Showing posts with label iPhone Accessories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iPhone Accessories. Show all posts
Monday, November 23, 2015
Comparing My Lenses - SquidCam, Olloclip, Moment
Besides being an app addict, I'm also an iPhone accessory addict. Hmmm....I own the Original Olloclip 3 in 1 ($49.99) and Telephoto/Polarizing Lens ($99.99), SquidCam 4 in 1 ($64.95) (generously provided by creator Charles!), iBlazr ($49.99 - honestly, I have never used this!), Hi Lo Lens ($69.95 great concept but I don't like the way it attaches to the iPhone), Anker Battery Charger ($36.99 - I have only used this when travelling - works great!), GorillaPod ($29.95 - thank you JOBY - love this!). I'm still waiting for COVR Photo ($55 - to do all my stealth street photography!)
I have been wanting to do this comparison since my Moment lenses arrived. After seeing the recent post by Tina at Combo Apps, I decided to do a quick comparison with the lenses I own.
First I tried the macro lenses - I used the 10x Olloclip, 10x SquidCam and homemade $1.99 Macro Lens (make your own by following my tutorial here).
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| Olloclip 10x |
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| SquidCam 10x |
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| Homemade $1.99 Macro Lens |
Of course the homemade lens doesn't deliver a high quality, but if you only have a few bucks to spare, it can produce adequate results. It looks like the SquidCam reproduced more true to life color than the Olloclip, but I'm satisfied with both and can easily do color correction using one of many apps. The color was off for the homemade lens mainly because it was shot about an hour after the first two photos and the lighting had changed.
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| Olloclip Fisheye |
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| SquidCam Fisheye |
Both Olloclip and SquidCam had some blurring around the edges, but again, for me there isn't a huge difference.
For the Wide Angle I had three to compare - Olloclip, SquidCam and the brand new Moment Lens. First, I shot the scene using only the iPhone camera. Excuse the crooked horizon - all images are unedited except to resize for posting here.
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| Without Wide Angle |
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| Olloclip Wide Angle |
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| SquidCam Wide Angle |
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| Moment Lens Wide Angle |
Hands down the winner here is Moment Lens - look at the lack of distortion and blurring near the edges. Both Olloclip and SquidCam don't hit the mark when it comes to wide angle. SquidCam also darkens the corners quite a bit. To be fair, SquidCam and Olloclip may work better shooting a landscape shot, where there would be less distortion since the subject would be much farther away.
And finally I compared the tele lens of both the Olloclip and Moment Lens. First I shot an image of a bottle with no lens. I could crop this to zoom in, but I would lose some of the image size.
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| Normal Shot - No Special Lens |
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| Moving in to Zoom - No Special Lens |
But with a tele lens you can zoom in without moving closer so you don't get the distortion but you still retain the image size.
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| Olloclip Tele Lens |
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| Moment Tele Lens |
I prefer the Moment Lens shot for the Tele experiment. I don't know the "whys" of it all, but the Moment Lens delivers a better color quality and sharper image. What do you think?
I also shot images of my husband, Paul to compare a portrait with and without a tele lens. Notice how distorted his face is when I move in with the camera for a close-up. The image on the right, shot with the Moment Tele lens shows a much more natural proportion to his face. Paul and I both agree the photo on the left is "scary"! For this test I only had the Moment tele lens with me, so I was unable to do a side-by-side comparison with the Olloclip.
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| Left - Moving in for a Close-up Right - Using the Moment Tele Lens |
The results of this experiment are that I prefer the Moment Lens over my Olloclip. The Moment Lens requires a special plate attached directly to the iPhone to attach the lenses, so an Olloclip and Moment Lens cannot be used on the same device. For these test shots I shot with the Olloclip and SquidCam first and then attached the plate to use the Moment Lens.
SquidCam is a good alternative that gives comparable results to the Olloclip. I like the SquidCam case which provides adequate protection for my iPhone and allows me to attach the lenses directly to the iPhone via the case.
SquidCam is a good alternative that gives comparable results to the Olloclip. I like the SquidCam case which provides adequate protection for my iPhone and allows me to attach the lenses directly to the iPhone via the case.
Add to Flipboard Magazine.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
SquidCam - A Talk with the Creator and a Giveaway!
What is your name and where do you live?
CM: My name is Charles Mercader and I am from Sacramento, California. I’m the founder of SquidCam. My current duties are everything from marketing, social media, assembly, support etc. I started this product a little over a year ago and slowly I'm growing it. Product design and mobile photography are my passion.
How and when did you come up with the idea for SquidCam?
CM: I came up with the SquidCam when I started noticing magnetic attached lenses on mobile phones, but I noticed typically one could not use a case while using these lenses. I’ve always liked building block toys and I realized that a case with a grid pattern to attach lenses would be awesome. The case alone would stand out itself and now add lenses, it immediately gave me the drive to start this product.
An iconic case design, built around the building block look + iPhone lenses kit.
How did you decide on the name?
CM: The case started as a silicone case with the iPhone 4/4s and the inside of the case looking like suction cups. The rubber feel of the material reminded me of a mollusk like “octopus,” since Octopus was a little long, “squid” made more sense. Add the “cam” for camera and there you have it, “SquidCam.”
