock
Manual Lock
Hunting
Inception (four clockwise and anticlockwise options with real-time speed control via the joystick)
Instant Vertical Photography
Self-timer
Motion Time-Lapse

The W6 Algorithm makes 10,000 calculations per second to stabilize the gimbal. That makes switching modes, panning, and general operation as smooth as silk with no video lag.

The FeiyuTech G6 Max isn’t exactly a budget option. But the price is justified thanks to the wide compatibility and the adapters that come with it. You have everything you need as soon as you get started.

4. Hohem iSteady MT2

Brand	Brand Hohem
Compatibility	Compatibility GoPro, action cameras, smartphones, compact cameras, DSLR and mirrorless cameras
Stabilization	Stabilization 3-axis
Dimensions	Dimensions 7 x 3.1 x 1.6 inches / 17.8 x 7.8 x 4 cm
Weight	Weight 1.4 lb / 635 g
Battery Life	Battery Life 17 hours
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Quick-install system, L-bracket, AI tracking, fill light, mini tripod, Bluetooth connectivity
Best For	Best For Experienced videographers who want a pro-level GoPro gimbal

The Hohem iSteady MT2 is a professional standard gimbal that delivers ultra-smooth footage. It’s compatible with GoPros and other action cameras. And you can also use it with compact cameras, full-frame DSLRs, and mirrorless cameras. You can even use it with smartphones.

Thanks to its excellent build quality, the gimbal feels sturdy when handheld. Its clever ergonomics make it comfortable to hold for long periods.

Installing GoPros and other cameras is quick and simple. This is because of the quick-release plate and the other mounts, which are straightforward. It also comes with an L-bracket, which helps you shoot at different angles. It lets you get low-angle shots without any trouble.

AI is everywhere these days. It’s even in this GoPro gimbal. It uses artificial intelligence to track subjects, keeping them perfectly framed as they move around the scene.

With built-in AI composition controls, you can use hand gestures to quickly frame your shots. You don’t have to spend ages making small adjustments to the camera and gimbal. The AI bot gives you a helping hand to speed up the process.

The built-in fill light is another fantastic feature. You can use standard white light. Or you can use red, green, and blue light to help you set the scene you want. It’s a handy feature that lets you work without additional lighting equipment.

These are the on-body controls on the iSteady MT2:

Control wheel for focus, CCT/RGB switch, and roll control
OLED display
A-B motion buttons
Trigger

The shooting modes are as follows:

Pan Follow
Pan & Tilt Follow
All Lock
All Follow
Sport
Inception mode

Professional videographers will love the Hohem iSteady MT2. You need a professional budget to buy one. But the quality and performance justify the price. And we haven’t even mentioned the 17-hour battery life. Professional filmmakers need to consider this GoPro camera gimbal.

5. INKEE Falcon Plus Gimbal

Brand	Brand INKEE
Compatibility	Compatibility GoPro HERO8 to HERO11
Stabilization	Stabilization 3-axis
Dimensions	Dimensions 2 x 5.9 x 9 inches / 5 x 15 x 22.9 cm
Weight	Weight 0.66 lb / 300 g
Battery Life	Battery Life 9 hours
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Mini tripod, USB-C port, Bluetooth connectivity
Best For	Best For Videographers looking for an affordable GoPro gimbal

The INKEE Falcon Plus is a compact three-axis GoPro gimbal. It supports the HERO8 to HERO11 and has a max payload of 7.1 oz (200 g). It works with GoPro HERO versions 5 to 12, DJI OSMO Action, Insta360 ONE R, and other similarly sized action cameras.

It’s not waterproof, which limits its appeal to extreme sports enthusiasts. But it’s small and lightweight with a foldable design.

The nine-hour battery life is a big positive. Reverse charging is another helpful feature. Plus, the quick and easy installation makes it easy for even inexperienced users.

You connect the gimbal to your camera using the Falcon app. But the app is limited compared to other companion apps, which is a shame.

The Falcon Plus‘s grip is small, so users with larger hands might find it uncomfortable if used for long periods. But the layout of the buttons is good:

On/Off and Power Display Button
Mode Button
Time-Lapse Button
REC Button
Shoot Button
Joystick Trigger (on the front)

There are various shooting modes:

Pan Following
Pan/Tilt Following
Horizontal Lock
Global Lock
First Person View
3-axis All Following
Vertical Mode
Flashlight Mode
Lock Mode

The Falcon Plus is a portable gimbal. It offers smooth footage, especially when paired with GoPro’s Hypersmooth stabilization. It’s also the only gimbal that works with GoPro Media Mod for better audio.

FAQs About the Best GoPro Gimbals

Here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions about GoPro gimbals.

What Are Gimbals Used For?

Gimbals stabilize GoPro cameras. They make video footage look silky, smooth, and professional rather than jittery and jerky. They use quiet, brushless motors to dampen or prevent rotation. This is usually found in all three axes—pan, tilt, and roll.

There are different shooting modes. So you can choose how the camera moves. A typical function might be to use Lock Mode for tracking and keeping a runner in the same position in the frame. There are also other modes to make your video look more cinematic or disorienting.

How Do I Know If I Need a Gimbal?

The simple answer is to look at your GoPro camera footage. Does it look jerky and unstable due to camera shake? Does it look “boring” without any variety? Do you always shoot from the same point of view? If so, a gimbal will smooth your footage and offer a few neat tricks to spice it up!

GoPro cameras generally have wide-angle lenses. This means they don’t need as much stabilization as longer telephoto lenses used in photography. You also might like the raw, amateurish Blair Witch Project look of handheld, first-person video.

But it’s nice to have the option of a gimbal that produces silky-smooth footage if you need it. And some of the shooting modes available are a lot of fun to play around with.

What Should I Look For in a Gimbal?

The most important factor is compatibility. Not every gimbal works with every GoPro model, let alone other action cameras, smartphones, mirrorless cameras, or DSLRs.

That means you must determine which models are supported and what the payload is. Does the gimbal support the weight of your camera? It’s also best to see whether you need to buy any extra cables or camera accessories for the versatility you’re after.

After you’ve found a gimbal that works with your camera, it’s best to check the image stabilization. There’s no point buying a gimbal if it doesn’t do the job properly!

At a minimum, you should make sure it has three-axis stabilization. But it’s also best to look at how smooth you think your footage will be. And how responsive is the gimbal in tracking fast-moving subjects like athletes or animals?

It’s also important to consider the build quality, usability, and features. The gimbal should be built to last, but it should also be easy and comfortable to use for long periods. Finally, you want a few shooting modes to add some pizzazz to your videos!

Our top choice for the best GoPro gimbal is the Hohem iSteady Pro 4. It has seven shooting modes.

Can You Use Gimbals to Take Pictures?

Yes, most gimbals let you take still photographs rather than videos. But it depends on the particular model and accompanying smartphone app. You might need to use the camera’s menu system and controls if you can’t do it via the gimbal or app.

Are Gimbals Waterproof?

Unfortunately, most are not. That means you should decide beforehand where and when you’ll use your action camera. If you’re unlikely to shoot video at the seaside or in bad weather, just about any gimbal will do.

But if you want an all-weather model, you must check the specifications carefully for the IPX rating. Here are the most common ones:

IPX4 gimbals are splashproof or water-resistant.
IPX7 gimbals can be submerged at a depth of one meter for half an hour. But they may still be damaged by a spray of water.
IPX8 gimbals can be submerged deeper than one meter (depending on the manufacturer’s instructions). But may still be damaged by a spray of water.

What Is Pan, Tilt, and Roll in a Gimbal?

Pan, tilt, and roll are different ways of turning the camera around a particular gimbal axis:

Pan: Turns the camera side to side around an imaginary vertical axis. This keeps the camera horizontal.
Tilt: Points the camera up and down. This turns it around an imaginary horizontal axis without moving it from side to side.
Roll: Spins the camera around an imaginary horizontal axis. This runs through the length of the lens so the horizon appears to tilt or even turn upside-down.

What Are the Different Shooting Modes in a Gimbal?

A gimbal offers four basic shooting modes that offer damped movement in certain directions:

Follow (Full Follow) Mode: This mode lets the gimbal tilt up and down and pan from side to side, but it won’t let it roll. It’s useful when you want to be free to point the camera in any direction.
Pan Follow Mode: This lets the camera turn left and right but not tilt up and down or roll from side to side. It’s suitable for “establishing shots” of a location or tracking a subject moving horizontally, like a runner or cyclist.
Lock Mode: This is designed to track subjects. This keeps them in the same position in the frame. As a result, you can’t pan, tilt or roll.
POV (Roll Rollow) Mode: POV stands for “point of view.” This lets the camera turn through all three different axes. The idea is to represent the point of view of an observer with full freedom to pan, tilt, and roll.

Manufacturers have also developed a few more specialized modes:

Inception Mode: Makes the camera do a barrel roll through 180 or 360 degrees, either clockwise or anticlockwise.
Selfie Mode: Turns the camera through 180 degrees so you can shoot a video of yourself.
Push Mode: This lets you physically “push” the camera around to protect the gimbal’s motors.
Underslung Mode: This mode lets you rearrange the handle to carry it low to the ground like a briefcase.
Inverted Mode: This lets you flip the gimbal upside down so you can film from close to the ground.
Sports Mode: Increases gimbal responsiveness when tracking fast-moving subjects like athletes.

Conclusion: The Best GoPro Gimbals

While GoPros have excellent built-in stabilization, using the best GoPro gimbal can take your footage to new levels. With specialist shooting modes and helpful features, gimbals make it easier to shoot pro-level videos with a GoPro camera.

