Your phone’s camera is good but it could be better. Balqis Lim picks eight gadgets to up your phonegraphy skills
STAND STILL
Smartphones don’t have tripod threads on them, so you will need specific options such as the Manfrotto PIXI Mini Table Top Tripod, which clamps on the phone to hold it securely. It has two leg sections that are adjustable in five steps, allowing it to extend from 6cm up to 20cm high. Its integrated ball head also allows a 360-degree rotation for any camera orientation. Price: RM199 at 11street.my.
GET A GRIP
Don’t you just hate it when your images or videos turn out blurry? Fancy Gimbal is a small, light and stylish camera stabiliser for smartphones. It only weighs 180g — easy to carry around. You can also charge your phone using the built-in power bank. With this tool, there’s no more blurry photos and shaky videos. Price: US$89 at Amazon.com.
LIGHT SUPPORT
This compact spotlight by Commlite can give your mobile photography a boost and make a dark environment manageable for certain images. Equipped with 50 LED bulbs, it has eight levels of gradual and non-gradual light brightness adjustment. It’s 1cm thin and the size is as small as a credit card which makes it convenient to carry around. It lasts up to 18 hours and there is also a four-level power indication as a charging reminder. Price: US$32 (about RM126) at Amazon.com.
CAPTURE EVERYTHING
Give your world a 360-degree change with Insta360 Nano. Users can attach this nifty little gadget to their phones and get to work shooting in fisheye, 360-degree and VR. This device is compatible with iPhone 6 and newer or can be used alone. Its 360-degree video chat lets you share an immersive, real-time view of your world with family and friends. It is able to shoot video in 4K and 20MP for still photo. Its multi-view function allows users to record in different angles at the same time through live broadcast or chat. Price: US$239 at Amazon.com.
TRANSFORM PHOTOS
The Olloclip Connect interchangeable lens system works seamlessly on both front and rear-facing cameras. Fisheye, Super-Wide and Macro lens options are included in a single clip to provide diverse creative options. Since it works simultaneously with both front and back camera, you can mix and match the Olloclip lenses to create the perfect lens combination to match your adventure. Price: US$68.94 at Amazon.com.
SELFIE ASSIST
Your front camera lacks flash light? This selfie ring light with phone holder clip is convenient when you want to make videos at night or take great selfie in dark areas. Its long goose neck horse design allows you to adjust to any angle for taking photos or shooting videos. Additionally, this tool has a three-coloured lighting mode — white, warm yellow and warm white, which can be adjusted to 10 levels of brightness. This will come in handy whenever you need extra light when putting on makeup, taking photos, making videos, reading books and live streaming. Price: US$18.99 at Amazon.com.
ZOOM IN
Specially designed for outdoor enthusiasts, this monocular is perfect for outdoor activities such as hiking, hunting, climbing, bird watching, watching wildlife and scenery. With 12X zoom, images are clear and bright because of the Gosky Titan High Power Prism Monocular as it allows more light to get in via the 50mm FMC objective lens. Compatible with almost all smartphone brands on the market, this monocular is also waterproof, dust-proof, and shockproof with sealed O-ring sealed to prevent moisture and debris from getting in. Price: US$59.99 at Amazon.com.
SMOOTH PANNING
The Cliquefie Puck is a 360-degree panoramic self-rotate stand. It features dual docks with tilts up to 30 degrees and allows full use with most cell phone cases. The puck also comes with a cradle and it can be used together or separately as a docking station for video calls or viewing movies. Besides capturing panorama shots and be used as a stand, the Cliquefie Puck is great in terms of smooth panning for a pro-looking video for your social media update. Price: RM189 at Storminggravity.com.