How does the SquidCam work?
CM: The lenses are bonded to the adapter piece - simply align and snap them on to the case. The fisheye lens has a 180-degree view, unscrew the fisheye lens for 15x macro. The wide angle has almost 2x the viewing range, unscrew the wide angle lens for the 10x macro.
What lenses come with the SquidCam? Are they comparable in quality to Olloclip?
CM: We basically have the same functioning lenses 4in1: fisheye, wide angle and 10x/15x macro. The main difference is that my lenses attach by snapping on to the case. The lenses never touch the phone, so it cannot scratch the phone from repeated removal.
With the lenses mounted it is much thinner than most other setups since it is all on the backside of the phone. The case for the 5/5s is a hybrid polymer material; stiff polycarbonate back and over molded thermo polymer sides that won't crack or stretch.
What sets ours apart is that the SquidCam is bold and colorful. It really speaks for itself, everywhere I go people notice the case and the lenses; it really is a conversation starter. (Geri's note: I can vouch for this, I carried mine with me out to dinner last night and got all kinds of questions from the server at the restaurant).
The colored blocks can be customized upon ordering to create different aesthetic looks to match your favorite colors, sports team colors, college colors, etc.
With the lenses attaching to the case, there is a little bit more vignetting/shadowing since there is more space between the lens and the camera. A lot of photographers like this effect for the fisheye and wide angle, but it can easily be worked around via zooming or post cropping.
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| Macro Sample © @trumaebelle |
Can the lenses be purchased separately or do you have to buy the whole set?
CM: I want everyone who purchases a SquidCam to have the full experience, so all 4 lenses come together with the case. Replacement lenses can be purchased separately.
Are you an active iPhoneographer?
CM: Yes I’m an active iPhoneographer. I’m the one and only curator on the @squidcam Instagram account. The SquidCam IG account has a lot of my customer’s SquidCam photos. For the product photos, those are all taken by me with the iPhone, I only use the iPhone and my lenses to take product pics of my product. Being a car hobbyist, the automotive related photos on my page are typically my personal photos.
My followers will definitely agree that I’m very proactive in my community; every comment and question I receive is thanked and replied to. I make customer service my priority and having social media like Instagram is perfect for connecting with your fans and customers.
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| Fisheye © @antoinettemarrie |
Olloclip has an app that removes some of the distortion from images using their lenses. Have you thought of adding an app to the SquidCam line?
CM: I have thought about it, but my main priority is expanding the product line. For an app like that, I will definitely have to find an expert camera app developer team to create what I would like since app development is not my field of expertise. There are many apps out there which can be used to edit SquidCam fisheye and wide angle photos including the Olloclip app.
How has the SquidCam been received by the public?
CM: People love it, the case is so bold and speaks for itself and add the lens to the whole package; it serves as functional and fashionable. I always have people asking me about the case as they’ve never seen anything like it before.
Do you have any other projects you're working on?
CM: I want to work on creating formal packaging for the product. By operating mainly through online sales, I haven’t needed formal retail product packaging. I think it will be a step to making the product experience better and is the first step towards possible retail sales.
Another product I’m working on is a tripod mount adapter and a lens kit for the Samsung Galaxy phones.
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| Wide Angle Lens ©lowerthenu |
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
CM: It’s been a lot of work and I hope everyone can enjoy it. I’m definitely thankful for Instagram, the greater percentage of my orders come from Instagram alone and will continue to listen to my customers/fans on further developing the SquidCam.
I think the Olloclip is a great product, one of the best; they are the biggest in distribution. A lot of the mobile lens systems do the same thing, but we all differ in the ways they attach to the phone and our execution. I think we all have our strengths and weaknesses and it is important for iPhoneographers to know of the lens kit options that are in the market place.
I’m not saying we are the best, but the SquidCam does it with more flair!
Links: SquidCam / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook / Tumblr
Geri's First Impressions on SquidCam
I didn't quite know what to expect when opening up my SquidCam packaging. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really loved the case. Charles sent me a black case and and a red case along with the lenses and four colored blocks to spruce up my SquidCam. The case easily slipped right on my iPhone 5s and all openings perfectly aligned with the iPhone. I tested the Sleep/Wake and Volume buttons and everything worked. The case provides a nice bumper edge to my phone as well, so it not only looks cool, it protects as well.
Next, I had a look at the lenses. They fit very tightly on to the case and feel really secure. I shook the case up and down and the lenses didn't budge. I gave each of the lenses a test run as well. All shots were clear and crisp and the lenses each provided the expected results. I'm looking forward to trying them further the next time I head out on a photo shoot, especially the fisheye and wide angle.
If there is ever an update to the SquidCam case, I have only one suggestion. Currently you can attach one lens to the case for shooting and attach the other right next to it which makes it easy to switch lenses. I would love to be able to attach both lenses to the case. This would allow easy access to both lenses and still allow me to shoot without them as well.