In our opinion, the Hohem iSteady Pro 4 is the best GoPro gimbal. It’s user-friendly, affordable, has a decent collection of shooting modes, and is splash-resistant. Plus, it has a 14-hour battery life. It’s the perfect accessory if you want a gimbal for your GoPro camera.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best GoPro Gimbals

Hohem iSteady Pro 4 Gimbal

Zhiyun Crane M3 Gimbal

FeiyuTech G6 Max Stabilizer

Best External Microphone for iPhone in 2024

Christopher Bryan-Smith — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 12:32:51 +0000

With the best external microphone for iPhones, you can record pro-level sound using your Apple smartphone. But what kind of iPhone microphone is best for you?

Vloggers might like a clip-on lavalier microphone. Musicians and other streamers need a directional mic, like a shotgun microphone. Meanwhile, journalists are best served with wireless, multi-mic systems. Fortunately, we’ve included all these types of microphones in our article.

The PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphone is the best external mic for iPhones. It’s a two-mic set that wirelessly connects to your iPhone using Bluetooth. It’s an affordable mic set that works well indoors or outdoors.

Our Top 3 Choices for the Best External Microphone for Smartphones

PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphones

TTStar Lavalier Lapel Mic

Movo VXR10 Shotgun Microphone

What Is the Best External Microphone for iPhones?

The best external microphone for iPhones lets you record professional-quality audio using your Apple smartphone. If you’re a vlogger, journalist, or podcaster, you need sharp, clear sound in your content. That’s why our top pick is the PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphone.

iPhones have cameras that can record high-quality videos, which makes them an excellent tool for shooting videos on the go. You don’t need an expensive camcorder or mirrorless camera. But without the right microphone, sound quality is an issue.

The sound quality of the iPhone’s native microphone is not at a professional standard. It is hard to direct toward your main subject. It picks up a lot of background noise. You get an unbalanced, tinny sound. Plus, any wind often overpowers sound, making voices disappear.

There are plenty of different iPhone microphones to choose from. You have clip-on lavalier microphones that attach to your lapel or shirt. You have shotgun mics that attach to your device. And you have stand-alone mics for studio or office setups.

Check out the table below for a quick overview of all the best external microphones for iPhones. We then look at all the iPhone microphones in more detail. And we have an FAQ section at the end if you need more information.

Our Top Choice

PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphones

Excellent sound quality with reduced background noise
Lightning connection compatible with iPhones and iPads
65 ft / 20 m of wireless coverage
Two-piece wireless microphone set

Best-Value Mic

TTStar Lavalier Lapel Mic

Clear, professional sound with noise-reduction chip
Omnidirectional tech for fantastic sound capture
Compatible with a wide range of iOS devices
Extremely portable for on-the-go recording or broadcasting

Best Shotgun Mic

Movo VXR10 Shotgun Microphone

Ideal for YouTube vlogs, interviews, and live music
Universal compatibility with multiple devices
Durable aluminum construction with sturdy shock mount
Helpful DeadCat Windscreen and carrying case

Best On-Camera Mic

Sennheiser Professional MKE 200

Directional mic for vloggers and videographers
Universal use with interchangeable 3.5mm connectivity
Superior wind protection and shock absorption
Compact design with a sleek, stylish finish

Best Phone-Attachment Mic

Shure MV88 Portable iOS Microphone

Clean, clear stereo sound with innovative design
Highly flexible positioning with 90° hinge and rotation
Real-time app adjustments for optimal results
All-metal construction and 2-year warranty

Best Mic Transmission

BOYA XM6-S4 Wireless Lavalier Microphone

High-quality audio capture with less than 0.1% distortion
Stable signal transmission up to 328 ft / 100 m
Dual-channel system perfect for two-person vlog
OLED display for clear device information and settings

Best for Podcasts

Apogee Hype Mic

Next-level sound clarity with 24-bit / 96kHz support
Built-in compressor perfect for podcast recording
Studio-quality analog compression
3 professional compression presets

Best Clip-on Mic

PowerDeWise External Lavalier Clip-on Mic

High-quality audio with noise protection
Compatible with multiple iPhone models
No need for drivers or batteries
Comes with extra wind muffs and storage case

Best Complete Mic System

Comica BoomX-D2 Wireless Mic System

Professional-grade noise reduction for high-fidelity sound
Advanced 2.4G wireless tech ensures stable signal
Efficient real-time monitoring and one-button muting
Dual-channel system supports mono or stereo output

9 Best Microphones for iPhones

Let’s take a closer look at each external iPhone microphone. Our list has a wide range of mics, so every type of content creator can find the microphone they need.

1. PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphones

Brand	Brand PQRQP
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Omnidirectional, lavalier
Connection	Connection Lightning
Number of Mics	Number of Mics Two
Mic Size	Mic Size 0.76 x 3.2 x 3.6 inches / 2 x 8 x 9 cm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 0.7 oz / 20 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones, iPads
Other Key Features	Other Key Features 65 ft / 20 m wireless range, built-in muffler, Bluetooth
Best For	Best For Anyone who needs two wireless microphones

The PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphones are the best option for many reasons. The set has two microphones, ideal for interviews or spoken media with two people. Both mics connect wirelessly to your iPhone. And it’s an affordable audio kit that delivers beautiful sound.

Thanks to the Bluetooth connectivity, you can record wirelessly from both mics at the same time. Only the receiver physically connects to your phone, while the mics clip onto the clothing of the person you want to record.

With a wireless range of 65 ft (20 m), you get plenty of room to move around without losing signal. The overall audio quality is excellent. The sound also comes in loud and clear, whether far or near.

And thanks to the built-in mufflers, there’s little detrimental effect from wind. They are also good at eliminating unwanted background noise due to the pro-grade noise reduction chips.

With a 1.5-hour charge time, some waiting is involved until they are fully ready. But once charged, you get six hours of uninterrupted recording time. That’s great news for journalists on the job.

They aren’t the smallest lavalier mics on the market. But the sleek design means they don’t attract too much unwanted attention.

The PQRQP Wireless Lavaliers are the best external mics for iPhones. The dual mic set is perfect for journalists recording interviews or vloggers talking to guests. They are simple and affordable. And they deliver excellent sound quality when recording through your iPhone.

Note that they have a specific PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphone for the iPhone 15.

2. TTStar Lavalier Lapel Mic

Brand	Brand TTStar
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Clip-on, lavalier
Connection	Connection Lightning
Number of Mics	Number of Mics One
Mic Size	Mic Size 1 x 1 x 1.3 inches / 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.6 mm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 0.3 oz / 8 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Plug-and-play design, built-in noise reduction, three cable lengths
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a simple, budget mic for their iPhone

The TTStar Lavalier Lapel Mic is perfect for anyone on a tight budget. It’s a simple microphone that’s a good choice for making vlogs or voice notes. The mic’s best aspect is that it is plug-and-play. You plug it in, and it works immediately. It has no other setup requirements.

TTStar claims their active-noise reduction has a high sensitivity. They also mention their thicker anti-interference cable that should help with noise cancellation. This won’t be a professional level of quality. But it is much better than the built-in mic.

The simplicity of the microphone is its selling point. It is also lightweight, weighing 0.8 oz (18 grams). This mic is best for casual interviews, live streaming, or recording YouTube videos.

I also recommend this for video calls. Plus, it’s great for lecturers who have to use their phones to stream classes. It helps students hear them more clearly.

The TTStar Lavalier Lapel is a simple and affordable microphone for recording audio with your iPhone. There are three different cable lengths depending on your needs. There are a 6.7 ft (2 m), 9.8 ft. (3 m), and 16.4 (5 m) mic versions.

3. Movo VXR10 Shotgun Mic

Brand	Brand Movo
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Directional shotgun
Connection	Connection 3.5 mm TRS
Number of Mics	Number of Mics One
Mic Size	Mic Size 6.5 x 5.3 x 2.8 inches / 14.7 x 13.4 x 7 cm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 1.8 oz / 51 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones, DSLRs, mirrorless cameras
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Windscreen, hotshoe mount, connection cable, 1-year warranty
Best For	Best For Targetted audio recording

The Movo VXR10 Shotgun Mic is one of the best iPhone microphones for its price. This is because it is a cheap shotgun microphone. This means it’s a directional microphone, so you point it at the person or object you’re recording.

A directional microphone does a good job of eliminating peripheral noises. This mic features aluminum construction and a battery-free design. A sturdy shock mount is also included, which reduces handling noise.

The Movo VXR10 is the definition of a small and lightweight shotgun mic. It also has universal compatibility. So whether you want to use it for your iPhone or digital camera, the mic is up to the challenge.

You get a smartphone and camera cable in the box to connect the mic. It includes a bag to carry it. And you also get a furry windscreen. This protects the mic from gusts of wind and people’s breathing, preventing sound pops and noise.

The VXR10 Shotgun Mic is a great choice for conducting interviews. And it’s ideal if you’re recording yourself playing music. It also comes with a one-year warranty.

4. Sennheiser Professional MKE 200

Brand	Brand Sennheiser Pro Audio
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Directional
Connection	Connection 3.5 mm TRS
Number of Mics	Number of Mics One
Mic Size	Mic Size 9.4 x 4.5 x 2.8 inches / 7 x 6 x 4 cm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 1.6 oz / 48 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones, DSLRs, mirrorless cameras
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Hot shoe connector, integrated wind protection
Best For	Best For Exceptional sound at a reasonable price

Sennheiser is one of the top brands in the world when it comes to sound equipment. The MKE 200 is no different from Sennheiser’s other microphones. It’s a professional microphone with amazing audio quality.

