Related
Just seen Amazon are selling a few accessories for the QX10 lens.
The Z1 case which the lens attaches too:
Sony ACX2 QX10/QX100 Case for Lens Style Camera and Xperia Z1 - Black
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00F5X13V2/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_gb?ie=UTF8
Also a carrying case for the lens:
Sony LCSBBMB Carrying Case for QX10 Lens Style Camera
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00F3YS89I/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_gb?ie=UTF8
I will get the case first then the case a bit later on.
Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk 2
Spent the last week looking for somewhere to get that case!
Going to pre-order now - my lovely see through case from china is great apart from they covered the magnetic charge area which is sad news.
I managed to get the micro SD in the wrong way round for my QX10 - that was fun!
Doesn't the lens come with some form of case already?
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jonmorris said:
Doesn't the lens come with some form of case already?
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Click to collapse
Nope.
Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk 2
maverick1103 said:
Nope.
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That's pretty poor, given the price.
But I suppose when you look at the cost of the docks (including the car holder that doesn't even charge - when it could via the pins), you can see that Sony likes to maximise profits from accessories.
Even the case that lets you clip the QX10 on seems rather a lot of money, and worse still, I can see myself buying one!
jonmorris said:
That's pretty poor, given the price.
But I suppose when you look at the cost of the docks (including the car holder that doesn't even charge - when it could via the pins), you can see that Sony likes to maximise profits from accessories.
Even the case that lets you clip the QX10 on seems rather a lot of money, and worse still, I can see myself buying one!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I know, these manufactures know we will still buy them even if we moan like hell about them
Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk 2
The QX10/100 cover for the Z1, which Amazon said could ship as late as December, is now in stock and has shipped today to me - so I'll have it tomorrow.
I expect that once I have this cover, I might use the QX10 a lot more than I do now, which is hardly at all.
(Really wondering why I bought one now, to be honest - so I may well sell both the cover and the QX10 in the not too distant future).
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My Sony ACX2 case arrived - slight problem is it does not work!
when its on the phone and set at open position - the QX10 will not attach - the problem is getting it locked in - the ONLY way I can get it to attach is when the case is away from the phone and I apply pressure on one side (where phone would be) so it can slide over the lock (far side from the locking dot) - which is disappointing.
I have checked for damage on case and camera and they are fine - guess it just does not work properly. Quite disappointed.
jonmorris said:
And here it is...
How are you finding the picture quality, very torn between this and the qx100. From what I have read the qx100 is a far superior device but it does seem bulky where the qx10 seems to be a nice size.
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bodson66 said:
How are you finding the picture quality, very torn between this and the qx100. From what I have read the qx100 is a far superior device but it does seem bulky where the qx10 seems to be a nice size.
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I have very mixed views on the QX10.
Here they are in a nutshell.
1) Practicality. Even with the wrist strap, it's not the easiest thing to carry about - and I am disappointed Sony couldn't bundle a simple case instead of making you pay £20 or so.
2) Pairing is slow, and there are quite a few Wi-Fi access points around my location so it means that it often pauses/stutters on the viewfinder display - and sometimes loses connection completely (not often, but once is too much if you're trying to take a photo).
3) It doesn't take incredible photos all the time - it can sometimes be out of focus and there's still a lot of noise if it judges the scene wrong. I've had a photo that looks far worse than using the main camera in auto mode!
However, if put on a tripod (or placed separately on a flat surface and detached from the phone) then it can take some incredible low-light photos.. totally noise free and, well, just wow. These are the shots that make you think it was money well spent (question is, how many of these photos will you be taking?)
4) When you connect via USB to charge, you can't access the photos on the camera directly (as a mass storage device) so you must always copy via the, frankly, rather awful PlayMemories camera app. Camera360 now supports the QX10 but it's buggy, although I expect a fix will come in due course.
5) The zoom is fantastic - no complaints there.
6) The battery life is good from what I can see - but I still worry that I'll forget to keep it charged, as it joins a list of things to keep topping up before I go out (Pebble watch, phone, portable battery pack/charger etc).
The QX100 is no doubt a LOT better in image quality, but at the extra price (and with the loss of zoom) I am not in the market for one anyway.
