When talking about Manfrotto to an expert or even to a simple photography enthusiast, there is no need to add much more. It produces some of the best accessories, especially easels but also bags and backpacks, in the world. For some time, since the world of photography has also been synonymous with mobile devices, Manfrotto's name has become an icon also in this field for its intelligence and the ability to innovate even in hyper-crowded segments such as grips and so-called “rig”, supports for video or photographic shooting. This is the case of the TwistGrip Deluxe Kit, a package that includes four different accessories useful to make it more comfortable to use your iPhone (or Android) for videos or even photos.
TwistGrip Deluxe Kit what is it
TwistGrip Deluxe Kit includes: Manfrotto HandGrip, an ergonomic handle, Manfrotto BaseGrip a bar to add photos and video accessories to a smartphone, Manfrotto TwistGrip (which we tested here) a universal smartphone clamp and Manfrotto Lumimuse 3 a rechargeable LED light. In addition to this, in the kit you will also find a hard case for transporting the 4 accessories. As mentioned, the purpose of the TwistGrip Deluxe Kit is to offer a system to improve the use of iPhone or any other phone in the context of a video shooting with superior ergonomics and a light source when the natural one is not sufficient or when you want to have specific effects (for example create a fill in a portrait where there is too high a contrast).
TwistGrip Deluxe Kit how it's done
As we have mentioned TwistGrip Deluxe Kit is a package consisting of 4 different objects (five if we also put the case), but in fact they are two separate functional elements: a platform to mount the smartphone that is assembled using the Manfrotto HandGrip, Manfrotto BaseGrip and Manfrotto TwistGrip, which we will simply call “Grip” for convenience, and the Manfrotto Lumimuse 3 LED light. The light is mounted laterally on the Monafrotto Basegrip to compose the kit.
The case of the Manfrotto TwistGrip Deluxe Kit 
Here is the inside of the package 
Manfrotto TwistGrip Deluxe Kit in action 
Manfrotto TwistGrip Deluxe Kit from the front
Manfrotto Grip
When it comes to grips, clamps, supports, it is easy to come across low-cost products but also of very low quality, an impression that from the first impact is impossible to get as soon as you pick up the three components of this kit. Manfrotto HandGrip, BaseGrip and TwistGrip, are all stylistically and structurally in the same groove : they are made of aluminum with finishes made of rubber and provide the feeling of great solidity . The assembly of the various components takes place using standard 1/4 ″ screws, the ones used for photographic tripods. This allows the use of the TwistGrip, the clamp, also in other contexts, for example on a classic tripod.
Twistgrip
Speaking of TwistGrip, it is noted for the smartphone locking system which takes place by means of a screw and not with a spring like other competing products. Manfrotto has engineered this component (maximum opening about 9 centimeters, sufficient even for the widest smartphone) to be easily pocketable; it can be seen from the fact that the jaws fold to reduce the occupation of space. A problem of this, although appreciable, solution is in the fact that the two clamps that tighten the smartphone laterally as it is not a single piece with the vertical rod tend to fluctuate . Nothing to worry about from a safety point of view, but the fact that the smartphone, also due to the particular shape of the block, has a movement of a few millimeters, seemed to us to depreciate the extreme solidity of the whole system.
TwistGrip is thin and pocketable when folded 
The system by which the jaw becomes … one shoe 
Here is open 
The cold shoe 
The system has 1/4 screws everywhere, compatible with all popular mounting systems
Above the shoe you can mount a flash or a light thanks to the presence of a cold shoe. It should be noted that Manfrotto has not thought about allowing the phone to be used vertically as well. The jaw has no screw on the long side; this makes the accessory not the ideal solution for those who create content for Instagram, IGTV, or Snapchat films . Fortunately, the weight and shape make the jaw usable also as a small tripod and therefore if nothing else you can place the smartphone vertically on a flat surface.
Manfrotto HandGrip
The Manfrotto HandGrip is basically the handle. It is also an element in aluminum which gives the impression of being very solid and of great quality . The materials, including rubber, make it pleasant to the touch. A 1/4 screw always allows it to be connected directly to the TwistGrip if necessary, without resorting to the BaseGrip; on the base we have a 1/4 thread to which we can possibly screw other accessories. The most interesting constructive element is that, as for the Twistgrip, we are faced with a flat shape, which makes this handle easily pocketable. The length and thickness are minimal (11X3 cm) and the modest weight (about 70 grams). The strap is another element that testifies to the finish of the product; it is made of synthetic material that partially imitates the skin. Can be worn around the wrist to prevent accidental falls.