The microphone was primarily made for DSLRs as it fits in a hot shoe. But it was also designed to work with smartphones. You need a clamp (included in the Mobile Kit version).

The MKE 200 minimizes handling noise with internal suspension. It also has integrated wind protection. There are no batteries needed. It runs off your device. This makes the mic lighter and smaller. So, it’s perfect for iPhone users.

This microphone is best suited for vloggers who want professional audio quality. The Sennheiser Professional MKE 200 is good enough to record everything—even musical instruments.

One missing aspect? It doesn’t have a headphone jack. You need a lightning to 3.5mm dongle to connect it to your iPhone. But I understand they wanted to keep the mic as condensed as possible.

5. Shure MV88 Portable iOS Microphone

Brand	Brand Shure
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Directional
Connection	Connection Lightning
Number of Mics	Number of Mics One
Mic Size	Mic Size 1.4 x 1 x 2.6 inches / 3.5 x 2.5 x 6.7 cm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 1.4 oz / 40.5 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones, iPads
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Tiltable joint, windscreen, carry case, 2-year warranty
Best For	Best For Creators looking for a mic that connects directly to the iPhone

The Shure MV 88 is an excellent recording mic for iPhone. It plugs directly into your iPhone. Plus, it can be tilted 180 degrees and rotated 90 degrees.

It is Apple MFi certified. That means it connects to any Apple device. It doesn’t need installation or a specific application.

But the microphone does come with two free apps that help you customize the mic’s performance. These two apps work at a professional level. They give you a lot of control over this small but powerful microphone.

The mic’s metal body feels robust like it can go with you through some tough environments. It is small enough to fit in your pocket. But it also has a secure carry case. Plus, you also get a black foam windscreen. This helps in challenging wind conditions.

I’m a big fan of this microphone. It is travel-sized, produces amazing results, and has a two-year warranty. If you need a microphone that stays on your iPhone, the MV 88 is for you.

6. BOYA XM6-S4 Wireless Lavalier Microphone

Brand	Brand BOYA
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Lavalier
Connection	Connection 3.5 mm TRS
Number of Mics	Number of Mics Two
Mic Size	Mic Size 2.4 x 1.2 x 0.6 inches / 6 x 3 x 1.5 cm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 1.1 oz / 32 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Windshields, carry case
Best For	Best For Journalists or content creators looking for a complete wireless mic set

Boya has developed a great set of wireless lapel mics with the XM6-S4. The super sleek microphones come with an OLED screen. It presents crucial information to you in a clear manner. It shows signal strength, battery life, real-time volume, and gain levels.

One of the best aspects of the Boya XM6-S4? It can pick up a signal from 328 ft (100 m) away! This lets you walk a long distance from your iPhone and still receive the signal.

The set comes with two microphone transmitters. Each one has a charge of up to seven hours of non-stop use. This is almost a full day of recording audio!

I like how small and sleek the whole set is. The receiver plugs directly into your phone. It is small and won’t affect how you handle your phone. Each transmitter can record omnidirectional sound (from all directions). And they each have an input for a lavalier microphone.

The BOYA XM6-S4 Wireless Lavalier Microphone set comes with charging cables. And there are protective fur windshields for each microphone. These reduce popping sounds from wind and breath, so you get clear audio in all conditions.

7. Apogee Hype Mic

Brand	Brand Apogee
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Directional
Connection	Connection Lightning, USB-A, USB-C
Number of Mics	Number of Mics One
Mic Size	Mic Size 5 x 1.5 x 1.5 inches / 1.2 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 7.2 oz / 200 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones, computers, laptops
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Mini tripod, pop filter, carry case
Best For	Best For Podcasters, creators, or beginners recording long-form audio

The Apogee Hype is a professional microphone that can connect directly to your iPhone. But it’s also compatible with computers, so it’s a versatile option for content creators.

The Hype Mic is one of the only USB microphones with a built-in analog compressor. This has a profound effect on how your voice sounds. Usually, you add this process in post-production. But this feature takes out this step for you!

This mic is ideal for beginners and those who know little about audio editing. It’s really easy to use. And the sound quality is so good it needs minimum editing after recording.

There are three built-in compression settings—Shape, Squeeze, and Smash. You can flick through these options quickly to find the best sound in your environment. You can also listen through the headphone jack for a live preview of the recorded sound, which is super helpful.

It comes with a pop filter, preventing imperfections from being picked up in the audio. This is very helpful for long-form voice recordings, like podcasts or audiobooks.

The Apogee Hype Mic can capture everything from podcast streams to instrument recordings. You can also select the blending control for zero-latency recording. All its features and fantastic quality make this an excellent microphone.

8. PowerDeWise External Lavalier Clip-on Mic

Brand	Brand PowerDeWise
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Lapel, Lavalier
Connection	Connection Lightning
Number of Mics	Number of Mics One
Mic Size	Mic Size 1 x 1 x 1.3 inches / 2.5 x 2.5 x 3.3 cm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 2.2 oz / 68 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones, iPads, iPods
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Wind muffs, 12 ft / 3.7 m cable, storage case
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a simple but effective lapel mic

The PowerDeWise External Lavalier Clip-On is one of the simplest mics on our list. It’s an affordable option. And the sound quality is great if you’re recording single voices.

This lapel microphone is plug-and-play and goes straight into your iPhone’s lightning port. It even works with iPads and other Apple devices. But if you have a new iPad, you may need an extra connector for the USB-C port.

Powerdewise says their mic is a professional-grade lavalier microphone. It was made with current professional recording equipment in mind. It does a good job of keeping out peripheral noises, especially if you use the wind muff.

Lapel microphones can be quite limiting if you want to record a range of noises. They are only useful when isolating one voice or sound from the environment.

But it is perfect if your work revolves entirely around this type of sound recording. That’s why we recommend it for vlogging and interviews.

It isn’t a wireless microphone. But the cable is a healthy 12 ft (3.7 m), so you can move around or record others without handing over your device.

This PowerDeWise Clip-On Mic plugs straight into your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, letting you record on the go. It is a reliable option. Plus, it won’t break your bank. It’s one of the most affordable iPhone mics on our list.

9. Comica BoomX-D2 Wireless Mic System

Brand	Brand Comica
Microphone Type	Microphone Type Wireless lavalier, omnidirectional
Connection	Connection 3.5 mm TRS, USB
Number of Mics	Number of Mics Two
Mic Size	Mic Size 4.3 x 2.7 x 7.2 inches / 11 x 7 x 18.5 cm
Mic Weight	Mic Weight 1 oz / 29 g
Compatibility	Compatibility iPhones, cameras, computers, laptops, camcorders
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Wind muffs, noise reduction chip, carry case
Best For	Best For Creators looking for a complete wireless mic set with wide compatibility

The Comica BoomX-D2 is a wireless set of lapel microphones. They can be used wirelessly up to 50 ft (15 m) from the receiver. And it’s compatible with a wide range of devices.

Not only is it compatible with your iPhone, but you can use it with a laptop or desktop computer. You can sync it with a DSLR or mirrorless camera. You can even hook it up to all the best camcorders.

It comes with a lavalier and an internal microphone as input modes for you to choose from. These mics record omnidirectionally, so you get 360 degrees of sound pickup.

The receiver clearly shows the battery for all the units you are using. This is extremely helpful on long shoots.

Also, the Comica BoomX-D2 is easy to charge externally. You can use portable charging equipment for this microphone kit. It comes with a cable to charge all your devices at once.

The best part about this setup? You can tackle more complex sound recordings. Two mics make certain jobs a whole lot easier. This is most evident in recordings where two people are featured heavily.

The BoomX-D2 is one of the microphones that connect to the iPhone through an auxiliary input. This means you need a lightning-to-aux cable with an iPhone 7 or newer.

Best External Microphones for iPhone FAQs

External mics for iPhones can be complicated if you’re new to them. But we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions to help you get started.

Can You Connect a Microphone to an iPhone?

Yes, you can do this through the lightning port.

Where Is My Microphone on My iPhone?

You can find your built-in microphone at the bottom corner of your iPhone.

What Microphones Are Compatible With iPhones?

Most microphones are compatible with and connect to an iPhone. But some may need a specialized app. iPhones before the iPhone 7 can take any mic with an auxiliary output. iPhones after the iPhone 7 need a lightning connector, like many on our list.

You must purchase a 3.5mm aux-to-lightning cable if the microphone doesn’t provide this.

Can You Tell Me How to Use an External Mic on iPhone?

An external mic should be easy to set up on your iPhone. Most have a plug-and-play feature. If they do not come with a dedicated sound app, you can use the Voice Memos app from Apple.

Can You Tell Me How to Record With a Microphone on iPhone?

Use the Voice Memos app pre-installed on your iPhone to record with a mic. If you want more control over your recording and to make edits, you can do this through the Garage Band app.

Can You Tell Me How to Use a Mini Microphone for iPhone?

A mini microphone needs some form of clip to attach to your iPhone. You can find many clips that can hold your mini microphone at multiple angles. Most mini microphones should provide a clip upon purchase.

What Is a Lavalier Microphone?

A lavalier microphone is a small mic you attach directly to the person you’re recording. They are often called lapel mics because you usually attach them to a speaker’s lapel. But you can clip them onto any clothing or hang them around a speaker’s neck.

Lavalier mics are small and unobtrusive. They don’t distract from the speaker’s face when recording audio and visual. They’re best to use if you don’t want the speaker to wear a big, heavy microphone.

They don’t always offer the best audio quality. You can get pro-level lavalier mics, but even they will struggle in wet and windy outdoor conditions. They are also limited as they can only record voices, usually only one at a time.

