It has never been easier to capture great footage with the device that is in your pocket. Mobile phones have quickly evolved from devices to call and text others, into highly advanced tools capable of capturing amazing footage. It’s even possible to become a content creator without even owning a professional camera. However, capturing epic quality footage on your iPhone isn’t as easy as simply pressing record. The best mobile content creators today use iPhone rigs, which help you elevate your content to create videos that are cinematic, well lit video with high quality audio. In this post, we’ll be looking at everything you need to know about iPhone rigs.
What is an iPhone Rig?
iPhone rigs come in all shapes and sizes. Although, they all serve the same purpose: to help you capture video content on your iPhone. Holding the rig, rather than your iPhone, allows you to get more creative with your angles, and gives you better versatility and comfort while shooting. In addition, an iPhone rig is going to make it far easier to hold your phone still and capture steady footage without having to carry around and use a gimbal.
Most iPhone rigs consist of multiple parts:
- A place to connect your phone.
- Hot shoes on the sides to hold things like a microphone and light
- A small tripod stand or hand grip
All of this combines together to create a contraption that you can hold with both hands and capture excellent video footage with the smartphone in your pocket.
Best Rigs for iPhone
SmallRig 3384 Professional Phone Video Rig Kit for Vlogging & Live Streaming
Why we chose this rig: This is excellent heavy-duty option for the serious mobile content creator, equipped with a mic and adjustable light.
Key Features:
- Design type: Aluminum alloy
- Audio: Cardioid mic
- Light: Adjustable temperature light
- Stability: Two side handles and one center tripod handle
- Compatibility: 62mm-86mm wide phones
The SmallRig 3384 is everything you need as a mobile content creator. With a mount to hold your phone, microphone, light, and even an external power bank, all of your accessories will fit perfectly on your rig. The bottom handle folds out to be a tripod, so you can easily set the rig down and film tabletop footage. The cage can easily be removed from the tripod base and flipped in order to change between portrait and landscape shooting modes. The SmallRig 3384 is highly customizable for many different applications. It also has hot shoe spots on numerous sides of the cage and on top of the handles.
The included cardioid microphone uses smart noise reduction to filter out unwanted noise. It also comes with a shock absorber and windproof wool cover to help you get excellent audio quality. The LED light can be adjusted both in temperature and in brightness to achieve the look and feel you want in each scene.
SmallRig Universal Lite Video Kit for iPhone
Why we chose this rig: This is perfect for creators who don’t need a large setup and already have their own microphone and light.
Key Features:
- Design type: Aluminum alloy
- Audio: No
- Light: No
- Stabilitye: tripod mount and side handles
- Compatibility: iPhone 6/7/8/X/11/12/13, Samsung Galaxy S21, HUAWEI P40, P50 series, Mate 40 series
The SmallRig Universal Lite is very similar to the SmallRig 3384, but in a smaller package. The Universal Lite doesn’t include a microphone, light, or side handles. The mount comes ready to be used with optional accessories from SmallRig like the Tripod BUT2429, Side Handle 2772, and nearly any on-camera microphone and LED light. Multiple hot shoe ports on each side of the cage allow for connectivity of virtually anything that fits into a hot shoe. Add on the optional Side Handle 2772, and you’ll have a way to hold the rig and get access to additional hot shoe ports on top of the side handles.
Within the rig, your smartphone can be adjusted left or right for full functionality between all of the buttons on your iPhone. The SmallRig Universal Lite Video Kit is really meant for the creator that already has all of the accessories, but just needs the phone mount. If you already own a microphone and LED light, this is the right kit for you. If not, consider the SmallRig 3384.
Movo Photo SmartCine Wireless Complete Universal Smartphone Video Kit
Why we chose this rig: This is compact and lightweight, so it’s perfect for the creator on the go or with limited space.
Key Features:
- Design type: Single stick
- Audio: Lavalier mic
- Light: Three-level LED ring light
- Stability: Handheld
- Compatibility: Universal compatibility
The Movo Photo SmartCine Kit comes with everything a content creator would need to capture stunning footage. Equipped with a three-level LED ring light to give bright yet soft illumination, and a pro-level lavalier microphone to capture clean audio from up to 160 feet away, this kit will help you take excellent videos no matter the subject. The lavalier microphone ensures that your subject can speak and move freely, without having to worry about the audio quality as they move away from the camera. Even better yet, the kit has three attachable lenses, including a wide-angle, fisheye, and telephoto. With these three options, your creative potential has greatly expanded, allowing you to capture more than just the standard focal length seen on most smartphones.
This mount comes with a handhold on the bottom to carry and film with your phone. The whole rig packs down small and easily fits inside of a small bag or purse to help you capture as much content as you need, anywhere you go.
