Top 5 best iPhone lenses in 2025

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The best iPhone lenses: Telephoto/zoom, macro and wide-angle lenses

You can instantly improve the quality of your smartphone’s images and videos by using the best iPhone lenses.

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max do not have dedicated fisheye or macro lenses or their own anamorphic lenses for ultra-wide cinematic content straight out of the camera, despite the fact that Apple phones are among the best smartphones available, featuring the newest and greatest in smartphone camera technology.

While the previous iPhone 15 models have three telephoto lenses, the new iPhone 16 Pro models have five. However, a dedicated telephoto lens from Sandmarc or Moment might optically increase that range even more (without the need for digital zoom).

Even if the lenses aren’t optically flawless, the best iPhone lenses should be well-made and should enhance your smartphone’s image in some way. They ought to be reasonably priced and include a safe method of mounting to your iPhone—ideally through a cover. While some are made for particular phone types, others can be used with a variety of phones, including well-known Android versions, albeit occasionally an adapter is required.

All you have to do now is continue reading to discover the ideal iPhone lens (or lenses) for you and to add some new photographic capabilities to your device!

Table of Contents

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1. Moment lenses

Our top choice is Moment’s T-Series lens set, which comes with the greatest iPhone lenses available. Moment’s smartphone lenses all have excellent image quality and high-end build. Moment’s lenses are made of hand-polished glass, which is also used for high-end 4K film lenses, and aerospace-grade material. You can select between the Tele 58mm, Wide 18mm, Fisheye 14mm, and Macro 10x lenses to cover almost any type of photography. Simply screw these lenses into a drop-in lens mount or a specialized Moment case, and you’re ready to go. You can comfortably handle your phone in one hand because to their ease of use and the fact that, although some of them are heavy, they are never too much.

Moment’s T-Series lenses are somewhat pricey, with prices ranging from $130 to $150 per lens. You’ll need to spend at least $200 if you include Moment’s amazing iOS app ($9) and a case ($50), which is far more effective than a clip-on mount. Though pricey, Moment, in our opinion, produces the greatest iPhone lens kits available. This is due to their superior compatibility and ability to work with a wide range of phones, including Samsung, Google Pixel, and OnePlus, while still offering the same excellent image quality as Sandmarc. Moment’s iOS app also offers way more creative control and pro features versus the standard iPhone camera app, and you’ll find yourself using it for photography even when you aren’t using Moment lenses.

Moment’s case mounting system is one feature that we dislike. The lenses include blades on the bottom that twist and lock into the phone case, sitting directly on top of the iPhone’s built-in lens, even though this is a safe method of mounting and properly aligning lenses. We definitely like Sandmarc’s lenses in this regard because they use a screw-thread method rather than a blade and are less likely to scratch your phone’s lenses.

Even so, Moment’s lenses are a great way to frame your world and concentrate on having fun. They can also improve your smartphone photography without requiring heavy equipment.

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2. Moment anamorphic lenses

Moment’s T-Series Anamorphic lens is the greatest iPhone lenses for video, especially if you’re looking an awesome theatrical effect. As anamorphic lenses, the T-Series 1.33x and 1.55x lenses squish footage. Everything remains the same width but is significantly taller when squeezed. Why would you want that? De-squeezing the video until everything in the frame appears normal gives you a very wide letterbox aspect ratio without requiring you to crop your frame, which reduces resolution. The 1.55x lens produces an even wider 2.76:1 aspect ratio that looks genuinely cinematic, while the 1.33x lens produces an ultra-wide 2.4:1 aspect ratio.

You may either use the Moment iPhone app to de-squeeze the clip as you shoot, or you can utilize post-production tools to do it after the fact. We would choose the Moment camera app, which is great and has many amazing pro features including focus peaking, LUTs, a histogram, and manual exposure adjustment. Even for photography without Moment lenses, this incredible app is far superior to the default iPhone Camera app. However, as it is iOS only, you will need to de-squeeze in post or find a third-party tool if you also use Android devices.

When aimed directly at light sources, which are thick strips of either blue or gold light (depending on whether you select the blue or gold coating), these lenses also create amazing lens flares because of their unique coating. Naturally, like Moment lenses, the T-Series Anamorphics are also incredibly well-built, and they securely fasten to your iPhone with a phone case.

What are the drawbacks, then? First, there is the expense. These lenses are reasonably priced at $149. An additional $50 will be spent on a Moment case, and the $9 app you’ll need to de-squeeze the footage is well worth the money.

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3. Sandmarc 58mm Telephoto lens

The 58mm 2x telephoto lens from Sandmarc produced far higher-quality images in my tests than the iPhone’s built-in lenses. Although this is obviously relative—it isn’t as sharp as a big lens on a mirrorless camera—the image centers were quite sharp, and there was a respectable amount of clarity out to the corners of the frame. It produced respectable contrast levels and is a good lens for landscapes, wildlife, and architecture. Although I think the ShiftCam lens is preferable for portraiture because of its finer background blur and nicer bokeh, its 58mm focal length will still work well for portraits. Although there is some apparent chromatic aberration with this lens, it’s crucial to keep in mind that it is not a $2,000 mirrorless camera lens.

