We’ve seen quite a few interesting designs at MWC 2025 that tried to solve one of the remaining problems of mobile photography. Whether it’s a standalone lens and sensor that you magnetically stick to the back of a Xiaomi phone or a Realme smartphone that has a mount for gigantic DSLR lenses, there is definitely a renewed focus, pardon the pun, in upgrading the camera experience without ruining the slim and sleek designs of smartphones.
While they might be slightly different implementations with the same goal in mind, both designs have one thing in common: they’re designed specifically for Android phones. On the flip side, iPhones have a long history of photography accessories that try to improve camera output with modular lenses and cases. This new photography kit, however, takes that camera experience to the next level by almost literally transforming the iPhone 16 Pro into a vintage camera with lens mounts, cold shoe mounts, and leather grips.
Designer: Fotorgear
There is no shortage of small lenses that try to attach to an iPhone’s camera to make up for its weaknesses. Some even come with a dedicated case to make sure the same lenses can work on different iPhone models, at least those with the same camera layout. Although it only works for the iPhone 16 Pro, Fotorgear’s modular Retro Photography Kit goes all out on replicating the classic camera experience, without the hassle of dealing with actual film.
The kit is composed of a thin case that tightly wraps around the iPhone 16 Pro and serves as the foundation for all other parts. Even this alone already gives the phone a retro appearance thanks to the textured surface that recreates materials used on professional cameras and two metal frames for the phone’s sides. It makes the iPhone look quite distinctive but it doesn’t stop there, of course. Attach the Retro Bar on top to have physical knobs, a dial, and a shutter to complete that retro feel.
The kit also includes a standalone cold shoe mount so you can attach tiny mics for more professional-sounding recordings. There’s also a mount for physical filters, while the frame itself is compatible with the brand’s T-mount lenses for more options. And there’s a Retro Leather Handle that you can slip in for a more ergonomic grip, completing the look and feel of a vintage camera.
The FotorGear Retro Photography Kit definitely looks the part, though you’ll have to make a few concessions along the way. That grip doesn’t have any battery, for example, so you miss out on the opportunity to extend the iPhone’s uptime. The physical controls for the camera are, of course, driven by Bluetooth, which means potential latency between each click. You’ll also have to take off some of those modular parts afterward because your already large iPhone 16 Pro will barely be usable as a phone until you do.