Lavaliers are perfect for interviews and talking head features. They are perfect for recording audio when vlogging. And you can even use them for podcasting indoors or outdoors.

What Is the Best External Microphone for Cameras?

The Movo VXR10 Shotgun Mic is the best camera mic featured in this article. It’s a directional shotgun mic, which is great when shooting video from a camera. It’s great for recording yourself playing music. But it’s a great option for movie-style shooting, too.

The Sennheiser MKE 200 is another good option for mirrorless and DSLR cameras. It has a hot shoe connector, meaning you can attach the mic directly to the camera. The sound quality is also great. You can record anything from vlogs to movies.

There are plenty more excellent external mics for cameras. And if you want to see more, check out our full list of the best external microphones for cameras.

These versatile mics can be paired with a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or camcorder. So, you get pro-level sound with your 4K+ video footage.

Conclusion: The Best External Microphone for iPhones

If you’re using an iPhone to create audio and visual content, you need the best external microphone for iPhones. The native microphone in the iPhone isn’t up to the job of pro-level sound recording. So whether you’re a vlogger or journalist, you need a top-level iPhone microphone.

In our opinion, the PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphone is the best microphone for iPhone. It’s a set of two wireless microphones with a large wireless range. The sound quality is fantastic, even when recording outside. And it’s affordable for content creators on a tight budget.

Our Top 3 Choices for the Best External Microphone for Smartphones

PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphones

TTStar Lavalier Lapel Mic

Movo VXR10 Shotgun Microphone

8 Best Camera Phones in 2024 (Updated)

Trevor Marshall — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:20:54 +0000

The camera phone has all but killed the compact camera market. And it has done it by producing cameras of fantastic quality. The old, cynical saying was that the best camera was the one you had with you because most people didn’t carry a camera most of the time.

Now, we all carry a camera all the time. And almost all of them are probably the best cameras we’ve ever owned.

All of this is good news for the consumer. We have in our pockets a camera that will take excellent photos of most things in most circumstances. The question, then, is which camera phone is the best for you?

We’ve put together eight of the best for you to choose from. Some are bigger than others, some are more complex, and some are expensive enough to make your eyes water. But all of the cameras on our list will serve you very well indeed. And you’ll find iPhone and Android options, so you can take your pick!

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Camera Phone

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512 GB Blue

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

What Is the Best Camera Phone?

Perhaps more than most tech purchases, a new camera phone might be influenced by emotion. Some people are fiercely Apple, while others are Android. For the floating voter, the good news is that there are amazing phones out there with exceptional cameras. And they are available for both iOS and Android. Here’s a summary of our recommendations.

Our Top Pick

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512 GB Blue

Up to 1 TB storage
120mm telephoto lens
48 MP main sensor
4K video at up to 60 fps

Best Android Camera Phone

Google Pixel 8 Pro

50 MP main sensor
Maximum 2,400 nits brightness
Fast f/1.68 main lens
In-camera blemish removal

Best Telephoto Camera Phone

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Massive 230mm telephoto lens
200 MP main sensor
6.8-inch screen
Includes Galaxy S Pen and storage slot

Best Premium Camera Phone

Apple iPhone 15 Pro (128 GB)

48 MP main sensor
Optical image stabilization
4K video at up to 60 fps
Bright 2,000 nits screen

Best Folding Camera Phone

Google Pixel Fold

Ingenious folding design
48 MP main sensor
Impressive 110mm telephoto lens
Optical image stabilization

Best Budget Camera Phone

Google Pixel 7a

64 MP main sensor
Optical image stabilization
Fast Tensor G2 processor
4K video at up to 30 fps

Best Budget iOS Camera Phone

Apple iPhone 15 (128 GB)

48 MP main sensor
Maximum 2,000 nits screen brightness
Optical image stabilization
4K video at up to 60 fps

Best Value Android Camera Phone

SAMSUNG Galaxy S23

Impressive 30x digital telephoto
50 MP main sensor
Fast f/1.8 main lens
Bright 1,750 nits screen

Choosing the Best Camera Phone

Let’s dive in and take a look at our recommendations for the best camera phone available today.

1. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512

Brand	Brand Apple
Number of Front-Facing Cameras	Number of Front-Facing Cameras 3
Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent)	Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent) 13mm, 24 mm, 120mm
Maximum Resolution	Maximum Resolution 48 MP
Optical Stabilization?	Optical Stabilization? Yes
Screen Size	Screen Size 6.7 inches
Maximum Brightness	Maximum Brightness 2000 nits
Key Features	Key Features 2 million-to-one contrast, IP68 rating, 1 TB maximum storage
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a no-compromise, top-level camera phone

Looking back at the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max ancestor’s launch event, we can see what seismic change the iPhone brought. But it’s easy to forget because we have come to take our smartphones for granted. And in recent years, the challenge for the manufacturers has been to improve the product enough to persuade people to buy.

Is another megapixel or another 30 minutes of battery life really worth it? The iPhone, in its 15th incarnation, is an example of how hard it can be to improve an already exceptional product. Apart from the EU-imposed USB-C port, most of the other changes are incremental.

The main exception to that is that the Pro Max now comes with a 5x telephoto lens. The 120mm full-frame equivalent lens is a big step up from the previous 3x lens. And at f/2.2, it’s decently fast. On the downside, don’t expect the 48 MP headline figure, as this telephoto camera is a 12 MP one.

Nonetheless, the combination of this with a 24mm f/1.78 48 MP lens and an ultra-wide 13mm f/2.2 12 MP camera is a winning one. For photographers, that range of focal lengths from 13mm to 120mm is attractive. Especially when combined with the decently fast maximum apertures.

Across the board, the Pro Max performs impressively. It is perhaps better for video than still photos, but the photos are still outstanding. And it is better in good light than poor. But any small sensor camera will struggle in poor light. And if your current phone is more than a couple of years old, you’ll be amazed at the improvement.

Add in features like optical image stabilization and a portrait mode that allows you to change the focus point after shooting, and you have a comprehensive package. In a very tough and competitive market, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max just beats the competition to come out on top.

2. Google Pixel 8 Pro

Brand	Brand Google
Number of Front-Facing Cameras	Number of Front-Facing Cameras 3
Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent)	Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent) 11mm, 25mm, 95mm
Maximum Resolution	Maximum Resolution 50 MP
Optical Stabilization?	Optical Stabilization? Yes
Screen Size	Screen Size 6.7 inches
Maximum Brightness	Maximum Brightness 2400 nits
Key Features	Key Features Fast main lens, minimum 48 MP sensor size
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for the best Android camera phone

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the latest flagship phone from the owners of the Android operating system. It took Google a full eight years to brand its own hardware for the OS that it developed to challenge Apple’s iOS.

Google Pixel fans mainly love two things about the phones. The no-nonsense operating system that runs as it is meant to and the quality of the cameras. Many (if not most) Android handset manufacturers put their own interface over the top of the Android system. For Pixel fans, this adds a layer of awkwardness and complication that the OS neither needs nor deserves.

The Pixel cameras have long held their own in a fierce market. And many users will prefer the Pixel 8 to any iPhone alternative—either for the OS or for the way the handset processes the images. It’s mainly down to a matter of taste in many respects.

The headline figures in an iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Google Pixel 8 Pro faceoff favor the Google offering. Here you get a minimum of 48 MP, compared with the 12 of some of the iPhone cameras. The main 25mm camera bumps this figure up to 50 MP.

The Pixel also shades the contest when it comes to lens speed. The 25mm main camera boasts a maximum f/1.68 (f/1.78 for the iPhone), and the 11mm ultrawide is f/1.95 (f/2.2 for Apple). Only the 95mm at f/2.8 is slightly slower than the iPhone (f/2.2).

The Pixel 8 impresses with its photo quality in most circumstances. And its zoom performance is especially strong. In fact, in bright light outdoors, it can’t be beaten. The same is true of its video performance.

It falls behind the iPhone in exposure accuracy, and there is more noise in HDR video footage. The Pixel comes out on top for depth of field, and its ultrawide is as good as it gets. There are some neat AI-based innovations for the Pixel 8 Pro, including simple blemish removal. You can pick and choose the best facial expressions for each member of a group photo as well. That’s something I think we can all get behind.

There will be many who prefer the results from Google Pixel 8 Pro compared with other phones. And it’s almost certain it will impress you. Choosing between this and the iPhone 15 Pro Max might be down to OS preference or even which ecosystem you’re invested in.

3. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Brand	Brand Samsung
Number of Front-Facing Cameras	Number of Front-Facing Cameras 4
Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent)	Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent) 13mm, 23mm, 69mm, 230mm
Maximum Resolution	Maximum Resolution 200 MP
Optical Stabilization?	Optical Stabilization? Yes
Screen Size	Screen Size 6.8 inches
Maximum Brightness	Maximum Brightness 1750 nits
Key Features	Key Features Includes Galaxy S Pen, stylish curved screen
Best For	Best For Anyone wanting a long telephoto on their camera phone

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is an understandably popular camera phone. Samsung has long impressed with the quality of their camera hardware. And the S23 Ultra packs some impressive features into its elegant case.

For one thing, it has four cameras rather than the usual three. And one of these is an astonishing 230mm-equivalent telephoto. Another big number to give its competitors pause is the 200 MP main camera.

In direct competition for the best camera phone title, there are plenty of people who will put the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra on top. And it’s easy to see why. The flexibility of having four cameras is attractive, and they all achieve excellent image quality.

As with many of these decisions, it might come down to personal preference. The Samsung tends to produce colors that are too rich for my taste. And the bokeh produced in some shots seems a little over-processed.