I'd like to thank the following photographers who granted permission to post their photos - find their Instagram galleries here:
@trumaebelle
@antoinettemarrie
@lowerthenu
Geri's First Impressions on SquidCam
I didn't quite know what to expect when opening up my SquidCam packaging. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really loved the case. Charles sent me a black case and and a red case along with the lenses and four colored blocks to spruce up my SquidCam. The case easily slipped right on my iPhone 5s and all openings perfectly aligned with the iPhone. I tested the Sleep/Wake and Volume buttons and everything worked. The case provides a nice bumper edge to my phone as well, so it not only looks cool, it protects as well.
Next, I had a look at the lenses. They fit very tightly on to the case and feel really secure. I shook the case up and down and the lenses didn't budge. I gave each of the lenses a test run as well. All shots were clear and crisp and the lenses each provided the expected results. I'm looking forward to trying them further the next time I head out on a photo shoot, especially the fisheye and wide angle.
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| Left to Right: Without SquidCam, 10X Macro, 15X Macro © Geri Centonze |
I'd like to thank the following photographers who granted permission to post their photos - find their Instagram galleries here:
@trumaebelle
@antoinettemarrie
@lowerthenu
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below. Note SquidCam is available for iPhone 4/4s, iPhone 5/5s and iPod 5 only. I will draw one winner by random draw on Thursday, July 17, 2014 at 8:00 a.m. PDT. Good Luck!
UPDATE: For anyone ordering the SquidCam case and lenses you can get free domestic shipping by using the promo code "ptakephotoplus".
UPDATE: The winner was chosen by Random Number Generator. I assigned each entry a number and used the generator to select the winner. Congrats to Carolyn Hall Young. I will be in touch by email to give you the details. Thanks to all who entered.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Square Jellyfish Smartphone Tripod Mount, Jelly Legs, Micro Ball Head and Flashlight Remote
Today I had an opportunity to "test drive" my latest iPhone accessories courtesy of Square Jellyfish who supplied me with some of their best-selling products:
Spring Tripod Mount & Jelly Legs with Micro Ball Head (Set Retail $29.99)
The Spring Tripod Mount is pretty straightforward. You simply spread the brackets and insert your phone in place. It doesn't obstruct the view on your screen and can accommodate smartphones up to 3 5/8 inches wide. The Tripod Mount connects to the Jelly Legs Micro Tripod. The phone can be rotated in a horizontal or vertical position. For added flexibility you can insert the Micro Ball Head between the Tripod Mount and Jelly legs. The Micro ball head allows for slight angling of the phone. (You could also connect the mount to any standard tripod with a universal screw mount.)
I wanted to try the tripod in combination with the remote. First thing you will need to do is pair the remote with your device. Out of the package it is ready to pair with an iOS device. Directions are included in the enclosed manual for use with an Android by changing the position of a small switch located under the battery.
To pair, first wake up your phone and go to Settings. CAUTION: There is a warning NEVER to wake-up your device using the remote. Make sure Bluetooth is ON. Press the lower part of the oblong button on the Jelly Remote for about five seconds. A red light will flash which indicates it's ready to pair with your device. On your device, look for SJF-G14BR2 and Connect. Once connected, you're ready to shoot. There is no on or off button for the remote. It will automatically go to sleep after five minutes.
To take a photo, simply open your camera app and then press the Camera button on your Jelly Remote. The remote will work with any camera app that allows the volume Up and Down buttons to be used as a camera trigger. I quickly checked through some of the apps on my iPhone and found the following were all supported:
Camera Awesome
ProCamera 7
Hipstamatic
PureShot
Taru Camera
ProCam2
Camera+
SimplyB&W
Hueless
HDR Fusion
A-HDR
Long Expo Photo
The image below was taken outside using using the remote while I held the iPhone. I always seem to get a bit of camera shake when taking photos so I thought this would help.
I tested to see if the remote would really fire at 33 feet as claimed and was able to get a shot from 35 feet away. I'm not sure when I'll be taking a photo from that distance but it's nice to know the remote was reliable within that range. I also think this will come in handy for street photography I could hold my iPhone at the hip and use the remote to take the photos.
In addition to the remote function, there is also a flashlight which can be turned on with the black and white jellyfish button. This can be used to light your subject in lower light conditions. It is a yellow LED light so it did add a slightly yellow tint to the photo as shown below. The remote can be kept in a pocket, purse or even attached to your keychain.
Due to the fact that the legs on the mini tripod are short (for purposes of being compact and portable), you can't tilt the iPhone down more than about 15 or 20 degrees or the weight of the iPhone will tip the tripod over. There is a Jelly Long Legs available with longer legs that might solve this problem, but I didn't sample this product. For most purposes however the degree of tilt should be sufficient.
Pros
Portable, Easy to Use, Bluetooth range reliable to 35 feet, Lightweight, Keychain Attachment, Flashlight Included, Pivoting Ballhead, One-Year Limited Warranty.
Cons
The mini tripod cannot support tilt of device greater than about 15-20 degrees. Compared to similar remotes on Amazon the Square Jellyfish Flashlight Remote is quite a bit more expensive, however none of the others I viewed included a flashlight.
Overall
It's a KEEPER! I will be using the remote and tripod so it will be a definite welcomed addition to my iPhone accessory bag.
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