Eyeing the Photojojo Iris Lens Series

I’ve been eyeing the Photojojo Iris Lens ever since it came out on the market. When I got a new case for my phone, my old magnetic Photojojo lens sadly became obsolete. But when they announced a new lens series that packs some serious power  –  I was elated. These lenses are made in the same factory as Leica, Canon, and Nikon. Talk about being in the big leagues!

I wanted to step up my mobile photography game this year and this was the perfect tool to do it. When Photojojo was looking for Iris Ambassadors, I jumped at the chance. Not only that – they gave me a 20 dollar off PROMO code for my readers to use! Scroll down for the code, and check out the photos.

Now lets talk nerdy…

What is in the Iris 3 Lens series box?  (iPhone 6s/Plus version)

• Macro Lens
• Fisheye Lens
• Wide Angle Lens
• 2 plates for caseless phones (one for iPhone 6/6s and 6/6s Plus)
• 2 iPhone 6/6s and 6/6s Plus specific plates for cased phones
• One mount (which has a case, and can double as a lens carrier!)
• Lastly, a quick-start manual.

I was surprised at the weight of these lenses; they felt sturdier, tougher, and much sharper than ever. The interlocking covers make it easy to carry around, without having to rifle through your bag looking for a lens. Pretty nifty huh?

Each lens is compatible with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus, as well as the Samsung S5 and S6.  You can even use these with most cases, or without. Photojojo boasts that they can fit virtually any iPhone case (even the Otterbox) and I believe them. With just one bungee cord with an attached cap, it fit over my semi bulky Unicorn Beetle iPhone 6 Plus case. In addition kit also has two attachments for those sans case, which is perfect. They truly thought of everything, all of the nuts and bolts.

“Okay that sounds great Travel Bee,”  you may be thinking “but just get to the point already: are they easy to assemble?” The answer is yes! The kit comes with a complete installation guide, they also offer customized video tutorials online. I actually found it easier to just follow along with the video – all you have to do is select which phone you have.

A quick note – if you are seeing some vignetting in your photos, then you have the wrong plate. I made this mistake, thinking both plates were identical – but if I had looked with my “special eyes”,  I would have noticed the little imprint that specifically marked “iP6Plus/iP6s Plus”. As soon as I realized I was using the wrong plate, and installed the correct one in my case, the problem was solved. D’oh!

 

Now as for the cons (there are hardly any): I wish there was a little carrying case included in the kit. Although Photojojo has other cases on their site, but you would have to buy them separately. It would be handy to have a cute bag to store these lenses, and the spare parts for my travels.  The other con I have, is that it’s a little tricky to interchange the lenses on the spot.  When I wanted to switch from the Macro to the Wide Angle quickly, it wasn’t super easy to pull the first lens out of the socket and switch it without fumbling a bit. The upside is that the lenses are very stable and sturdy in the socket, so they won’t fall out. Always bring a little microfiber cloth to clean the lenses in between, alas the kit does not provide one – but I am sure you can find one laying around the house somewhere or pick one up at the local dollar store.

Still have questions? Feel free to ask me in the comments, or check out their FAQ Section.  

WIDE ANGLE:

Perfect for taking landscape, group portraits or even interior shots. This is the best one for getting as much you can into one photo. Personally I love using the wide angle lens for bustling city scenes,  landscapes, group photos, art murals, or finally getting a good photo of all four of my dogs in one picture! Which is no easy feat 😉

Specs from their site:

• 100-degree lens, fits 2x more in your photo
• Four element optical grade glass
• High center resolution for maximum clarity

 

Photo taken without the Wide Angle Lens

MACRO:  

This is personally my favorite lens, with it’s laser focus it picks up the subject with amazing precision. I was blown away with the detail and quality of the Macro lens provides. Possible uses are for closeups of water droplets, ladybugs, your Avengers action figure collection, ice cream sprinkles, DIY tech projects, and for creating bokeh effects. The possibilities are endless with the Macro, it’s not just for taking pictures of flora and fauna; it allows you to take fun close ups of so many unique things with such definition. I love the softness that the macro produces in its photos, it creates such a ethereal vibe to each picture.

Specs from their site:

• 10x magnification
• 3mm focusing distance, extreme closeup!
• Ultra crisp high resolution center

 

 FISHEYE:If you prefer bubbly, vignetted fisheye photos, then skip this one. But if you’re like me, and prefer no vignetting and a subtle fisheye effect –  then this is the holy grail of fisheye lens. I personally love taking Graffiti art photos with the fisheye lens, it just takes it to another level. The fisheye lens takes the photo to an artistic level, but at the same time it also (kind of) doubles as a wide angle lens – taking in so much more, but with a bubble effect.  You can use them for portrait shots like I did (pictured above), or even for taking pictures of patterns, unique art sculptures and so forth.

Specs from their site:

• 180-degree lens
• Three ground glass elements
• Full-frame fisheye with zero vignetting