Top 10 iPhone Face Mocap Helmets (2026) – Expert Reviews & Comparisons

• Extremely stable
• Lightweight
• Available options greatly expand its capabilities.
• Rigid lightweight single boom arm absorbs vibration and lets performers drink water or coffee without having to remove their helmet.
• Hand washable foam dries quickly overnight for hygienic capture, even when helmet will be shared.
• Rapid, responsive, service and support
• It is less expensive than Mocap Design’s M2 Headcam and Yanus Studio’s Yanus CAM IPHONE.
• Includes a one-year warranty on parts and labor
• 30-day return policy
• Toolless design, which protects performer’s eyes, face, and head
• Tightens with a single ratchet strap, with additional adjustments available for the utmost head-shape conformity.
• No protruding pointy edges
• Easily customized

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• It is more expensive than DIY helmets or competitor’s cheap helmets.
• Does not ship to certain countries: China, Russia, Nigeria, Cuba, etc.

• Innovative design: They obviously covered a lot of bases in making a 3D-printed mocap helmet.
• Camera case: Available for several GoPro models as well as Intel’s discontinued RealSense D415 30 fps rolling shutter scanning camera, in addition to iPhone models X through 14.
• LED lighting option:
  • Can be positioned and swiveled along the helmet’s boom arm.
  • LEDs run for 6 to 8 hours on a 9-volt battery.
• Boom arm tilt:
  • Useful for environment capture.
• Optional Single Boom Arm:
  • Can attach to either side of the helmet.
  • Overcomes some of the inherent limitations of the M2 Headcam.
• Ships flat, for free shipping to most countries.

• M2 Headcam cost is more than 40% greater than the price of FaceCam iPhone HMC.
  • Most of M2 Headcam’s add-ons are quite expensive, as well.
• Design:
  • Boom arm ends are not capped, which poses a risk of injury to nearby performers.
  • Standard boom arm and its diagonal supports intersect the actor’s line of sight.
  • Requires numerous individual adjustments to adapt it to different head sizes.
  • Helmet removal is necessary for several of the helmet adjustments.
• Material — ABS Plastic:
  • Heavy – M2 Headcam weighs about 2.5 times as much as FaceCam iPhone HMC.
  • Potential durability issues: Several of our customers have said they initially purchased M2 Headcams. Unfortunately, their helmets broke during tightening within the first several uses.
• Camera Case:
  • Each iPhone model requires purchase of a different camera case, at $95 apiece.
  • iPhone models 15, 16, and 17 are not supported.
• LED lighting option:
  • At $325, it increases the cost of the M2 Headcam by about 20%. Given this add-on’s components, it is mind-boggling how it could command such a high price:
    • Two LEDs
    • 3D-printed mounts
    • Threaded bolts
    • Connecting wires
    • 3D-printed battery pack
    • 9-Volt, non-rechargeable, battery
  • Our solution? Spend $10-30 for an off-the-shelf USB-rechargeable iPhone ring light.
• Optional Single Boom arm:
  • At $675, it increases the cost of an M2 Headcam by about 40%.
  • It is an extremely expensive solution to allow talent to stay hydrated and/or caffeinated, without removing their helmet, and to bypass M2 Headcam’s inherent field of view limitations.
• No available counterweight option
  • Weight of phone is unbalanced, which can cause uncomfortable neck strain, especially with heavier phones.
• Chin strap required for faster motions
  • Chin straps inhibit jaw motion, resulting in stiff, inaccurate facial mocap recordings.
  • Though necessary to improve stability during fast motions, your talent will find them especially uncomfortable.
• Foam padding and headband pad — website doesn't list spare foam or forehead pads
  • Non-hygienic, if helmet is shared
  • Need for machine washing can introduce production and scheduling delays
• No convenient options for attaching an above-head optical marker, or tracking devices, such as an Inertial Measurement Unit, Vive tracker.
• Warranty: None listed
• Return policy: None listed
• Last website update: Early 2023. Perhaps that explains why their order page includes a number of US-embargoed countries.

