ShiftCam ProGrip review

Verdict

It’s not an essential purchase for everyone, but content creators would be hard pushed to find a better device for maximising the filmmaking capabilities of their smartphone than the ShiftCam ProGrip.

Introduction

Bringing the true DSLR experience to mobiles, the ShiftCam ProGrip is a must-have, if a little pricey accessory for content creators.

When it comes to content creation, I’ve always been a little obsessed with seeing how far you can get with just a smartphone as your main device. After all, you’re almost guaranteed to have your smartphone with you at all times so there’s a level of convenience to it that just isn’t there for a separate device like a dedicated camera.

Consider that if you have an iPhone in tow, you can initiate remote recording with the Apple Watch Series 9, record high quality audio via the wireless Hollyland Lark M2 mic and then put it all together in the excellent LumaFusion app. In this regard, most content creators can create an all-in-one system with their smartphone at the helm, and when I first laid eyes on the ShiftCam ProGrip, I needed to know right away if it could be added to my list of essential accessories.

I had the chance to test out the excellent ShiftCam SnapGrip over a year ago, and while that device was aimed at a more casual market, the ProGrip has its sights set on giving photographers and filmmakers the toolset they need to take high-quality pictures and video with their smartphone. Does it succeed in that endeavour? Let’s dive in.

Design

• Very snug fit in the hand
• Phone feels more secure than with the SnapGrip
• The clamps are adjustable to fit most phones

Before you can really discuss any other aspect of the ShiftCam ProGrip, the design is paramount. After all, if the accessory didn’t feel the slightest bit like the camera grip one might find on a beefy DSLR then the whole concept falls apart. Luckily, this couldn’t be further from the case.

Right from the jump, there was a sturdiness to the ProGrip that I never felt with the SnapGrip, and that’s largely down to two reasons. First, there are clamps that keep the phone securely in place (as opposed to a magnetic system), and secondly, the hand-grip that allows you to hold the apparatus more firmly when in use.

Not only did this give me a greater sense of control with regards to the steadiness of the camera, but it also meant that in between shots I could hold the ProGrip down by my side, never worried that my iPhone 15 might slip out of its casing. 

Unlike the SnapGrip, the ProGrip’s shutter button sits on the front of the device as opposed to on top. This did take a moment to get used to but after a while I came to appreciate the trigger-finger capture that the shutter button’s placement allowed for.

When it’s not in use, the ProGrip can be used as a stand for your phone, keeping it propped up like a makeshift tripod. It’s a great feature in theory but not quite as seamless as it was with the SnapGrip as you need to adjust (and likely remove) the hand-grip so that the device can stand without risk of toppling over.

Features

• The ProGrip makes picture taking feel more intentional
• It’s very easy to record smooth video whilst walking
• Mounts for a microphone and a tripod

When the ProGrip arrived at our offices, a discussion broke out amongst the team over whether or not such a device could actually bring any meaningful benefit to the smartphone camera experience. After all, could a person not achieve most of what they’re after without needing to bring an accessory into the mix? While it’s easy to be swayed by the naysayers, I do feel that the ProGrip brings something tangible into the mix.

Just like with the SnapGrip, incorporating an essence of traditional photography forced me to be more intentional with the shots I was taking. I wasn’t just flippantly taking pictures of things that caught my eye as I used to – with the ProGrip in tow, I began to visualise shots from different angles to see what I could achieve.

Admittedly, the benefits are a bit more subjective when it comes to photography, but I found the impact on video quality to be like night and day. I know from experience that the iPhone 15 is no slouch when it comes to capturing stable video, but the ProGrip made it so much easier to film walking shots, allowing my hand to remain in a fixed position as I moved.

When you do want to stick to one place, either for an establishing shot, a landscape picture or even a timelapse, you have the option there too thanks to not one but two corkscrew adapters for attaching a tripod or a microphone. This feature is completely absent on the SnapGrip so if you do regularly use these accessories then this alone could sway your purchase.

There isn’t any faff when you want to move between landscape and portrait mode either as the clamps are able to swivel and offer up the orientation you’re after. The clamps even swivel to several rotations between portrait and landscape, so if you want a slight tilt to your footage or photos, that’s achievable here.

In that regard, the ShiftCam ProGrip feels like a necessary attachment to make the most of your phone. ShiftCam has thought of everything that a content creator might need and made sure to accommodate for it – there’s even a travel case included to keep the ProGrip protected when in transit.

Battery

• 6400mAh battery
• Twice the capacity of the ShiftCam SnapGrip
• 20W wired and 15W Qi wireless charging

Because of its larger size, the ShiftCam ProGrip is able to fit a battery that’s twice as big as the one found within the SnapGrip (6400mAh as opposed to 3200mAh). That goes a long way towards alleviating any battery anxiety when heading out on day’s shoot, particularly as the ProGrip can double as a powerbank.

Offering up 15W Qi wireless charging and 20W wired charging via the device’s USB-C port, the ProGrip has a good amount of versatility here, and you can even charge via both options simultaneously (handy if you also need to top up a wireless mic or a pair of earbuds).

In the time I’ve spent with the ProGrip, I’ve only needed to charge it once as it still has roughly 75% left in the tank and that’s after several shoots and a one-hour stint of wireless charging. The only aspect I’ve found to be disappointing here is the speed of that wireless charging.

The aforementioned hour was required to move the needle on my iPhone 15 from 74% to 98%, which isn’t blazingly fast by any standard. In this regard, the feature is best used to top your phone up during a shoot, but I wouldn’t rely on it as a means of replenishing an empty battery.

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