MiniMoke
Well-known
I don't know if you are like me, but I use the iPhone for the quick and handy snap (or eBay Pics) when no other camera is available.
BUT I ABSOLUTELY HATE MAKING PICTURES WITH IT! Not that the quality is too bad - for the intended results it's quite OK in good light, but I hate holding that flat thing, swiping and clicking with my fingers, missing the icons, fiddling with the onscreen shutter release or the volume buttons to click off a shot. And of course, as you have to hold that previous phone in both hands because your grip is so darn bad, you always got a finger or two in front of the lens.
In comes a good idea, launched on Kickstarter way back in january 2013 but only available now: The Snappgrip (www.http://snappgrip.com)
It's a simple iPhone case (also available for some Samsung models), just like any other hard case around, but with a twist. It's got grooves on the sides, allowing to attach the grip proper, transforming the phone to a point and shoot camera. The case and grip come in black or white with silver trim for the black model and gold trim for the white one. Quite good looking my white and gold grip!
The case allows you to attach different add-on lenses (wide, tele, macro...), available separately.
The grip connects with low power Bluetooth to the phone, using the free Snappgrip app (and one or two second party apps) and is charged by a micro USB cable.
It provides a handy shutter button with 2-stage action (set and hold focus and exposure and shoot), a zoom toggle and a mode selector on the top, and on-off button, USB plug and TRIPOD SOCKET underneath and a release button on the side, allowing yoou to slide the grip off and use the iPhone as intended. An attachment for a wriststrap-string is provided.
Now I have to mention that I have the iPhone 5C, so I can't speak for the 4s, 5 or 5s versions, which have different cases.
The case, while feeling sturdy is not fitting quite well, it had the phone moving about a millimeter lengthwise while and I had to add a very small strip of camera lightseal to prevent it from moving. I like the iPhone 5C, it's sleek polycarbonate shell, and the case does make it bigger, why I never used iPhone cases (I have been lucky and never dropped one...).
The grip fits my small hands well, and allows truly for one handed operation, though the mode dial is difficult to reach with the thumb (or any other finger) without using both hands.
The app is quite rudimentary, but does what it's supposed to do. Bluetooth connection worked flawlessly, but there's a very noticeable shutter delay - but that is inherent to the phone I think.
Build quality of the grip is OK, no more. It's very light, plasticky (hard plastic, even the fake leather looking parts) and the buttons and dials don't have the Leica feel 🙄 but that is OK regarding the price of 56 €
It comes nicely packed, with a cloth pouch for the grip and a wriststrap.
In my opinion, it really improves the handling of the phone as a camera, but I'm not convinced yet. The iPhone is NOT a camera, it's a hand-held computer and it will never be a proper camera
I have some more weeks to try it out and then I'll decide if it goes back to Amazon or if it's a keeper. For the moment it does not do enough to make me like the iPhone as a camera.
Does anyone have some experience with this contraption? I'd like to hear from you.
I'll keep you posted if and when the thing will go back to Amazon.....
BUT I ABSOLUTELY HATE MAKING PICTURES WITH IT! Not that the quality is too bad - for the intended results it's quite OK in good light, but I hate holding that flat thing, swiping and clicking with my fingers, missing the icons, fiddling with the onscreen shutter release or the volume buttons to click off a shot. And of course, as you have to hold that previous phone in both hands because your grip is so darn bad, you always got a finger or two in front of the lens.
In comes a good idea, launched on Kickstarter way back in january 2013 but only available now: The Snappgrip (www.http://snappgrip.com)
It's a simple iPhone case (also available for some Samsung models), just like any other hard case around, but with a twist. It's got grooves on the sides, allowing to attach the grip proper, transforming the phone to a point and shoot camera. The case and grip come in black or white with silver trim for the black model and gold trim for the white one. Quite good looking my white and gold grip!
The case allows you to attach different add-on lenses (wide, tele, macro...), available separately.
The grip connects with low power Bluetooth to the phone, using the free Snappgrip app (and one or two second party apps) and is charged by a micro USB cable.
It provides a handy shutter button with 2-stage action (set and hold focus and exposure and shoot), a zoom toggle and a mode selector on the top, and on-off button, USB plug and TRIPOD SOCKET underneath and a release button on the side, allowing yoou to slide the grip off and use the iPhone as intended. An attachment for a wriststrap-string is provided.
Now I have to mention that I have the iPhone 5C, so I can't speak for the 4s, 5 or 5s versions, which have different cases.
The case, while feeling sturdy is not fitting quite well, it had the phone moving about a millimeter lengthwise while and I had to add a very small strip of camera lightseal to prevent it from moving. I like the iPhone 5C, it's sleek polycarbonate shell, and the case does make it bigger, why I never used iPhone cases (I have been lucky and never dropped one...).
The grip fits my small hands well, and allows truly for one handed operation, though the mode dial is difficult to reach with the thumb (or any other finger) without using both hands.
The app is quite rudimentary, but does what it's supposed to do. Bluetooth connection worked flawlessly, but there's a very noticeable shutter delay - but that is inherent to the phone I think.
Build quality of the grip is OK, no more. It's very light, plasticky (hard plastic, even the fake leather looking parts) and the buttons and dials don't have the Leica feel 🙄 but that is OK regarding the price of 56 €
It comes nicely packed, with a cloth pouch for the grip and a wriststrap.
In my opinion, it really improves the handling of the phone as a camera, but I'm not convinced yet. The iPhone is NOT a camera, it's a hand-held computer and it will never be a proper camera
I have some more weeks to try it out and then I'll decide if it goes back to Amazon or if it's a keeper. For the moment it does not do enough to make me like the iPhone as a camera.
Does anyone have some experience with this contraption? I'd like to hear from you.
I'll keep you posted if and when the thing will go back to Amazon.....
