olloclip 4-in-1 Photo Lens Review

Introduction

Lens attachments for the iPhone aren’t new to us, seeing that we got the chance to review the iPro Lens System earlier in the year. For the hardened shutterbugs out there using an iPhone, it provides owners with that DSLR-like experience with its various lens attachments. However, the most distracting thing was its grossly out of proportioned price of $229. Hell, that’s more than the on-contract cost of the iPhone!

Whereas the pricing for the iPro Lens System is a limiting factor for many people, the olloclip 4-in-1 photo lens, on the other hand, is already more appealing with its reasonable cost of $69.99 – so it’s not wallet busting like its rival! Adding more versatility, this pocket-friendly lens attachment includes a fisheye, wide-angle, and two macro lenses (10x and 15x), which all complement the iPhone’s already outstanding camera. Taking into consideration its lower price point and healthy set of lenses, will the olloclip be able to get iPhone owners to capture even more astounding shots?

The package contains:

• Wide-angle lens
• Fisheye lens
• 10x & 15x macro lenses
• plastic lens covers

Design

It's a simple, compact attachment that goes over the camera, but it requires a naked iPhone to be attached properly.

In one way, we truly appreciate the compact and simple design of the olloclip. Our particular model is compatible for the iPhone 5/5s, but they also make other olloclips for the iPhone 4/4S, 5c, and iPad mini/mini with Retina Display/Air. Going with a compact design, the olloclip attaches to the corner of the corner of the phone where rear camera sits – though, it covers up the power button. That’s the least of our worries, seeing that we prefer this design implementation as opposed the case attachment of the iPro Lens System. Now, the one complaint we have is that you’ll need to have a naked iPhone in order to attach the olloclip, since it won’t fit over a case or thick screen protector.

As for the lenses themselves, the fisheye and wide-angle lenses can be removed to respectively expose its 10x and 15x macro lenses. Both the barrels of the fisheye and wide-angle lenses are made from aircraft grade aluminum, which nearly matches the sturdy feel of the brushed aluminum casing of the iPhone 5/5s. Meanwhile, the clip that physically tethers the olloclip to the iPhone is constructed from this soft plastic material – giving it a gentle feeling in order to not scratch the iPhone. Lastly, the olloclip utilizes precision ground, coated glass multi-element optics for the lenses. However, one problem we find is that dust can easily get stuck or lodged in there.

Even though we dig the miniscule size of the olloclip, it’s so compact that we’re afraid that we might lose or forget about it when we store it in our pockets. Luckily, the packaging includes plastic covers that go over the fisheye and wide-angle lenses – to prevent them from getting scratched. Sure, it would be nice if ]this was adjustable to fit various cases, but the company also makes a quick-flip case that conveniently accommodates the olloclip 4-in-1 photo lens.

Performance

You might even be able to confuse your friends into thinking that you're using a DSLR camera, by the cool snapshots the olloclip is able to compile.

Okay, so we all know what kind of shots the iPhone 5s is able to deliver with its 8-megapixel camera. Therefore, we’re now left to rely on our imagination to figure out what kind of cool compositions we can muster up using the olloclip. And boy are there a lot of cool snapshots, so let’s talk how each one stacks up!

Wide-angle

Out of the bunch, we’re least amused by the wide-angle lens. Indeed, it certainly allows us to gather more of the scenery into our shots, but in comparison to the other lenses, it just lacks that cool imagery we’re able to compile with the rest. In all fairness, its usefulness comes into play when you’re trying to get a group of people into the frame, without having to step farther back from your original spot.

Fisheye

Now this is where the olloclip really enthralls and shines, as the fisheye lens surely delivers one heck of a fantastic looking composition. As you can see from the samples, not only is it able to encompass a wider view, more so than the wide-angle one surprisingly, but it casts that typical look we expect from a fisheye lens. Capturing still shots is one thing, but this one becomes especially handy for those extreme sports enthusiast who want to give us a first-person perspective with video.

10x and 15x macro

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to see the world through the eyes of a tiny insect? Well, the olloclip’s 10x macro shot does a wonderful job in giving us that experience. No doubt, you’ll need to get pretty close to your subject in order for it to focus properly, but there’s no shortage of details we’re able to gather from using it. That’s until we look at the shots we get from the 15x macro lens.

Gathering up even more unprecedented detail, the only obstacle we have to overcome is getting enough lighting into the shot to snap it. When we’re very close to our subject, amble lighting becomes troublesome, but when we’re able to adjust accordingly, we’re impressed by the results!

Conclusion

Well done olloclip! Well done indeed! Not only are we given a versatile set of lens attachments for the iPhone, which enhances the camera experience to another level, but its competitive pricing of $69.99 makes an easier choice over the iPro Lens System. Trust us, you can even confuse your friends into thinking you’re using an actual DSLR camera – so it’s pretty amazing that we’re able to achieve DSLR-caliber results with this handy, compact lens kit. It’s almost perfect, if it were somehow more accessible to being compatible with certain cases for the phone. Well, either that or just be adjustable so we don’t have to constantly remove the iPhone from a case in order to use it.