iOgrapher, Shoulderpod or Ztylus: iPhone handle, clamp and case comparison

2 August 2016

Left top-bottom: Shoulderpod S1, optional H1 handle, Ztylus Pistol Grip kit. 
Right: iOgrapher case for iPhone 6/6S

iPhones are great unobtrusive tools for shooting video. But they’re not easy to hold steady. A case or clamp would be the first accessory I’d buy.

I’ve tested three alternatives: the iOgrapher case for iPhone 6/6S (they also make cases for other iPhones, iPads and GoPros); the Ztylus Pistol Grip Kit, which I’ve been using for a while; and the Shoulderpod S1 clamp and H1 handle.

All three are easier to handhold than a bare iPhone, and have tripod sockets.

iOgrapher for iPhone 6/6S

The iOgrapher (shown here with wide angle adapter) is sturdy and easy to handhold, with two side handles, a handle and tripod socket on the base, and a second tripod socket for mounting it vertically. 

The case is made of two pieces of polycarbonate. The iPhone snaps in snugly, and it’s easy to remove by pushing down on the single tab in the centre. The screen is well recessed. 

I reviewed iOgrapher’s original iPad Air case a while ago. The iPhone version is better: it’s more rigid, the phone is better protected but easier to remove, and the controls and sockets are easier to access.

Two cold shoes on top let you fit microphones, lights or other accessories. There’s a threaded 37mm brass mount for accessory lenses: you could use iOgrapher’s own wide/macro and telephoto lenses (see below), a Moondog Labs anamorphic converter for shooting widescreen, or any adapter lens with a 37mm thread. You need to be careful to avoid cross-threading the lenses when you first fit them.

iOgrapher also sent me a wide and telephoto lens to test. The front element of the wide lens screws off to make a useful macro lens. They’re relatively inexpensive for adapter lenses and centre sharpness is OK, but they do suffer from edge softness and distortion. (Option-click on the images below to view full-sized versions.)

Standard iPhone lens

iOgrapher wide angle adapter

iOgrapher telephoto adapter

Macro lens

In the USA, I’d buy from the iOgrapher online store; in Europe it’s easier with Amazon.

Shoulderpod

The European-made Shoulderpod S1 is a solidly designed clamp with rubber jaws. It comes with a small bottom handle and a leather and webbing wrist strap for extra security. It’ll take most smartphones, with or without a slim case.

You put the phone between the jaws of the clamp, push them together, then turn a knurled screw to hold the clamp in place. You have to be careful not to overtighten the screw.

It’s well engineered. The tripod socket is a brass insert. The standard handle is solid machined metal, but it’s rather short: I swapped it with the longer H1 handle (around $20 more) which felt more secure. It looks good, too: it’s made from turned sapele wood with black rubber end caps. It has a brass tripod socket on the base.

The Shoulderpod system is modular. You can buy more elaborate kits with two handles, or extension bars to add other accessories such a lights or microphones.

The S1 is available on Amazon, but to get the other accessories and kits you’ll need to visit their site.

Ztylus Pistol Grip Kit

The Ztylus Pistol Grip Kit combines their Smartphone Rig clamp with a P&C moulded plastic grip. The clamp size and shape is very similar to the ShoulderPod (who told me it’s copied from theirs). But the tightening mechanism is different: you push the jaws together against your phone, then tighten a knurled screw on the front to hold the top half of the clamp in place. It doesn’t look as neat as the Shoulderpod, but it’s quicker to fit and remove the phone. (Very quick to remove: the jaws spring open when you undo the knob, and I nearly dropped my phone on the floor a couple of times.). There’s a metal tripod socket on the base, and a useful single cold shoe on top, for fitting a microphone or lights.

The P&C Pistol Grip is big and easy to hold (I’ve used it with my DLSR), with moulded finger grips. It’s quick to fit and remove. But the removable D-ring on the base isn’t much use (it rattles), and the tripod socket was recessed too deeply for one of my tripods.

You can get a 25% discount on Ztylus equipment by using this link. I’ve also reviewed their Z-Prime telephoto and wide-angle lenses.

Verdict

All these options have their pros and cons.

• The iOgrapher is solid, protective, and makes it easy to add accessories and lenses. It’s a good option for serious filmmaking and mobile journalism. But you can only use screw-mount adapter lenses, it’s not pocketable, and you’ll need to replace it if you buy a different sized phone.
• The ShoulderPod is very well made and looks good, particularly with the optional wooden handle. It’s small and discreet, and holds the phone securely. You don’t have to remove your usual phone case to use it, so you can use non-screwmount lenses like Olloclip, Ztylus or Moment.
• The Ztylus kit isn’t as elegant, but it has a cold shoe and it’s quicker to use. Like the Shoulderpod, it’ll take a large phone in a case, and you can use non-screwmount accessory lenses. It works out around the same price for US buyers. But it’s more expensive for Europeans because of shipping, unless you buy other Ztylus items with it (they offer free shipping over $50).

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