I’m sure you’re loving that new camera in the iPhone 4. It’s better than any iPhone camera before, but there are two things it can’t do on its own: take wide or macro photos. This is because the iPhone doesn’t support interchangeable lenses. No one told this to the guys at Photojojo, so they made it possible with their their two new lenses for cameraphones, and they look like they’ll be perfect for your iPhone 4.
iPhone 4 is not a DSLR, quite obviously, but the quality of its image sensor is still very good for how pocketable it is. And you can’t take pictures with a camera that’s not with you, so the iPhone is often the best camera you have. And thanks to Photojojo’s new cameraphone lenses, you don’t have to settle for the standard anymore.
Photojojo says their wide/macro and fisheye lenses work with any cameraphone. The lenses attach to your cameraphone with a magnetic disk that you have to stick around the camera hole. This makes the lenses removable, but you do still need to leave the disk on. Their site advertises the attachments with a 3G/3GS iPhone, which has a curved back, so I’m betting these lenses are even more at home on the flat back of the iPhone 4.
The Photojojo site has some sample images of what you can expect to get out of these lenses. It looks like a lot of fun. The wide angle/macro lens looks to be the best choice between the two since it can do both wide and macro shots. I’m assuming this is made possible by removing the front portion of the wide lens to leave just the macro lens. The macro shots look promising, and the ability to go between regular, macro and wide within a few seconds sounds awesome. Of course, that lens won’t get you as wide as the fisheye, which again, looks like a blast. Now if only they’d make a zoom lens…
Each attachment lens goes for $20 and should ship by the end of August. You can order one or both from the Photojojo Store.
I just received my order of both lenses from Photojojo and I have to say I am REALLY disappointed that they advertised this for the iPhone (even though they say it will work for any phone that doesn't slide). Because of where the camera is and the curvature of my iPhone 3Gs, the fisheye doesn't work at all and the wide angle is rounded at one corner. There is no way to properly fit the ring to the phone so far as I can tell – and I have tried putting it on several different places/times. It's a great deal and I'm sure the lenses work great on flat backed phones or phones with lenses in the center of the phone (which I seem to think is rare…), but if you have the iPhone 3GS I wouldn't waste my money on the fisheye at all. The wide angle/macro combo is worth the money because the macro part of the lens works great – IF you can keep the camera steady.
I am going to try to return the fisheye lens and get my money back – I don't know if this is possible but I'm DEFINITELY going to try because it's totally unusable (unless someone knows something I don't know and wants to share – photojojo doesn't give any specific instructions on placement of the ring on the iPhone at their site or in the packaging – it's not a product made FOR the iPhone, it is made for cell phone cameras in general but they gear it toward the iPhone in their advertising photos and in their description of the product).
Please let me know if you have any suggestions about this – have used the lenses and you have been able to place them in such a way on the iPhone 3Gs that they work properly…