Lugging my聽Canon 5D Mark III camera into the backcountry is never something I get excited about. Recently, I've found that I just leave it at home聽and opt to take phone pictures instead. Of course, the photo quality isn't as good鈥攐r at least it wasn't聽until I picked up the OlloClip聽 ($200) last month.
The kit, which comes in a protective 聽case and weighs under one pound, features聽four lens options: a fisheye,聽super-wide, telephoto 2x, and ultra-wide. It also includes a 225-degree pivot arm to mount, which helps create more stable and fluid shots. Despite a few shortcomings, it quickly changed how I shoot with my phone and drastically upgraded the photos I produce.
Usability
The 6-by-9-inch case鈥攖he size of a small textbook鈥攊s more compact than a traditional DSLR setup, so it fits great in a backpack or climbing bag. The hard shell outer and foam innards are聽super protective.
As聽for the four lenses, they snap over your iPhone camera lens and can be switched out in a few seconds. My only gripe: they don't fit over a standard phone case.聽
Lens Options
I shot all of the photos in this聽Instagram post with the 贵颈濒尘别谤'蝉听碍颈迟. The fisheye is a fun option, which, despite being close, let me fit the entire boulder in the shot. I used the ultra-wide lens to help聽capture the whole base-camp scene, with聽my聽pup, Charlie, and group shots of friends.
The biggest shortcoming with the standard iPhone lens is that it's too narrow to take good landscape聽shots. Both the fisheye and wide angle lenses let you capture a lot more of the surroundings. I don't find myself reaching for the telephoto option much, as I've found it to be hard to get a non-blurry photo without a tripod.聽
Compromises
Okay, I admit it: although it will improve your photos, this kit can't replace the image quality and features of a聽DSLR聽camera. These lenses simply don't have the glass-power to create聽full-color, non-grainy photos and won't let you customize focus or exposure.聽If you're looking to become an Instagram star, it's worth investing in the real camera.聽
Price
At $200, the 贵颈濒尘别谤'蝉听碍颈迟 is a lot of money to spend on a phone upgrade, but it's also a lot less than you would spend on a new camera lens.聽If you're serious about improving your photography but don't want to commit to a DSLR, you'll definitely appreciate the quality and versatility of this kit.聽