Category: iPhoneography
Works With:iPhones 4-5S
Price: $70
At first look, the new Olloclip 4-In–1 isn’t something you’d buy if you already own the original. After all, it only has an extra macro lens to add to the existing macro lens, the fisheye and the wideangle.
But if you’re the kind of person who already bought an Olloclip, you clearly value the iPhone as more than a snapshot camera. And the optical improvements to the Olloclip might just tempt you to upgrade.
What It Is
The [4-In–1] is, like the original Olloclip, a set of clip-on
lenses that slide over the iPhone’s corner, covering the existing lens and widening the view. You flip the unit through 180˚ to switch between fisheye and wide views, and each of these lenses unscrews to reveal a 10X or 15X macro lens beneath.
The 4-In–1 comes in a little microfiber bag, and has a protective cap on both side, which you’ll lose within hours.
The Good
The main difference here is that the optical quality of the lenses is much improved. Images shot with the Olloclip no longer look like they were taken with a Lomo, or tweaked in Instagram. That’s not to say the old one was bad – it’s just that the new one suffers from less color shifting and distortion, making it more like a real camera lens.
In fact, I suspect that the new macro lens is a happy by-product of making the optical quality better. Usually more glass = better images, and in the case of the 4-In–1 this is true. These are effectively two multi-element lenses with a removable front element.
The unit is bigger overall, but you can shrink it by removing parts. The fisheye itself is smaller, and as you can remove it you can just leave it at home and take the now-tiny remaining unit with you in a pants pocket. Be aware, though, that the fisheye is dead useful when shooting video: the iPhone’s video app actually crops the image, so using the fisheye reverses the process without actually fisheyeing the footage.
The Bad
In itself, the new 4-In–1 has nothing I can complain about. As a part of the Olloclip system, though, there’s an odd omission: the polarizer from the [Tele+Polarizer kit] Doesn’t fit. If you have an original Olloclip, the polarizer can be used with a supplied adapter ring. But not so with the new one – a real shame. Maybe the Tele+Polarizer kit will be tweaked with a new adapter?
The Verdict
If you don’t already own an Olloclip, then buy this. It’s hands-down the best lens for the iPhone. If you do own the original, then you’ll have to decide whether you want to pay another $70. I probably wouldn’t, as I rarely use an external lens. But if your Olloclip is attached semi-permanently to your iPhone, then you should give it some serious thought.
And the new macro options? Welcome, but as I said, a nice by-product of the excellent new optics. It’s fun for kids though.
Product Name: : Olloclip 4-In-1 The Good: Better optics, more options, you can finally remove the fisheye if you never use it. The Bad: Doesn’t work with Olloclip’s own polarizer filter. The Verdict Buy it if you don’t already have an Olloclip, or if you really, really want an upgrade in quality. Otherwise, spend the $70 on film… Wait… What? Buy from: Olloclip |
