I've always been fascinated by the Olloclip lenses. With it, my iPhone photography has gone beyond what the phone itself can accomplish. The iPhone camera in itself is already very good, but the different Olloclip lenses add more muscles to the already capable camera phone.
To recap, there are several types of Olloclip lenses. The ones in my arsenal are, first, the wide angle lens and the 10x macro underneath it and the fish-eye lens with the 15x macro underneath it. My second set is composed of the 2x zoom lens, the wide angle lens and the polarizing glass.
With the zoom lens, I don't "pinch to zoom" to get "closer" to my subjects. Doing this is actually a really terrible idea because you will just be enlarging the pixels - you are not actually moving closer. If you want to get closer, you have to walk!
The iPhone has an equivalent of 34mm focal length, making it perfect for street photography, but if you want to get a wider field of view, you would need a wider-angle lens. This is where the wide angle lens of Olloclip comes in handy.
And with the fish-eye lens, you get a much, much more of the view!
And of course, macro photography is something the iPhone cannot do on its own: it simply is not capable...
Finally, the polarizing lens helps reduce glare and reflections in your photos.
However, no matter how great the Olloclip lenses are, it has one limitation that may discourage a lot of people: since you slide the lenses to the body, using the lens prohibits you from using a case. I myself often found myself in such a dilemma: I bought an Apple silicone case but when it comes to using the "clips", I still needed to remove the case. And I missed several photographic opportunities because of this...
The solution to this problem is the Olloclip Studio. This is a case made specifically for either the iPhone 6/6s and iPhone 6+/6s+. The case provides ample protection for the phone and it covers all sides of it. There are cuts along the sides to give way for the mute switch, the speaker grill, the power port and the headphone jack. You can place the phone face down and still feel confident that the display will not touch the surface.
With the case on, the iPhone-case system is built like a tank. Though I rarely drop my phones, I feel confident that, if ever I do, my iPhone 6s+ will be able to handle the impact.
But, the thing that sets this case apart from all the rest is its compatibility with the different Olloclip lenses. The cut at the top of the case makes Olloclip photography (yes, that's a thing) a possibility. You don't need to remove the case anymore if you want to use your Olloclips.
But not only that, there is a railing at the back of the case where you can attach the different accessories that came with the case. Yes, there are accessories that came with the case!
First off are a couple of cold mounts where you can attach, say, an iPhone-compatible microphone and external lighting. There are also a couple of attachments that will enable you to mount the iPhone on a tripod - one for the vertical orientation, the other for the horizontal orientation. There is a hand grip that will stabilize the phone when you, say, hand hold the iPhone during a video session. This will also provide a more stable grip during daily use.
Attaching these accessories to the case is simple via the railing that I mentioned. It is a quick and easy method that will help you expand your iPhone photography and videography.
What is not mentioned in the Olloclip website is there actually is a slot where you can thread a hand strap, similar to what you can find in the box of your point-and-shoot camera. I don't know why Olloclip does not advertise this, but this makes shooting with the iPhone a similar experience to that of using a point-and-shoot.
There is one last accessory but this one is not photography-related: a stand... With it you can prop your phone and you can watch a movie hands free. Standing your phone in the vertical orientation with this accessory is doable but highly unstable...
But of course, not all is perfect with this case. Using a case, outside of Apple's silicone cases, will add heft to the phone. For me, this is not actually an issue. And the alternative, the one where I don’t use a case, is a no-no because I find a case-less iPhone 6s+ to be really, really slippery. If you want a thinner case, this might not be for you. And of course, if you use an Olloclip lens, you won't be able to use a screen guard on the phone's display. If you decide to use an Olloclip, you risk having your screen scratched when, say, you put your phone in your pocket together with some loose change.
But all-in-all, the Olloclip Studio is a must-have accessory if you are a big fan of Olloclip lenses. It just makes you Olloclip-iPhone photography a more fun and fuller endeavor. And your phone will also be greatly protected from behind and from the sides.
Highly Recommended!
Also, check out my video review here!
Note: You can purchase the different Olloclip accessories on amazon.com on the following links: Olloclip Studio, Olloclip 4-in-1 Lens, Olloclip Telephoto + Wide Angle + Macro 10x Lens + CPL Lens.
Photos shot with an iPhone 6s+ using the iOS app VSCO
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