One of the worst things that can happen to any mobile photographer or filmmaker is to have your smartphone’s battery die in the middle of a shoot. It’s not only frustrating, but it can throw your entire day’s schedule off.
This is especially frustrating if you’re shooting somewhere without a convenient outlet to plug your phone into. That desolate location might make for great photos, but what happens when your smartphone needs to charge?
Luckily, preventing this catastrophe is as simple as tossing a fully charged battery pack into your gear bag before you go. These powerful little devices will make sure that no matter where you are, your phone stays charged until you’re done shooting.
Searching for the perfect battery packs for smartphone photographers can feel like finding a needle in a haystack, but we’ve done the research for you and have found some of the best battery packs for mobile on the market in 2021.
Smartphone Battery Packs: Why You Need One
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Omnicharge Mobile 12800 Pro
This tiny but powerful power bank is a great way to make sure your smartphone won’t run out of battery power until you’re ready to call it quits. Plus, it’s small enough to toss into your gear back and forget about it until you need it.
This compact mobile battery pack gives you the option of leaving your charging cables behind. It’s capable of charging wireless compatible phones and all you have to do is set your phone on top. This means your phone can charge while you set up your shoot, even if you’re nowhere near an outlet.
However, if you’d prefer to use your cables, the Omnicharge Mobile 12800 Pro has both a USB-A and USB-C charging cable.
The USB-C port provides up to 60W output and 30W input. Not only is this battery pack capable of charging your phone, but it’s powerful enough to charge your laptop, tablet, or even drone as well.
The USB-A port provides up to 18W of power output so you can charge your device quickly and efficiently. When fully charged, the Omnicharge Mobile 12800 Pro is capable of charging the average smartphone up to 4 times. Typical charging time for most phones from nearly dead to completely full is less than 2 hours.
All this power is packed into a tiny battery pack weighing just 0.57 pounds and measuring 3.29” x 4.33” x 1”. This is small enough to fit in any gear bag, or even your pocket if necessary.
The Omnicharge Mobile 12800 Pro is designed to operate in temperatures above freezing and below 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Priced at just $79.99, this battery pack is an inexpensive way to make sure you never have to deal with a dead phone battery in the middle of a photo shoot.
Moment iPhone Battery Case
If you’re lucky enough to still be using an iPhone 7 Plus or 8 Plus, consider this incredible iPhone Battery Case by Moment. This isn’t one of your standard battery packs for smartphones because it’s a Moment M-Series Case which means you can attach your M-Series Lenses!
The Moment iPhone Battery Case is made of durable Polycarbonate and Thermoplastic Urethane Rubber. This case is tough enough to keep your iPhone safe and sound from accidental bumps and drops, but that’s not all it can do.
The case also features a powered DSLR-like shutter button and is compatible with any New Moment Lens. You’ll be able to keep your phone safe and widen your photography horizons with Moment’s incredible collection of detachable lenses.
Moment Lenses attach to the iPhone Battery Case with just a simple rotation and gentle click. No additional tools or accessories needed.
It’s also suitable for use with any wrist or neck strap, so you won’t have to worry about dropping your phone while shooting in precarious situations.
These are all great features, but the best thing about this case is the built-in battery pack with a lightning cable. This might not seem like a big deal but having a case that uses the same cable as your phone to charge means you won’t ever need to haul around an extra cable just for your battery pack.
With a battery capacity of 3800mAh, this pack has enough juice to fully charge your iPhone at least once. It also weighs just 149.7 grams, so it won’t add substantial weight to your device.
Moment’s multipurpose iPhone Battery Case is currently priced at a jaw-dropping $39.99. This is $50.00 less than it was when it was first introduced. If you’re shooting with an iPhone 7 Plus or 8 Plus, you need this battery pack.
Omnicharge Mobile 25600 Pro
If you’re looking for a versatile battery pack capable of keeping your smartphone charged for the duration of your photoshoot, and possibly your entire trip, look no further than the Omnicharge Mobile 25600 Pro.
This powerful battery pack is capable of fully charging most smartphones between 6 and 9 times. It’s also capable of charging your tablet, laptop, drone, or any other device you might need during your photoshoot.
The Omnicharge Mobile 25600 Pro is just under the maximum allowable capacity for air travel. If you’d rather not be one of those people sitting by the wall in the airport at the only available outlet, buy this battery pack.
This small but powerful battery pack features one USB-C and two USB-A ports. The USB-A ports are top of the line and capable of outputting up to 18W, which means your devices will charge incredibly fast.
If you forget your charging cables at home, there’s no need to worry, you can simply set your smartphone on top of the battery pack for wireless charging.
The Omnicharge Mobile 25600 Pro weighs 1.2 pounds, so it’s not exactly featherweight, but its charging capabilities make it worth the effort to bring along. It measures just 4.3” x 6.1” x 1” so it’s small enough to fit in any gear bag or purse.
Priced at $129.99, this is the most expensive battery pack on our list, but it’s charging abilities make it worth every penny. If you want to be sure that your smartphone never dies mid-shoot, this is the battery pack you need to buy.
Keep Your Smartphone Charged With Battery Packs
A mobile battery pack can be the difference between embarrassing yourself in front of a client or blowing them away. Seriously, in my experience the best shots come towards the end of the shoot as both the subject and myself start to get more comfortable. If my smartphone battery died towards the end of the shoot then I’m cutting off the possibility of getting those extra shots that can make or break a photoshoot.
If you’re like me and shoot on a gimbal and use a third party app for manual control, then your battery is going to drain even faster than normal. So, consider battery packs for smartphone photographers if you want to be sure to never run into this problem.
