Sandmarc’s Star Filter Adds Creative Flare to Smartphone Photos and Videos

Kate Garibaldi

A triptych image: a woman poses by a car in city lights at night, a hand holds a smartphone with a lens attachment, and a close-up of a shiny Ferrari hood reflecting sunlight.

San Diego-based camera accessory manufacturer Sandmarc’s newest product is a fun variable Star Filter for iPhone.

Whether creating photos or videos with a smartphone device, Sandmarc’s Star Filter allows the user to introduce multi-point flares from direct light sources for a unique and interesting layer to compositions. Sandmarc describes the filter as “ideal for night photography, cityscapes, and creative product shots.” With its variable front ring, users have complete control over the strength of the filter’s effects for artistic photo and video using four to eight points of light.

Creative accessories like Sandmarc’s Star Filter are practical tools for filmmakers and photographers who prefer using real in-camera effects over those created in post-processing or with artificial intelligence. The variable function of the Star Filter for precise application of the effects also allows the creator to instantly share the footage with subjects or clients on set to see the effects in real time, whether to adjust the flares or to instantly post the results, useful for a variety of genres from portraiture to commercial applications.

A hand holds a detachable lens accessory above the camera lenses of a beige smartphone, preparing to attach it. The background is dark, highlighting the phone and lens.

A close-up of a smartphone with a Sandmarc variable star filter attached to its camera, set against a dark background with dramatic lighting highlighting the lens and filter details.

A hand holds a camera lens filter with engraved lines, illuminated by a bright light source from the left against a dark background.

Three side-by-side images show hands attaching a camera lens to a smartphone using three methods: clip mounting, lens mounting, and case mounting, with colorful neon lights in the background.

The Star Filter’s lightweight 1.2-ounce (35-gram) design consists of a precision aluminum mount with an outside diameter of 60 millimeters and a 43-millimeter multi-coated glass interior that promises to offer optical clarity. The Star Filter features Sandmarc’s established, seamless attachment system. The Star Filter comes with an iPhone clip mount and filter pouch. It is fully compatible with Sandmarc’s systems for mounting to one of its existing cases and its wide, telephoto, and anamorphic lenses.

As first noted by CineD, while the filter is designed and marketed towards the latest iPhone models, like the iPhone 15 and 16 series smartphones, the Star Filter’s ability to utilize three different mounting types means it is widely compatible with much older iPhone models as well as the majority of Android smartphones.

A woman reaches toward a bright light source, her face illuminated by dramatic lens flares and reflections, creating a starburst effect in a dark, indoor setting. She wears a dark outfit with a red, feathery accessory.

Close-up of the front left headlight of a shiny blue sports car with sunlight reflecting off the surface, creating lens flares and colorful light streaks across the image.

The sun shines brightly with a starburst effect over a calm ocean, reflecting light on the water. Wildflowers and grasses cover the foreground, and a person sits alone on the coastline under a partly cloudy sky.

Pricing and Availability

Sandmarc’s new Star Filter is available to pre-order now for $90, and it is expected to ship in mid-June. It joins a wide range of other Sandmarc products designed for smartphone photography and video, including a 2x macro probe lens, 6x telephoto lens, and retro-inspired soft focus filter.

Buy the Sandmarc Star Filter new on Amazon.com

Image credits: Sandmarc

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