The QX10 is the nicer size, but I really don't know if I'm ever likely to use it enough to justify having purchased it. I hoped, perhaps rather stupidly, I'd be able to use this instead of my Sony NEX camera (even with the loss of a flash) but with the viewfinder lags, slow image transferring and so on - it's really not a viable alternative to a separate camera if you really need improved image quality, or a powerful zoom.
jonmorris said:
bodson66 said:
I have very mixed views on the QX10.
Here they are in a nutshell.
1) Practicality. Even with the wrist strap, it's not the easiest thing to carry about - and I am disappointed Sony couldn't bundle a simple case instead of making you pay £20 or so.
2) Pairing is slow, and there are quite a few Wi-Fi access points around my location so it means that it often pauses/stutters on the viewfinder display - and sometimes loses connection completely (not often, but once is too much if you're trying to take a photo).
3) It doesn't take incredible photos all the time - it can sometimes be out of focus and there's still a lot of noise if it judges the scene wrong. I've had a photo that looks far worse than using the main camera in auto mode!
However, if put on a tripod (or placed separately on a flat surface and detached from the phone) then it can take some incredible low-light photos.. totally noise free and, well, just wow. These are the shots that make you think it was money well spent (question is, how many of these photos will you be taking?)
4) When you connect via USB to charge, you can't access the photos on the camera directly (as a mass storage device) so you must always copy via the, frankly, rather awful PlayMemories camera app. Camera360 now supports the QX10 but it's buggy, although I expect a fix will come in due course.
5) The zoom is fantastic - no complaints there.
6) The battery life is good from what I can see - but I still worry that I'll forget to keep it charged, as it joins a list of things to keep topping up before I go out (Pebble watch, phone, portable battery pack/charger etc).
The QX100 is no doubt a LOT better in image quality, but at the extra price (and with the loss of zoom) I am not in the market for one anyway.
The QX10 is the nicer size, but I really don't know if I'm ever likely to use it enough to justify having purchased it. I hoped, perhaps rather stupidly, I'd be able to use this instead of my Sony NEX camera (even with the loss of a flash) but with the viewfinder lags, slow image transferring and so on - it's really not a viable alternative to a separate camera if you really need improved image quality, or a powerful zoom.
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Perfect honest answer thanks bud. I think you are right, I was looking at the qx100 as an upgrade to my point and shoot but I think I might just invest in a good dslr. If I am out trying to snap some great pics I usually head out on hikes with that intention. I don't think these devices are quite there yet. I have been impressed with how the main shooter on this phone performs and if I need something better I might as well bring a camera.
Once again thanks for your feedback, the tech head in me really wanted this lol
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bodson66 said:
Once again thanks for your feedback, the tech head in me really wanted this lol
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I think that's why I pre-ordered the QX10 and now regret it a bit. I'd be really gutted if I'd paid the extra for the QX100 - however good the photos.
I bought the QX10 on Amazon. I ultimately returned it for the Galaxy S4 zoom but I'm not sold on the Samsung either yet. I'll post my Amazon review here rather than re-creating it.
I bought this item after weeks of review and months of anticipation. After hearing about the launch I could NOT wait for the product to be released. The price seemed a little high so I waited a bit. I purchased an Amazon Wharehouse deal (probably from someone who posted a negative review and returned it) for the QX10
All I can say is its a mixed bag.
When it works it is fantastic. It's a great point and shoot camera with very simple controls, that produces great results. I was able to capture great long range zoomed shots of a soccer game that froze the action in place. I took some very low light shots of text from 3 feet away that was still very visible. I shot stills from both the macro level and far off zoomed and they all looked great. The Sony Auto modes are just what I need. Being able to operate the camera unattached from the phone is an added bonus. Since it is so small at a birthday party I was able to hold it high over my head and basically create a "crane" shot without actually having a tripod or large piece of equipment. Then I could see over all the other people to zoom in on the shot I wanted. I could see this being very usefull at a child's play or concert to get a unique point of view. I am a photographer so I know how to adjust manually if I need to but the point of a smart phone or point and shoot is to take pictures quickly that "just work". Sony has nailed the concept.
