Even the most advanced Apple smartphones can take better photos when using the finest iPhone lenses.
iPhones are among the finest smartphones available, and while the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 have excellent photographic capabilities, neither has a dedicated macro or fisheye lens. And while the most recent iPhone models do have a Cinematic Mode, an Anamorphic lens can give images an appearance that is even closer to that of a motion picture. Want to take long-range shots? The 3x telephoto lenses on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max could be further extended with one of the finest iPhone lens kits.
Regardless of the iOS device you use, the best iPhone lenses can enhance your photos and help you get closer to matching the capabilities of the best cameras. While some are made for particular models, others can be used with a variety of phones, including famous Android devices, albeit occasionally with an adapter.
So continue reading to learn about our top picks for iPhone lens sets and learn how to take better photos with your phone.
Our Top Picks
- Case Sold Seperately
- Case Sold Seperately
- ✔ COMPATIBLE WITH ALL SMARTPHONES, TABLETS, and LAPTOPS including ALL iPhone models, Samsung Galaxy and Note, Google Pixel, Huawei and more. CONTENTS INCLUDE: TruView 0.45x Wide Angle Lens, Clarus 15x Macro Lens, TruGrip Lens Clip, GlowClip Mini Rechargeable LED Light + Charging Cable, Quick-Release Lanyard, DuraCase, EasyClip, Cleaning Cloth and LIFETIME WARRANTY.
- ✔ TRUVIEW 0.45x WIDE ANGLE LENS - CAPTURE 45% MORE PICTURE WITH EVERY SNAP: Shoot stunning photos of people, pets, travel scenery, landscapes, architecture, selfies and more. NO DARK CORNERS (vignetting) like cheaper lenses. Crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum and premium optical glass for durability and clarity. Multi-element, coated glass lenses minimize ghosting, reflections, lens flare, and other artifacts. Xenvo cell phone lens attachment is ideal for hobbyists and photography pros alike.
- ✔ CLARUS 15x MACRO LENS - MARVEL YOUR SENSES. MAGNIFY NEARBY SUBJECTS FOR BREATHTAKING, SUPER CLOSE-UP PHOTOS: Capture all the intricacies and details with precision-focus for razor crisp macro photos every time. (For best results, position macro lens approximately 1/2 inch from subject. Not designed for zooming in on distant subjects.) THE TRUGRIP LENS CLIP offers SUPERIOR GRIPPING POWER to fasten your lenses to your cell phone when you're in action mode, framing your next perfect shot.
- ✔ GLOWCLIP RECHARGEABLE LED FILL LIGHT - The GlowClip LED light clips ANYWHERE on your phone to instantly illuminate your subject and surroundings with warm continuous light. The warm and natural LED light is superior to your smartphone's built in flash—which can be blinding and unnatural—especially in darker settings and venues. FEATURES 3 BRIGHTNESS SETTINGS: Low, Medium and High. Say goodbye to frustrating photo "retakes" and hello to brilliant photos the first time.
- ✔ QUICK-RELEASE LANYARD AND TRAVEL CASE - TRANSPORT AND PROTECT YOUR LENS KIT: Perfect for taking your Xenvo lenses with you on the fly. The travel case stores and protects all lens kit components snugly and safely while the quick-release lanyard is the perfect way to carry your lenses on your next outing. Just drape the lanyard and lens around your neck. The quick-release lanyard head makes it a cinch to access your Xenvo lenses in a flash so you never miss another photo moment.
- DESIGNER SERIES: A special luxury 3D printing technique gives an embossed texture effect. This added texture brings out the intricate details of the design and puts a piece of art on the back of your phone! It is water resistant, super easy to clean, extremely durable, simple to keep, great for heavy usage throughout every day.
- PORTABLE 6-IN-1 REVOLVER LENS: It comes outfitted with 3 sets of lens options: Wide Angle/Telephoto, Macro/Super Macro, Fisheye/Telephoto. With our QuickFlip technology, the lenses flip out and automatically align with your phone's lenses. You never have to worry about missing the moment, since you can attach and change lenses in seconds. All it takes is a quick flip and the lenses are ready to go!
- DUAL LENS SOLUTIONS: The patented 6-in-1 Lens Kit offers an extremely compact size that is full of functionality. The dual-optics design is fully compatible with your phone’s dual lens camera. And also, Say goodbye to lens caps, since the lenses are fully protected when they’re not in use.
