Last Updated on April 17, 2019 by Jay
Optical zoom, wide angle lens, smartphones nowadays come with all sorts of camera goodies. But, what if you’ve got an old or budget phone which has a decent camera but not those extra features? Well, that’s where an external cell phone zoom lens can come in handy.
If you’ve never heard about this accessory, it’s basically just an external lens that you can attach to your phone’s camera. This can give you extra features like zooming, taking wide-angle shots, and more.
And now you might say: “But, George. I can already zoom with my phone. Why do I need an extra accessory for that?” The answer is that if you don’t have an optical zoom lens pre-installed on your device, then you’re only zooming digitally. Digital zooming harms your image quality while optical zooming leaves it as it is.
With that being said, there are multiple lenses to pick from; each one with their pros and cons. So, there’s not one best solution for everyone. For that reason, we’ll take a look at some of the best options, and you can choose whatever fits you best. Let’s go!
One Thing to Keep in Mind
Before we start, there’s one thing to keep in mind. Have you noticed how superzoom cameras are almost always being used with a tripod? There’s a reason for that.
You see, when you zoom over extreme distances, typicall from 8-10x and above, the slightest movement creates extreme deviations. That makes it difficult to capture an image or a video. Especially a video.
So, just remember that this is not the lens’s fault. It’s normal. The only thing that you can do is prey that your phone has good digital image stabilization; or you can also get a tripod which is typically included with a cell phone super zoom lens that goes over 10x.
If you’ve got an extremely stable hand, then you can probably forget about all this. But, that’s a rather rare trait. You’ll soon find out that anything above 10x is extremely shaky.
1: Best Cell Phone Zoom Lens for Macro Shots (Budget): Easy-Macro Lens Band
When you think of zooming in, the first thing that comes to mind is just bringing objects that are far away closer to you. This is useful for landscape photography. But, what about taking macro shots?
A macro shot is essentially just a close-up/focused picture. Our phones can focus on their own, but they don’t do that very well with extreme close-ups. That’s where an external lens like this one can come in handy.
And by the way, the lens straps around your phone with a rubber band. So, it should be compatible with pretty much any smartphone out there.
This particular lens may not be the best around. But, still, if you want to get some macro shots for fun without busting the budget, check it out! It costs like 15 bucks.
Get the Budget Macro Lens From Amazon
2: Best Premium Cell Phone Zoom Lens for Macro Shots: Xenvo Pro
We took a look at what is probably the best budget option for macro shots. The problem with budget options is that they are often subpar in terms of quality. After all, that’s how they manage to be cheaper.
So, how about the best then? What if I’m willing to spend more money for the best macro shots that one can capture by using a phone? Well, in that case, the Xenvo Pro is probably your best bet.
For 40 bucks, you get Amazon’s best seller in phone lenses, a rechargable LED light, two lenses with one of them being the macro lens and the other one giving you wide-angle shots, and a travel case so that you’ll be able to carry your stuff without the fear of breaking them.
Let us clarify that you only get one lens and not two seperate ones. It’s just that it can act for both macro and wide-angle shots without you havaing to swap out different lenses.
The main advantage of Xenvo compared to budget options is that it doesn’t give you that vignette or fishye effect. Furthermore, it’s easier to capture macro shots without everything turning blurry.
Overall, if you want the best macro lens that you can get, we’d highly recommend checking out the Xenvo Pro.
3: Best Cell Phone Zoom Lens Package/Kit
Alright, so, let us be completely transparent here. There is a LOT of false advertising with this product.
- It doesn’t imrove the lighting quality of your pictures
- There’s no way to achieve DSLR quality with phones. At least not yet
- The difference between close-up shots with and without the macro lens isn’t that huge. Smartphones still have the ability to focus up to a certain point
- The telephoto lens can indeed zoom over a hundred meters. But the image isn’t going to be that crisp and clear
To summarize. Is this lens kit badly advertised? Yes. But, is it a good kit? Also yes. At least as good as external lenses can get. If you want a little bit of everything, then do seriesously consider checking this one out. It gives you:
- Optical zoom up to 12x
- A Wide-angle lens
- A 180 degree fisheye lens
- And 2 15x macro lenses
Againa little bit of everything. However, let us not forget to mention that if taking macro shots is your primarily focus, then you’re better off getting the Xenvo Pro.
If you want both the best macro shots that you can capture but also a telephoto lens or anything similar, then you’ll probably have to get the Xenvo Pro and any other lens that you want seperately. The whole package isnt worth it if you’re going to pay for macro lenses twice. Only as a standalone choice.
Get This Kit From AmazonGet This Kit From Amazon
What is your favorite phone lens? Let us know in the comments section down below. If you feel like there is another cell phone zoom lens that is worthy of being in this list, do mention that as well.
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-k-8246a1169/
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