ShiftCam SnapGrip review: Better iPhone photos with MagSafe - AppleInsider

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Apple introduced the MagSafe accessory ecosystem arsenic a caller charging solution for iPhone, but the ShiftCam SnapGrip evolves the conception with an absorbing click-on photography tool.

Your iPhone mightiness beryllium the champion camera you own, oregon astatine the least, the astir portable. However, shooting images tin beryllium somewhat cumbersome with its slick soap barroom plan and fiddly touchscreen shutter.

The ShiftCam SnapGrip addresses these issues and much with a unsocial solution — a MagSafe grip. This isn't the archetypal photo-friendly MagSafe grip we've seen, but it is really shipping to customers and is somewhat unsocial successful its wide approach.

This reappraisal focuses chiefly connected the SnapGrip itself, but we tested the full Creator Kit, which includes a ringing airy and tripod mount. These products are portion of an emerging MagSafe class that we anticipation to spot much of.

ShiftCam SnapGrip plan and features

The SnapGrip itself is simply a elemental artillery battalion that attaches to the iPhone via MagSafe. It has a rounded grip akin to a DSLR and a shutter fastener for casual capture.

Like different artillery packs, it indispensable beryllium powered connected with a fastener property to statesman charging. It has a 3,200 mAh capableness rated astatine 11.84Wh, which translates to a fewer hours of further iPhone use. It charges via USB-C.

However, the artillery battalion isn't the superior diagnostic of this product. We similar that the artillery is there, but its main usage is arsenic a photography grip.

The artillery adds a bully heft to the grip, which besides somewhat counterbalances the iPhone's weighty camera system. There are 2 buttons positioned connected the thumb remainder — a shutter fastener and a powerfulness button.

The ShiftCam Creator Kit comes with a light, tripod, and grip

The circular magnet is the superior mounting aboveground connected the iPhone, truthful it tin beryllium mounted successful immoderate predisposition astir 270 degrees around. Obviously, it can't beryllium mounted successful the other absorption due to the fact that of the camera bump.

MagSafe doesn't supply immoderate information oregon accusation to the iPhone, truthful each the iPhone knows is you've attached a artillery pack. The shutter controls are paired utilizing Bluetooth.

The wide operation is solid. It is made from hard integrative with a texture applied to the grip. The magnetic mounting points are rubber for accrued grip.

SnapPod

The SnapPod is simply a tripod equine with a modular 1/4-inch attachment. The lollipop-shaped portion is simply a MagSafe connector that tin beryllium attached to immoderate modular tripod mount, but ShiftCam includes a tiny tripod with the kit.

The tripod itself could beryllium better, but it is utile successful a pinch if you request to dependable your hand. Closing the tripod gives you a usable monopod too. Sadly, the shot associated can't beryllium tightened capable to unafraid the mount, making the iPhone basal skew easily.

Since the MagSafe portion tin connect to immoderate of the SnapGrip accessories, it besides works large for mounting the SnapLight oregon iPhone separately. The SnapGrip tin beryllium utilized portion attached to the iPhone primarily, but it besides works arsenic a distant shutter acknowledgment to the Bluetooth connection.

SnapLight

The SnapLight is simply a magnetically attachable airy with 4 brightness settings. It is wholly analog, truthful powering it on, controlling brightness, and powering it disconnected requires carnal fastener presses.

Likely to support from overcomplicating the products, the SnapLight lone charges via USB-C. Unfortunately, that means it has its ain interior artillery and indispensable beryllium charged betwixt uses.

The SnapLight does not complaint erstwhile connected to the SnapGrip.

Using the SnapGrip

After immoderate archetypal setup, the SnapGrip is simply a large photography accessory. You'll request to brace it to your iPhone via Bluetooth, but it should automatically link aft that.

The shutter fastener isn't really communicating a shutter property to the iPhone. Instead, it sends a volume-up command, which should activate the shutter successful the Apple camera app and third-party apps.

The ringing airy tin beryllium harsh successful immoderate conditions

Anyone who takes plentifulness of pictures connected an iPhone volition person encountered the annoyance of trying to deed the shutter portion holding the telephone one-handed. Pressing the measurement fastener causes you to shingle the full device, and reaching for the show shutter fastener tin sometimes pb to switching camera modes instead.

With the SnapGrip, users tin simply click the shutter button, akin to a DSLR. The fastener property is brushed capable that the instrumentality won't shake, and the fastener is people located beneath the thumb.

The MagSafe attachment is simply a double-edged sword, however. We similar the state of taking photos oregon videos successful representation oregon scenery utilizing the grip, but it is excessively casual to determination the telephone astir portion holding it.

The added accessories successful the Creator Kit are besides hit-and-miss. The SnapLight mightiness beryllium adjuvant successful circumstantial situations, but it feels excessively agleam adjacent astatine the lowest mounting and washes retired our look oregon subject.

The SnapPod is bully since it makes attaching our iPhone to immoderate tripod simple. However, it isn't utile erstwhile coupled with the SnapGrip but successful circumstantial situations. For example, you can't instrumentality a photograph and clasp the monopod simultaneously, but two-handed operations are easier with it.

The magnetic airy and tripod tin harvester for a elemental lighting setup

The artillery battalion whitethorn person a tiny capacity, but it is amended than nothing. Shooting a batch of photos oregon agelong videos tin rapidly drain an iPhone battery, and the SnapGrip has capable capableness to adhd hours of shooting time.

While this isn't a peculiarly compact product, it is precise useful. We won't beryllium taking it retired connected each trip, but we'll person it connected a photo-heavy hike oregon household outing alternatively of a modular artillery pack.

A caller MagSafe category

ShiftCam has a large conception successful its hands that begs to beryllium iterated on. There are different bespoke shutter controllers and accessories that are trying to beryllium overmuch much analyzable portion utilizing MagSafe, however, we similar ShiftCam's simplistic approach.

We're excited by the thought that respective kinds of caller MagSafe accessories could travel from this determination into photographic gear. Hopefully, this is lone the opening for ShiftCam.

All SnapGrip accessories tin connect to each other

The SnapGrip is an fantabulous enactment for immoderate shutterbug looking for a bully grip. The artillery battalion is conscionable an added bonus, and the Creator Kit isn't a atrocious value, either.

SnapGrip Pros

SnapGrip Cons

Rating: 3.5 retired of 5

The ShiftCam SnapGrip is simply a bully archetypal accessory ecosystem for this caller MagSafe category. It has immoderate country to improve, truthful our people is 3.5 retired of 5 to suggest it is simply a better-than-average product.

Anyone that struggles to instrumentality pictures with the built-in iPhone tools should look into the ShiftCam SnapGrip. This accessory would besides marque a large accessibility instrumentality since it improves power and grip for anyone that would different conflict to clasp the bladed iPhone steady.

Where to bargain the ShiftCam SnapGrip

The SnapGrip is disposable connected the ShiftCam website for $69.99 unsocial oregon $129.99 with the Creator Kit bundle. We tested the Abyss Blue option, but determination are 4 different options: Midnight, Blue Jay, Chalk Pink, and Pink Pomelo.