Malcolm Owen
Smartphone lens accessory producer Moment has introduced a new 58mm Tele Lens, a second-generation add-on to the iPhone XS and iPhone XR that is capable of providing an increased optical zoom to the rear cameras of each iPhone model.
An update to the original 60mm version, the 58mm Tele Lens is designed for use with modern smartphones, including those with larger sensors than were available for the first telephoto lens' release a few years ago. The new version is built to work with both single and dual-camera systems, allowing it to provide an effective 2x zoom for the single-lens iPhone XR.
When used with a dual-lens system as on an iPhone XS, it can provide a 2x or 4x optical zoom, depending on which of the rear cameras is used. In effect, this ranges between a 58mm focal length that is said to be ideal for portraits, and to over 100mm for sports fans to get shots closer to the action.
The lens is also claimed by Moment to be one of the sharpest available, featuring a six-element, four-group glass design that is also the most glass the company has put into a single lens. This has led to a low distortion of less than 0.75 percent, a 1-percent optical TV distortion, and a lateral chromatic aberration of less than a pixel at the edges of the shot.
The Moment 58mm Tele Lens is on sale for $99.99, but is being made available for $79.99 for a limited time after launch. Cases for the lens are available separately.
Moment advise that the new lens is not compatible with its Original Photo Case or versions using the original mounting system, but will work with all of its new cases. This includes the Battery Photo Cases launched in September, which includes a built-in power source to extend the iPhone's usage time.
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2 Comments
I'll only believe it works well when I see Ken Rockwell's review ;)
I’ve been using their macro very sussessfully for a while with my 7+, and their case. I don’t need the wide angle, and their older tele was really just for portraits, as they themselves have said, as it’s not sharp except in the center third, or so, maybe a bit more.
i ordered the case for my new Xs Max, but it hasn’t come in yet. I also ordered the new 58mm, because they say it’s sharp from edge to edge. We’ll see (literally). I like the fact that the case has a thin SS spring mount inside the plastic case to hold the lens, which mounts with a slight “click”. It actually has two mounts, one for each camera. That’s great for the macro in particular.
I’m sort of spoiled by my older ProScope macro, which, while the lens itself isn’t “quite” as good, is surrounded by 12 small white LEDs, which illuminate the photo very well. Too bad they didn’t make a case for it for my 7+, so I was forced to look for something else, which turned out to be the Moment. Lighting macros is difficult with such tiny working distances, which essentially don’t exist with these phone lenses. So you press the translucent frame around the lens to the (flat) surface your taking a picture of, and hope that available light will be enough. Often, it isn’t. the ProScope has a built in rechargeable battery, which means it’s a two part thing. One has the lens and a body with switches and the battery. That clips to the phone case itself. It’s a bit clumsy. But if you have the smaller phones from the last gen or so, it’s a great choice. But whether it will be available for something later isn’t known.
anyway, the Moment macro takes pretty good pictures, as long as you get the lighting right. I keep think of making an LED ring light for it, but haven’t had the time. It would be nice if they had a lighting option. Hopefully the new tele will prove worth while.