Even though your iPhone X takes incredible photos — for a smartphone — it isn’t likely to replace your DSLR or mirrorless camera any time soon. There’s only so much that software gimmicks can make up for. That said, not everybody is going to carry an expensive, dedicated camera when they have a smartphone. That holds true for action cameras like GoPros, too. Below you’ll find our favorite photography accessories for the iPhone X. Some give you more lens options. Others give you a steady hand. All are a bit of fun. Whether you’re a vlogger, action junkie or just a world traveler, these are our favorite gadgets to get more out of your wonderful iPhone X.
DJI Osmo 2 Gimbal
DJI’s gimbal technology has proved to be pretty fantastic in its drones, and the company has brought that same technology to its line of smartphone accessories. The new Osmo 2 is newest and best example of that, and at $130, it’s actually very affordable. The electronic handheld gimbal is designed to lend a steady hand to smartphone photographers and videographers, and it comes with a heap of helpful skills. You can capture, record, pan and tilt the iPhone without having to touch it (and mess up the shot). If you set it up on a tripod, the Osmo 2 can lock-on a subject and automatically track them. It can capture motion time-lapses, which is a feature usually reserved for much more expensive camera equipment, and charge your iPhone X, too.
Olloclip Mobile Photography Box Set
This is Ollopclip’s latest all-in-one lens kit for iPhone X. It comes with three easily interchangable lenses, one super-wide (for landscapes), one 15X macro (for detailed close-ups) and one fisheye (for party groupshots), and they all work with both the front-facing and rear-facing camera systems. It should be noted that its clip only works with iPhone X, but it’s a fun and useful camera set that makes the iPhone X’s already exceptional camera even more special. It’s also only $100, which is usually the cost one lens from its competitors.
Manfrotto Tripod with Universal Smartphone Clamp
Manfrotto makes some of our favoritre tripods for medium format and DSLR cameras. Their tripods are pretty darn reliable for smartphones, too. This compact tripod is affordable and comes with a clamp that works with both smartphones (including iPhone X) and compact cameras. It doesn’t come with too many frills, but then again it doesn’t have to — you just need it to hold your iPhone still, and that’s exact what it’s good at.
Hitcase Pro 2.0 (Film and Photo Bundle)
The Hitcase Pro started as a Kickstarter project a few years ago and now, in its second generation, it’s maybe the most unique rugged case you can buy. You can buy a range of bundled accessories that work with it, but the coolest are the ‘Film and Photo Bundle,’ which adds a selfie stick, and the ‘Sports Bundle,’ which lets you strap the camera to your chest. Both bundles effectively allow you to turn your iPhone X into a GoPro camera, so you can take it surfing, mountain biking or skiing and capture it all without the fear of losing or breaking your iPhone.
Lifeprint 3×4.5 Photo and Video Printer
Even in this age of social media, it’s still nice to print out a photo so you can give it to a friend. This wi-fi-enabled printer lets you print out a photo (3 x 4.5-inches) that you’ve taken on your iPhone, and each photo has a sticker back so you can stick in anywhere you’d like. Another thing you can do is print out photos of the videos that you’ve taken; then, whoever you give the photo to can open the Lifeprint app and see that video come to life — it’s pretty neat.
(Note: paper, which you can buy on the company’s website, is required for this printer to work. But it here.)