There are, however, issues. Like everybody has said in the negative reviews the connection can be iffy. Even on my Galaxy Note II the connection was hit or miss. It was a complete crap shoot as to whether the next time I touched the NFC tag, it would Open and Connect, Just Open and fail to connect, or do absolutely nothing. This is not the device you want to rely on to capture quick action. Once connected, however, I found the software to be pretty solid. I really like the ability to transfer photos to the device. I dug deeper and found a setting that lets you transfer the full image when copying. I would only recommend this when you have time as the files are quite large. I waited till the end of the day and transferred all 200 pictures at once, which took about 20 minutes. Still, its a great option, especially for someone like me who likes to backup everything to a shared NAS either nightly or every couple of nights.
Ultimately, this is a device you want to carry around but not necessarily use all the time. Use your phone for the pretty sunset you happen to catch on the way from the office of the silly shots at the bar. You bring along the QX10 to the Baseball stadium or a wedding to get those shots you want to look better as keepsakes, or when you need a Zoom. I guess you could say why not just bring along the DSLR on those occasions, but the QX10 is MUCH easier to carry. For instance at the Soccer game, I had my phone (as always) and all I needed for the Zoom ability was to slip the QX10 into my sweatshirt pocket where it sat till I needed it. No camera bag, or heavy camera body around my neck. If you can justify the price for that, I think it's a win.
Has anyone else found the phone case with the QX10 attachment to be very fragile? I mean 3 of the corners have cracked and 1 of those has broken (a small bit snapped off!). I've dropped the phone a couple of times but from very small distances but surely the case shouldn't break so easily? And yes I'd rather the case broke than the phone before someone asks
I haven't dropped my phone, yet, but that still sounds pretty bad. I did wonder how it would stand up to being attached and removed repeatedly, so I guess I probably have my answer now.
I don't use my QX10 much, so I only really keep the case on because it's the only case that still lets me use my DK31 dock.
The Sony Xperia-approved Roxfit case doesn't, and I'm unsure what other cases are on sale that do. I do have to wonder why Sony made two inserts for the dock when the 'larger' one really isn't large enough!
I should've also mentioned that when taking a picture with the internal camera, if the flash is used it bleeds across the lens as the case is a bit too much of a perfect fit. I'm torn because despite all this I still really like the functionality of the case due to the ease of attaching the QX10. Frustration guaranteed with this case it would seem.
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That's such a common problem with cases (my parents each had that issue with covers on their iPhones) that I'm amazed it still keeps happening!
But, happen it does.
I'm half tempted to go back to having the phone in no case at all, as I did for the first few days, but there's an obvious risk with this. Of course, it solves the problem with using the dock!
I got the QX100 and absolutely love the images it produces, the zoom is acceptable, low light is really good, colours are accurate, warm, sharp and the unit is easy to use, thats really were it ends.
I also purchased Z1 attachment case for AU$29 it is cheap looking, provides no protection top and bottom of phone and has sharp edges that are sure to scratch the anodizing from the Z1 side housings.
The software that pairs the two is appalling and real time viewing is inaccurate it is only when viewing the shots or video you can gauge the real quality ( I should add that the shots and vids comes out very nicely in most cases) hopefully software updates can improve upon this.
In summary (and I am no pro or photographer) the QX100 does a very very nice job of low light, artificial light and sunny conditions even in auto mode, even-though it is hard to gauge real time.
The facts are that most shots come out better than expected, is it worth $500+, hell no! but it is extremely cool and very convenient since it saves taking another device along. I would recommend this product if it were $200 cheaper or more, however, if you have money to burn I say burn! you'll love it.
Try Camera 360, which now has support for the QX lenses (and has had a recent fix for some bugs relating to transferring photos).
It still jerks as the viewfinder image is streamed to the phone, and that's the real weakness of the whole concept.
I have noticed Samsung came out with a camera phone in a more literal sense. But, I'm curious as to why the custom lenses are not a more popular item? Being able to change out the lens on my phone as I need to would add a huge level of customization and not too mention make the companies more money. Especially for well made premium lenses.
We've all seen the clips and attachments on Amazon or other websites. But, none of them are really thought out well. The clip moves around easily. The cases are ugly and useless for anyone who wants a protective case.
