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Back in February, our man Brandon took a look at the best smartphone mounts on the market, and found that not all of them are created equal. Vibration, he noted, can be a big issue for smartphone cameras.
Now, Apple has officially recognized the issue with a warning to motorcyclists using iPhones while riding.
"Exposing your iPhone to high amplitude vibrations within certain frequency ranges, specifically those generated by high-power motorcycle engines, can degrade the performance of the camera system," Apple stated.
The major issue with handlebar-mounted smartphones is vibration’s effect on the tiny autofocus/stabilization systems that prevent blurred photos and videos. These components have no problem riding around in your pocket or car, where they are comfortably isolated. Motorcycles, especially those with lots of power or shaking, are a different story. Extended rattling can degrade the performance of these systems and lead to reduced image quality for photos and videos. A camera might not focus at all if the exposure is severe.
"High-power or high-volume motorcycle engines generate intense high-amplitude vibrations, which are transmitted through the chassis and handlebars. It is not recommended to attach your iPhone to motorcycles with high-power or high-volume engines due to the amplitude of the vibration in certain frequency ranges that they generate," according to Apple’s warning. Anecdotally, RevZilla’s customer service department finds that Apple phones are the most common devices to have vibration problems with their cameras.
What if your motorcycle doesn’t vibrate very much? "Attaching your iPhone to vehicles with small-volume or electric engines, such as mopeds and scooters, may lead to comparatively lower-amplitude vibrations, but if you do so a vibration dampening mount is recommended to lessen the risk of damage to your iPhone."
Some modern motorcycles with connected displays neatly solve the smartphone problem by eliminating the need for a phone on the handlebar in the first place. Most motorcycles don’t provide that luxury, however, so consider relocating your phone to a tank bag with a clear top pocket if you’re concerned about your camera. Tank bags are much better at soaking up engine vibrations, but they’re a little less convenient than a handlebar mount.
As a rule of thumb, fancier phone cameras are more susceptible to vibration damage, even while the camera is not in use. Time will tell if other phone manufacturers acknowledge the issue on their own devices.
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