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Leica LUX Grip

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budrichard

budrichard

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I ordered  a Leica LUX Grip along with the case today from Leica Miami as they are taking preorders.

My 14 Pro already has a MAGSAFE case.

I find myself more and more just using the 14Pro for photography and the M cameras and Nikon stuff just sits.

You can do a lot of what the Leica LUX grip does with just the iPhone alone but the form factor appears to be much more useful than the normal iPhone controls.

I have the Leica LUX app but so far have rarely use the App.

-Richard

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Simone_DF
Simone_DF

Ah, finally a Leica with good autofocus! /s

TL3
TL3

They really should give an unlimited Lux subscription with purchase at that price point.  Also would be good to make it compatible with other camera apps, like the default one for example.

kirkmc
kirkmc

I got the grip this morning. A few first impressions: It's definitely a clever device. It makes the phone easy to hold, and the shape of the grip is comfortable. I have large hands; I don't kn

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intermediatic

intermediatic

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19 hours ago, PhotoCruiser said:

Honestly i would like to have a grip with a more safe connection than MagSafe.

I ordered the fjorden case. It has a little slot you can lock the grip into. I don’t like cases now that iPhones are finally not as slippery and are more durable than before, but for safety, I will use this and a leash.

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Jk1002

Jk1002

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To me the line between if this is a gimmick or useable is if I can just lift up the phone press the shutter on the grip nd it launches the app and takes a picture.

I have to unlock the phone, launch the Leica App, hope the bluetooth connects likely it would not be that useable.

Curious about the first review that goes beyond oh we have a grip for the phone ....

 

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budrichard

budrichard

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My intension is to compare photos taken side by side with my M-E 240 with my Leica lenses that match those available in the app.

I have an Apple/LG 4K 34" Monitor for viewing.

I will not be having prints made at this time.

-Richard

 

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Foxtwo

Foxtwo

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On 2/8/2025 at 11:35 AM, Jk1002 said:

To me the line between if this is a gimmick or useable is if I can just lift up the phone press the shutter on the grip nd it launches the app and takes a picture.

I have to unlock the phone, launch the Leica App, hope the bluetooth connects likely it would not be that useable.

Curious about the first review that goes beyond oh we have a grip for the phone ....

 

Probably will have to unlock the phone first due to Apple’s security protocols (I wouldn’t want a device that allows access to the data in my phone with a single button press), but I agree, the rest would make the device worthwhile. Well stated.

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kirkmc

kirkmc

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You don’t need to unlock the iPhone to access the camera. Just swipe left on the lock screen, or press the camera control button on an iPhone 16. It doesn’t give access to the rest of the phone. I would expect the grip to open the camera quickly. 

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kirkmc

kirkmc

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I got the grip this morning. A few first impressions:

