In an effort to constantly improve, Just Mobile is about to release version 2 of their popular smartphone camera accessory, the ShutterGrip 2. While the original ShutterGrip was mainly a smartphone grip plus remote button for a more camera-like feel, the ShutterGrip 2 is so much more. The ShutterGrip 2 builds upon the success of the original adds features like a new rotating grip, a telescopic stick for selfies, and a cold shoe mount for adding additional accessories.
So the Just Mobile ShutterGrip 2 is like the Swiss Army knife of smartphone grips. That’s really the best way to describe it. Just Mobile completely redesigned this thing with the photographer in mind. You see, with a regular smartphone, you’re limited to what you can do with it as it comes. It’s mainly just a camera and that’s it. In order to get more out of it, you have to buy accessories and those can add up. You want to take photos of yourself, you need a remote trigger. You want to take good selfies, you need a selfie stick. You want to prop up your phone to watch videos, you need a phone stand. With the ShutterGrip 2, you only need one accessory for all that and it even fits in your pocket.
First and for most, the Just Mobile ShutterGrip 2 is a camera grip for you phone, just like the original. It can fit a wide range of phone widths and car be used in left or right-handed mode. Because of its extending grip, it can fit a variety of different sized phones as well. Once it’s on, you’re phone really does start to feel more camera like. Holding it to take photos feels so much better as well as having the physical button. That’s the one thing I wish all phones had and this just adds something I’ve always found missing.
Now here is what’s new with the ShutterGrip 2. I mentioned a few of what it can now do and this is all because of some ingenious transformation mechanisms. If you flip the front grip down, it becomes a hand grip. Twisting the grip allows you to hold your phone in a horizontal or vertical position. When you fold the grip 90-degres it can be used as a phone stand in both horizontal and vertical positions. If you pull the hand grip downwards, it can turn into a selfie stick. Lastly, you can move the shutter button around and clip it into different positions. You can also take it off and use it as a remote button.
The ShutterGrip 2 can do all that because of all the hidden mechanics. The telescoping pole and the rotating hinge are a big part of that and Just Mobile did a wonderful job integrating it all into a neat, tidy, easy to use package.
So is there anything that I dislike about the new ShutterGrip 2? Yeah there is. For starters, I’m still not a fan of the materials Just Mobile chose for this. To me, I’ve always been a fan of Just Mobile’s use of aluminum and how beautiful it makes their products. The ShutterGrip 2 is plastic all over and it doesn’t make it feel premium like some of their other products. The metallic paint doesn’t help either as it just makes it feel like they’re trying to hide the fact that it’s plastic. That’s really my main gripe with it. If the whole thing were made out of aluminum, it would be perfect because the mechanical parts of the ShutterGrip 2 are already there.
As is, the ShutterGrip 2 is just almost perfect. It’s a great little gadget that has so many features built in and it’s definitely a step up from the original version. It just needs a more premium “Pro” model.
With that said, the Just Mobile ShutterGrip 2 is a brilliant accessory that combines a bunch of useful functions into one convenient package. It’s a remote shutter for your phone, it’s a camera grip, it’s a selfie stick, and it’s a phone holder if you need to use a tripod. It’s a smartly designed accessory that makes photo taking on your smartphone much more manageable and camera-like.
I will note that this review isn’t for the finalized version of the ShutterGrip 2. It’s currently on KickStarter and well on its way to being fully funded already so it is still possible that little details here and there might change before production.