Additionally, Sandmarc provides a large range of lenses, including a microscope lens, 6x telephoto, and wide angle macro. Every Sandmarc lens has a clip to secure it to your phone, however we discovered that this clip slipped about a lot, shifting the lens from its perfect location and taking up room on your phone’s screen. You should buy the extra case for optimal results. Furthermore, Sandmarc only sells lenses for iPhones up to the iPhone 7, not any other phones. As a result, you won’t be able to use your collection of lenses if you move devices.

Though there isn’t much in it, Moment lenses nevertheless (barely) beat Sandmarc lenses to the top in general. One major benefit of moment lenses is their versatility. Overall, the image quality is excellent; however, as I mentioned above, we were far more satisfied with Sandmarc’s tele lens than Moment’s. If zoom is your top concern, get a Sandmarc kit.

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4. ShiftCam LensUltra 60mm Telephoto

The Sandmarc is the greatest telephoto lens above since the ShiftCam 60mm telephoto lens isn’t the sharpest iPhone tele lens. But for any aspiring portrait photographer, the ShiftCam 60mm is ideal.

Not all lenses need to be flawless, and accepting flaws and individuality can be a lot of fun. I really enjoyed this lens’s features during testing, which make it ideal for portraiture. Its sharp focus drop off creates atmospheric blur for a surreal effect; it looks far more realistic than the phony software blur your iPhone’s portrait mode applies. Additionally, it produces extremely tight background blurs to highlight your subject, and its bokeh is far superior to that of the Sandmarc 58mm. Additionally, the lens creates relatively minimal chromatic aberration.

It’s not the best lens for landscapes, wildlife, or architecture because, as I’ve already stated, it isn’t the sharpest, even in the middle of the frame. But this lens would also work well for street photography, or really any genre where the goal is to capture the mood of a scene rather than the most accurate depiction of it.

ShiftCam lenses are less expensive than moment lenses because they retail at about the same as Sandmarc lenses.The build quality of ShiftCam, however, is unmatched. Beautifully constructed and stylish, this lens. Additionally, a robust carry case with a carabiner for simple connection to (and disengagement from) camera bags or pocket zips is included.

ShiftCam attaches to its iPhone cases via a screw thread method as well. While this is safe for a beginning, it is far less dangerous than Moment lenses’ bladed wingtip design, which seems like it will harm your iPhone’s camera.

Although ShiftCam exclusively produces cases for iPhones, its lenses work with a variety of handsets; Android users will have to utilize a subpar universal clip mount.

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5. Freewell 45x Macro lens

During testing, I must admit that I wasn’t a big admirer of any of Freewell’s lenses. The brand’s 45x macro lens, however, is a clear winner. This is more of a microscopic lens than a macro lens, in my opinion. With a 45x magnification, you can see every detail up close.

This lens’s flat edge will allow you get completely flat against your subject, plus it’s incredibly lightweight and small. Considering that you will be completely flat on top of it and obstructing all light, it also contains an integrated LED ringlight that can be recharged by USB-C to illuminate your subject.

However, since you will need to adjust the focal point of your phone, you will need to use a third-party camera software. Although Freewell doesn’t have an app, I used the Moment app, which is only available for iOS.

This tiny lens really astonished me, and if I had to give it a rating, I would have given it four stars! It mounts to cases using a 17mm thread, which is the safest method. Since this size is universal, you should be able to use this lens with aftermarket cases instead of Freewell’s original case, which cracked during our testing.

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How do you pick the best lens (or lenses) for your iPhone? There are several factors to take into account.

1. Which phones are they compatible with?

You can still enjoy using external lenses on your iPhone, Google Pixel, or Samsung Galaxy handset because many iPhone lenses, like those from Moment, are compatible with various devices.

However, some lenses—like the Sandmarc lenses, which are exclusive to the iPhone and its model—only work with specific phones. Make sure the lenses you purchase are compatible with your phone.

2. How are they attached?

Next, think about how your phone will be connected to the lenses. Using the cases that many smartphone lens manufacturers create for their lenses is the most effective way to accomplish this. These let you to align the optics for the best photos by securely locking lenses into place against the built-in lenses on your iPhone.

We would suggest adding a case to your budget if one isn’t already included. Though they aren’t very stable, manufacturers typically include clip-on mounts with their lenses.

3. What is the size and weight of the lenses?

Keep in mind that carrying lenses around with you can be really annoying if you are not a photographer already using one of the top mirrorless cameras. Although they may not be as huge as the lenses on full-sized cameras, several of the lenses in this book are nevertheless big enough to require a bag or additional pocket space.

Think about the lenses’ size and if it meets your demands. Because their optics must be positioned farther away from your camera’s sensor in order to produce a greater optical zoom, telephoto lenses are often bigger.

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