The iPhone has a great camera but you would think that to take a proper picture you would need a decent DSLR and some expensive lenses. The ExoLens with Optics by Zeiss or iPhone 6/6s may make you rethink that.
The Zeiss ExoLens system fits the iPhone 6 and 6s. There will also be a version out for the iPhone 7 very soon. The lens system is a collaboration between Zeiss and Fellowes – Zeiss provides the lenses and Fellowes the mounting bracket.
Absolute Gadget was provided with the wide-angle lens kit. Other lenses will soon be available. The lens system means that you don’t have to rely on the iPhone single focal length; you can use add-on lenses to change things around.
This also means that you no longer have to carry a heavy camera around to take great shots. The iPhone camera sensor is pretty good but the lens that comes with the phone limits things a bit.
The system comprises three separate products. The frame, which fits individual phone models and a small screw-on socket that accepts three lenses. These are 0.6x wide angle lens a 2.0x telephoto lens, and a macro-zoom lens. Lens caps and hoods are also included.
The wide angle lens gives good coverage of a scene without fringing or flare and can really open up the iPhone standard lens to a greater field of view without blurring or fish-eye distortion.
The frame also allows a tripod or flash to be fitted, which will also help improve pictures.
The lenses are great but the back caps provided to protect the lenses come off too easily meaning that they can be lost easily. The screw-on system means changing the lenses can be a task at times. The frame also blocks the iPhone flash, meaning you have to deploy another flash system to take nighttime shots.
That said, image quality is great, but this comes at a cost and maybe too rich for some people’s tastes.
The Zeiss Exolens kit is available from Amazon for £157.