Creating infrared photos with your iPhone is just one more way to have fun and create unique photos with your iPhone.

While iPhone infrared requires some accessories and some know-how, it offers the convenience and freedom that we love about the iPhone, and, with today's iPhones, the quality of our images is extraordinary!

If you are interesting in exploring iPhone infrared photography, you’ll need the following accessories. 

1. A filter mount for attaching an infrared filter to your iPhone,
2. A case that will accommodate the filter mount,
3. A 720nm or 760nm infrared filter with a thread size to fit your filter mount.

I began creating infrared photos with my iPhone in about 2019 with the iPhone 11 Pro Max. At that time there were very few accessories available.

During the years since first doing iPhone IR, there have been many advances in the hardware that have made filter attachment more convenient, secure, and reliable. Keeping up with the advances in both the accessories and iPhone software has made iPhone infrared an constantly evolving endeavor.

In this blog post I share the accessories I've tested and used most today. Will this change in the future? Probably! The new iPhone 17 that comes out in the fall may be a new size and there may be new advances in the filter attachment accessories. But, as of today, this is the gear that I use and enjoy.

NOTE: If you have accessories from an earlier period, it’s likely that they work fine so you don’t necessarily need to get new gear. However, there are new accessories that are more convenient, and depending on the era of your iPhone you may need to retool with new accessories. 

Here are the accessories that I currently use. I’m using both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but these filter mounts work with iPhones from the 13 to the 16. You just need to get the one for either the Pro phone or the Pro Max phone. 

This is worth saying again. The exact same filter mount will work with the iPhone 13 to the 16, so long as you get the right size filter mount for your iPhone, either the Pro style or the Pro Max style. 

Favorite Filter Mounts from JJC

JJC Model for PRO MAX iPhones

• JJC 49mm Magnetic Lens Filter Mount Adapter for iPhone 13 to 16 PRO MAX phones: https://a.co/d/3B8vysY

JJC Model for PRO iPhones

• JJC 49mm Magnetic Lens Filter Mount Adapter for iPhone 13 to iPhone 16 PRO phones: https://a.co/d/3b0N87M

Recommended Infrared Filter for JCC Mount

• 720nm 49mm Infrared Filter works with either of the JJC 49mm filters https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1688728-REG/kolari_49mmk720_01_49mm_720nm_filter.html 

Favorite Mounts from Tiffen

• Tiffen 58mm Filter Mount for iPhone 13-16 PRO style phones. https://a.co/d/8BvALKN
• Tiffen 58mm Filter Mount for iPhones 13-16 PRO MAX style. https://a.co/d/7tVZaGX

Recommended Infrared Filter for Tiffen mount

• 720nm, 58mm Kolari Vision Infrared Lens Filter https://kolarivision.com/product/kolari-infrared-lens-filter-720nm/

I like both the Tiffen and the JCC filter mounts, but slightly prefer the JCC model for it's slightly more substantial feel and snug, secure fit.

Limitations and Tips for Success:

1. I recommend using a black or dark colored Apple Silicone case. https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MYYT3ZM/A/iphone-16-pro-max-silicone-case-with-magsafe-black
   
   Both the JJC and the Tiffen filter mounts fit perfectly on the silicone case. 
2. Use a dark colored case because clear cases allow light leaks that will ruin your photo.
3. If using a tripod bracket for your iPhone, you’ll need to mount the phone at the space at the bottom of the phone to clear the filter mount. The filter mount will be in the way of most iPhone brackets.
4. When using the 49mm IR filter, you can’t use the 0.5x (13mm ultra wide lens) because the small size of the filter blocks the wide angle lens. This isn’t really a limitation for me because I don’t use the ultra wide lens for infrared as the results are poor. 

Common Mistakes when Ordering

Each iPhone make and model is a different size and getting the correct case and filter mount to fit your specific iPhone is critical or it will not fit.

Both the JJC Filter Mount and the Tiffen Filter mount will fit the iPhone 13 to 16 phones, but you must get either the mount for the PRO or the PRO MAX phone. Pay attention to the small print when ordering and make sure you are getting the right mount and case for your type of iPhone.

A Word about Infrared Filters

There are many infrared filter makers and the quality varies widely. The filters for which I’ve provided links for here are filters that I’ve tested and gotten good results with. Other filter makes I’ve had success with include Neewer, Hoya, Kolari Vision, and Spencer’s Camera. 

There are other off brands that are very inexpensive and in my experience they don’t work well or don’t last long. The coating is important and many of the cheaper lenses use a cheap coating that wears off easily. 

One filter that I tried recently but have not had good luck with is the Green.L filter. I would avoid this one. 

If you already have infrared filters in your collection of gear, but they are not the right size to fit the filter mount you get, you can always get a step-up/step-down adapter that will allow you to use the filters you already own.

I prefer infrared at the higher end of the spectrum, 720nm to 760nm. This produces a beautiful black and white quality photo. I’ve experimented with both the 720nm and the 760nm filters and choose the 760nm for very bright days. The differences are subtle but noticeable. You can’t go wrong with either, but I recommend starting out with the 720nm. 

I’m not a fan of color IR at this point and so I’ve not experimented with color IR on the iPhone. I don’t use any of the filters at the lower end of the spectrum (640nm, 530nm, etc.) that would produce a color result.

If you're interested in learning more about creating beautiful infrared photos with your iPhone check out these video tutorials on my Thinkific Site. Some are free and some are offered for a modest fee.

1. How I Did It!™ Create Infrared Photos with Your iPhone! https://courses.raddrewphotography.com/courses/new-course-1 
2. Infrared Hot Spots; Three Ways to Fix in Post Processing https://courses.raddrewphotography.com/courses/FixingIRHotspots
3. Lightroom Mobile: Unmasking the Magic with Jack Davis and Rad Drew https://courses.raddrewphotography.com/courses/LrM_UnmaskingMagic; This course is not about infrared specifically, but it is a very thorough reference document for using Lightroom Mobile which is my favorite iPhone app for processing infrared images.
4. One Minute Mobile Photography Miracles: Brand New iPhone Secrets to Capturing and Crafting Perfect Pics. https://courses.raddrewphotography.com/courses/DnDMiracles 
   This course is also not specifically about infrared, but it a great primer for all things iPhone. Many of these techniques are used in the creation of iPhone Infrared Photos.
5. How I Did It!™ SnapSeed Masking Demystified! https://courses.raddrewphotography.com/courses/SnapSeed-Masking This tutorial, again, is not exclusively about iPhone Infrared, but many of the features of SnapSeed are used to apply finishing touches to iPhone Infrared photos.

Thanks for reading and being here. I look forward to seeing some you in July at Madeline Island School of the Arts, and in August for the Out of Chicago Botanic 2025 at the Botanic Gardens!