Your new iPhone case could rock solar power
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But for those DSLR camera enthusiasts who just don't feel right without detachable lenses, there are a surprising number of options there, as well. Just because your camera is contained within a slim, lightweight phone doesn't mean you're out of luck when it comes to interchangeable lenses! Read on for a run-down on the best ones we've found.
Not ready to give up your DSLR quite yet? Maybe you just want to get more use out of those expensive lenses. Either way, the iPhone 4 SLR mount from Photojojo lets you use your Canon EOS or Nikon lenses with your iPhone. The combination case and lens adapter mount snaps onto your phone, so you can then shoot away with your DSLR lenses. The case even has loopholes to attach a camera strap, so you can hang it around your neck. At $249, it's not cheap, but the versatility is definitely a plus.
If you're not looking to spend quite that much money but want to be able to enhance the zoom capabilities of your iPhone, the iPhone Telephoto Lens is a great option. It looks a little funny sticking out from your phone (though not nearly as much so as a full-size camera lens), but this $35 gadget gives you an 8x zoom view. The kit comes with a case for your iPhone 3GS or 4, which the lens attaches to. It also comes with a collapsible, miniature table tripod to steady your phone.
The Olloclip lens attachment began as a Kickstarter project but is now fully funded and available to the public for purchase. This tiny, button-like gadget features three lenses in one simple, quick-connect attachment. Slip it on one way, and it's a fish-eye lens ready to create amusingly distorted, circular photos. Flip it around the other direction and it's a wide-angle lens. Unscrew the top and turn it around, and you've got a macro lens capable of providing up to 10x magnification.
Another successful Kickstarter project, the Dot is a 360-degree panoramic lens that lets you take fully navigable, real-time panoramic video from your iPhone camera. You can watch the resulting video like a regular video, but to get the full effect, check out the Daily Dots Tumblr page. The first Dots will be shipping in September of this year and are available for preorder now.
The OWLE Bubo is a sleek, solid aluminum mount that turns your iPhone 4 into a full-fledged video machine. Your phone slips into a silicone case, which is then inserted into the aluminum body with its 37mm, .45x wide-angle / macro combo lens. There are four different tripod mounting points on the body, and it can also stand on its own. Cold shoe mounting points allow you to use external lights or microphones easily. At $170, the setup is rather pricey but makes it much easier to shoot professional-quality video with your iPhone.
Sold individually or in a package of three, these telephoto, fish-eye, and wide angle / macro lenses attach to a magnetic ring, which in turn attaches to your phone via a sticky connector. They work with just about any camera phone, even with the camera on a Macbook laptop, though they do work better on some than on others. The position of the flash and the glass surface of the iPhone 4 make it difficult for the connector ring to stick, and the curved back of the iPhone 3GS also means the connection is less than perfect. The lenses do still work well enough to provide hours of amusing photography, and at $20 to $25 each or three for $49, the price is certainly right!
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