Any lens for iPhone: Has anyone tried to use lens with iPhone? I travel internationally very often. I have camera gears with me for all my travels. But sometime, I would use iPhone...

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

Has anyone tried to use lens with iPhone? I travel internationally very often. I have camera gears with me for all my travels. But sometime, I would use iPhone only to catch some photos. I thought to have some extra lens to go with iPhone, especially the new coming iPhone 7 plus. Thanks for the feedback in advance!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Richard HZ wrote:

Has anyone tried to use lens with iPhone? I travel internationally very often. I have camera gears with me for all my travels. But sometime, I would use iPhone only to catch some photos. I thought to have some extra lens to go with iPhone, especially the new coming iPhone 7 plus. Thanks for the feedback in advance!

Th iPhone 7 has two cameras, so it might require different add-on lenses. There are lots of reviews of those lenses online.

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

Thanks, Jerry!

bee7474 Loc: Selah, Wa

I just saw a ad for add on cell phone lens, ordered them, hope they work.

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

Thanks for the info! Where did you see the add and for what type of phone? Thanks!

berchman Loc: South Central PA

Richard HZ wrote:

Has anyone tried to use lens with iPhone? I travel internationally very often. I have camera gears with me for all my travels. But sometime, I would use iPhone only to catch some photos. I thought to have some extra lens to go with iPhone, especially the new coming iPhone 7 plus. Thanks for the feedback in advance!

I thought of getting auxiliary lenses for my iPhone 6+ but none of them were compatible with my protective case. Most of them can only be mounted on a bare iPhone; a few require that you use their case.
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-lenses-for-iphone/

Somerset Lynn Loc: Somerset, NJ

I ordered a lens attachment for my iPhone plus and it wasn't any better than the phone lens by itself. Gave it to my grandson for his old iPhone. Sorry I don't remember the brand.

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

Thanks for the info!

berchman wrote:

I thought of getting auxiliary lenses for my iPhone 6+ but none of them were compatible with my protective case. Most of them can only be mounted on a bare iPhone; a few require that you use their case.
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-lenses-for-iphone/

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

Thanks!

Somerset Lynn wrote:

I ordered a lens attachment for my iPhone plus and it wasn't any better than the phone lens by itself. Gave it to my grandson for his old iPhone. Sorry I don't remember the brand.

ephraim Imperio

Here are photos of lens for iPhones.

effie

https://www.google.com/search?q=lens+for+iphone+6&biw=2056&bih=1259&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiVs9nFsozPAhXIkh4KHXtUB4kQsAQITQ

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Sony has made a couple cameras that require a smartphone to operate. The idea is to have a quality camera that feeds the smartphone.

Sony DSC-QX10 that has 10x zoom and smaller sensor
Sony DSC-QX100 that has 3x zoom and larger sensor
Sony ILCE-QX1 that uses an E-mount lens

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

One of the first to be in the lens-for-phone market was Ollo-Clip. Got one for my iPhone 4s and was disapointed because all you got was fisheye, macro and wide-angle. No normal or telephoto. In the ads I keep getting, there are more manfacturers but their offerings leave out normal and telly. But fir novelty shots fisheye can be fun. If you don't mind the bulk, Sony makes DSC-QX10 lens which is a real camera without body. It straps onto a smartphone and uses the phone screen via WiFi and the Play Memories app. It has its own sensor and SD micro card. The lens front says: Sony Lens G, 10x Optical Zoom, 3.3-5.9/4.45-44.5. I suppose the latter are f-stop range and focal length range. It has a video mode and I once sat up in a concert hall balcony and recorded a stage video of dancers. The results were good enough, but not spectacular because I ain't.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Richard HZ wrote:

Has anyone tried to use lens with iPhone? I travel internationally very often. I have camera gears with me for all my travels. But sometime, I would use iPhone only to catch some photos. I thought to have some extra lens to go with iPhone, especially the new coming iPhone 7 plus. Thanks for the feedback in advance!

Look at the Olympus Air O1A. The Air plus the small 14-42 lense (28-84 equivalent in 35mm) comes in a "package" of 3" long and 2.2" in diameter. And it will still allow you to use the other 80+ Olympus and Panasonic lenses.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

wdross wrote:

Look at the Olympus Air O1A. The Air plus the small 14-42 lense (28-84 equivalent in 35mm) comes in a "package" of 3" long and 2.2" in diameter. And it will still allow you to use the other 80+ Olympus and Panasonic lenses.

It would be fun to know the functional differences between the Olympus Air 01A and the Sony ILCE-QX1. It would also be fun to know if they are selling successfully.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

bsprague wrote:

It would be fun to know the functional differences between the Olympus Air 01A and the Sony ILCE-QX1. It would also be fun to know if they are selling successfully.

On the Olympus website, there is a very good review by a professional. It is not a replacement for his primary camera. There is a learning curve for it (and I would imagine for the Sony products as well). My impression from reading the reviews at Olympus, B&H, Adorama, etc., one will either like it for what it is or be unable to master it or accept it. Most of the reviews that I read where it was an add-on to their cellphone, recognized that it is designed as an improvement over the cellphone's camera, and used as such, the reviews were 4 to 5 stars out of 5. The Olympus Air is designed to add DSLR camera functionality, especially zoom and larger sensor capability, to that thin, flat, easy to carry, cellphone. It will have limitations when compared to a DSLR, but substantially fewer limitations when compared to a cellphone's limitations. From what I can tell, it is a successful seller, but not a big seller. Will Sony and Olympus sell better in the furure? With the second generation of these, my guess is yes.