- QUICK MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT: The M Series Revolver Kit features a magnetic attachment so you can quickly add different accessories to your phone. The embedded metal plate allows for quick attachment of accessories, it can be attached to the magnetic car phone holder directly. (The metal plate may effect the wireless charging)
- 360 FULL BODY PROTECTION: Our Revolver Kit comes with a durable phone case to provide all-around protection for your phone. The rubberized frame has tactile buttons and gives full access to the ports, mic, and speaker with precise cutouts.
Review
Moment Lens
The best iPhone lenses overall
- Case Sold Seperately
SPECIFICATIONS
- Lenses: Wide, Telephoto, Fish-eye, macro
- Weight: 1.6 ounces (Wide), 1.7 ounces (Telephoto)
- Compatibility: iPhone 6 and higher, Samsung Galaxy S8 and higher, Note 8, Google Pixel XL, 2/XL
REASONS TO BUY
- Excellent quality
- Works with later iPhones, Samsung Galaxy and Note smartphones and Google Pixel
- Can be used with both rear cameras
REASONS TO AVOID
- Expensive
Despite the fact that each of Moment’s lenses costs between $80 and $130, we believe that the company creates the best iPhone lens kits overall. The images from Moment’s lenses are some of the best we’ve seen from any smartphone camera lens attachment, based on our tests with rival premium iPhone lens kits.
Moment produces telescopic, wide angle, macro, anamorphic, and fisheye lenses to suit almost any need. Additionally, the business produces cases for a variety of cellphones, including the newest iPhone 14 models. There are many different colors and finishes available for cases, as well as slim versions and ones with extra batteries.
Aside from lens kits, Moment also offers a variety of filters, such as neutral density and circular polarizers, which can be used with the camera on your smartphone even though they don’t work with Moment’s lens kits.
Moment Anamorphic
Best iPhone lens for video
- Case Sold Seperately
SPECIFICATIONS
- Lenses: 1.33 anamorphic
- Weight: 2.6 ounces
- Compatibility: iPhone 7 and up, Android with universal adapter
REASONS TO BUY
- Allen bolt secures lens in place
- Works with multiple iPhones and Android phones
REASONS TO AVOID
- More expensive than competitors
The Moment anamorphic lens won out over other versions in tests to become the top iPhone lens for filmmakers. It can be set up to hold your phone in either portrait or landscape orientation, and because it’s locked in place, it can’t be readily jostled out of position. It also enables you to capture some superb footage.
The Moment Anamorphic lens costs a little more than its rivals, though: Although it costs $149, you must also buy a cover, which adds another $30 to $40 to the price.
Xenvo Pro Lens Kit
Best budget iPhone lens kit
- ✔ COMPATIBLE WITH ALL SMARTPHONES, TABLETS, and LAPTOPS including ALL iPhone models, Samsung Galaxy and Note, Google Pixel, Huawei and more. CONTENTS INCLUDE: TruView 0.45x Wide Angle Lens, Clarus 15x Macro Lens, TruGrip Lens Clip, GlowClip Mini Rechargeable LED Light + Charging Cable, Quick-Release Lanyard, DuraCase, EasyClip, Cleaning Cloth and LIFETIME WARRANTY.
- ✔ TRUVIEW 0.45x WIDE ANGLE LENS - CAPTURE 45% MORE PICTURE WITH EVERY SNAP: Shoot stunning photos of people, pets, travel scenery, landscapes, architecture, selfies and more. NO DARK CORNERS (vignetting) like cheaper lenses. Crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum and premium optical glass for durability and clarity. Multi-element, coated glass lenses minimize ghosting, reflections, lens flare, and other artifacts. Xenvo cell phone lens attachment is ideal for hobbyists and photography pros alike.
- ✔ CLARUS 15x MACRO LENS - MARVEL YOUR SENSES. MAGNIFY NEARBY SUBJECTS FOR BREATHTAKING, SUPER CLOSE-UP PHOTOS: Capture all the intricacies and details with precision-focus for razor crisp macro photos every time. (For best results, position macro lens approximately 1/2 inch from subject. Not designed for zooming in on distant subjects.) THE TRUGRIP LENS CLIP offers SUPERIOR GRIPPING POWER to fasten your lenses to your cell phone when you're in action mode, framing your next perfect shot.
