APEXEL 15X Macro Lens for iPhone with LED Fill Light

Curated from 99 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: March 26, 2025

APEXEL 15X Macro Lens for iPhone with LED Fill Light

Brand: APEXEL
Price: $29
Snoop Score:
8.3
Sentiment
7.3
Popularity
8.9
Technical
8.5

Snoop's Take

The APEXEL 15X Macro Lens for iPhone with LED Fill Light is a compact accessory designed to unlock the hidden details of your world, offering 15x magnification and a universal clip that fits nearly any smartphone. It transforms a regular snap into a mini SLR experience, seamlessly blending affordability with a professional touch. Consumer feedback reveals a mixed bag of appreciation and minor frustrations; one user enthused, "I am just as likely to reach for the Apexel add-on macro as I am for my 'real' camera and macro lens," while others lament about issues like difficult focus and fiddly mounting. Overall, if you can live with a few technical quirks, this lens stands out as a smart choice for macro enthusiasts on a budget. The design and optical performance are frequently praised for delivering sharp, vivid imagery, though some users have flagged challenges in achieving precise focus and a secure mount. Community voices are split, with many lauding the lens’s affordability and image quality, while a few remain critical of its focusing mechanics. The repeated mention of its portable nature and effective LED fill light underscores its utility in low-light conditions. In short, the product’s strengths outweigh its drawbacks in the eyes of most users. Ultimately, the APEXEL 15X Macro Lens is recommended for hobbyists and budding macro photographers who appreciate creative flexibility and can tolerate a bit of manual adjustment. Its impressive optics and budget-friendly price make it a compelling entry into macro photography, provided you have the patience to master its quirks.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Lens Attachments

I am just as likely to reach for the Apexel add-on macro as I am for my “real” camera and macro lens, because the Apexel is so nice.

Positive Feedback

Difficult to sharpen but you can take nice macro pics!

Negative Feedback
Product
8.3
APEXEL 15X Macro Lens for iPhone with LED Fill Light
Macro Photography
10 / 10
Telephoto Imaging
7 / 10
Travel & Outdoor Photography
9 / 10
Creative Content Creation
8 / 10
See how this compares to all Lens Attachments

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Excellent performance and portability
I am just as likely to reach for the Apexel add-on macro as I am for my “real” camera and macro lens, because the Apexel is so nice.
the Apexel has been a super nice, not too pricey way for me to dip my toe into macro shooting.
APEXEL Professional Macro Lens for Smartphone
Sharp and clear image quality
I was really surprised with the quality. The Apexel lens is pretty sharp, has decent colors and not as much blur and vignette on the outer edges.
Effective macro photography performance
Awesome! I thought "a" series lacked macro lens?
Effective macro photography performance with shallow depth-of-field
this lens can enable your phone to take minifig portraits with a shallower depth of field.
Budget friendly add-on lens option
I can in no way compare them to Moment or any other brand, since I’ve never used those. But these lenses (particularly the two mentioned above) look very good to my eye for both photo and video purposes.
Universal mounting system with 17mm threaded port
I may upgrade eventually, but am having fun with this relatively cheap option and so far I like the shots I’m getting with them.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Difficult to achieve sharp focus
Difficult to sharpen but you can take nice macro pics!
Unfortunately, the object I'm trying to photograph goes out of focus in any of these positions.
Difficult and fiddly mount attachment
the mount it came with is a pain to fiddle about with getting it on, and it deters me from using it as much as I’d like to.

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
APEXEL 15X Macro Lens for iPhone with LED Fill LightAPEXEL 15X Macro Lens for iPhone with LED Fill Light$29
8.3
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APEXEL 37mm 52mm Thread Macro Lens Fill LightAPEXEL 37mm 52mm Thread Macro Lens Fill Light$19
7.6
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MIAO LAB 2 in 1 Phone Camera Lens Kit for iPhone and AndroidMIAO LAB 2 in 1 Phone Camera Lens Kit for iPhone and Android$26
6.7
DetailsBuy
Mocalaca Phone Camera Lens KitMocalaca Phone Camera Lens Kit$23
6.4
DetailsBuy
APEXEL Phone Microscope LensAPEXEL Phone Microscope Lens$18
6.2
DetailsBuy
Borcorz 75mm Macro Lens for Smartphone CamerasBorcorz 75mm Macro Lens for Smartphone Cameras$36
5.1
DetailsBuy
Evil eye - 2 in 1 Phone Camera Lens KitEvil eye - 2 in 1 Phone Camera Lens Kit$59
2.5
DetailsBuy
lightdow Lightdow 52MM 0.43x High-Definition Wide Angle + Macro Lens Attachmentlightdow Lightdow 52MM 0.43x High-Definition Wide Angle + Macro Lens Attachment$29
1.6
DetailsBuy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
External lighting significantly improves macro photography
the results skyrocketed with an external light source as well so be sure to still get a good external light.
Inquiry about LED fill light performance
Do you think the Apexel macro with the fill lights is good, too?

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
General discussions on clip-on macro and telephoto setups
Because in my mind that would make a pretty insane setup, I might be entirely wrong though.
Pretty crisp and clean images even without stacking!
The macro sounds sickkk tho.
planning to do this with 10x (maybe 30x) with a 16x telephoto lens.
Creative photography in golden hour conditions
But the light hitting my sister’s brown eyes looked like it was creating magic.
Yo this looks amazing! Didn't know you could do this with an iphone.
The best camera is the one you have!

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Stabilization equipment recommended for macro shooting
Of course. But because you'll be so magnified, i HIGHLY recommend a tripod of some sort.
Good idea! The camera stand I use has a bluetooth picture taker so that I don't have to touch the phone and risk moving it.
Navigating phone macro lens market is confusing
Trying to navigate the phone macro lens world is a bit of a mess.
Your work is fantastic!

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
User confusion with flash usage during macro photography
My dumbass would leave flash on
General photography humor and commentary
He forgot that DSLRs are also computers with a lens attached.

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