yo! basically, external lenses add a ton of weight and change the center of gravity on these newer, bigger phones. why it matters? cuz if you dont balance it right, you will literally burn out your gimbal motors or get shaky footage that ruins your cinematic vibe. honestly, i found a budget setup thats SO amazing and saves a ton of cash compared to the pro rigs. Here's what I recommend:

• for the gimbal, the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer is fantastic for around $139. it has great torque for the heavy 17 pro max and the software is top tier!
• for the lens, i highkey love the Ulanzi 1.33X Anamorphic Lens. it gives that classic wide flare for only about $55, which is a total steal compared to the expensive brands!
• for mounting, get the iPhone+17+Pro+Max&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">SmallRig Mobile Video Cage for iPhone 17 Pro Max. its usually like $45 and keeps the lens perfectly aligned with that new sensor layout. i love it cuz it feels so sturdy. i mean, you dont need to spend $500 on glass to get a great look. i have been there and this cheap setup is amazing! anyway, hope this helps you save some money! gl with the project! peace

> Anamorphic lenses for that classic wide-screen flare Coming back to this, in my experience the Zhiyun Smooth 5S Pro Smartphone Stabilizer beats the dji for heavy rigs cuz its motors are literal tanks, tho it is kinda bulky. Alternatively, the Hohem iSteady M6 Kit is great cuz it handles 400g easily... i guess thats perfect for the 17 Pro Max plus a Sandmarc 1.33x Anamorphic Lens. gl!

honestly, Sandmarc Anamorphic Lens - 1.33x is unfortunately heavy... try iPhone+17+Pro+Max&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">SmallRig Mobile Video Kit for iPhone 17 Pro Max with a FeiyuTech SCORP-Mini 2 for a safer, budget-friendly setup tbh.

Bookmarked, thanks!

Big if true