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Review: ExoLens iPhone Lens System with ZEISS Optics

These days, smartphones can take some pretty great photos all on their own, but the biggest limitations of their cameras is the size of the lens and the size of their image sensors. Built-in lenses are usually set to a middle-of-the road field of view, so they’re usually best for general purpose usage, and not optimized for super wide angle shots, super close-ups or long shots.

Optical expert ZEISS recently partnered up with Fellowes to release an add-on lens system for the latest series of iPhones, which aims to solve some of these limitations. The first ZEISS-backed ExoLens to hit the market is a 0.6x wide-angle aspherical model, which provides professional quality results from your smartphone.

zeiss_exolens_wide_angle_iphone_lens_1zoom in

The ExoLens consists of two main components – a mounting bracket, and a screw-mount lens. The bracket is made of durable machined aluminum, and includes both a standard tripod mounting hole, as well as a standard accessory mount that can hold an external light.

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The kit includes rubber gaskets for both the 6 and 6S iPhone variants to ensure a snug fit, as well as a lens hood, and lens caps for both the front and rear of the lens.

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Unlike cheap add-on lenses, the ZEISS lens provides a crystal clear image with virtually no edge distortion. It’s really like adding a pro wide-angle lens to your iPhone. For comparison’s sake, I included shots from my Sony a6000, which rocks an $800 ZEISS Touit 12mm lens. While the iPhone’s sharpness and color rendition will never live up to a dedicated mirrorless or DSLR, the 0.6x ZEISS ExoLens wide angle definitely offers a comparable field of view, and retains the iPhone’s native imaging characteristics.

Stock iPhone 6 Plus lens:
(click to see original, full resolution images)

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ExoLens ZEISS 0.6x lens on iPhone 6 Plus:

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Sony a6000 w/ZEISS Touit f2.8 12mm lens:

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iPhone 6 Plus Stock Lens iPhone 6 Plus ExoLens ZEISS 0.6x Zoom Lens Sony a6000 w/ ZEISS 12mm Lens iPhone 6 Plus Stock Lens iPhone 6 Plus ExoLens ZEISS 0.6x Zoom Lens Sony a6000 w/ ZEISS 12mm Lens iPhone 6 Plus Stock Lens iPhone 6 Plus ExoLens ZEISS 0.6x Zoom Lens Sony a6000 w/ ZEISS 12mm Lens

You can see from the shots above that the ExoLens wide-angle does a great job expanding the field of view, without adding distortion or artifacts as many cheap add-on lenses do. Looking at an un-zoomed crop of the actual pixels captured by my iPhone 6 Plus reveals that the wider lens retains detail and fidelity, even though items appear smaller:

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Overall, the ExoLens lives up to its claims about image quality, and delivers excellent wide-angle images from your iPhone. If you’re looking to increase the capabilities of your iPhone, and don’t mind carrying around an external lens, it’s a great purchase. It’s not exactly cheap, but like any camera lens, you get what you pay for; and when you buy ZEISS, you get the best.

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In addition to the wide angle lens, ZEISS will soon be releasing 2x telephoto and macro lenses for the ExoLens mount. ExoLens also offers a less expensive series which doesn’t use ZEISS glass. However, I haven’t had an opportunity to test those models, so I can’t speak to their image quality.

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The ExoLens set including both the 0.6x wide-angle ZEISS lens, mounting bracket, lens covers, and carrying pouches is available now for $199.95(USD) for both the iPhone 6/6S and 6 Plus/6S Plus. Pricing for the macro and telephoto lenses hasn’t been announced yet.

 

 

ZEISS Announced New Camera Lenses for the iPhone

Zeiss ExoLens for iPhone 6S 01

Apple already gets a lot of praise for the cameras it has implemented in the iPhones, but ZEISS thinks that there is still room for improvement.

ZEISS, one of the biggest names in the world of optics, unveiled at CES 2016 in Las Vegas three new lenses for the iPhone 6S it has developed in partnership with Fellowes Brands, a manufacturer of premium mobile photography accessories. Did Apple’s latest smartphone need better optics for its camera? ZEISS and Fellowes seem to think so, and so do the numerous blog posts you can find on the Web about what lens add-ons produce the best results.

“We are thrilled to announce our new relationship with ZEISS, who has been setting standards in optics for almost 170 years,” stated John E. Fellowes, Chief Executive Officer of Fellowes. “Following the launch of our new ExoLensTM mobile phone photography line last year, our partnership with ZEISS will enable unique and innovative consumer lens solutions. ExoLensTM with optics by ZEISS will redefine quality in the mobile photography space, providing professional-grade results for end users.”

“The impact of an image is decisively influenced by the lens and its technical properties,” added Dr. Winfried Scherle, Executive Vice President of Carl Zeiss AG and Head of the ZEISS Consumer Optics business group.

And here is what Zeiss had to say in a blog post announcing the launch of the lenses:

“The new lenses are characterized by their leading-edge design featuring smooth surfaces made of black anodized aluminum with white labeling. This is a systematic continuation of the distinctive, innovative product design that typifies current families of ZEISS camera lenses. The modern design offers excellent optic properties and the lenses meet even the highest aesthetic standards.

The lenses of ExoLens with optics by ZEISS are the best currently available on the market. We have achieved the best possible technical balance between a small size, light weight and high image quality.”

While the line might feature many more lenses, probably depending on the public’s perception, for the moment the two companies have only unveiled three lenses for three different applications: wide-angle, telephoto, and macro. As if the excellent image performance of the first two wasn’t enough, the macro lens even has a zoom function, which is a premiere for such accessory lenses.

The first lenses by ExoLens and Zeiss should be available late Q2 2016 on Amazon.com, as well as at exolens.com. Surely, by then, Apple will already launch the iPhone 7, but that shouldn’t be a problem. Once the lenses hit the market, finding adapters for one iPhone or the other shouldn’t be that difficult. There has been no word on how much these would cost, but given that they’re made by ZEISS, it’s anyone’s guess that they won’t come cheap. That being said, anyone who can buy an iPhone right after launch surely can shell a couple more hundred dollars for a ZEISS lens.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the Spycup iPhone hidden camera that helps activists spread the news, or the Peek-i mobile accessory that turns the iPhone into a hidden camera.

[via Geeky Gadgets]