SnapGrip Solved Holding Your iPhone for Photos: Instantly after Apple’s camera on the iPhone became usable, add-on grips for the device were popular. They’ve all been more cumbersome than simply carrying a separate camera, however.
Although the iPhone’s cameras are superb, the device as a whole suffers from a lack of ergonomics when it comes to taking photos. To snap a picture, you must grip it, touch the screen, or utilize volume buttons to fire the shutter. However, half the time you’ll accidentally click a sleep button. The SnapGrip from ShiftCam solves all of this, and it does it with MagSafe. Is it possible to turn a smartphone into a high-quality camera?
“Despite my best efforts, I am unable to use a smartphone camera well. As far as I’m concerned, a point-and-shoot camera is always better than a smartphone. I doubt a firm handshake would have any effect on that “In an email to photographer and photojournalist Hamish Gill explained.
Key Takeaways:
- ShiftCam’s SnapGrip is a camera grip for the iPhone that can be attached to the phone through MagSafe.
- In terms of attaching phone camera grips, this is arguably the simplest yet.
- However, a dedicated camera may be more convenient.
Snap!
This isn’t the first time I’ve written about camera grips for the iPhone. Others include a physical shutter-release button that makes them feel like a camera, while others are part of a casing and provides nothing more than a grip.
Using Apple’s MagSafe connector, ShiftCam’s SnapGrip goes wild. It’s a battery pack and a camera grip all in one. It attaches to the iPhone’s back with MagSafe magnets, making it easier to handle, and adding a familiar shutter button for photos and videos. While the battery pack is recharging your phone, it’s doing more than that.
MagSafe’s trick is to allow accessories to be daisy-chained on a low level. The MagSafe charging puck can still be attached to the back of a MagSafe case. Using the SnapGrip, you can attach additional picture equipment to the ShiftCam. The LED light (tiltable for hot selfie action) and the tripod/selfie stick are included at launch. In addition, a ShiftCam enclosure is available for usage under all of the other add-ons.
Ergonomics
It was a combination of ergonomics and necessity that led to the development of film cameras. Because the aperture is located around the lens, the aperture ring was used to control the aperture. The focussing collar works in the same manner as the lens. This has the unintended consequence of making it simple to make changes to the settings. Since film speed (ISO) and exposure compensation (EC) dials are practically the same, the shutter button was moved to the top of the camera from the front, and so on.
If you’re a photographer, you’ll recognize these control layouts because you’ve used them for years. In any case, digital cameras are always more convenient to hold and operate than an iPhone, regardless of how the technology works.
According to photographer and fashion stylist Nuria Gregori, “the first thing I think of when I see this is that it makes cameraphones more accessible. With the use of an older phone, for example, people with limited mobility can capture photos more effortlessly.”
Bulk
Add-on grips increase the size of your iPhone to the point where it resembles a camera. Having an iPhone in your pocket means that you can take a picture in a split second.
SnapGrip is the quickest accessory grip we’ve seen, but you aren’t going to be able to snap it into position in time to take a single picture with it. For those who know they’ll be taking a lot of images, why not just use a specialized camera instead of lugging about a larger device? For starters, its larger sensor and nicer lens, as well as its increased low-light capability, will yield better results.
For now, ShiftCam’s SnapGrip is available for pre-order on Kickstarter with no release date or pricing, making the campaign appear more like an attempt at exposure than a financial effort. However, if you’re set on getting a grip, this appears to be the one to get.