If you think adding a crazy SLR (single lens reflex) lens to an iPhone’s camera is going to turn your smartphone into a Frankenstein-ish cameraphone to be envied by all, think again. Sure, and an SLR lens has vastly superior optical quality, loads more light-gathering ability, and optical zoom capabilities that would make an iPhone cry, but none of that is going to help you take better photos with your Apple phone. Don’t believe us? Check out Bhautik Joshi’s Phone-O-Scope iPhone mod.
The mod is totally impractical, but we’re going to let that slide – mods usually aren’t pretty, and we don’t care as long as they work. Unfortunately, the Phone-O-Scope takes some disappointing pics. The CD player laser sensor, PVC piping, duct tape and the SLR lense that Joshi mated to his iPhone apparently do little more than give the iPhone amazing zoom capabilities. The images are fuzzy, dim and not what you might expect from an SLR lens. See for yourself below.
The problem? The iPhone’s optics aren’t up to par. Slapping high-end optics on top of the iPhone’s plastic lens and parts-bin image sense might sound great in theory, but the iPhone’s camera is still the limiting factor here. If you’re looking to take better photos with your iPhone, photo-processing apps might be a better fit.
Still, out hats go off to Joshi and his gnarly Phone-O-Scope iPhone mod. We just wish it took better pics.
[Via: Engadget]