I’ve been using Olloclip Pro lenses to enhance my iPhone XS Max photographs for a few months – I meant to write about them all this time but had failed to do so.

What are olloclip lenses?

olloclip makes a huge family of professional-quality lenses that you connect to your iPhone to augment the capabilities of the built-in Apple lenses.

Available separately, the company offers a big collection of lenses, including fisheye, super-wide and 2x telephoto lenses which clip onto your iPhone using a variety of different clips. All olloclip Connect X lenses are compatible with the Multi-Device clip, iPhone X clip, and future iPhone attachment clips, the company claims.

The lenses really enhance what you can do with an iPhone when taking photographs, and because they are real pro lenses, rather than digital, you end up with really high-quality shots you just can’t capture naturally – even on an iPhone XS Max.

Each lens ships with its own protective front lens cap.

Explore the entire collection here.

What does olloclip say?

“Historically, olloclip has offered lenses that enhance smartphone cameras at only one price point,” said Todd Williams, global sales director at olloclip.

“Now, we’re excited to offer three series of lenses designed to provide a high-quality photograph at various price points that are accessible to everyone. Long requested by our fans, the Pro Series lenses take mobile photography to the highest level ever offered by ourselves. Also, by expanding our line with a lens and attachment clip starting at less than the original lens system, more people can explore the world of smartphone photography with the same quality customers have come to expect from us.”

What are they like to use?

To use one of these lenses you must select it, clip it to the iPhone attachment device, ensure it is properly fitted and then take your images. The process takes a few seconds at most.

With these lenses attached you won’t want your iPhone in your pocket as they will probably fall off and this may damage the lenses of iPhone.

Another caveat is that you may need to remove the iPhone from its protective case if you choose to use your Olloclips – though this shouldn’t be a problem if you are using a slim case.

Together – the time to fit and the fact you are unlikely to carry your iPhone about with these lenses attached until you are ready to take a photo, you have to see these as tools you will use to get great pictures in predictable situations.

For instant reaction shots you’ll still be using the standard iPhone lens.

That means Olloclips are fantastic tools when photographing things like

• Sporting events
• Parties, birthdays, celebrations, weddings
• Wildlife photography
• Portraiture

Or any other situation in which you know you are going to be taking photos and prepare yourself for doing so.

What kind of photos can I expect?

I really like using the super-wide lens as it gives me so much opportunity to take wide angle shots, but the telephoto lens is a magnificent piece of work for close-up shots.

The lenses are very high-quality, so I’ve seen little or no vignetting when taking an image, and distortion at the edges of some shots is also hard to spot.

Images tend to be nice and bright – proof of a pudding is in the eating, of course, so you may want to explore the company’s huge gallery of beautiful images captured using these lenses from around the world.

I just love fisheye lenses

What do they cost?

• Olloclip’s professional lenses cost around $99.99 each. The Essential series of lenses are also pretty good and cost $44.99.
• The Connect X clip costs $29.99, though the company also makes a slim case that is highly compatible with the clip for an additional $29.99.
• You can also pick these things up in a variety of kits. Fisheye lenses are also available, though I was unable to test these.

You may find some slight price discounts on Amazon.

Where can I find more information?

I guess the best place for more information will be Olloclip’s website.

Must, or miss?

If you are serious about iPhone photography products like these are essential – they really augment what you can do with the native iPhone camera and make your photography much more the equivalent of pro snappers using an SLR.

There are other options, including lenses I’m taking a look at next from Sandmarc, but what I like most about Olloclip is that the company has been seriously engaged in making lenses to improve iPhone photography for years, and the high-quality of the lenses they make means you’ll be taking much better photos fast.

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I’d also advise teachers to get a set of these in schools for use in class projects – particularly if you are encouraging students to take video, as this can also add new opportunity for better student creativity.

Are these products an Apple Must or an Apple Miss? I’m in no doubt — these are a Must.

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