The 8 Best Phone Camera Lenses
Updated by · How we research
Eight clip-on, telephoto, macro and anamorphic phone lenses compared for fit, glass and real-world limits. The Xenvo Pro kit leads for wide shots and close-ups. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A clip-on lens only changes what the phone's main camera sees, so on a phone that already has its own ultrawide and zoom cameras, the biggest gains come from macro, fisheye, long zoom and anamorphic video lenses. Cheap clip kits suit curious beginners and older phones, while heavier screw-on lenses reward people who shoot nature or video often.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The Xenvo Pro now leads this list. A wide lens and a macro on one clip, plus a small light, cover what most people shoot with an add-on lens, and it fits more phones than most clip kits. The Moment Anamorphic and the Gosky monocular stay, the Apexel TeleMacro Pro 10X is the new zoom pick, and the Apexel 2-in-1 takes the budget slot.
Seven earlier picks are gone. The Moment Tele 58mm and Olloclip Essential Kit are no longer offered, and the Ztylus Revolver M Series, Black Eye G4 Kit and CamKix Universal Kit are unavailable. The Amir 3-in-1 HD is now a two-lens kit that matches the Apexel, and the Shuttermoon Pro had too little evidence behind it.
The strongest evidence here came from a Digital Camera World review that put the Apexel 10X on an iPhone 17, and from the alignment and fit trouble that keeps coming up with clip kits on phones with big camera bumps. Moment's T-Series lenses, ShiftCam and Sandmarc rate highly too, but each needs a case made for your exact phone, so they sit in the special honors, where you can match a lens to your model.
November 05, 2020:
While there are a number of new items on the market competing with what was already on this list, most of them are somewhat low quality, with complaints of durability, image quality, and difficulties fitting the lens onto the camera. That said, the Ztylus Revolver M Series and the Black Eye G4 Kit rose above the others and earned a spot among our top ten. Keep in mind that not all of these will work for every phone, so be sure to verify that you are looking at one that fits your needs before finalizing the purchase.
You may notice that most of the options here are kits rather than single lenses. It's becoming increasingly popular to package these add-ons in a bundle as opposed to selling each one individually, so kits like the Amir 3-in-1 HD and Olloclip Essential Kit with their macro, wide, and fisheye lenses are now the norm rather than the exception. There is some variety in terms of which lenses are included, like the Black Eye G4 Kit substitutes the fisheye for its portrait lens, and others like the CamKix Universal Kit adds in a telephoto. If you want a complete package with loads to play around with, the Shuttermoon Pro has 11 different options, so a great way to start getting familiar with what each lens can do.
In terms of mounting options, most use clips that are fairly versatile in terms of the devices they can attach to, like the Xenvo Pro. Some of these, the Olloclip Essential Kit for instance, do have trouble attaching over phone cases, so you may need to remove it before you can start shooting, and all of them will leave vignetting in the corners of pictures if they aren't aligned properly. The Ztylus Revolver M Series offers a unique solution in its magnetic wheel with flip-out lenses that makes switching between focal lengths a snap and helps ensure lenses are properly aligned. The Gosky Skyhawk Monocular attaches using a clamp similar to those found on a lot of phone tripods to keep it in place, though some have had a hard time getting that properly aligned as well. Both the Moment Anamorphic and Moment Tele 58mm screw into place using a special phone case, which is the most reliable way to align the lens and hold it in place, but can be pricey. The Black Eye G4 Kit has that option as well, though it also functions with the included clip, so if you don't want to invest in an expensive case right now, it might be a good option.
December 03, 2019:
We added some of the more innovative lenses on the market with the Moment Tele 58mm and the Moment Anamorphic. This brand's quality is unmatched when it comes to durability, but also in providing professional quality images. The Anamorphic is particularly exciting, as it is this type lens that allows users to produce films that don't look like they were shot on a cell phone.
We replaced the Olloclip Core with the Olloclip Essential Kit, even though the Core's concept of enhancing the front and back camera simultaneously seemed convenient, the mounting clip required had a tendency not just to scratch, but break screens under the pressure. In addition, the Multi works with IOS and Android models.
