The Pictar One Mark II ($99.99) is an accessory that promises to make your smartphone more comfortable to hold when using it as a camera. It succeeds in that task, but fails in so many others that we can't recommend buying it. The Pictar app, which is required to make the device work, doesn't do nearly as much as your phone's default camera app can accomplish, and shows noticeable lag when changing modes. My advice is to skip the Pictar One Mk II and see if the company's next product, the Pictar One Pro, delivers on its promise of better build quality and additional features.

Low-Quality Build

The Pictar One Mark II is available in a standard version, priced at $99.99, for small and standard size phones. The Pictar One Plus Mark I is of the same generation, but is made for phablets and priced $10 higher.

The standard version measures at 2.8 by 3.9 by 1.3 inches and 2.1 ounces. The Plus is 4.3 by 5.3 by 1.8 inches and 3.0 ounces. You can buy the Mark II in black only, while the Plus is available in black, pink, or white.

The grip is all plastic and feels OK in the hand. There's a handgrip protrusion, similar to what you get with a larger point-and-shoot camera. With my big phone secured it isn't too dissimilar from the Samsung's discontinued Galaxy Camera in feel. A textured leatherette makes it a bit more secure in the hand than bare plastic would on its own.

There's a spring-loaded clip to clamp over your phone and hold it in place. I spent the most time with the Plus model, which held my iPhone 8 Plus securely, without having to remove its slim protective case. Bulkier cases could pose a problem.

A standard tripod socket is positioned on the bottom, below the handgrip. On the top you'll find a cold shoe that can accommodate a small light or microphone. Physical controls include the shutter release, two top control dials, and a front dial that doubles as a button.

The dials feel chintzy, but aren't in danger of falling off. Two are on top, with the left dial changing the shooting mode and the right adjusting shutter speed or EV, depending on which mode you're using. The dials turn easily, but with a small click with each setting, so you can more easily dial in minor adjustments to exposure or shutter speed.

They are joined by the shutter button—a two-stage design like those you find on SLRs, with a half-press required to focus and a full press to snap a picture—as well as a front control dial that sets digital zoom and switches between the front and rear cameras.

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The Pictar is powered by a single 1/2AA battery, an odd size you won't be able to find easily at convenience stores. The company estimates six months of life, so it's not a bad idea to keep a spare on hand. You need to use a knife or other tool to remove the battery, as the compartment is a bit too tight to get a grip on it with just your fingers.

A Slow, So-So App

You need to use the Pictar app to make the grip work. It's a free download for Android and iOS devices. The buttons do absolutely nothing when the app isn't running. The reason behind this is simple—the Pictar uses ultrasonic sound waves to command your phone. Had the company gone with a more traditional interface, like Bluetooth, it could at least trigger the shutter when using other apps, but that is not the case here.

Using the Pictar app to snap photos prevents your phone's camera from doing many of the things it does so well. Portrait mode, switching between standard and 2x lenses, automated HDR toning, Raw capture—they're all missing. These capabilities do more to make your phone compete with an SLR from an imaging perspective, and they are simply not there with Pictar. You do have access to Apple's Live Photos if you use an iPhone, but I'd rather have dual camera portrait support.

The app is also hampered in terms of speed. With my iPhone 8 Plus I'm able to capture images with absolute zero shutter lag when using the Apple Camera app. When using Pictar there is a 0.2-second delay between pressing the shutter and capturing a photo. There's also a blackout and delay when switching modes, which is a surprise considering I'm using a top-end handset that's only a year old.

There is a modicum of control customization, but I wish it went further. You can swap out button settings en masse, but not on a mode-by-mode basis. I opted to switch the on-screen control, which sets EV compensation by default, with one of the top control dials. You can't swap out the directions with the dials, which is a shame as they are totally backward to me. Turning the EV dial to the left brightens a scene, while I'm used to the opposite being true with my Nikon D850.

An Easy Pass

I remember seeing an early version of the Pictar at a trade show a few years ago. At the time, I saw it as an intriguing, innovative product. But phone cameras have moved beyond simple image capture in the interim. Modern smartphone cameras run circles around what we saw in handsets from a few years ago. We now have fast burst shooting, dual lenses, bokeh effects, HDR, and other tech that works together to put smartphones on more equal footing with real cameras with big image sensors and interchangeable lenses.

The Pictar One Mark II doesn't do any of these things. Its app is very basic, without support for Raw capture or the computational photography tricks that work behind the scenes to make your smartphone snapshots stand out. It does do a good job as a grip—having a bit more phone to hold is a good thing—but it's simply not worth the limitations introduced by the Pictar app.

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