Verdict
Pros
- Stylish, unobtrusive case, battery powered light
Cons
- Pricey, fiddly, unstable tripod, harsh light
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £80
Manfrotto’s KLYP is a newly designed case attachment that allows iPhone users to shed some additional light on the scene before them. With the kit consisting of four parts – the case, an LED light, pocket tripod and tripod attachment, we expected it to be extremely straightforward to setup. As we discovered though the assembly is a bit fiddly. From start to finish it took us a couple of minutes to construct the kit – not great news if there’s urgency to the shot you’d like to take.
The case itself is sturdy, has a tactile feel and is unobtrusive to everyday handling. It should be noted though that our review sample is designed to hold the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S only, not the latest iPhone 5 for which a case is yet to be made. While the clip to attach the iPhone to a tripod is a useful addition, the pocket tripod is rather useless. The LED light is heavy when two AAA batteries are inserted and it didn’t seem to matter where we positioned the light on the phone, it was either precariously balanced or easily knocked over. This isn’t a huge concern though as nine times out of ten you’ll be handholding the phone when the LED light is attached rather than relying on the tripod.
The LED light itself is powered by batteries, meaning that it won’t drain your phone at all. One simple dial at the side controls the power and although there are symbols on it signifying what the power of the light will be suitable for, there’s unfortunately no guide line to the side to show what matches up to what.
With no option to point the light anywhere other than directly at your subject, the light can appear a little harsh for still images and but does help illuminate nearby subjects when recording HD video rather well.
If you’d like to attach your iPhone to a tripod, the KLYP lets you do just that. When you consider the £79 price tag though it is an expensive accessory for the iPhone. The small LED light is handy for illuminating subjects within a 1m range but how much use it gets is very dependent on the type of images you like to take. If you’re forever shooting in low-light on your iPhone and would like a bit more constant illumination rather than having to rely on the flash then it’s an accessory to consider. The tripod is a bit of a let down though, particularly when the LED light is attached and with four rubber feet rather than three, it might just make it touch more stable.
Although Manfrotto hasn’t confirmed that an iPhone 5 KLYP is available, we expect one to arrive in the next few months to meet popular demand.
Trusted Score
Editorial independence
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