However, if you want fantastic telephoto capability, you’ll probably be seriously tempted. Samsung’s version of Android OS is not to everyone’s taste. But that’s all it is—a matter of taste. If you’re already a Samsung devotee, you’ll love the extra speed and responsiveness of this handset.

The S23 Ultra has incredible cameras in its arsenal. Perhaps the deal maker for some will be the Galaxy S Pen. It is stowed in the phone’s body, so you never lose it. And rather neatly, it works as a remote shutter button. That’s a photographer-friendly feature, for sure.

The curved edges of the glass will not be to everyone’s taste. But, once again, it’s safe to say that it will be hard to be disappointed by the quality of the camera phone in the Samsung Galaxy S23.

4. Apple iPhone 15 Pro (128 GB)

Brand	Brand Apple
Number of Front-Facing Cameras	Number of Front-Facing Cameras 3
Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent)	Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent) 13mm, 24mm, 77mm
Maximum Resolution	Maximum Resolution 48 MP
Optical Stabilization?	Optical Stabilization? Yes
Screen Size	Screen Size 6.1 inches
Maximum Brightness	Maximum Brightness 2,000 nits
Key Features	Key Features Excellent image stabilization and video performance
Best For	Best For Anyone wanting a more compact high-end Apple camera phone

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro is, with one major difference, the same as its bigger sibling, the Pro Max. That one difference is in the maximum length of the telephoto lens. In the 15 Pro Max, it’s 120mm, but the iPhone 15 Pro has a 77mm telephoto. That, for some people, puts the normal-sized Pro below the bigger offering.

For others, the increased portability of the smaller device is the major selling point. There’s no getting away from it, the Pro fits in your pocket better. And if the pocket is the main way you’re going to be carrying your phone, the 15 Pro might be the choice for you.

The other sacrifice you make, apart from screen size, is the reduced battery life from the smaller battery. In every other detail, it is matched spec for spec. The Pro Max has more pixels, for instance, but they are at the same density on the screen.

So if you’re not so worried about the additional telephoto reach, or you want a more portable phone, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro could be the iPhone for you.

5. Google Pixel Fold

Brand	Brand Google
Number of Front-Facing Cameras	Number of Front-Facing Cameras 3
Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent)	Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent) 12mm, 26mm, 110mm
Maximum Resolution	Maximum Resolution 48 MP
Optical Stabilization?	Optical Stabilization? Yes
Screen Size	Screen Size 5.8 inches (cover), 7.6 inches (open)
Maximum Brightness	Maximum Brightness 1200
Key Features	Key Features Excellent folding performance and a good telephoto
Best For	Best For Anyone who wants a folding camera phone

The Google Pixel Fold is our choice for a camera phone that’s a little bit different. Samsung used to have the field to itself with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. But the Pixel offers a better user experience in a more friendly form.

When folded, the phone is quite squat. This is one area where it beats the Samsung, which is long and narrow. Typing on the Pixel Fold is a breeze as there is no cramping of the keyboard. Like the Samsung, the Pixel Fold is very expensive. But we’ve included it as a somewhat unique option.

The cameras are one area where the compromises involved in making a folding phone show. They are subpar for a phone at this price. That being said, Google has applied its vast expertise in camera design and, more importantly, image processing. And they managed to make relatively modest hardware work very well.

The main camera boasts a respectable 48 MP sensor. With a 25mm focal length, f/1.7 maximum aperture, and optical IS, it’s more than decent. And it has the familiar Pixel image processing. Again, this may come down to personal taste, but I prefer how the iPhone renders its images. But a photographer friend of mine thinks the opposite.

The remaining two cameras are an impressive 110mm f/3.05 telephoto and a 12mm f/2.2 superwide. Both are 10.8 MP sensors. So neither of those is class-leading in pixel count. But they deliver reliably impressive images. And the telephoto uses both optical and electronic image stabilization.

Folding phones are more than an expensive novelty. And Google has made good use of the concept with the Google Pixel Fold. For example, with Google Translate, you can unfold the screen, enter the text to translate, and the cover screen shows the person opposite you the translation. So if you want a folding phone with decent camera phone capability, it’s well worth a look.

6. Google Pixel 7a

Brand	Brand Google
Number of Front-Facing Cameras	Number of Front-Facing Cameras 2
Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent)	Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent) 10mm, 21mm
Maximum Resolution	Maximum Resolution 64 MP
Optical Stabilization?	Optical Stabilization? Yes
Screen Size	Screen Size 6.1 inches
Maximum Brightness	Maximum Brightness 1000 nits
Key Features	Key Features Excellent 64 MP sensor at a great price
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for an affordable camera phone

The Google Pixel 7a could be for you if you want a budget phone with an excellent camera. Although there is no telephoto option, the main camera has a 64 MP sensor. So it will tolerate some cropping to get you closer to your subject.

It’s impressive how much of a premium phone the 7a feels like while still costing less than $500. That’s still a decent lump of money, of course. But you get some pretty decent premium features. For instance, the screen has a maximum refresh rate of 90 Hz. You won’t find that even on the more expensive base iPhone 15.

The Pixel 7a won’t match the iPhone for processing speed. But the Tensor G2 chip is faster than other phones in the same price bracket. And that processor helps the 7a produce excellent photos from its two cameras. Pixel photos have a distinctive punchiness to them. And that is the case here. It’s hard to tell the difference between this camera and that on the more expensive ex-flagship Pixel 7.

There is decent video performance as well, with 30 fps 4K video available. Again, it falls short of more expensive cameras. But it provides incredible value for the price. The Google Pixel 7a is our top pick for a budget camera phone.

7. Apple iPhone 15 (128 GB)

Brand	Brand Apple
Number of Front-Facing Cameras	Number of Front-Facing Cameras 2
Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent)	Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent) 13mm, 24mm
Maximum Resolution	Maximum Resolution 48 MP
Optical Stabilization?	Optical Stabilization? Yes
Screen Size	Screen Size 6.1 inches
Maximum Brightness	Maximum Brightness 2000 nits
Key Features	Key Features Excellent 4K video and image stabilization
Best For	Best For Anyone who wants the iPhone experience at a lower price

The Apple iPhone 15 can seem subpar compared with the Pro versions. But that’s missing the point. By some reckonings, the iPhone 15 is class-leading if you factor out the ultra-premium phones.

It certainly is a very capable device. It lacks the telephoto lens of the Pro models, but the cameras are otherwise the same. It has the same screen, as well. It is a very bright screen, with a maximum of 2,000 nits peak brightness when out of doors. It is limited to a 60 Hz refresh rate, unlike the 120 Hz of the Pros.

Of interest to photographers is that the iPhone 15 produces beautiful bokeh. And the overall video and photography performance is very good. iPhone images tend to be less punchy and contrasty than, say, Pixel phones. And this is where your personal taste preferences might guide your choice.

Other features that will interest photographers include sensor-shift IS. This mechanical process is superior to electronic IS and is impressive in a device as small as a smartphone. Recording 4K video at up to 60 fps is another bonus. And the cinematic mode allows for shallow depth of field recording with 4K HDR. It looks great.

If you’re not too bothered about the lack of a telephoto lens, the Apple iPhone 15 makes good sense. It’s a great phone with a very strong photographic pedigree.

8. SAMSUNG Galaxy S23

Brand	Brand SAMSUNG
Number of Front-Facing Cameras	Number of Front-Facing Cameras 3
Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent)	Focal Lengths (Full-Frame Equivalent) 13mm, 23mm, 69mm
Maximum Resolution	Maximum Resolution 50 MP
Optical Stabilization?	Optical Stabilization? Yes
Screen Size	Screen Size 6.1 inches
Maximum Brightness	Maximum Brightness 1,750 nits
Key Features	Key Features 30x digital zoom and optical image stabilization
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a top brand Android phone at a reasonable price

If you want a premium phone from a well-known brand with three cameras, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a good choice. I have long been impressed with Samsung camera phone quality. And the S23 is a great example of why.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor allows the S23 to get the most from its cameras. These cameras remain the same as the S22 predecessor, but they have decent specifications. The 50 MP f/1.8 main camera will give you plenty of decent shots. And the 12 MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens offers lots of dramatic shooting opportunities. Finally, the 69mm, 10 MP f/2.4 lens is ideal for portraits and getting a little closer to the action.

Like the Google Pixel range, Samsung phones will tend to give you bold colors and deep contrast. At first glance, these are often very pleasing to the eye. But they are not to everyone’s taste. Where the Samsung excels, especially in this price range, is with the telephoto lens.

The headline figure of a 69mm full-frame equivalent will not rock your world. But the S23 is able to produce amazing digital zoom images up to 30x. That’s double the iPhone’s capability. And Samsung seems to have nailed the technicalities of not making the pictures look awful. If you want to amaze your friends with moon photos, this is the way to go!

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is a great value from a reputable manufacturer. It is a solid choice for a premium camera phone.

Buyer’s Guide—The Best Camera Phone

How Important Is Pixel Count for a Camera Phone?

A camera phone produces better photos than most compact cameras ever did. This is partly down to pixel counts and lens technology. But it’s also very much due to software.

A camera phone has a tiny sensor. Even the biggest sensor on Apple’s current flagship, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, is 35 times smaller than a full-frame sensor. Even a Micro Four Thirds camera sensor is six times bigger.

So phone manufacturers have to deploy sophisticated image manipulation to get the most out of their sensors.

One result of this is that similar phones (think iPhone 15 Pro/Google Pixel 8 Pro) will produce very different-looking results from the same settings and shooting scenario. That’s because each brand processes the image data differently.

That means that you might find yourself preferring a particular look over another. This is similar to GoPro, which has a particular “look” that some people prefer to alternative action cameras.

