Moment

The Moment Wide 18mm mobile lens was my first Moment product back in 2017, paired with my iPhone X. Recently, Moment upgraded the T-Series mobile lens line to T-Series II, rebuilt from the ground up for the larger camera modules and sensors on newer phones.

Compared with the built-in ultra-wide, the 18mm gives a cleaner and sharper image because it lets you use the main camera instead of the smaller ultra-wide camera. That makes it useful for travel, interiors, landscapes, vlogging, behind-the-scenes clips, and scenes where the default wide lens feels too tight, but the ultra-wide feels too wide or struggles in lower light.

Like the 58mm T-Series I, though, this first T-Series version can show its limits on newer iPhones. It can be softer, with more visible lens defects, colour aberrations, and edge issues than you would want from a modern mobile lens. Because it is much wider than the 58mm, those flaws are often less distracting, but they are still there.

The important point is that it can still look better than the default iPhone ultra-wide, especially if you want to keep the cleaner main-camera look. But if you are buying today for a newer iPhone, the T-Series II makes more sense. Moment rebuilt those newer lenses for bigger modern phone cameras, with better overall quality and fewer of the issues found in this generation.

Keep in mind that, for obvious reasons, extra lenses cannot be used on the iPhone ultra-wide lens.

The Good:

• Gives the iPhone a wider field of view while using the main camera.

• Sharper and cleaner than the default ultra-wide in many situations — around 13mm for the default ultra-wide versus 18mm with the Moment lens.

• Wide perspective makes optical flaws less distracting than on the 58mm.

• Small enough to carry as part of a mobile kit.

• Works with Moment cases or the stick-on lens plate.

• Filters can be mounted in front with the Moment 67mm Lens Filter Mount.

The Bad:

• T-Series I can be soft on newer iPhones.

• Lens defects, colour aberrations, and edge issues can show up, especially with modern phone cameras.

• Requires a case, mount, or lens plate, so it adds friction compared with just shooting handheld.

• Not as clean or future-proof as the newer T-Series II version.

• Alignment matters, especially on phones with larger camera modules.

• Get it if you want a better wide-angle look than the default iPhone ultra-wide.

• Pass if you expect perfect corner-to-corner optical quality on newer iPhones.

• Pass if you do not want to deal with phone cases, mounts, or lens alignment.

• Pass if you are buying for iPhone 15 or newer and can get the T-Series II instead.

The T-Series I version can still be useful, especially if you already own it or find it at a good price. It gives you a wider perspective while keeping the cleaner look of the main iPhone camera, which is still a real advantage compared with the built-in ultra-wide.

But if you are buying new today, I would look at the T-Series II first. Just like with the 58mm, the newer version was made for recent phones with larger camera modules and should offer better overall image quality, better edges, and fewer optical issues.