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ShiftCam has adopted the famous photography saying of, “the best camera is the one that is always with you”.
They made their name with a multi-lens case for the iPhone, which provided 6 camera-enhancing lenses in 1 convenient and portable iPhone case. They have an impressive set of lenses, including 60mm telephotos, 18mm wide-angle, fisheye, 10x macro and 1.33x anamorphic, which is geared toward cinematography.
They have also developed a universal lens mount for us plebs without an iPhone.
Their latest product aims to give us DSLR-like ergonomic control and all-day shooting.
Specification:
- Smartphone compatibility: 2.3 to 3.5″ / 58 to 90 mm
- Power capacity: 6400 mAh
- PWR input: 1 x USB Type-C
- Power delivery: Up to 18 W
- Wireless charging: Up to 15 W
- Wired charging: Up to 20 W
- Dimensions 6.0 x 2.6 x 3.5″ / 15.2 x 6.7 x 8.8 cm
ShiftCam ProGrip Features
The ProGrip is a relatively simple device. It is an ergonomically designed phone mount with a built-in wireless charger and a camera shot button that connects via Bluetooth.
It is not anything fancy like the increasingly popular gimbals we see.
It is, however, thoughtfully designed.
The grip has a built-in 6400mAh battery that will charge your phone when you mount it. This should easily counter the heavy battery drain from photography.
The phone can be rotated from landscape to portrait while retaining the neutral DSLR grip and retaining the charging.
When not in use, the handgrip of the device acts as a phone stand, and there is a little bit of back lean to it, giving you a comfortable viewing angle. I have found this particularly useful on a recent trip, allowing me to charge my phone while watching Netlix.
The handgrip also has two ¼” screw holes, one is taken up with the hand strap.
In Use
I used this with the Pixel 6 and the OPPO Find X5 Pro. Both phones work perfectly, just connect the phone, and the shutter button works as expected when in the camera app.
With the OPPO and its multiple cameras, I found I had to pull the phone out a bit to avoid the mount blocking the camera. When out of the case, the phone is very slippy, and it seemed like it needed adjusting occasionally. However, with the case on, I had no problems.
Initial impressions were not that impressive. It’s just a mount and camera shutter button. It is comfortable to hold, but I felt like it was quite bulky and which doesn’t make it that convenient to take it everywhere with you.
However, I did grow to like it. If you know you are going to be out all day taking photos (such as a holiday), then it is well worth taking with you. The charger will keep your phone going throughout a day of photography.
The grip does improve the quality of your shots too, or in my case, minimises all the terrible photos I take. For me, I think holding onto the phone, and then the process of tapping the screen has a tendency to ruin shots. I think my hands are a bit shaky, and I am generally useless. The ProGrip minimises, if not eliminates, this problem for me.
The stand function turned out to be fantastic, I have used it on a train and plane to charge my phone while watching Netflix.
Price and Alternatives
At the moment, there is limited availability of the ShiftCam ProGrip in the UK. It should be available from Amazon at some point for £130. It is available direct from ShiftCam for £129.99 / $149.99.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miggo Pictar OnePlus Mark II - Apple and Android Smartphone... |
£99.85 | Buy on Amazon | |
| Pictar Smart Grip Pink | Buy on Amazon |
The Pictar Pro Camera Grip is available for around £164 and has quite a few additional features the ProGrip lacks. However, it seems largely dependent on the Pictar App, and I prefer to stick to stock apps. It also lacks the portrait mode and the useful stand ability.
There is the more affordable Pictar OnePlus Mark II, but this lacks wireless charging and seems to be limited with phone compatibility.
Then the Pictar Smart Grip, which is even more basic with just a shoot key.
Overall
I was sure not about the ShiftCam ProGrip at first, it seems expensive for what it is. However, I have grown to like it, and if you have spent over a grand on a phone with a fancy camera, it doesn’t seem that ridiculous to spend £100+ to get the best performance possible.
It has genuinely improved the consistency of me taking decent phones. There are fewer blurred shots and no random fingers in my photos. Then the wireless charging ensures that your phone keeps going throughout a day of shooting.
ShiftCam ProGrip Review Rating
Summary
The ShiftCam ProGrip turned out to be much better than I expected. I is a bit pricey but it helps with photography tremendously and both the wireless charging and stand functionality are very useful.
Overall
80%-
Overall - 80%80%
Pros
- Genuinely helps with photography.
- Wireless charging avoids heavy battery drain from using the camera all day
- Stand function is surprisingly usefull
Cons
- Quite expensive for what it is
- Reasonably large, you are not carrying this around in your pocket
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-09-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
