NOTE: I reviewed this product once before in the context of it working with the Litechaser Pro case but wanted to do a standalone review that was easier to find because this is a very worthy product and in these tough financial times, it is possibly the best solution I can think of for turning your iPhone camera into something that operates like a traditional camera.

Ulanzi is well-known for making high-quality, budget solutions for photographers. Those two things usually do not go together. . . high-quality at budget prices. But in my experience, everything I’ve seen from Ulanzi deserves to hold that spot.

For the budget minded, who cannot afford much but want to work with their existing smartphone (pretty much any smartphone) or for those who just want to be careful with their money, the Ulanzi Bluetooth Phone Camera Shutter and Grip at $17.95 is IMO, the best under $20 accessory you can buy for the iPhone. It gives the phone a camera-like grip, has a bluetooth shutter release on top – where it belongs and naturally under your index finger, and it has a tripod mount on the bottom.

I tested it on my iPhone SE and my iPhone 13 Pro. In both cases, it grips the phone tightly. (I am not sure it would fit an iPhone 13 Pro Max so double check. (They say it fits phones between 2.44 to 3.27″ in width.) I like the way it feels in the hand. It feels like a real camera grip and the shutter button is easy to reach.

The Bluetooth paired immediately, no muss or fuss. I tested it with multiple camera apps, not just the Apple app and it worked with all of them. It has a tripod socket on the bottom of the grip.

Yes, it’s just made of plastic but plastics have come a long way and they are lightweight, strong and affordable. I think you’d have to really TRY to break this thing.

CONCLUSION

For $18 I just don’t think this product can be beat. You can carry this in your pocket, and when you want to do some serious photography with your phone, snap it on and you’re ready to go. It’s the ultimate minimalist solution and if I were only allowed ONE accessory for my iPhone, this would be it.

My recommendation ratings go from HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (The best of the best) to RECOMMENDED (Not quite perfect but darn good) to ACCEPTABLE (Something that performs as promised but may be too expensive or have other problems that make it sort of a MEH recommendation) to NOT RECOMMENDED (Self-explanatory.)

I rate this system as HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!