Telephoto and Ultra-Wide Active Lens set for iPhone 6/6 Plus
Manufacturer: olloclip
MSRP: $99.99
Active Lens
olloclip makes a wide variety of lenses for use with the cameras on mobile devices. Their latest product is the Active Lens. It is a two-lens set for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus that has been developed for people on the move, who travel, or who want extra flexibility when taking photos.
One of the lenses is a 2X optical telephoto that brings you closer to the action. 2X doesn’t sound like much, but think of it this way: it doubles the magnification.
The other lens is an impressive ultra wide-angle lens. It’s a valuable asset for landscape vistas and in situations where you feel you have to back away to include everything in your photo. Have you ever taken a group selfie and found that your arm isn’t long enough to include everybody? This lens will solve that problem easily.
Left: Wide-angle lens, Center: normal iPhone photo, Right: Telephoto lens
The two lenses are part of a clever frame that slides over the top of your iPhone. One lens is positioned over the rear-facing camera and the other, the front-facing one. Turn the frame around and the lenses swap positions. Face the wide-angle to the back and telephoto to the front or vice versa. It’s a clever, flexible concept.
The frame with its two lenses snap onto a pendant so that there are no extraneous parts to lose. Included with the set are caps for each lens. With these caps in place, you can wear the lenses around your neck from the included lanyard without worrying about damage.
This lens set is designed to fit over a naked iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. There are small plastic parts that insert into the frame depending on which iPhone model you have. These assure that the lenses fit precisely over the camera opening. They are a bit awkward to position but this only needs to be done once. Alternatively, you can purchase a protective 6 or 6 Plus ollocase that will accommodate the lenses without removing the case. It costs $29.99 and is very well made. You may find that it will become your day-to-day iPhone case.
If you shoot objects from a few feet away using the wide-angle lens there is considerable barrel distortion producing interesting fisheye effects. This usually doesn’t affect wide-angle photos taken from a distance.
These lenses are no toys, they are professional quality that align precisely with the iPhone’s camera. The coated glass optics with their turned aluminum barrels are machined with accuracy. The iPhone 6 series contain the best mobile cameras available today and adding telephoto and wide-angle capabilities make it entirely possible to use your iPhone as your only camera.
MyMac Review rating is 9 out of 10.
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