The Manfrotto HandGrip
Manfrotto BaseGrip
The Manfrotto BaseGrip is the bar that is mounted on the Manfrotto HandGrip and constitutes the platform on which to place the TwistGrip and other accessories such as the Manfrotto Lumimuse 3 that we find in the package. Here too we are talking about high quality materials and aluminum. The bar at the bottom has two slots with threads spaced apart for 1/4 screw. In this way you can choose in which position to place the Manfrotto HandGrip; in the lower part there is also a cold shoe attachment to which it is possible, as Manfrotto suggests, to attach a microphone or perhaps a second lamp. At the top there is another cold shoe for the Manfrotto Lumimuse 3 lamp and a 1/4 screw for the TwistGrip. The screw is covered by a cap (easy to lose) which acts as a protection.
LED Manfrotto Lumimuse 3
The Lumimuse 3 series, as the name implies, is a lamp with three LEDs . It is part of a series that includes both this lamp and a six and eight LED lamp. The lamp included in the kit is therefore the least powerful of the series but shares all the main functions with the others: three levels of light intensity, cold shoe attachment with 1/4 screw thread, internal rechargeable battery and very compact form factor , practically pocket-sized since the weight is only 75 grams. While not, as mentioned, very powerful Lumimuse 3 is excellent for those who choose the kit that will use it as a fill light (to soften the shadows in very bright light). It can also be a system of some interest if you want to do close-up shots in less than optimal light conditions; it should be noted that in the package there are also two filters, one diffuser and one that “heats” the light, it is a 1/4 CTO filter that brings the light temperature to 4500 ° K. In the absence of the filter, the light has a color rendering index higher than 92, therefore perfect for shooting without casts. In the photos below some photo experiments taken with the Lumimuse 3 that demonstrate how such a small light is not able to work miracles, but only to support the shooting in specific contexts
The three Leds of Lumimuse 
Here it is on 
The two filters 
The filters fitted 
Nothing Lumimuse 
Lumimuse with light without filter 
Lumimuse with filter
Usage impressions
We are talking about a Rig, therefore a system that essentially has the purpose of allowing video shooting while moving or chasing a subject. However, we are not talking about a gimbal, so it is good to moderate expectations in terms of technical operation. The stabilization of the video is entirely entrusted to the internal system of the iPhone or smartphone that you are going to use. What we need to evaluate the purchase of a TwistGrip Deluxe Kit for is the need to have an ergonomic handle capable of making shooting safer and more precise. From this point of view, the Manfrotto kit fully does its duty: to allow you to have full control over the phone without resorting to the classic “two-finger” grip and to place a light or, if necessary, even a microphone next to it. The iPhone is mounted in a precise and firm way and thanks to the handle that has two different positions, it allows you to easily find a good balance.
Conclusions
The TwistGrip Deluxe Kit is, in conclusion, a high-level construction product to cope with the need to maneuver a smartphone more precisely for video shooting . It stands out at first sight for solidity and finishes and then convinces in the precision of the assembly as well as in the flexibility of the solution that allows for multiple levels of use and also includes a useful light for specific situations. In addition to this it is perfectly pocketable when needed even though it comes with an excellent carrying case.
However, there are some limits which must be taken into account when purchasing.
Firstly, TwistGrip Deluxe Kit seems designed for medium-sized phones such as an iPhone 11 Pro, an iPhone 11 or an iPhone 11 XS. An iPhone 11 Pro Max with its 6.5 inches is usable but is close to the maximum limit for which the bar and the handle are designed which , on the other hand, in our opinion it has a length of u n couple of centimeters shorter than it should.
Secondly, the structure is rigid and it is easy to find a good balance, but the weight of a smartphone (especially an iPhone 11 Pro), the asymmetrical shape of the jaw edges and the fact that we are talking about a folding element, are the cause of a certain oscillation which has no functional problems (the phone is never in danger) but which does not do justice to the real quality of the product.
Pro
Cons
Price and availability
TwistGrip Deluxe Kit is a Manfrotto online exclusive, offered at a price of € 149.90. You can also buy the various separate pieces. Lumimuse 3 is on sale on Amazon at a price of around 38 euros, HandGrip and BaseGrip cost around 50 euros, TwistGrp costs around 50 euros
