Camera Controls for your iPhone – Fjorden Grip

Smartphone Filmmaking

by Jeff LochJuly 16^th, 2021

Fjorden Grip is an interesting new camera grip for iPhone smartphones that gives you access to a two-stage shutter button, a customizable control dial, a zoom lever, and a multi-function button. With a very slim design, Fjorden is MagSafe compatible, and it evens comes with its own camera app. So let’s take a closer look at it!

As someone said: “the best camera is the one that’s with you.” Indeed, most of us always bring our smartphones wherever we go, and we take thousands of photos with them. The latest iPhone 12/12 Pro has one of the best set of cameras on the market, they can shoot 10-bit HDR video, and you can even try to match the footage coming out of your smartphone to an ARRI Alexa.

A startup company from Oslo, Norway, has been working for over a year now to create an iPhone add-on that literally turns your smartphone into a DSLR-like camera: Fjorden.

Fjorden grip features

The concept behind the Fjorden grip is pretty simple: turn your iPhone into a professional compact camera. To do that, this physical add-on offers the same physical camera controls like a DSLR, but in a tiny package that fits in your pocket.

Here are all the buttons and dials you’ll find on the Fjorden grip:

• A two-stage shutter button.
• One customizable control dial.
• A zoom lever.
• And a multi-function button.

We already saw a similar concept back in 2016 by Pictar Pro, but their solution is now discontinued. However, even if the Fjorden Grip has similar features, it is way more compact, MagSafe compatible has a built-in stand, and a lot more. Below is a comparison chart between all similar products on the market (or discontinued).

The Fjorden Grip is powered by a standard CR2430 coin cell that provides up to 12 months of battery life and can be easily replaced via the battery tray.

Compatibility and versatility

As I mentioned, Fjorden can be attached to an iPhone 11/12 (and future models) via the Fjorden MagSafe case, so you can easily take it on and off. If you’re using an older iPhone model – the Fjorden grip is compatible with any iPhone running iOS 14 and newer – you can use the Fjorden Universal Back Plate Adapter (with 3M adhesive).

The Fjorden Grip is compatible with ProCamera and Obscura Apps to unleash your smartphone photo/video capabilities fully. Also, Fjorden cases are compatible with Moment lenses and filters for extra creativity and possibilities.

Last but not least, Fjorden worked on their own Fjorden App that looks fully-featured with exposure/focusing/white balance controls, lens switching and digital zoom, classic film simulations, and the ability to select your recording format including RAW, ProRAW (depending on iPhone model), JPG, and HEIC.

Price and availability

The Fjorden Grip is available now on Kickstarter starting at €119, and it should start shipping in February 2022.

Please be aware that this is a crowdfunding project and not a retail shop, so do your research accordingly. CineD does its best to only share projects that look legitimate, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.

For more information, please visit Fjorden’s Kickstarter campaign here.

What do you think about the Fjorden grip? Do you think it could unleash your iPhone’s photo/video capabilities? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!