Whatever flavor of processing you like, you’ll be sure to be impressed with the camera phone quality in our selection.

Which Is Best—iOS or Android?

The very best camera phones in this review are all excellent. And there are both Apple and Android devices. Your preference might be dictated by how you like your images processed, as we’ve already said.

Or you might be locked into one ecosystem or another. If, for example, you want to use an Apple Watch, there’s no Android option for you. If you use a Samsung Galaxy Watch, you might want to stay within that Samsung ecosystem.

You’ll find Apple, Samsung, and Google jockeying for the lead in the best camera phone competition for many years to come.

What About Lens Focal Lengths?

Phone manufacturers are a little coy, or perhaps careless, in putting numbers on the focal length of their lenses. In places for this review, we have had to do a quick calculation based on the field of view of the lenses in question.

We have listed the equivalent focal length on a full-frame (35mm) camera because this is universally understood. And most of the camera phones have different size sensors, even in the same phone. So a standard measurement helps us understand better.

Compared with compact cameras, a camera phone has a wider main lens. Typically, they are about 24mm. A compact these days will have a zoom lens, but a fixed lens is more likely to be 35mm or so. This is why we often feel that our smartphones don’t get us close to the action.

That’s great for taking pics on holiday, but not so great for sports or concerts. A 24mm lens on an SLR used to be fairly exotic. The 10-13mm ultrawide lenses on these phones would be a very specialist beast on a DSLR. And in truth, the competition for these ultrawide angles would be a GoPro or similar.

And that leaves us with telephoto. Most phones call them “3x” or 5x,” which isn’t very helpful. In the case of the iPhone Pros, the 3x is about 77mm, and the 5x is about 120mm. The former, 77mm, is a nice portrait length. The latter is great for street photography and candid shots.

Other Things to Consider

Just in the realm of photography, you’ll want to think about image stabilization, creative control, ease of sharing, and editing, among other things. Each of these devices approaches those things differently. Your preference will help to determine your choice.

Many of the camera phones here offer a level of water protection. If you’re likely to get them wet, that will be important for you. You might even want to consider additional protection if they’re really going to get wet.

You might also want to compare video performance, depending on how you will use it. Things to consider are the maximum resolution (4K should be a given) and the maximum frame rate. If it’s important to you, then 60 fps will probably be on your shopping list.

Conclusion: The Best Camera Phone

There are many reasons to leave your camera at home these days. On holidays, meals out, and parties—I almost never take my camera with me. But my phone can capture those events beautifully. The good news for consumers is that excellent quality can be had in a whole range of price brackets. And choosing between these phone camera offerings is often picking over details. The overall quality is that good.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Camera Phone

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 512 GB Blue

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

iPhone Photo Academy Review – Photography Course Review

Trevor Marshall — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 13:16:06 +0000

With every model update, the iPhone camera gets better and better. iPhone Photo Academy by iPhone Photography School is there to help you get the most out of your iPhone camera. The software goes a long way in compensating for our shortcomings as photographers. But the full power of the iPhone camera is only realized if we really understand them.

So how does iPhone Photo Academy fare in its quest to make our iPhone pictures even better? This review looks at the course content, its delivery, what it does well, and where it might improve. Read on to see if this course could bring out the best in your iPhone photography!

We Highly Recommend

iPhone Photo Academy

Discover how to take stunning iPhone photos with the comprehensive video course designed specifically for iPhone users – iPhone Photo Academy.

Overview of iPhone Photo Academy

iPhone Photo Academy is a fantastic introduction to photography for beginners who take photos with their iPhones.

It’s primarily made for beginners, but not only for beginners. It’s a great source of knowledge for more advanced photographers, too.

It’s a huge course with many hours of valuable content.

Who Is It For?

The iPhone is a particularly great tool for travel and street photographers. It’s small and discreet. The latest Pro models provide excellent image quality and high resolutions. Newer models also feature three lenses, giving you both a wide-angle and an optical 2x (or 3x!) telephoto zoom lens.

But the applications don’t stop at those two niches. iPhones are fairly good performers in still and landscape situations, too.

If you find yourself shooting these types of photos with your iPhone, you might consider iPhone Photo Academy.

So, what will you find in it?

Contents of iPhone Photo Academy

The Essentials of iPhone Cameras (8 lessons, 113 minutes)
Additional iPhone Camera Features (8 lessons, 111 minutes)
The Principles of Great Photography (8 lessons, 130 minutes)
Creative iPhone Photography Techniques (8 lessons, 114 minutes)
Common iPhone Photography Scenarios (11 lessons, 155 minutes)
Bonus: Authentic iPhone Portraits (9 lessons, 72 minutes)
Bonus: How to Preserve the Quality of Your Photos (4 lessons, 52 minutes)
Bonus: Secrets for Managing a Huge Photo Library (4 lessons, 55 minutes)
Bonus: Analysis of 459 iPhone Photos (7 videos, 8.5 hours)
Bonus: Access to Private Online Community

As you can probably see, this is a very thorough photography course. But it’s focused on iPhone users. And at a total length of about 20 hours, it’s the longest I’ve reviewed so far.

Pricing

You can get this course for $49. This is a fairly standard price for a beginner photography course.

About the Creators

The course is produced by iPhone Photography School, a team of photography educators from Riga, Latvia. Consequently, most of it is shot in Riga—a beautiful and historic location. It’s presented by Emil Pakarklis, the founder of iPhone Photography School.

His style is friendly and welcoming, but he speaks a bit too slowly in my opinion. That’s why I chose the option to set the playback speed at 1.25x.

But regardless of my personal preferences, Emil is great at teaching in a brief yet meaningful way.

What I Love About iPhone Photo Academy

There’s a lot to love about this course. So let me discuss some of these points below.

Attention to Detail

Even though iPhone Photo Academy is mainly made for beginners, there are very few inaccurate or missing details from a technical standpoint. This is a mistake many other courses commit and I’m very pleased to see that it’s not an issue here.

For example, resolution and compression (which are very technical topics, especially for a beginner) are perfectly understandable from Emil’s presentation. And the course doesn’t dumb anything down for simplicity or better understandability. Emil simply explains complicated topics in a way that anyone can understand.

Coverage

We can find pretty much every component of a good beginner course in iPhone Photo Academy. You’ll learn how your camera and light work, how to compose photos, various techniques for common scenarios, and how to edit your photos.

And all of these topics fit into a very thorough, but also concise and logically structured course.

Production

The video and sound quality are almost flawless. The course is fantastically shot and edited in 4K quality. It’s a pleasure to watch.

The course has also been reshot and updated in 2021 to reflect the evolving technology of iPhone cameras.

The course web page is set up much like a YouTube page. The lesson appears in the top left, with comments from staff and students underneath. On the right is a navigation window with all the modules, which expand to show the individual videos.

The timeline on each video has chapter headings. So you can quickly scroll to whichever section you want. And if you want to rewatch a section, it’s very easy to find the exact part of the video you want.

Photo Analysis Bonus Module

It might have caught your attention that there’s a Photo Analysis bonus module. It’s longer than all the other modules combined. I didn’t watch the entire thing—only the first chapter, but I had a sneak peek into the others.

These chapters consist of Emil reviewing and critiquing iPhone photos. They are best consumed over a long period of time to allow you to fully absorb them.

The reason for this is that they teach your own personal style and taste. This is a hard thing to do. And while I don’t always agree with Emil’s points, I think he succeeds in achieving his aim of this bonus module.

I highly recommend watching at least some of these videos. You’ll develop a critical eye, which is beneficial for both improving your own work and seeing others’ work from a new perspective.

Of course, this is only one of the bonus modules that come free with the course. And even if you don’t watch every analysis, it’s always there for you to check out later.

Summaries

At the end of each chapter, you’ll find a summary of its contents. These are fantastic for quickly searching through an entire chapter, especially if you’re just coming back to recap.

These summaries are brief, but they include all of the key details.

Community and Support

iPhone Photography School has an amazing worldwide community. There’s an option to leave comments on each episode of the course, and the first one has more than 40,000 of them.

They also have a huge Facebook group with lots of student activity and involvement. Finding inspiration here is easy. It’s an excellent resource and I recommend taking full advantage of it.

There are challenges in some chapters that you’re welcome to complete and upload your results to the group. You can then ask for constructive criticism and also give it to others.

Customer support is also good. The staff reacts to questions quickly in both the comment section of the website and on Facebook.

Areas to Improve

As much as I like this course, there are a few slight shortcomings worth mentioning.

Use of a Tripod

Sometimes Emil uses a tripod, which is fine. I found myself wanting to know about the rather snazzy-looking tripod head he was using. In general, though, he shows how his recommended holding technique is more than adequate for most situations.

It’s Less Attractive for Experienced Photographers

If you’re starting iPhone photography as a skilled photographer, you might not find a whole lot of new information in this course. But it will refresh some of your knowledge of composition and exposure.

It’s a fantastic choice for those starting out with their iPhones. Even as a photographer with over four decades of experience, I would be tempted to buy it for myself. I’ve been using an iPhone since 2007 and I still learned some new things about the camera app.

Our Verdict

iPhone Photo Academy is a unique and well-rounded course for a surprisingly large photography niche. If you want to take your iPhone photography to the next level, it is absolutely worth the price.

You’ll find everything in this course that you’d find in any other introductory course. But it’s all specialized for the iPhone’s camera, interface, features, and handling. The production value is fantastic.

In many aspects, this is one of the best beginner photography courses on the market. You can find more resources on their Facebook and Instagram pages.

Scores

To standardize and compare our product reviews, we’ve decided to use a scored-based ranking system.

