There was a time when Apple’s iPhone had the best camera in the business. That’s no longer the case. New iPhones still have a solid shooter, but can’t compare to the Galaxy S10’s ultra-wide angle camera or the Huawei P30 Pro’s 5x optical zoom. However, accessory makers have jumped on that weakness to offer solutions that improve on the camera(s) Apple offers.
Lemuro is a relative newcomer to the market, but the company has introduced a compelling line of detachable lenses and cases. With a combination of Italian style and German precision optical engineering, these Lenovo lenses let you build a kit to bring DSLR-like capabilities to your iPhone.
Lemuro Lenses
Lemuro’s detachable lenses use German engineering for precision optical quality, with multi-element blue-coated glass. The lenses are housed in anodized aluminum bodies that are designed in Milan, and available in a choice of silver or black. Each lens comes with a protective lens cap and a microfiber bag for storage and carrying.
The lenses fully support dual-camera iPhones. Attaching them to the case is a breeze, thanks to screw-on bases. Simply place the lens on the socket, twist it until it tightens and you’re good to go.
At the moment, the company is offering four lenses:
- Wide Angle with 18mm focal length and 110-degree field-of-view
- Tele Portrait with 60mm focal length for 2x optical zoom, and 4x optical zoom when stacked on a dual camera iPhone’s zoom camera
- Macro with 25mm focal length that magnifies 10x (includes light diffuser hood)
- Fisheye with 8mm focal length and 238-degree ultra-wide angle image capture
Photo Cases
Cases are an often overlooked component on supplementary smartphone lens systems. To get the best results, you need a lens that connects securely to the smartphone, ensuring it is precisely positioned in front of the camera while preventing light from leaking in: that means a specialized photo case.
The Lemuro Photo Cases were clearly not an afterthought.
The lens attachment (with sockets for both cameras in dual-camera iPhones) is aluminum for durability and a secure fit, and a lanyard hook is built-in for attaching optional wrist or neck straps. A TPU + polycarbonate bumper, raised lip and microfiber lining protect the enclosed iPhone, while the case itself is designed to minimize bulk. And Lemuro used Italian designers from Milan to create a series of cases that look stylish — despite being functional. They are available in a range of finishes and colors, including responsibly sourced European leather and glossy polycarbonate versions with contrasting trim. The variety of cases being offered is a real advantage to this system.
Lemuro Lenses in Action
I’m not going to go through all the Lemuro lenses, but I wanted to show just how dramatically they can improve your iPhone’s built-in cameras. So I’m going to show results taken with an iPhone 7 Plus using two of the lenses that I suspect most people would be interested in: the Wide Angle and the Tele Portrait. All photos are un-cropped and un-edited in any way, and the “before and after” shots were all taken from the same vantage point.
First, the Tele Portrait Lens. The shots progress from the iPhone’s standard (wide angle) shot, to the built-in 2x optical zoom and then to the Lemuro Tele Portrait stacked on the iPhone’s optical zoom (for a total of 4x).
For the wide angle comparison shots, I first used the iPhone’s camera, then the Lemuro Wide Angle Lens.
Resolution is limited in this format, but you should get the picture that when equipped with the Lemuro lenses, an iPhone’s own cameras are significantly boosted in capability. And thanks to the high quality, multi-element, German-engineered glass optics used in the lenses, the upgrade produces very pleasing results with little in the way of drawbacks. I noted some minor blurring at the extreme edges of wide angle shots and a slight Bokeh effect (without requiring Portrait Mode) for zoom shots, especially against a busy background.
Price and Availability
Prices range from $85 to $89 for individual lenses in silver or black aluminum. The cases required to mount the lenses start at $29. Those cases come in a variety of colors and finishes, including glossy and leather options, and are currently available for the iPhone 7/8, iPhone 7/8 Plus, the iPhone X/XS and are coming soon for the iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.
Lemuro also offers a range of accessories including carry bags and straps, plus extra lens caps and pouches.
Recommendation
If you’re an iPhone fan who takes a lot of photos and you’re starting to cast envious glances at the cameras being included in some of the latest Android flagships, an investment in a few Lemuro lenses can go a long way. These aren’t going to do anything for inherent weaknesses like low light capability, but with the DSLR-like ability to swap out lenses they will improve your iPhone photography game.
The aesthetic appeal of the Lemuro lens system and cases is also worth noting. The company is unique in the range of cases finishes and colors it offers, as well as the option of choosing the attractive, Italian-designed lenses in either silver or black aluminum.
A Lemuro kit provides flexibility and a serious upgrade to your iPhone’s photo capabilities, and the ability to do so in style.
Disclosure: Lemuro provided Lenses and iPhone cases for evaluation but had no input into this review.
