Wide Angle vs Neewer Ultra Wide and Fisheye for Blogging on a Smartphone

In this article I want to walk you through a real-world mobile creator setup I’ve been using with my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra — including how I monitor framing, which lens I actually record with, and how add-on lenses from Neewer can change your field of view for vlogging.

If you record yourself with your phone (fitness tips, talking while walking, travel, behind-the-scenes, etc.), this is the kind of setup that lets you get high-quality footage without carrying a dedicated camera.

Why You Should Be Using the Main Camera on Your Phone (Not the Selfie Cam)

Let’s start with something most people get backwards.

Your phone actually has multiple cameras:

• The rear/main 1x camera (the one on the back of the phone),

• The ultra-wide camera (0.5x),

• The telephoto / zoom cameras, and

• The front/selfie camera (the one facing you when you’re looking at the screen).

Most people vlog with the selfie camera because they can see themselves. It’s convenient. But: that is not the best camera on your phone.

On a phone like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the main rear 1x camera is the best camera:

• It has the best lens (better clarity, better glass),

• It has the best sensor (larger sensor = better light and detail),

• And it shoots the highest resolution and best frame rates.

We’re talking about a 50-megapixel sensor on that main 1x camera. That is the camera on the phone that gives you the cleanest image, the best sharpness, the best dynamic range. That’s the one you actually want to use for serious video.

The selfie/front camera? Lower megapixels, cheaper optics, usually worse in low light, and often limited in frame rate/resolution. Sometimes you can hit 4K, but often not at 60fps or with the same level of quality. It’s fine for casual clips, but it’s not what you want if you care about looking professional.

So the problem becomes:
How do you film yourself with the good camera when the good camera is pointed away from you and you can’t see the screen?

My Framing Trick: Using a Watch as a Monitor

Here’s how I solve that.

When I’m filming with the S24 Ultra’s main 1x rear camera, I can’t see the phone screen because it’s facing away from me. So instead, I mirror the camera preview to my smartwatch.

That means I’m holding the phone out in front of me, using the best camera on the device, and I can still check my framing by glancing at my watch. The watch basically becomes my little monitor.

This lets me:

• Use the highest-quality camera on the phone,

• Keep myself properly framed,

• Record in the best resolution / frame rate,

• And still vlog handheld like normal.

If you’re a solo content creator, this is a game-changer. You don’t need someone behind the camera.

The Limit of the Main Camera: Field of View

Now, there is one challenge when you film this way:

The main 1x rear camera is not super wide.

With your arm fully extended, you’re still fairly close to the lens. You don’t see a ton of background behind you. Sometimes that’s fine — like if I’m doing a more personal “talk to camera” clip — but other times I want to show more of the environment, more scenery, more gym space, more of what’s happening around me.

You could switch to the built-in 0.5x ultra-wide camera on the phone. That will instantly give you a wider field of view. But here’s the issue: those ultra-wide lenses are usually lower quality. Smaller sensor, softer edges, worse low-light performance. You’re giving up image quality to get width.

And remember: the whole point of this setup is to squeeze the absolute best image possible out of a phone.

So how do you get a wider shot while still using the best camera (the main 1x)?

The Neewer Cage + Threaded Lens System

This is where add-on lenses come in.

I’m using a metal phone cage / case from Neewer, that allows me to screw lenses directly onto the main 1x camera. The system I’m using is a Neewer setup. The case lines up the phone camera with a 17mm threaded mount so I can attach external glass securely. It’s not just a little clip-on that can wiggle or fall off — this screws on solid.

A few nice things about this approach:

• It lets me keep using the main 1x camera (which again is the best camera on the phone).

• I can change the field of view just by swapping the lens.

• The attachment is tight and centered so you’re not constantly fiddling with alignment.

• I can swap lenses fast.

The cage I’m using was about $40 CAD. The lenses are in the $50–$60 CAD range each. So we’re not talking pro cinema money here. There are $200-$300 mobile lenses out there that are sharper, yes, but for what I’m doing, this price-to-performance is honestly good enough.

Also worth noting: Neewer also has a slimmer case with that same 17mm threaded mount built in, so you don’t always have to run the full metal cage. That’s nice if you want something more “daily carry” instead of a full rig.