Measurement	Measurement Score
Coverage	Coverage
Accuracy	Accuracy
Ease of Learning	Ease of Learning
Production Value	Production Value
Uniqueness	Uniqueness
Community and Learning Support	Community and Learning Support
Value for Money	Value for Money
Total Score	Total Score

We Highly Recommend

iPhone Photo Academy

Discover how to take stunning iPhone photos with the comprehensive video course designed specifically for iPhone users – iPhone Photo Academy.

5 Best Macro Lenses for iPhone Photography in 2024

Nick Constant — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:50:33 +0000

You have lots of choices when looking for the best macro lens for iPhones. Most modern smartphones have a built-in wide-angle lens and telephoto lens. But one area most phones currently lack is a macro lens feature.

If you’re looking for an excellent macro lens attachment to take close-up photos, choose the APEXEL 2-in-1 Cell Phone Lens. It provides great macro magnification in a simple-to-use and lightweight attachment.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Macro Lens For Iphone

APEXEL 2-in-1 Cell Phone Camera Lens

KEYWING 3-in-1 Phone Lens Kit

APEXEL Professional Macro Smartphone Lens

What Is the Best Macro Lens for iPhone?

Here is a quick roundup table of our top choices. Read on below to find out about each product in depth!

Also check out all the best smartphone photography gear if you want more gadgets and gizmos.

Our Top Choice

APEXEL 2-in-1 Cell Phone Camera Lens

Premium HD optical glass for stunning photos
Eliminates ghosting and lens flares
Compatible with front and rear cameras
Excellent build quality
2-in-1 set with wide-angle lens

Most Durable

KEYWING 3-in-1 Phone Lens Kit

Three separate lenses for versatility
20x macro lens for detailed shots
Expansive 120-degree wide-angle lens
198-degree fisheye lens for creative effects
Easy clip-on design, universally compatible

Best for Optical Quality

APEXEL Professional Macro Smartphone Lens

Five glass elements give you 10x magnification
Great edge-to-edge clarity with no vignetting
Glass treated with special coating for improved quality
Macro lens for life-sized, detailed images
Universal compatibility with any smartphone

Highest Magnification

Supereyes Macro Lens

200x magnification for pristine clarity
Hassle-free installation using 3M glue
Works seamlessly with flash
Affordable price for cutting-edge tech
Universal compatibility with smartphones

Best Value

Easy-Macro Lens Band

Simple, flexible magnification accessory
4x macro lens compatible with any smartphone
Capture incredible close-up details
Small enough to fit in your wallet
Easily fits smartphones, tablets, and cases

Best Macro Lens for iPhone

1. APEXEL 2-in-1 Cell Phone Camera Lens

Brand	Brand APEXEL
Magnification	Magnification 12.5x
Attatchment Type	Attatchment Type Clip
Weight	Weight 3.84 oz / 109 g
Key Features	Key Features HD optical glass, great build quality
Best For	Best For Those who want a quality wide-angle macro lens for a good price

The APEXEL 2-in-1 Cell Phone Camera Lens is the best macro lens for smartphones. The build quality is excellent, especially when you consider the affordable price. It’s ideal for enthusiastic smartphone photographers.

With a simple clip-on design, you can attach the lens to the front or back camera on your smartphone. It’s easy to put on or take off. And the convenient size of the lens makes it easy to carry around with you.

Thanks to the 12.5x magnification from the macro lens, you can take stunning close-ups. Whether you’re snapping insects, flowers, or food, you can see things like you’ve never seen before on a smartphone.

The glass lens has been treated with a multilayer optics coating. This gives you picture extra clarity, often improving picture quality from your native camera lens. It also reduces glare and ghosting, so your images are always clean and crisp.

The APEXEL 2-in-1 Cell Phone Camera Lens is a must-have piece of kit for smartphone photographers. It’s simple, easy to use, and affordable.

2. KEYWING 3-in-1 Phone Lens Kit

Brand	Brand KEYWING
Magnification	Magnification 20x
Attatchment Type	Attatchment Type Clip
Weight	Weight 2.89 oz / 81 g
Key Features	Key Features High-quality optical glass, aluminum shell, and rubber clip
Best For	Best For Traveling or other environments where your lens could break

The KEYWING 3-in-1 Phone Lens Kit is a set of lenses that attaches to your iPhone in a simple clip. The macro lens provides you with 20x magnification. That’s a lot for a simple iPhone macro lens.

It is built with high-quality optical glass and a durable aluminum shell. So it’s built for photographers who want to take it out on the field with them.

I like that the clip has a rubber backing that provides more grip for your device. This isn’t just one of the best macro lenses for iPhone. It can also work on any smartphone or even on your iPad!

The lenses are interchangeable, and they work in a simple screw-in fashion. The product also comes with a bag to store all your equipment.

The KEYWING 3-in-1 Lens Kit is worth considering if you don’t mind two extra lenses. The build quality alone may make it worth it. And it never hurts to have two other lenses to mix up your shooting style.

3. APEXEL Professional Macro Smartphone Lens

Brand	Brand APEXEL
Magnification	Magnification 10x
Attatchment Type	Attatchment Type Clip
Weight	Weight 3.84 oz / 108 g
Key Features	Key Features Cinema-grade quality glass, special coating, compatible with all smartphones
Best For	Best For Those who want the best possible optical quality

The APEXEL Professional Macro Smartphone Lens is the best smartphone macro lens in terms of quality.

It has five high-quality glass elements. And each element has three to five layers of special coating to enhance the optical quality. You get edge-to-edge clarity with no flare or ghosting. You also get very little vignetting, so the image quality is always excellent.

The lens aperture is larger than most other smartphone macro lenses. This gives you better photos when shooting in low light. And it helps you achieve a blurred background bokeh effect in your images. It’ll make your macro shots look even more professional.

Thanks to the simple clip-on design, it’s compatible with any type of smartphone. You don’t need to worry if you’re using an iPhone or an Android device. And it clips over the front or rear camera, so you can shoot whichever way you prefer.

The APEXEL Professional Macro Smartphone Lens doesn’t have the strongest magnification. It only gives you 10x extra magnification. But it’s the best smartphone macro lens when it comes to optical quality. It’s still affordable and you don’t need any apps to use it. You simply clip it on and start shooting.

4. Supereyes Macro Lens

Brand	Brand Supereyes
Magnification	Magnification 200x
Attatchment Type	Attatchment Type Stick-on
Weight	Weight 1.06 oz / 30 g
Key Features	Key Features Highest magnification macro lens for iPhone
Best For	Best For Photographers who want a temporary micro-level lens for their phone

Marketed as a dermascope that lets you take close-up photos of your skin, the Supereyes Macro Lens has 200x magnifying power. That means it can capture images on a micro-level!

It is arguably the most unique (and cheapest) macro lens you can buy online. The disposable macro lens is a long plastic tube with an adhesive at the base.

You stick it to your phone lens instead of attaching it with a clip or a bracket. The clear shaft lets light illuminate your subject even when you’re close. And it works seamlessly with your flash.

Since the Supereyes Macro Lens uses an adhesive, you can only attach it so many times before it loses its stickiness. You also need to zoom in digitally to avoid the vignetting the plastic shaft causes.

But despite its few caveats, it takes awesome images of even the most basic objects!

5. Easy-Macro Lens Band

Brand	Brand Easy-Macro
Magnification	Magnification 4x
Attatchment Type	Attatchment Type Band
Weight	Weight 0.229 oz / 6.4 g
Key Features	Key Features Extremely small, lightweight, and portable
Best For	Best For Those who want a simple macro lens to put in their pocket

The Easy-Macro Lens Band is one of the list’s cheapest and simplest macro lens attachments. It’s a rubber band with a small bead of a lens that you align with your smartphone or iPhone lens.

Frankly, it doesn’t look fancy and can be challenging to install. But the photos it takes are surprisingly sharp, considering how simple this lens attachment is.

It also attaches quite securely, so you don’t have to worry about it falling off while taking photos. The Easy-Macro boasts a 4x magnification with a minimum focusing distance of one inch.

Because of its design, this lens band is compatible with almost any phone, from iPhones to Androids. And it even works with a phone case.

Macro Lens for iPhone FAQs

Here are the most frequently asked questions and answers about the best macro lens for iPhone photography.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Macro Lens?

A macro lens can provide a unique perspective and show us a whole new world. We aren’t used to seeing everyday objects up close in detail. These photos feed our curiosity.

By seeing certain objects in detail, we gain a new appreciation for them. This is particularly true of the natural world. Take a macro picture of a plant or flower and you will see what I mean!

What Is the Difference Between a Telephoto and a Macro Lens?

Even though both lenses bring you closer to your object, they have different qualities. Macro lenses have a short minimum focus distance. This allows you to get clear images when up close.

A telephoto lens allows you to zoom in to see further. This extended focal range brings you closer without having to move closer.

Our post on zoom lenses for iPhone has some fantastic telephoto options.

How Do I Take Better Macro Photos With My iPhone?

The number one tip is to set the focus yourself. You can do this by tapping the screen at the point you want in focus. You will know it is working when the small yellow box pops up.

Getting the right focus can be hard when using a macro lens for iPhones. Our post on iPhone macro photography will give you everything you need to know about how to take the best macro shots with your smartphone!

Conclusion: The Best Macro Lens for iPhone

The best macro lens for iPhone depends on you and your phone’s requirements. Remember that even though the products on the list do the same job, they all work a little differently.

Don’t think that the more expensive lens must be better than the cheaper ones. You can get a cheap lens and still take great macro photos with your iPhone.

