The Leica LUX Grip is way more fun than my iPhone 16’s camera control button
The next best thing to a genuine Leica camera?
Traditional cameras might now be outnumbered by smartphone snappers by a huge margin, but there’s nothing quite like having physical controls under your thumb and fingers. The Leica Lux Grip lets iPhone owners trade touchscreen tapping for actual buttons that mimic the feel of the firm’s high-end heroes – only for a lot less cash. And after trying one out, I had loads more fun with phone photography than I ever did with the iPhone 16’s Camera Control button.
Smartphone camera grips are nothing new; last year’s Xiaomi 14 Ultra had an official Photography kit add-on, and iPhone owners have long had third-party options like Shiftcam’s SnapGrip – but none come close to matching the Lux Grip’s authentic aluminium build.
As well as giving you something substantial to hold on when framing photos or filming videos, the Magsafe-friendly accessory gives you a two-stage shutter release, two customisable buttons for swapping shooting modes or toggling camera functions, and a control dial for adjusting zoom, aperture, or exposure compensation via Bluetooth.
A built-in battery pack then provides enough juice for up to 1000 photos – though that’s only for the grip itself, there’s no Magsafe charging for your connected phone. That’s a shame, given Belkin has a rival that costs considerably less, yet also finds room inside for a beefier battery that can keep your phone going for longer too. That said, it does mean this accessory is surprisingly light given it’s hewn from metal, so won’t weigh down your bag.
Those controls are customisable through the Leica LUX companion app, which also lets you mimic the bokeh blur of Leica’s renowned Summilux-M and Noctilux-M glass, or apply Leica Looks to replicate the Red Dot’s iconic style of imagery using your iPhone’s rear shooters. Pick up a Leica LUX Grip and you’ll get a year of Pro membership to the app thrown in.
The various filters and lenses have a properly filmic look that I love, with simultaneous RAW and HEIC saving for editing later. The app itself works brilliantly with the grip, too; clicking in the control dial to change function and rotating it to make adjustments will be second nature to anyone more used to a mirrorless camera than a phone touchscreen.
The Lux Grip is the latest stop on Leica’s anniversary tour, marking 100 years since the 35mm Leica 1 camera went into mass production. It’ll set you back significantly less than any of the firm’s cameras, either new or classic, but at £260/€300 it’s still for serious photography buffs only.
Make sure to factor in an extra £50 if you want the matching leather case. You might want it, given the grip adds so much bulk to your iPhone that it won’t fit in a trouser pocket.
The Leica LUX Grip is on sale now, directly from the Leica online shop and the firm’s bricks-and-mortar stores.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
