The SnapGrip Creator Kit from ShiftCam lets you hold your smartphone like a camera, charges the battery, lights up the scene and provides a stable tabletop support. It’s very well made and practically attaches itself.
The smartphone has made its bones as a snapshot shooter, and in the hands of talented creators has evolved into a serious photographic tool. Resolution, color balance and sharpness are no longer the problems they once were, but there’s still one major flaw: their shape.
The SnapGrip from ShiftCam fixes the issue by providing a comfortable camera-like grip, complete with Bluetooth-enabled shutter release button. The grip is a 3200mAh battery that recharges your phone via MagSafe. It weighs about 4.5 ounces (127g) and has a clean-looking matte finish. Set up on its end, the SnapGrip becomes an ad hoc smartphone stand, perfect for Zoom connections. The SnapGrip is the core of a complete system. The engineering and design are outstanding.
The SnapGrip Creator Kit includes the SnapGrip and adds three additional, useful accessories. The gem here is the SnapLight, a mini-ring light that attaches to the SnapGrip magnetically. The SnapLight has a built-in rechargeable battery and can be flipped 180° to match shooting position. It also has a mirror in its center but it’s too small for proper selfie framing.
The other items included in the SnapGrip Creator Kit are the SnapPod and a protective fitted case. The SnapPod is another clever design. It can be attached to the included three-legged base and deployed as a tabletop tripod, or it can support the SnapLight and used separated from the smartphone.
Compatibility
ShiftCam boldly states that the SnapGrip is compatible with all smartphones. For non-MagSafe phones, they include an adhesive Magnetic Sticker.
Conclusion
This is a very impressive product that is very well devised. It’s truly a versatile, modular system that’s easy to snap together and completely intuitive to use. The SnapGrip with built-in battery is worth the price of admission, and when you add the SnapLight you have a very useful tool.
Clearly the SnapGrip Creator Kit works best with late-model iPhones that have MagSafe compatibility. I’m not sure how well it works on other smartphones. Personally, I’m reluctant to glue anything to an electronic device because the adhesive usually either works too well or not well enough. I didn’t try it so I’m expressing this anecdotally.
Price and Availability
You can order your ShiftCam SnapGrip Creator Kit directly from ShiftCam. Regular price is $149 and there are five color variations to choose from. Alternatively, you can visit the ShiftCam Store at amazon.com.
If you step yourself up to the SnapGrip Creator Kit Plus you receive everything in the Creator Kit and a SnapShoe and ProMic. Even higher up the product ladder, the SnapGrip Creator Kit Max includes all of the above plus a TravelPod Pro. Visit ShiftCam’s website for pricing and other details regarding the Plus and Max kits.
—Jon Sienkiewicz
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