Special Honors
Moment T-Series Moment's current lenses twist onto a Moment case made for each phone model, and Tom's Guide picks them as the best iPhone lenses overall. Expect about $130 to $150 a lens plus about $50 for the case. The range covers wide, tele, macro, fisheye and anamorphic, and Moment's Pro Camera app handles the de-squeeze for anamorphic video. shopmoment.com
ShiftCam ShiftCam builds lenses and mounts for phone video and portraits. Digital Camera World names its videography kit the anamorphic pick, and Tom's Guide picks its 60mm lens for portraits. As with Moment, check that a mount or case exists for your phone before you buy. shiftcam.com
Sandmarc Sandmarc sells telephoto, wide, macro and anamorphic lenses with phone-specific cases and a universal clip. Tom's Guide rates its 58mm telephoto the best tele, with a sharp center but noticeable color fringing, and found the clip version slipped off easily, so the case version is the safer buy. sandmarc.com
Clip, Case Or Mount: How The Lens Holds On
Tom's Guide also warns that Moment's bayonet tabs can scratch a phone's own lens cover if you're careless.
Most cheap lenses ride on a spring clip that grabs the edge of the phone. A clip fits almost any phone and moves between phones, but you line it up by eye, and it can slip. Tom's Guide found the clip on a Sandmarc telephoto slid off too easily (Tom's Guide). On phones with two or three cameras, slide the clip over the main camera, the one the phone uses at 1x. A thick case lip can keep a clip from sitting flat.
Case and mount systems from Moment, ShiftCam and Sandmarc lock each lens to a case made for one phone model. Alignment is exact and the glass is better, but every new phone means a new case. Moment's older M-Series lenses and its current T-Series lenses use different mounts and don't swap (Digital Camera World). Tom's Guide also warns that Moment's bayonet tabs can scratch a phone's own lens cover if you're careless.
What Your Phone Already Does, And What A Lens Adds
Before you buy, check which cameras your phone already has. Most recent phones carry an ultrawide and many carry a 2x to 5x zoom, and those built-in cameras beat a cheap clip-on wide or short tele lens. Add-on lenses pay off where the phone can't follow: very close focus, fisheye curves, zoom of 10x and up, and the anamorphic movie look. On an older single-camera phone, a wide lens still adds a lot.
Clip-on wide lenses often darken the corners on some phones, and Digital Camera World saw this even on its budget pick, the Apexel 2-in-1, while praising its macro (Digital Camera World). Short macro lenses focus very close: Xenvo's works about half an inch from the subject, and Apexel's 2-in-1 about 2 to 4 centimeters away. Long-reach macro lenses such as the Apexel 100Ultra let you stand back, which helps with insects and avoids shading the subject with the phone.
Zoom And Anamorphic Lenses Need Technique
A 10x lens magnifies hand shake as much as it magnifies the subject. In its review of the Apexel TeleMacro Pro 10X, Digital Camera World found the picture showed as a circle inside black until the phone was set to 2x, and that video was shaky without a tripod, which isn't in the box (Digital Camera World). Cheap long lenses also show colored fringes around bright edges. Tom's Guide saw the same on a premium Sandmarc telephoto (Tom's Guide).
An anamorphic lens squeezes a wide scene onto the sensor, so raw footage looks stretched tall. Moment's 1.33x lens gives a 2.40:1 frame once the video is de-squeezed in Moment's Pro Camera app or an editor that supports it. Never point a telephoto lens or monocular at the sun: it can hurt your eyes, and a lens left in a sunny window or car can focus enough light to scorch a surface. Keep caps on, and keep small lenses and filters away from young children.
How we researched this
We compared 19 phone lenses, kits and a monocular with a phone adapter, read makers' specifications, drew on Digital Camera World's and Tom's Guide's reviews of clip-on and case-mount lenses, analyzed owner feedback on fit and image quality, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. None had a lens recall.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cell phone camera lens?
For most people, a kit with a wide lens and a macro, such as the Xenvo Pro, covers what an add-on lens does best. For long zoom, the Apexel TeleMacro Pro 10X; for movie-style video, the Moment Anamorphic.
Do clip-on phone lenses work with a case?
Often, if the case lip is thin and leaves room beside the camera. Thick or raised camera surrounds can stop the clip from sitting flat. Case-mount systems like Moment's need their own case.
Do clip-on lenses work on both iPhone and Android phones?
Universal clip lenses fit most phones of either kind, as long as the clip can reach the main camera. Case-mount lenses need a case made for your exact model.
Which phone lens is best for video?
An anamorphic lens gives the widescreen movie look with streaky flares. For vlogging, a wide lens helps fit more into the frame. Long zoom lenses need a tripod for steady video.
Do add-on lenses lower image quality?
They add another layer of glass, so expect some softness at the edges, darker corners with wide lenses and color fringes with long ones. Macro and fisheye lenses show the least trade-off for what they add.
Is it safe to look at the sun through a phone telephoto lens?
No. Never aim a telephoto lens or monocular at the sun, and don't leave one in a sunny window or car, where it can focus light and scorch a surface.