Our top choice is theAPEXEL 2-in-1 Cell Phone Camera Lens. It’s easy to use, affordable, and gives you excellent magnification. You also get a wide-angle lens included, so it’s a must-have for your setup.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Macro Lens For Iphone

APEXEL 2-in-1 Cell Phone Camera Lens

KEYWING 3-in-1 Phone Lens Kit

APEXEL Professional Macro Smartphone Lens

6 Best iPhone Tripods in 2024 (Updated)

Nick Constant — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:58:49 +0000

A simple way to improve your smartphone photography is with one of the best iPhone tripods. Your iPhone is an excellent standalone device for capturing images. You can use it for long-exposure photos, nighttime shots, self-portraits, and videos.

Having a quality iPhone tripod can help you make the most of these features! Even a small tripod will make a big difference. A tripod frees your hands and stabilizes the camera for video and long-exposure photography.

Our top choice is the Joby GripTight Tripod. It takes the top spot thanks to its great build quality, functionality, and versatility in a range of environments!

Our Top 3 Choices for the Best iPhone Tripod

Joby GripTight Tripod

Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod

UBeesize Tripod

What Are the Best iPhone Tripods?

Here is a quick roundup of the best iPhone tripods. Read on below to find out more about each option in depth.

Our Top Choice

Joby GripTight Tripod

Supports 1.1 lbs of equipment
Clamp adjusts 2.2 to 3.6 inches to fit various phones
Tripod legs wrap around objects
Lightweight and compact for easy transport
Spring-loaded clip for quick mounting and release

Best For Photographers

Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod

Universal smartphone clamp
Can be used as tripod or grip
Compatible with most smartphones and digital devices
Lightweight, compact, and portable
Max payload of 2.5 Kilograms and 360-degree panoramic rotation

Best Value

UBeesize Tripod

Portable and compact
Superior quality - thick metal, reinforced rubber, and foam
90-degree tilt for portrait or landscape mode
Wireless remote control up to 30 ft range
Functional accessories - universal phone holder and adaptor screw thread

Most Versatile

Joby TelePod Tripod

All-in-one selfie stick tripod
Four modes - selfie stick, monopod, elevated stand, or tripod
Comes with GripTight One Mount for mobile vlogging
Supports entire phone market and small 360 cameras
Integrated ball head for precise positioning

Furthest Extension

ATUMTEK Selfie Stick Tripod

Integrated innovation design
Adjustable angle and rotatable phone holder
Detatchable Bluetooth remote
Super lightweight and convenient to carry around
Simple to use

Best For Vloggers

Zhiyun Smooth XS Gimbal and Tripod

Innovative slide design for pocket-size pan and roll from 2-axis motorized gimbal
10-inch selfie stick extends to 20 inches
Bluetooth control of apps
Intelligent ZY Cami app for creative gesture controls
All essential accessories included

Best iPhone Tripods

1. Joby GripTight Tripod

Brand	Brand Joby
Dimensions	Dimensions 14.7 x 5 x 3.3 cm (5.8 x 2 x 1.3 inches)
Max Height	Max Height 30 cm (11.8 inches)
Weight	Weight 82 g (0.181 lbs)
Material	Material ABS (plastic)
Key Features	Key Features Flexible legs means a sturdy stance in various environments
Best For	Best For Photographers who need sturdy shots anywhere

The Joby GripTight Tripod is great for beginner content creators. It fits most smartphones and has an integrated pin-joint mount that connects to a smartphone clamp mount.

It can support weights up to 325 grams (0.7 lbs), which is ideal for most smartphones. It also supports GoPro pin-joint-style cameras. Thanks to its cold shoe adapter, you can also mount accessories like LED lights, microphones, and small to medium-sized flashlights.

The flexible tripod legs add stability on uneven ground. And it can wrap around objects for extra stability.

2. Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod

Brand	Brand Manfrotto
Dimensions	Dimensions 26 x 7.6 x 7.6 cm (10.24 x 3 x 3 inches)
Max Height	Max Height 21 cm (8.2 inches)
Weight	Weight 221 g (0.48 lbs)
Material	Material ABS (Plastic)
Key Features	Key Features Can support a small DSLR
Best For	Best For Photographers who want a compact and sturdy tripod

The Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod is an excellent choice for anyone who uses their iPhone for photography.

It’s an incredibly light and portable iPhone tripod. We love the dual functionality of the Manfrotto tripod, which doubles as an ergonomic grip. It also has a universal 1/4″ screw thread and excellent stability.

This tripod is compatible with most smartphones and even entry-level DSLR cameras.

3. UBeesize Tripod

Brand	Brand UBeesize
Dimensions	Dimensions 28.8 x 8.2 x 5.4 cm (11.34 x 3.23 x 2.13 inches)
Max Height	Max Height 30 cm (11.8 inches)
Weight	Weight 181 g (0.4 lbs)
Material	Material Metal
Key Features	Key Features Flexible legs for uneven ground
Best For	Best For Getting a good iPhone tripod for cheap

The UBeesize Tripod is a versatile phone holder that can serve your creativity well. It is one of the tallest cell phone tripods on the market. This gives you the possibility of wider applications. It can function as a mini tripod, a selfie stick, or ergonomic handheld support.

Its flexible octopus-style legs can be wrapped around objects for use on uneven surfaces. The legs are made of durable premium metal. And have a slip-resistant foam covering and rubber pads for stability.

The tripod has a high-grade metal ball joint that supports phones and cameras up to 2.2 lbs (1 kg). You don’t have to worry about your phone as it securely locks even the heaviest smartphone into position.

The tripod comes with a wireless remote control. This allows you to take shots from a distance of up to 30 feet.

4. Joby TelePod Tripod

Brand	Brand Joby
Dimensions	Dimensions 22.8 x 5.7 x 5.7 cm (9 x 2.25 x 2.25 inches)
Max Height	Max Height 61 cm (24 inches)
Weight	Weight 181 g (0.4 lbs)
Material	Material Stainless steel, ABS plastic, glass-filled nylon plastic
Key Features	Key Features A versatile tripod that can be used as a monopod or selfie stick
Best For	Best For iPhone users who want more out of their tripod

The Joby TelePod Tripod is a brilliant option. This versatile tripod also functions as a selfie stick, monopod, and elevated stand. It allows you to capture your photos from different and new perspectives.

Besides using it with your phone, you can also use this tripod with compact point-and-shoot and 360 cameras. The phone mount secures on the ball head and fits phones from 2.2 to 3.6 inches wide.

This smartphone tripod comes with a Bluetooth remote. It lets you control your phone’s shutter from a distance. It works with iOS and Android devices.

5. ATUMTEK Selfie Stick Tripod

Brand	Brand ATUMTEK
Dimensions	Dimensions 19.8 x 3.9 x 1.8 cm (7.83 x 1.55 x 0.71 inches)
Max Height	Max Height 78 cm (31 inches)
Weight	Weight 130 g (0.28 lbs)
Material	Material Aluminum alloy
Key Features	Key Features Can extend the furthest distance on this list
Best For	Best For Photographers who need a range of functions

The Atumtek Selfie Stick has a 3-in-1 design. You can use it as a mini tripod, tabletop tripod, or selfie stick. This versatility can help you master HD photography, time-lapse photography, long-exposure shots, and filmmaking.

The Atumek is made of durable aluminum alloy for durability. It even has a Bluetooth remote shutter release.

A great feature of this product is its flexible shooting angles. The extendable selfie stick can adjust from 10 to 31 inches. You can also rotate the phone holder by up to 270 degrees.

6. Zhiyun Smooth XS Gimbal and Tripod

Brand	Brand Zhiyun
Dimensions	Dimensions 18.7 x 6 x 5.5 cm (7.4 x 2.4 x 2.2 inches)
Max Height	Max Height 50 cm (20 inches)
Weight	Weight 249 g (0.54 lbs)
Material	Material Plastic and aluminium
Key Features	Key Features Gimbal for steady video
Best For	Best For Vloggers who want a tripod and gimbal in one

The Zhiyun Smooth XS is technically a gimbal. But it can be used as a tripod as well.

It features a 10 to 20-inch selfie stick extension with a built-in premium aluminum telescopic bar. The gimbal features a physical joystick, gimbal mode control, and zoom control which works with the ZY Cami app.

The ZY Cami app will help you create advanced slow-motion, time-lapse, panorama, and more. You can even start taking photos or videos remotely with hand gesture control. Plus, it offers automatic subject tracking.

Buyer’s Guide

What Are the Best Features to Look For in an iPhone Tripod?

The most important factor to consider is what you will use your iPhone tripod for. Some people prioritize versatility over everything else. This provides numerous ways to use your tripod.

Some people want a tripod with flexible legs for various mounting positions. Others will want a compact, tabletop tripod. Others will want a tripod with height adjustment. Which tripod is best for you depends on what you’ll use it for.

Personally, I would look for an iPhone tripod that is sturdy and versatile. The Joby GripTight Tripod is ideal because you can wrap it around things to mount it. This means you don’t need a tripod that extends. But you will be relying on your environment.

Is My iPhone Secure On a Tripod?

For the most part, yes. iPhone tripods have developed along with selfie sticks. And these have to hold iPhones securely. The clip-style phone mounts on tripods these days are secure and sturdy enough to safely hold your phone.

Conclusion: The Best iPhone Tripods

If you are serious about taking pictures with your iPhone, a good iPhone tripod is a must-have. It allows you to stabilize your phone for long exposures, nighttime shots, and video.

Lightweight and portable, these tripods can accompany you wherever you go on your photography journey!

Our favorite choice is the Joby GripTight Tripod. It is available for a great price and adds a whole new dimension to iPhone photography.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Iphone Tripod

Joby GripTight Tripod

Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod

UBeesize Tripod