The bitplay SNAP! 7 iPhone case system is solid and affordable and gives DSLRs a good run for the money.
I’ve always said a smartphone is great as a camera but still can’t replace the features and quality of a DSLR system. The bitplay system allows easy access to the iPhone’s digital photography features and gives users a real “photographer’s” experience.
It has a nice case and would be great even without the lens system; but if you get the case, you have to get the lenses to make this system rock.
The case ($49.99) features an add-on grip for a better genuine DSLR feel allowing you to hold the camera without blocking the lens. The case gives you a shutter button that works through the volume button, mimicking the feel of a point-and-shoot camera.
It’s built with a dual-layer construction, combining a soft TPU shock-absorbant inside with a hard polycarbonate outer shell.
There’s also a thread to attach a tripod and a wrist strap,
The lenses, built with pro-level optics for enhanced clarity are interchangeable and screw into the case for a secure hold and. The lens system includes a full frame fisheye/macro ($34.99), circular fisheye/macro ($34.99), standard wide angle/macro ($24.99), 3X telephoto ($39.99) and a variety of accessories. There’s also an HD wide angle EF 18 mm lens with cinema optics for $99.99.
If you’re not familiar with the different fisheye lenses, the circular fisheye is exactly that. It gives you a round image, with black filling the edges of the image. The full frame fisheye produces a standard rectangle image, with a curved fisheye effect.
I tested the system at a family outing; I spent the day using the full frame fisheye, telephoto and the 18 mm.
After using the lenses for a while and then switching back to just the phone’s bare lenses, I felt like I was missing something. So I went back to using the lenses, mostly the fisheye since it’s about 3X wider than the existing lens. The 18 mm was impressive with its higher quality optics, and very little distortion on the edges.
The 18 mm has a much higher construction quality than the other bitplay lenses. The lens hood, body, and cap are made of reinforced metal with a high-strength dust-proof seal; the website states “our rigorous production process ensures that each lens is optical perfection.”
The standard fisheye/macro and the wide angle/macro are two-piece lenses. You snap the top optic off to remove the fisheye, and the lens becomes a macro.
All of these lenses are constructed with high-quality aluminum and include a storage pouch.
The Snap!7 case is available for $49.99,
www.bitplayinc.com available in white or black for the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6, 6S, 6 Plus and 6S
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Contact Gregg Ellman at greggellman@mac.com. Follow him on Twitter: @greggellman
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