Olloclip 4-in-1 Lens iPhone & iPod Touch Review
Though the iPhone is a capable camera that can capture important moments it has its limitations. This is where the Olloclip 4-in-1 lens come in. For situations where you want to capture a wider field of view or even extreme close-up shots, the Olloclip 4-in-1 solves that problem by offering 4 quality lenses as a single attachment on the iPhone. The attachment easily slides over the iPhone's rear facing camera, provided that there is no case or film protector. The Olloclip offers a iPhone & iPod Touch module, Wide-Angle lens, Fisheye lens, and two Macro Lenses (10x and 15x). Depending on which lens you need, simply flip the attachment around or unscrew the lens off to use the macro lenses.
The Wide-Angle lens doubles the existing camera's field of view and is my goto lens for most occasions. It allowed me to capture more of the crowd in group pictures and expansive outdoor scenes in panoramic mode. The Fisheye lens captures almost a 180 degree field of view and adds a neat effect to any shot. However, I had an issue trying to get the black vignetting centered. I tried adjusting the attachment to get it as close to center as possible but it still did not look right. In the end, I zoomed in my shots to get rid of the vignetting while still retaining the fisheye effect. The Macro lenses offer great close-up shots but it only works within a certain distance. I had to position my iPhone closely to the subject in order for it to focus. And sometimes, it was difficult to tell which macro lens was on which side since there were no labels on them after you unscrew the other lenses off.
Overall, the Olloclip is a light, compact accessory for taking a variety of shots. However, I found that it's simple and efficient design can also be its flaw when used frequently. The attachment covers the iPhone’s power/lock button so it's necessary to take it off when you are done using it. Also, most iPhone users have a case for it so it can be bothersome to remove it every time you want to use the attachment. And since it's such a small attachment, it can get lost if you are not careful.
The Olloclip is a high quality accessory with enough lenses to enrich your photos and videos. If you are an aspiring photographer, it will bring your mobile photography to the next level.
Score: 4 / 10
