...The telephoto lens, which comes equipped with a circular polarizing filter, is constructed of glass and doubles the magnification of the iPhone lens.
At MWSF in February I urged the fellas at the booth to add a CP to their accessory kit. I got a sort of wink and a nod, which i guess this article explains. A couple thoughts:
1) I think the CP could account for at most $30 of the value of this kit, considering the $69 cost of the existing macro/wide/fisheye package.
2) If that's reasonable, then the $70 I'd allocate for the 2x tele seems steep, as others have opined.
3) It's very good they provide an adapter ring, as I understand it, so the CP will work with the existing lenses. Its value on the macro seems minimal, but hey...
4) It's a shame Ollo (and the Schneider Optics tele just announced) are limited to 2x. I'd think a 3x would have much more value and usefulness. There are probably optical limitations that prevent that.
5) I wish Olloclip would devise a better "kit" to hold the kit. The velvet bag
suffices, is I think the best that can be said of it; it doesn't even include quick-release clamp on the bag ties, something that could probably be added for a dime in production costs but prevent the occasions when a lens cap or the whole device slips out of the bag and into my pocket. Schneider's handle-in-a-case shows a better solution can be devised. (I like the handle concept, but probably wouldn't use it because i don't want to be limited to a specific case--or any case at all).
Having said all that, the Olloclip is the ONLY iPhone attachment i keep with me at all times. It's almost unnoticeable in my pocket. I use the wide angle most often, macro second most, but the fisheye on occasion too. "Your use may vary". At any rate, I'm damn glad I have it, and will probably--reluctantly--add the new lens and CP to my gear. Maybe they'll have a new packaging arrangement to conveniently hold all the lenses.
EDIT:
1) When's this going to be available? Has anyone seen details: for example, what's the bulk of the tele/CP package compared to the wide/macro/fisheye set? It sounds like at a minimum it'll double the volume of the hardware. I could find no info on Ollo's website regarding this hardware.
2) Despite my objections to cases generally, Ollo's case does make some sense, as it adds functionality. I'd like to see a nice package price for the new tele/CP with the case. And (to beat the horse) maybe a better way of packaging for those of us who will choose to carry both kits. The mounting bracket should be
packaged (in both senses of the word--pricing, and compactness) with a small tripod, as i think 90% of people using the bracket will use it in conjunction with a mount)