• Flat rate worldwide $50 shipping
• 30 day return policy
• One year warranty
• Includes removable counterweight
• Tightens with a single ratchet strap
• No chin strap

• Judging by the video on their website, the motion of the helmet, relative to the performers head, makes Headrig look to be slightly less than stable.
• The bent U-shaped boom that supports the camera holder looks a bit thin.
• The strap above the head wouldn’t be necessary if the Headrig had a more secure fit. Compare our dancer’s aerials and cartwheel, to see true stability in action.
• Not compatible with iPhone Plus and iPhone Max
• iPhone counterweight is not tunable:
  • Its ability to utilize leverage is minimal: Though it is 44% heavier than the Counterweight for our iPhone HMC, it amounts to an ‘all or nothing’ scenario, since it attaches directly to the back of the helmet (back of head), without any offset.
  • Lack of tunability prevents fine tuning of adjustments to suit various iPhone models. In contrast, our counterweight can extend up to about 8” back from the center of the helmet. Additionally, the weight part of our counterweight can be fine-tuned by tilting up or down.
• Headrig utilizes two smaller foam pieces above the ears and one cushion at the front of the head and one at the back. Headrig’s foam doesn’t look especially comfortable. There are gaps between the side pieces and the front and back pieces. These gaps could allow hair to get caught when the helmet is tightened or loosened.
  • In contrast, the foam of the FaceCam iPhone HMC almost completely surrounds the head and even cushions the skin or sideburn area in front of the ear.
  • FaceCam users can mix and match the two included foam thicknesses for superior comfort and fit.
• Provides approximately 50% less actual foam-covered support area than FaceCam iPhone HMC. Decreased contact with the head limits its stability.
• Rokoko’s website doesn’t mention foam washability or even spare foam. That raises issues of hygienics, since everyone that wears the same head rig would have the same non-swappable foam parts coming in contact with the skin on their forehead and their hair.
• Talent cannot drink water or coffee while wearing the Headrig due to the U-shaped boom arm.
• Does not offer any convenient option to attach an Inertial Measurement Unit, Vive tracker, or an above-the head optical marker.

• Budget price.
• The 3D printed boom looks to be decently designed.
• Includes a counterweight.
• Tightens with a single ratchet strap.
• No chin strap.

• Heavy. Construction helmet + 500g + 3D-printed boom arm, it probably weighs at least 50 to 60% as much a motorcycle helmet. Counterweight does not appear to be removable. Heavy weight of helmet will affect body performance, since the neck will be supporting greater weight than normal.
• Though supported from above by the construction helmet straps, there isn’t anything supporting attachment from the bottom. If a performer jumps, the helmet will probably lift slightly at the apex of jumps, especially if the performer has thick hair.
• Minimal adjustability for snugness by tightening the ratchet strap against the performer’s skull.
• Perhaps not especially stable, even when ratchet wheel is super-tight. The more hair someone has, the less stable their face mocap will be.
• The performer's line of sight may be obstructed.
• The helmet plus boom is a lot bigger than a person’s head. That will definitely affect the way the actor moves their head, and even their body. The greater size will increase occlusion when used with optical body tracking.
• There is not that much actual contact with the head. It has a narrow headband-type ring assembly that tightens via a ratchet strap. Beyond that, it is supported from above by the helmet’s three internal straps.
• The parts of the helmet that contact the forehead and hair are not washable; therefore, sharing of the helmet is unhygienic.
• This helmet is liable to wobble, even more so with faster motions, based on the weight of the helmet and counterweight.
• There is no convenient option for attaching an above-head marker, for optical tracking, or IMUs or Vive trackers.
• Counterweight appears to be non-removable, when helmet is used with lighter, mini-iPhones.
• Counterweight is not tunable — adjustable. It cannot be moved farther from the head for greater leverage, when used with heavier phones: It is not cantilevered.
• Performer needs to remove helmet to drink water or coffee.

• Intriguing looking design — slightly reminiscent of a wrestling helmet.
• Interesting concept
• Designed to fit a wide range of head sizes
• Breathability claims
• Helmet adjustment apparently does not require use of tools near the face, judging by the pictures / renderings on their website. (Adjustment details are scant.)
• Supports use of GoPro and RealSense cameras, in addition to iPhones. (Their website doesn’t indicate how non-iPhone cameras are attached and secured.)

• Their website launched in February 2023. It is difficult to tell ‘how real’ their helmet actually is, or when it might actually be available, since it has continually been listed as ‘out of stock’ or ‘sold out’ for a long time. That would seem to pose a challenging situation for any of their customers who wish to add additional helmets for a production.
• There are a lot of impressive designs, prototyping, developments, and installation work that Human Dynamo Workshop is involved in. Unfortunately, manufacturing and supporting a professional / prosumer product for sale does not seem to be part of their existing core competencies.
• Their helmet does not offer a counterweight option; therefore, helmet wearers may experience neck strain or unnatural head movement while recording, especially when used with heavier iPhones.
• Their website is short on actual specifications such as weight, washability of foam, availability of replacement foam.
• Talent cannot drink water or coffee while wearing helmet, due to its U-shaped boom arm.
• Though their helmet claims to be breathable, the helmet is not an open-crown design. There are parts of the helmet that will trap heat, even if other parts are open to the air.
• Requires the use of a chin strap, which would need to be tightly fastened to achieve the necessary stability. Chin straps are something that people who wear face mocap helmets find chafing and uncomfortable. Using a chin strap can restrict jaw motions.
• Website does not mention warranty.
• Website does not mention availability of spare / replacement padding. Though helmet padding is said to be washable, there is no mention of how that is actually done.
• The outward facing, non-recessed nuts on the forehead piece look a bit sharp. This might pose a hazard for fellow performers.