Movo Photo Smartphone Video Kit V2
Why we chose this rig: This is a simple design with hot shoe options for the included lavalier microphone and LED light.
Key Features:
- Design type: Single stick
- Audio: Lavalier mic
- Light: LED-30 Video Light
- Stability: Handheld
- Compatibility: All smartphones up to 3.6” wide
The Movo Photo Smartphone Video Kit V2 is a simple rig that has the ability to add on multiple accessories via a hot shoe port on top of the rig. In this kit, you’ll find a wrist strap, lavalier microphone system, LED light, cold shoe extender, Bluetooth remote, hard case, and a microfiber cloth. The included lavalier microphone and adjustable LED light will easily attach on the cold shoe at the top. This allows you to start creating amazing video content from the moment you unbox your rig. The light only weighs 1.4 ounces and features 30-ultra bright LEDs, and the lavalier microphone system works at a range of up to 50 feet.
This rig also has a built-in spirit level to help you capture perfectly level footage. When not in use, the Movo Photo Smartphone Video Kit V2 breaks down in order for easy storage. For hands-free carrying, you can use the wrist strap to let the rig hang from your wrist, or just use the wrist strap while shooting to prevent accidental drops.
YELANGU Smartphone Video Rig Kit
Why we chose this rig: This incredibly durable, portable, and easy to use design makes it a great option for creators who don’t need all the bells and whistles.
Key Features:
- Design type: Aluminum cage
- Audio: No
- Light: No
- Stability: Handles on both sides of the rig
- Compatibility: Most smartphones
If simplicity is your style, look no further than the YELANGU Smartphone Video Rig Kit. This rig comes as a cage that holds your smartphone in the middle, and has two hot shoe options on the top. The cage is set up to shoot in landscape orientation, so it isn’t the best fit for content creators that need to shoot vertical content. Each side of the cage is ribbed, allowing the perfect place to hold and put your fingers. You can easily use this rig with either one hand, or two hands for increased stability and performance.
The bottom of the rig has a standard ¼ screw hole. This can be installed to many different base plates or tripods, or even used flat on a table. The two hot shoes can easily be used with both a light and a microphone at the same time, giving you access to excellent video quality in a very short setup time. The external mic and light is not included, so be sure you have your own to mount on this rig.
JOBY GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit
Why we chose this rig: This flexible rig has virtually unlimited ways to set up, and comes with a microphone and LED light.
Key Features:
- Design type: Clamp-lick
- Audio: No
- Light: No
- Stability: Flexible grip
- Compatibility: Most smartphones
The JOBY GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit is just like a regular GorillaPod, just with a couple extra arms for a mic and LED light. A GorillaPod is a small handheld tripod that can stand, grip or wrap around an object to film freely. You can even fold up the legs and film while holding it. Unlike a traditional tripod with legs that lock, the JOBY GorillaPod can be adjusted to nearly any angle. This allows you to reach the most challenging spots, or close the legs down to carry the rig as you like. The two hot shoe spots are also made of the same material as the legs so you can move the light and microphone as you see fit.
The included LED light is up to 1000 lumens bright with a 5-step button to dim down the light. You can even use two hot shoe mounts on the sides of the light to add another light, microphone, or other accessory. The included microphone is compact, portable, and lightweight, yet it is powerful enough to give you great quality audio.
iPhone Rig: FAQs
How do I turn my iPhone into a professional quality camera?
While the quality on your iPhone is still not quite as good as some of the best professional quality cameras, you can capture excellent video quality by using an iPhone rig. Your iPhone already comes equipped with an impressive camera, so adding a rig helps to stabilize your footage and properly light the scene, in addition to capturing quality audio to go alongside your video.
What iPhone has the best camera quality?
Usually, Apple improves the quality of the iPhone camera in each new model. At the time of this writing, the iPhone 14 offers the best quality iPhone camera. The iPhone 14 takes 48MP photos on the main 24mm lens, 12MP ultra-wide 13mm photos, and 12MP 48/77mm telephoto shots. Also, the iPhone14 can record 4K video up to 60fps.
Why do I need an iPhone rig?
iPhone rigs solve most of the major problems preventing your iPhone video from looking professional. First, since an iPhone is small and light, it can be challenging to capture footage that isn’t shaky. An iPhone rig can help you capture smooth footage that can have a cinematic look. Also, using a microphone and LED light in the hot shoe mounts of your iPhone rig can help to improve both the video and audio quality of your footage, helping your videos to look even better than before.
If you want to become a mobile content creator, you need to pick up an iPhone rig to take better quality videos. With smartphone technology improving rapidly every year, taking professional cinematic quality videos on your smartphone is easier than ever before. You should absolutely be utilizing the powerful device in your pocket. Combining the impressive specs of your iPhone with a high quality iPhone rig will help you to elevate your mobile content creation to the next level.
