3 perfectly affordable iphone accessories for filming that will help take your reels to the next level.

I’m always looking for ways to make my content stand out.

While I’m on this journey, I’m happy to share my research and findings with you. I have recently purchased a few items that will help improve the quality of my content with as little spend as possible, without compromising on quality.

1. The Ring Light, Neewer Approx £29.99

Neewer is a reputable multinational company with branches and subsidiaries established in the United Kingdom, Germany, and mainland China selling mid-range photographic lighting and accessories. They are very affordable and they are favoured by professional videographers and photographers.

I had originally wanted one that Ikea was selling but they had sold out, to be honest -it’s almost identical in design- I wouldn’t be surprised if Neewer had made it originally…

So far this light has been superb, I like that the phone is easily placed in the grip through the middle of the ring light. You can angle it downwards to record your hands if you are drawing. It’s pretty solid and does not wobble or collapse. It has a choice of warm or cool lighting and you can choose the brightness too.

A ring light creates a circle of light that reflects nicely in your eyes and also does not create hard shadows across your face, which can be very unflattering!

Using lighting while filming is very important as if you are badly lit, it can be off-putting and also it’s not always possible or convenient to find natural light.

Some LED ceiling lights can create a strobing effect which is also horrible!

So yes a light is essential!

2. A RØDE Lavalier Microphone. Approx £45.50

A microphone can really help make your reels sound so much better. Audio is often tricky to get right, too loud or too quiet, fuzzy or muffled, all can be off-putting. 

I have been waiting for a while to purchase a microphone, and I really did wonder which is the best one to get, in the end, I settled for a really good, professionally renowned brand, but one of the most basic bits of equipment that they make. 

RØDE, is ‘industry standard’. They have been making microphones for over 50 years and are an Australian company.

There really is a microphone for every occasion, I picked something called a Lavalier microphone, specifically designed for use with a Smartphone. It clips onto your clothing just below your neckline somewhere and is quite small, I guess you could hide it by wearing black, but it’s not too dominant and will be quite visually unobtrusive. 

If you are using a camera or an android you can insert the cable into your camera’s headphone socket. You can get wireless ones but they are considerably more expensive at £300+ so it’s worth just dealing with some wire if you are just getting started like me!

So far I have found this microphone to be a game-changer audio-wise. I love hearing my voice so clearly and think it helps me feel and sound more confident which comes through in the finished product - I hope you agree!?

There are other ways you can help your audio sound crisp and clear, mainly it involves duvets and an empty house lol. Seriously a duvet draped about the room can stop noise bouncing off walls, and makes your voice sound softer and clearer. But best to arrange the said duvet out of view of the camera!

3. iPhone headphones adapter / jack approx £8

I have also bought an iPhone adapter for this ‘lav mic’ as iPhone does not have a headphone socket!

This nifty little bit of kit will allow me to record the sound into my iPhone as I record. It was £8 at the time of publication, so much cheaper than the wireless Rode microphones!

The final bit of kit that I have just upgraded to is… 

4. iPhone 14

Now, I pay monthly on a contract with ID mobile but you might prefer to buy upfront or stick with what you have, but I have been soooo impressed by the jump in quality from my iPhone SE (second gen) I have to give it a bit of air time!

I wish I could have afforded an iPhone 14 Pro, as the camera and video look massively better than my plain old 14, but with financial limitations in place, I had to be sensible and as I was due an upgrade I opted for the 14. Still, I love the camera - particularly the Macro setting, I’m still waiting to try out the low light settings and I’m busy picking up all the tips I can. Look out for future posts on Instagram as I share my experiments with you! Video wise the cinematography setting just makes everything look beautiful and less shaky for sure.

So which purchase will you make first? Let me know how you get on. Tag me in your social media post or just send me a direct message.

I hope you find this list helpful if you are wondering how to invest in equipment for your social content, I think these items are the most basic to start with and affordable too. 

If you have any questions - let me know in the comments or drop me a line.

As a disclaimer, I will point out that, as I move into the field of affiliate marketing one of my channels involves partnering with Amazon. If you use any of my links above I will receive a small payment. 

I promise that all my recommendations are 100% genuine and products that I actually use and love every day.

If you would like more hints and tips for content creation and Squarespace please subscribe! I’ll be very happy to have you onboard. 

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