• Features an open-crown design and temple pieces — reminiscent of FaceCam iPhone HMC.
• Includes lights with adjustable brightness
• Includes two optional balance weights
• 12 month limited warranty.

• iPhone 12, which has a vastly superior TrueDepth sensor, cannot be used with this helmet.
• It is mostly made of plastic, a material that flexes where it shouldn’t and doesn’t flex or dampen motion where it should.
• The plastic helmet minimally conforms to shape of the user’s head; therefore, the ratchet on the helmet needs to be extremely tight for stability.
• Aside from choice of using one or two weights, the counterweight is not at all tunable or adjustable.
• Non-adjustable weight position of counterweights does not balance various iPhone models adequately. Essentially, their weight system offers users a choice of no weight, one weight, or two weights. That’s only three choices for a wide range of possible iPhone model weights and boom offsets. Users end up with either too much or too little weight to offset the weight of the phone they are using.
• Counterweight is not aligned with the iPhone support boom. As a result, it does not impart as much stability as it otherwise could.
• The dual boom design does not allow the talent to drink water or coffee without removing their helmet, which can cause delays.
• Helmet has a number of pointy or angular edges.
• The plastic used in the boom arm is potentially less stable than the high-grade motion-damping aluminum alloy boom arm used in iPhone FaceCam HMC.
• Their website is a bit of a labyrinth, and the English version of the site has more Korean text than is helpful to people who do not read Korean.
• Website has no mention of spare foam or washability. All users will end up sharing the same foam day after day, which makes for poor hygienics.
• Battery increases helmet weight, which can reduce comfort and stability of helmet.
• Shipping is expensive, and it can take a long time: Shipping a single helmet from S. Korea anywhere in the world, even South Korea, costs $250 and takes up to 14 days.

• Selectable U-shaped ‘Full Bar’, instead of a ‘Single Bar’
• About 32% cheaper than iPhone HMC
• Free shipping
• The end of the Full and Single Bars has plastic caps for safety, same as with FaceCam iPhone HMC.
• 3 points of adjustment

• Uses a neck strap, as well as another strap, above the head. Straps should never be necessary with a well-designed helmet such as FaceCam iPhone HMC: Stable and comfortable facial motion capture requires a helmet that accurately can flex to accommodate the head, rather than clamping to it then binding to it with straps. Anyone who has performed while wearing a mocap helmet will attest that neck straps are hugely uncomfortable and can never be tightened enough to eliminate wobble, which is only made worse by reliance upon above-head straps. Users that desire a high degree of capture fidelity will surely bypass relying upon the need for top and bottom straps, especially while performing acrobatics and other dynamic, gravity-defying, motions.
• Dubious stability, as clearly displayed in the video shown on the Etsy site.
• Listed specs for helmet weight are inconsistent, ranging from “300 grams including case” to “362 grams”, with no mention of the weight of the case.
• Heat will be trapped by the Quad Lock iPhone case, or any case, used in conjunction with an iPhone. While not a problem for the majority of iPhone uses, that’s especially problematic during long capture sessions: The longer the iPhone captures video, non-stop, the more heat will build up due to rapid battery discharge. Hot iPhones suffer from a decrease in overall battery life. During real-time capture, the iPhone’s performance will stutter and become unreliable until the phone cools down sufficiently.
• Helmet materials are listed as plastic and steel. Apparently, this helmet does not utilize any advanced metal alloys. Aside from the indicated points of adjustment, the helmet does not seem to offer any conformance to fit the contours of various performers’ heads, unlike FaceCam iPhone HMC.
• Using steel single or full bar booms does not offer any motion damping, unlike the boom (arm) on the FaceCam iPhone HMC.
• It is unclear what the added benefit of the ‘Full Bar’ is, given the helmet’s use of top and bottom straps. If anything, that design would make the bar more rigid, further limiting its ability to absorb motion of the phone relative to the head.
• No counterweight option is available: there is no way to balance or adaptively tune or compensate the weight of heavier iPhones. Even when using iPhone 12 mini, the lightest TrueDepth enabled iPhone, a properly adjusted counterweight still works wonders to reduce neck muscle strain.
• Case:
  • Requires an extra purchase — approximately $40
  • Adds approximately 60 to 85 g to the weight of the helmet
• Reliance on neck and top of head chin straps seems to limit ideal positioning of the helmet, relative to the head, as shown in the above picture. Surely, this limits how well the helmet can capture expressions and emotions, given how expressive human eyebrows are.
• Returns and exchanges are not accepted.
• Helmet has far fewer points of adjustment than iPhone HMC
• Memory foam:
  • Thickness is unspecified
  • There is no mention of washability, which suggests potential hygiene issues when the helmet is shared.
  • There is no mention of spare foam availability, which presents further hygienic concerns.