Lens #1: The Neewer LS-72 18mm Wide / Ultra-Wide Lens

First, I attached Neewer’s LS-72 18mm wide-angle / ultra-wide style lens (often marketed as something like an 18mm equivalent on full frame).

What this does:

• It pulls you back in frame.

• You get way more background in the shot.

• You don’t look like you’re jammed up against the camera.

For vlog style content — walking, talking, showing where you are — this is ideal. You can see my arm, you can see behind me, you get more environment and context. It feels less claustrophobic without me having to hold the phone on a huge selfie stick.

Importantly, this wide lens tries to keep things fairly natural. You don’t get a crazy warped bubble around the edges. Straight lines mostly still look straight. For talking-to-camera, that matters, because if the distortion is too strong, it starts looking like GoPro “action cam mode,” which isn’t always flattering.

This is my “everyday” solution. It gives me that wider field of view that the stock 1x camera doesn’t have, without forcing me to switch to the lower-quality built-in ultra-wide camera.

Lens #2: The Neewer LS-77 Fisheye Lens

Next, I tested the Neewer LS-77 14mm fisheye-style lens.

This one goes even wider than the wide/ultra-wide. You get that classic action-cam look: huge field of view, arm really visible, tons of scenery. It’s the style you see in skateboarding videos and POV action footage.

The tradeoff is distortion. With fisheye, the edges bend. You’ll notice curved lines, stretched corners, and more exaggerated perspective. It’s part of the look.

Is that bad? Not necessarily. It depends on what you’re shooting:

• For casual lifestyle vlog content where you just want “get me + everything around me,” it’s kind of fun.

• For high-energy/action-type clips, it actually looks great.

• For a serious sit-and-talk fitness coaching segment? Probably not what you want.

So I see the fisheye as more of a “special use” tool. Cool to have in the kit, but not my default.

Handheld Stability and Grip

In this test I wasn’t even using a gimbal. I just had the phone in the cage with a simple grip. You could absolutely add a small selfie stick or telescoping handle and get the camera even farther away for an even better angle — but what I was showing is that even at arm’s length you can get usable framing once you throw the wide/ultra-wide lens on there.

For travel, fitness clips at the park, gym walkthroughs, talking while walking — this is practical. You don’t need to bring a full camera bag. You just bring your phone and maybe one screw-on lens.

I’ve also got a compact MagSafe-style selfie stick/tripod on the way that’ll mount fast to the phone. That’s going to make this even easier to run as a one-person filming setup.

Cost and Practicality

Here’s what impressed me most:

• Neewer wide / fisheye lenses: about $50–$60 CAD each

• Neewer S24 Samsung Ultra Aluminum cage: about $40 CAD

• Total: well under the cost of buying a separate vlogging camera

Are these the absolute best lenses money can buy? No. You can spend a lot more and squeeze out more optical performance. But for the price, the quality is honestly very usable for YouTube, shorts, Instagram, etc.

And the biggest win is this:
I don’t have to bring a whole other camera.
I can run everything off my phone, still get high image quality, still get wide field of view, and still monitor framing with my watch.

That’s a really compact creator rig.

Final Thoughts

If you’re serious about mobile content, here’s the core takeaway:

1. Use the main rear camera on your phone whenever possible.
   That’s the best sensor, best lens, best resolution, best frame rate. It’s usually around 50 megapixels on modern flagships like the S24 Ultra. That’s the money camera.

2. Solve framing with a workaround, not by downgrading cameras.
   A smartwatch preview, a small external monitor, or even just test framing and mark a grip position — anything is better than switching to the lower-quality selfie cam.

3. Fix field of view with external glass, not by switching to a worse sensor.
   A good wide-angle attachment on the main 1x camera lets you stay wide without throwing away quality.

4. Keep a fisheye in the bag for fun shots.
   It’s not “every clip” usable, but it’s great for that action-cam look.

Bottom line: with a basic cage, a couple of threaded Neewer lenses, and a way to monitor your shot, your phone can absolutely act like a real vlogging camera. You get pro-looking footage, portability, and you’re ready to shoot any time without dragging extra gear around.

That’s the point: keep it simple, keep it fast, and still make it look good.

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