I suck at selfies.
I've tried to get better, I really have, but my success rate is pretty low. I just can't seem to find the right angle with such a close-up shot. Even when I widen the front camera shot slightly on my iPhone 15, I can't seem to avoid distortion (or, ahem, the double chin). I blame the camera. If I could shoot selfies with the rear camera on my phone, I suspect my results would improve.
Insta360 has heard my cries (or seen my selfies) and come to my rescue with the Insta360 Snap, a selfie screen that attaches to your phone magnetically. Apparently, there are plenty of selfie screens on the market, and I've seen prices range from less than $20 to almost $100. Many of them connect to your phone via Wi-Fi, and some have Bluetooth remote controls for snapping shots.
Snap does things a little differently. First, it connects to your phone via its built-in USB-C cable, so it's truly plug-and-play and has no issues with lag. On the one hand, this means the monitor draws power from your phone battery—however, it also means you don't have to worry about charging yet another device in your production kit. It used power, sure, but the battery drain I experienced during testing wasn't alarming.
Controls are simple; there's a power button on the side, along with a mirror button that lets you toggle between the "true" photo perspective and not having text backward on the screen. At the bottom of the screen are controls for the built-in light that wraps around the screen (think rectangle light instead of ring light). You can toggle separately between five brightness levels and three color temperatures.
Snap also doubles as a touchscreen, but only if you turn on the Zoom setting on your iPhone (under Accessibility). Otherwise, if you want to make changes to something other than the monitor or light, you'll need to use your phone's actual screen. Once you make Snap a touchscreen, it's a big help. You can even hold down the mirror button to zoom in and fill Snap's entire screen.
The magnet is seriously strong; Snap isn't going anywhere until you pull it off your phone. A built-in protective cover helps you avoid scratching the screen during transport, and it sort of folds around your phone screen when in use to avoid accidental touching. But this is not a tablet—if you close the cover, it does not automatically shut off the screen and preserve battery life, though it will shut off if your phone screen is off after a minute. A small LED near the USB-C connector serves as a power indicator.
Using Insta360 Snap, I can monitor my rear camera while I shoot selfies—no front camera distortion!
Image credit: Mark J. Pescatore
I took this selfie in a dark room using only the Insta360 Snap's built-in light for illumination. Not bad at all, but be mindful of reflections on eyeglasses.
Image credit: Mark J. Pescatore
Hard to say much more than it works. Snap allows me to use my rear camera to take selfies and avoid the distortion. The light isn't a replacement for professional lighting, but it can provide a little pop to your close-ups, as long as you're mindful of the potential reflection in your glasses.
Beyond improving my selfie game, Snap has some professional applications, too. First, it works as a video monitor in horizontal or vertical modes, so content creators or one-man bands have an easy way to check their shots before going live and during the shoot. Plus, I used Snap with my prompter app. You can setup the phone/camera, lock it down, open your prompter app, and away you go.
Snap is priced at about $90 with the light, $80 without the light, so it's on the higher end of selfie screen pricing. For me, the integrated light is worth a few extra bucks. The device itself is light but sturdy, with a USB-C connecting cable seems well protected for regular use. No Lightning connector here, so be sure your Apple or Android device is compatible (it didn't work with my Galaxy A14 from 2023). Better selfies aside, if your relying on your phone—and no one else—for your content creation, Snap is an inexpensive assistant that lets you use your phone's better camera with confidence.