  • It's definitely a clever device. It makes the phone easy to hold, and the shape of the grip is comfortable. I have large hands; I don't know how it would work with smaller hands.
  • It sticks on magnetically quite securely, even through a case. I tried with two cases: Apple's clear plastic case, and a Peak Design case, which is much thicker. No worries about it not holding the phone.
  • This said, I have an iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the grip is designed to fit both size phones, which means that it's a bit far from the edge of the phone. 
  • Nothing on the grip unlocks the phone; I would have expected it to, as you can with the camera control button. But you can assign the Lux app to the camera button on the iPhone Lock Screen, making it easy to launch the app. So you hold the phone and the grip, press and hold the camera button on the lock screen, and the app opens. This said, if the grip has been off for a few minutes, I haven't yet figured out how to turn it back on. It's supposed to connect to the phone when you press and hold the shutter button for more than three seconds, but that's not working reliably. 
  • It's easy to accidentally hit the buttons on the right side of the app when in landscape mode, as well as invoking Type to Siri by accidentally tapping the white line on the side. (Feature only available on iPhone models that support Apple Intelligence.) 
  • The two fn buttons aren't that useful, but the dial on the front of the grip allows you to cycle through the various Leica looks.
  • You can use the grip as a shutter button with any camera app, but the other buttons and dial aren't recognized.
  • You get one year free access to the Lux app, which is £70 a year afterwards (presumably $70).
  • I'm not sure how good this app is. I only made a few photos in my home office (see below; 1st photo with the iPhone's camera app, second with the Lux app, Leica Look set to None), and they look noisier and less sharp than the iPhone's native camera app. Weather here is pretty gray, so I'll try outdoors when it clears up. I've downsampled the photos from 3024 pixels wide to 1512 to fit. Same aperture, same shutter speed, no EV adjustment. Honestly, if the app turns out to be this bad, I'll return the grip. It's not very useful without the Lux app. 
  • There's no indication in the Photos app on Mac which app you've used to take photos, though you do see this if you swipe up on a photo on the iPhone. I have an album in my Photos app named Leica, where I've manually placed some photos shot with my Q3. The photos I've shot with the Lux app are somehow added there. Perhaps if you don't have an album named Leica, it adds one. 
  • I haven't tried many of the Leica Looks, but the monochrome ones do look nicer than the ones in the iPhone Camera app. 

Feel free to ask any questions. 

 

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Edited by kirkmc
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kirkmc

kirkmc

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These were both jpeg. If I want to shoot raw, there's no reason to use the Lux app. You don't get the post-processing options, and there are other apps that shoot raw really well, such as Halide. 

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LocalHero1953

LocalHero1953

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19 minutes ago, kirkmc said:

These were both jpeg. If I want to shoot raw, there's no reason to use the Lux app. You don't get the post-processing options, and there are other apps that shoot raw really well, such as Halide. 

I use the Lux app on the iPhone 13 because no other app does raw on that phone - IIRC Halide didn’t either, but my free trial has expired (probably for that reason) so can’t check again. If you have other options on your device I agree the Lux app value is less if you just want jpgs. 

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Foxtwo

Foxtwo

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Do you have an image of the grip on the iPhone Pro Max to show the geometry that you mentioned?

Thanks for the review. I do wonder if the grip will still work if the Leica Lux subscription expires, or what features will be available.

I noticed that you stole the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris!

Edited by Foxtwo
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kirkmc

kirkmc

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The grip will work without the subscriber, but I wonder if any of the buttons and the dial will work.  My guess is yes.

Here are two photos: on on my iPhone without a case, and one with my Peak Design case .

 

 

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kirkmc

kirkmc

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Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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Goon525

Goon525

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I’m particularly interested in the issue you mention of how to get the connection to work angain after a period of non-use. I had to give up on another grip because this wasn’t working on a 16 Pro Max without starting from scratch. Have you got that sorted now?

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kirkmc

kirkmc

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12 minutes ago, Goon525 said:

I’m particularly interested in the issue you mention of how to get the connection to work angain after a period of non-use. I had to give up on another grip because this wasn’t working on a 16 Pro Max without starting from scratch. Have you got that sorted now?

The expected behavior is that I press and hold the shutter button, and that turns it on. This is what the slim documentation says. If I press and hold the shutter button, a green LED comes on, but the grip isn't active. If I then tap the menu button, the app quits. When I relaunch the app, then the grip is connected. There's clearly a communication problem, that I assume will be fixed with an update to the app soon. I've sent them feedback from within the app. 

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Goon525

Goon525

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Thanks. There seems to be a Bluetooth issue solely with iPhone 16s (and maybe only with Pro versions). This is what caused me to give up on my Snapgrip, and I think I’d want reassurance that it’s ok with the new Leica before buying.

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luetz

luetz

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I am using the Fjorden Grip on my iPhone.  It doesn't protrude like the Leica version and fits my pockets without removal..  The company states that they will be selling at Leica outlets soon as they are now owned by Leica.  Seems odd that Leica released their Grip at the time of their announced merger.

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