Tom's Guide Verdict
Olloclip's combination of top-notch image quality and $70 price makes its 4-in-1 kit the best value for smartphone photographers.
Pros
- +
Fantastic overall image quality
- +
Stunning images from 10x and 15x macro lenses
- +
Simple, straightforward design is easy to mount on iPhone
Cons
- -
No labels on the mount itself
- -
Mount covers the lock button
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Design: Highly Portable and Organized
The Olloclip kits use an innovative black metal collar that slips over the top right corner of the iPhone, ensuring a snug fit centered over the camera. This double-sided, reversible mount holds the 10x and 15x lens. Furthermore, the wide-angle lens screws into the 10x macro and the fisheye screws into the 15x, so that the entire lens set fits on the mount for easy storage.
The ensemble slips into an included terrycloth bag so you can safely slide the kit into a backpack or pocket. I only wish that the 10x and 15x lenses were better identified: The labeling is on the attached wide or fisheye lens instead of on the macro lens itself.
MORE: Best iPhone Camera Lenses
In addition to the iPhone 5/5s version that we tested, Olloclip also makes a version to fit both the iPhone 4 and 4s.
Ease of Use: Only Difficult If You Have a Case
Sliding the collar on or flipping it around to change lenses is a cinch. The only drawback is that, if you have a case on your iPhone, you'll have to remove it before you can attach the lenses. Alternatively, you can buy Olloclip’s $40 iPhone case, which has a cutout for attaching its lens systems. (We didn't evaluate the Olloclip case.)
Image Quality: Best in Class
Starting Point: Wide Angle and Fisheye
Below is a scene shot with a bare iPhone 5s, used as a reference point to show how the lenses augment images and affect image quality.
Wide Angle: Least Distortion
Olloclip's wide-angle lens was the best we tested, with great detail on the focus subject (in this case the carving in the center of the arch), the best sharpness throughout the image and the least distortion. While images do get a little soft in the corners, you don't get the vignetting (darkening in the corners) that we observed with other wide-angle lenses.
Fisheye Lens: Among the Best
Olloclip's fisheye tied with Manfrotto's Manfrotto Klyp+ iPhone Lens Kit Review ($95) for best quality. Both kits provide a great way to capture a large environment without compromising (much) on quality. Images were sharper than rival lenses from CamKix and Photojojo. However, with all fisheye lenses, rounded distortion is a trade-off for the wide viewing angles.
Starting Point: Macro
Below is a test shot of a $2 bill using the stock iPhone 5s camera. We got as close as possible while still allowing the iPhone camera to focus.
10x and 15x Macro Lenses: A league of Their Own
Image quality from the 10x and 15x macro lenses is head and shoulders above the competition from CamKix and PhotoJoJo. I was blown away by the level of detail captured in our test shots.While the pictures weren't free of distortion, they had much less than those of any other macro lens we tested.
15x Macro
Not only was I able to get more magnification than with any other kit, the option to use the 10x or 15x lens gives you more flexibility to nail your shot.
Bottom Line
Olloclip's 4-in-1 system provides a great range of lenses without breaking the bank. And it's a cinch to carry around, making it our favorite iPhone lens kit by far. With its superfast attachment and convenient and pocketable travel pouch, the Olloclip 4-in-1 is our top choice for iPhone camera accessories.
