I’ve had the Snap! 6 for a few weeks now and have had a chance to use the macro and wide-angle lens converter. The macro has been a lot of fun and I have some updates for the previous post, but that’ll come in a few days. For now, I wanted to share some images taken with the iPhone 6 and Bitplay’s Snap! 6 case and lens combo.
The iPhone 6 has an equivalent focal length of 29mm and with the wide-angle converter you’re shooting with approximately a 20mm lens. The wide-angle adaptor is small, really small. So small that you need to be careful where you place it when you take it off otherwise you’ll be looking all over for it like I have already done a couple times.
In the photos below you can get an idea of just how small it really is. Here it is pictured next to the Ricoh GW-3 wide-angle adaptor. Interestingly, both the Ricoh and iPhone with conversion lenses give you approximately the same focal length, 21mm on the Ricoh and 20mm on the iPhone.
Just for fun I threw in a few Ricoh photos that were shot in approximately the same spot as the Bitplay lens. Clearly these two cameras are not the same tool, but it’s fun to see what they look like side-by-side.
Do I like the wide-angle lens? Yes, absolutely, it definitely adds a lot of versatility with virtually no sacrifice to the iPhone’s size or weight. On top of that for only $20 you’re getting this AND a macro lens so it is kind of a no-brainer. Now I really want to try out the Bitplay 3x telephoto lens. I am looking forward to getting my hands on one of those.
Another side-by-side comparison with the Ricoh GR with GW-3 wide angle conversion lens (21mm) and the Bitplay Snap! 6 wide-angle lens (20mm).
Pros:
- This lens adds a lot of versatility to the iPhone with no size or weight penalty.
- It’s $20 and that includes a macro lens too!
- Performance for posting to the web, email, Facebook, Instagram…is perfectly acceptable and let’s face it, this covers 95% of what we do with our images.
Cons:
- There is a significant amount of distortion, but remember, this lens is the same price as a few drinks at Starbucks.
- It is easy to misplace.
SeattleSteve.me 
Yo, Just read through this latest post and have to say that, if those two photos, looking down that mall (red buildings) were taken with the Ricoh and the iPhone 6, then I have to wonder if the iphone isn’t “good enough” for most things. It looks, at this size image, that it’s performing at the level of the Ricoh. I’m sure it’s not when looking close, but, and as you say here, for most uses the iPhone, especially when adding a few lens choices, performs well enough to handle most of what people want to do, even me.
Tom Collins tom5620@gmail.com http://www.tomcollinsphotography.com
LikeLike
It really is shocking how far camera phones have come recently. With the addition of a few conversion lenses it not really a bad it at all, especilly if your only intention is share via FB, Instagram…
LikeLike
one more thing. I can see the distortion is significant, but with the perspective control app or running it through LR, it’s fixable.
Tom Collins tom5620@gmail.com http://www.tomcollinsphotography.com
LikeLike