- ✔ GLOWCLIP RECHARGEABLE LED FILL LIGHT - The GlowClip LED light clips ANYWHERE on your phone to instantly illuminate your subject and surroundings with warm continuous light. The warm and natural LED light is superior to your smartphone's built in flash—which can be blinding and unnatural—especially in darker settings and venues. FEATURES 3 BRIGHTNESS SETTINGS: Low, Medium and High. Say goodbye to frustrating photo "retakes" and hello to brilliant photos the first time.
- ✔ QUICK-RELEASE LANYARD AND TRAVEL CASE - TRANSPORT AND PROTECT YOUR LENS KIT: Perfect for taking your Xenvo lenses with you on the fly. The travel case stores and protects all lens kit components snugly and safely while the quick-release lanyard is the perfect way to carry your lenses on your next outing. Just drape the lanyard and lens around your neck. The quick-release lanyard head makes it a cinch to access your Xenvo lenses in a flash so you never miss another photo moment.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Lenses: Wide, 15X Macro
- Weight: 4.8 ounces (entire kit)
- Compatibility: Universal
REASONS TO BUY
- Comes with two lenses
- External LED included
- Carrying case
REASONS TO AVOID
- Universal clip gets bumped easily
The Xenvo Pro 2-in-1 system emerged as the best iPhone lens kit for those on a budget after trying several low-cost alternatives. The universal clip that comes with the Xenvo 2-in-1 combination lens allows you to attach it to your camera and work with a variety of devices. It includes a 15X Macro lens and a Super Wide lens.
Along with the lens, a small, semi-hard case with attractive aluminum housing and a round, rechargeable clip-on light with three brightness levels is included. The center of the image is reasonably sharp with both lenses, but the borders start to blur. The fabric loops in each hue were visible when a chair with a pattern was photographed.
Although the Xenvo creates passable images, it cannot compete with the more expensive lens systems from Moment or Sandmarc that we have examined. In our testing, we discovered that the photo’s level of detail is definitely lacking if the phone is not kept still. Even so, if you are just starting out with iPhoneography and want a better wide angle and macro lens combination, it is not an especially risky purchase at $45 either.
Ztylus M6 Revolver
An innovative and inexpensive iPhone lens kit
- DESIGNER SERIES: A special luxury 3D printing technique gives an embossed texture effect. This added texture brings out the intricate details of the design and puts a piece of art on the back of your phone! It is water resistant, super easy to clean, extremely durable, simple to keep, great for heavy usage throughout every day.
- PORTABLE 6-IN-1 REVOLVER LENS: It comes outfitted with 3 sets of lens options: Wide Angle/Telephoto, Macro/Super Macro, Fisheye/Telephoto. With our QuickFlip technology, the lenses flip out and automatically align with your phone's lenses. You never have to worry about missing the moment, since you can attach and change lenses in seconds. All it takes is a quick flip and the lenses are ready to go!
- DUAL LENS SOLUTIONS: The patented 6-in-1 Lens Kit offers an extremely compact size that is full of functionality. The dual-optics design is fully compatible with your phone’s dual lens camera. And also, Say goodbye to lens caps, since the lenses are fully protected when they’re not in use.
- QUICK MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT: The M Series Revolver Kit features a magnetic attachment so you can quickly add different accessories to your phone. The embedded metal plate allows for quick attachment of accessories, it can be attached to the magnetic car phone holder directly. (The metal plate may effect the wireless charging)
- 360 FULL BODY PROTECTION: Our Revolver Kit comes with a durable phone case to provide all-around protection for your phone. The rubberized frame has tactile buttons and gives full access to the ports, mic, and speaker with precise cutouts.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Lenses: 2X Telephoto Lens, Macro/Super Macro Lens, Fisheye/Wide Angle Lens
- Weight: 3.27 ounces
- Compatibility: iPhone 7/8, iPhone 7/8 Plus, iPhone X/XS
REASONS TO BUY
- Secure magnetic connection
- Clever mounting system
- Inexpensive
- Multiple case designs
REASONS TO AVOID
- Only works with iPhones
The Ztylus M6 Revolver is a case for every iPhone model, from the iPhone X to the iPhone 7, so if you have an earlier iPhone model, it’s worth a look. The M6’s lenses magnetically attach to a disc in the center of the case. The real lenses—six in total—are housed in a 1.5-inch-diameter circular puck. Given that it occupies a sizable part of the case’s back, it might be difficult to hold the phone firmly depending on the size of your hands.
The telephoto lens on the M6 Revolver produced excellent images and was much less prone to bumping or misalignment than conventional clip-on lenses because it was magnetically attached to the case.
