Are those add-on lens really useful?

I don't own one, but a friend does and she let me try it out. The tele lens is pretty great, though you're gonna want to be really into iPhone photography if you're gonna drop the hundred or whatever on either of them.

 

I did get to try these. They really do work. I just posted something on wide angle lenses.

 

That depends on what your needs, right? What kind of shots do you want to take?

 

It's all depends.

 

I have the clip-on lenses: wide angle, distance, and macro. I also have a clip-on telescopic lens. I find them all very useful, and much more sensible than the kind that require their own case.

I use the macro a LOT. The telescopic lens comes in handy when I'm traveling. I've gotten some nice pics of birds with it.

 

What brand is it? I also am not keen on lenses that need a special case.

 

No brand. Cheap from China (aliexpress). I've seen similar at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. IIRC, they're under $20.

 

I have the Olloclip Active and love it. I was at a place over Christmas that didn't allow SLR cameras for some reason so I grabbed my Olloclip and it made a huge difference over just the stock iPhone lens. The only thing that I don't like about it is that you either have to remove your case from the phone to use the lens or you have to buy one of their comparable cases to use with it.

 

I did a review on the mPow clip on wide angle lenses. It's somewhere around these threads. Personally, I would prefer the clip on style so you don't have to keep switching cases. The mPow ones also seem to work with cases such as the Spigen Slim Armor (it worked on the Galaxy S4 I tried it on. I figure it would be similar on iPhones). It also worked on mine but I use the Caudabe Sheath with is minimal.