• Inexpensive
• Includes cantilevered counterweight which is in the same plane as the boom arm, for greater stability.
• Includes a one-year warranty.

• Requires use of a chin strap which can be uncomfortable to wear, even though it is made of elastic, — apparently. Use of a chin strap ultimately limits freedom of jaw motion and expression.
• The elastic of the chin strap will undoubtedly stretch out, over time, eventually needing to be replaced. There is no mention on the website how to obtain or reattach replacement chin straps.
• The helmet weighs 750g, which is about three times as much as the iPhone HMC, or about 50% more than iPhone HMC plus Counterweight.
• The offset of the fixed, non-removable counterweight limits the ability to offset the weight of various TrueDepth enabled iPhones. The actual weight of the counterweight is about 20% less than the tunable counterweight on the FaceCam.
• Closed crown helmet will make the actor’s head feel hot, even with the ventilation holes in the helmet.
• Foam appears non-removable and non-washable, which raises hygienic concerns when the helmet will be used by more than one performer.
• It would probably be difficult for actors to drink water or coffee without removing the helmet.
• Shipping time is particularly long.
• Working with a company based in China can be challenging if one doesn’t speak Chinese, or the same dialect.
• Not a good choice for tracking facial expressions during rapid or acrobatic motions, since such conditions would exceed the helmet’s stability capabilities.

• Mounting the phone above the head centers the weight of the phone, which eliminates the need for a counterweight.
• Compared to their VDFace Capture helmet, their Pro Capture Helmet appears to be somewhat more breathable.
• Unlike the VDFace Capture helmet, their Pro Capture Helmet can accommodate different head sizes. It is unclear what role “sponge pads of different thicknesses to accommodate different head sizes” plays in the role of fit, since the parts list on the website only lists a single sponge pad.

• Though the website describes the helmet as lightweight, @ 395g, that is still 65% heavier than FaceCam iPhone HMC. Though the FaceCam plus Counterweight weighs about 75% more than this helmet, it is far more stable, and the tunability of the FaceCam’s counterweight does an excellent job balancing the weight of the phone, rather than offsetting that weight above the head. Above-head offsetting probably makes the helmet less stable, less comfortable, and likely affects the performer’s head movements.
• Performer will probably need to remove helmet to drink water or coffee.
• Requires use of a chin strap which can be uncomfortable to wear. Use of a chin strap ultimately limits freedom of jaw motion and expression.
• Although mounting the helmet above the head might seem to eliminate issues with the offsetting the phone in front of the face, it will ultimately affect head motion since it makes the head heavier. Above-head mounting likely compromises stability and comfort when the performer moves quickly.
• Though the helmet appears to be more breathable than the Virdyn VDFace Capture helmet, it will still trap heat, even with the ventilation holes on the helmet.
• Working with a company based in China can be challenging if one doesn’t speak Chinese, or the same dialect.
• Not a good choice for tracking facial expressions during rapid or acrobatic motions, since such conditions would exceed the helmet’s stability limits.
• Shipping time is fairly long

• So cheap!
• Should arrive in one or two weeks
• Cheap! You can probably find the necessary change in your couch.
• If it doesn’t allow portrait mode, you can probably rig some attachment that will facilitate that.
• You can probably turn it into part of a Halloween costume if it doesn’t fit your requirements for a cheap mocap helmet.

• May lack adequate stability.
• Elastic may not support your iPhone very well. Best use case would probably involve iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 13 mini.
• Elastic will eventually weaken, though anyone who is handy can probably rig their own replacements for the elastic, once it over stretches.

• Cheap
• Great for tinkerers or dedicated recyclers with plenty of time

• Performance and capture results will invariably be lacking, compared to commercially available products.
• Likely to require uncomfortable chin straps
• Ultimately heavier than would be ideal
• Dubious stability
• Potentially undurable
• Not useful for fast motions
• Non-hygienic if shared
• Effective counterweight is challenging to engineer