The M6 has a telephoto lens, a second telephoto lens, a wide-angle lens, a macro lens, a hyper macro lens, and a fish-eye lens. Additionally, because everything is confined in the puck, they are more portable than clip-on lenses and remain safe when not in use.
Up to 15 various case options are available for the M6 Revolver, ranging from straightforward wood grain or carbon fiber to vibrant patterns, Asian-inspired designs with dragons, and bizarre designs with cats and fish. Although the quality is undoubtedly inferior to that of Moment or Sandmarc’s more costly lenses, most people should be satisfied with it.
How to choose the best iPhone lens for you
Lens accessories for smartphones generally do a great job of enabling you to take pictures that imitate some of the characteristics you’ll find in expensive cameras that support interchangeable lenses. It’s crucial to keep in mind that the costly lenses you would use with an SLR or mirrorless camera are expensive for a reason. In other words, even if you purchase one of the finest iPhone lens kits, you should temper your expectations.
Here are four things to keep in mind about most smartphone lens accessories, as well as areas where they fall short of professional-grade photos.
Image clarity is, at best, unchanged:
The quality is, at best, unchanged because these lenses are almost always connected by covering the phone’s rear-facing camera. To put it another way, the sensor and lens combination is unchanged. When using a telephoto lens, for example, the sharpness in the center of the image may occasionally show a slight increase; however, the sharpness of the image should really be checked in the corners. The clarity of these lenses almost always degrades significantly in the corners. Even the best iPhone lens packages frequently result in additional issues like distortion, chromatic aberration, and light falloff (which results in glaring purple outlines around objects) (where the center is much brighter than the images at the edges of a photo). For DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, the majority of premium adjustable lenses are created with a focus on minimizing distortion, aberrations, and other optical flaws.
Any telephoto lens you attach to your phone will result in blurrier photos and jitterier video footage than any wide angle or fisheye. Telephoto lenses also create worse video than wide angle. This is because many smartphones, especially older versions, lack efficient picture stabilization, and telephoto lenses are particularly susceptible to handshake and vibration. If you intend to use a telescopic lens, we suggest investing in a tripod.
Some smartphone lenses block the flash, which makes flash photos of poorer quality and makes it harder to take good photos in low light. This issue rarely arises with cameras that have interchangeable lenses.
Uncomfortable designs and other restrictions: You’ll need to remove the camera’s case or be compelled to use a case that is only compatible with the lens because these lenses need to fit snugly over your smartphone’s lens. Additionally, the lens conspicuously protrudes from the phone once it is attached, ruining the sleek design. You’ll have a hard time putting that in your wallet. The sophisticated apertures and other hardware found on interchangeable lenses, which enable you to create images that appear truly professional, are absent from these lenses. Even the best iPhone lens packages are inferior to “proper” camera lenses in this regard.
How we test iPhone lenses
Naturally, the performance of iPhone optics is the first thing we assess when testing them. Cheaper lenses, like those made of plastic, will result in blurriness and chromatic aberrations (purple bands around objects) in your photographs. The objects at the edges will be much blurrier than those in the middle, which is especially noticeable with fisheye and wide-angle lenses.
We also consider how simple it is to connect and detach iPhone lenses when evaluating their usability. You run the risk of missing the shot you intended to take if it takes more than a second. We also consider the cost because not everyone has $100 to spend on a single lens. Frequently, you can find versions that are less expensive but still provide quality that is comparable. If a lens is compatible with devices other than iPhones, it receives extra points; why shouldn’t Android users enjoy themselves as well? We’re able to create our ranking of the top iPhone lens kits after taking all of those factors into account.
For consistently perfectly exposed selfies and vloggin’ content, check out our guide to the best ring lights if you’re looking to bolster your other smartphone camera equipment. You’ll also want to make sure you spend money on one of the best iPhone tripods to guarantee that you’re shooting from a stable base. Why snap pictures and not edit them? You can choose the best editing program for you with the aid of our guides to the best picture editing apps and software. Also keep in mind that you’ll need a lot of storage room for your photos, regardless of whether you’re using one of the best camera phones or the best inexpensive cameras. Don’t worry; our guide to the top picture storage websites has you covered there as well.
Think about upgrading your smartphone’s photo. Check out our selection of the best cameras for assistance in making your decision. If you’ve already made up your mind regarding which side of the DSLR vs. mirrorless debate you’re on, take a look at our recommendations to the best mirrorless cameras or the best DSLR cameras.
Last update on 2023-03-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