A lot of the lenses have defects even if they are small. Sure these items are cheap. But, that is my point. I spent some time looking and always got sent back to these ones. There's no higher end models nothing. I'd assume that would be because this idea is perceived as gimmicky. But, it's really not. Give me the ability to take a small plastic ring off my phone around the camera and attach my own custom lenses. You could charge oodles for higher tier lenses too.
Would reduce all the stuff I have to carry around with me everywhere for my camera.
Any thoughts as to why they don't support or carry their own custom lenses? The camera being an important feature for many of us on our phones. An improvement/addition like this I cannot see anything but perks of.
you should check sony qx10 and qx100
Either you have to carry your phone in a case with the lens attached, or take it out of your pocket and put on a lens each time you want to use it. Much easier to use a zoom-enabled digital camera, and the quality of photos is between better and much better. I always wondered why are they even produced. Yeah, I use my phone camera once in a while, but if I care enough to take a photo, I have a Canon rebel.
This is a cool gaming mouse that can definitely enhance your gaming!
In the box, you get the wired mouse itself, the driver disc, a carrying case (for the weights), and an instruction manual.
First Impressions: Wow, this is really nice! The moment you hold it in your hand, you know you’ve made the right decision by going with Sentey. I needed to first pop the driver disc into my computer and run through the setup so that I could use the mouse. After I went through that, I plugged in the mouse and was ready to go. It also installed a customization program to heavily customize the mouse with different profiles. You can adjust the CPI speed on-the-fly with the button on the mouse above the middle light. There are four different speeds: no light (really slow), red (medium), yellow (fast), and green (really fast). The buttons on the side are forward and backward. The cable is made of a braided wire, which feels pretty durable. Overall, the mouse feels like it has a nice, solid build. I can’t wait to try it out through my everyday use!
After using this for a while, I can definitely say that this is a great mouse! The main thing I love about it is the customizability and the ability to change the CPI speed on-the-fly! That can prove to be very useful in many games, especially in FPS. Even for everyday use, this mouse is great! Being able to customize every inch of the mouse is awesome! I can customize everything, from the main click to the side buttons. You can also adjust the weight of the mouse to your liking! This truly is a great product! It is comfortable, useful, and excels in its job. My only complaint about the product isn’t even about the actual product. It is about the accessory that comes with the product. One accessory is a storage case for the nine weights. I had to pry the case open with a knife before I could get it open! Before this, I thought I could twist the top off, but I ended up scraping off the paint. This was a bad experience for me, but since this wasn’t the actual product (which is perfect), I decided to not let it affect my rating. However, be warned that the case’s paint can easily come off and it is very hard to open. Definitely not something that I will be using very often. In the pictures I have posted, you can see the scraped off paint and how it looks now. Aside from this one conflict, this product is great. I do not think it is fair to say the product is bad just because of a faulty accessory, but that is definitely something that people need to know about.
I would recommend this mouse to anyone looking for an affordable mouse that will excel in terms of their expectations.
Overall, this is a great product that I would highly recommend (just stay away from the case for the weights).
I was provided a unit for testing purposes and I promised to provide a completely honest and fair review.
Unfortunately, I cannot post the link to this product on Amazon because posting commercial links is forbidden, but you can find it on Amazon by searching for the product's name that is in the title of this thread. Thanks!
***WARNING*** EXTREMELY LONG REVIEW ***WARNING***
TLDR:
If you’re serious about your photos, but don’t want to buy a dedicated camera, the lenses from Sirui offer so much versatility and creativity to the Pixel 3 - a phone that is already one of the best point and shoots in the world. After spending a week taking photos with them on vacation, I believe they are absolutely worth every penny!
Introduction:
I love photography - full stop. But I can’t stand the thought of spending $2,000 on a dedicated camera and another $2,000 on lenses and accessories. Plus, carrying all of that around doesn’t sound fun either. This is why I started using my phone’s camera as my primary shooter. The results of smartphone cameras have improved dramatically in the past 2-3 years to the point where I am proud to share my photos online with regularity. Granted, there is still only so much a fixed focal length lens on a smartphone can ever do – even if that smartphone is a Pixel. Enter, the moment lenses… (but wait, I thought this review was about Sirui lenses?!) Hang on. Sometimes we have to go back before we can go forward; we’ll get there…
Background:
Ever since the original Google Pixel was released, the camera was praised and lauded as the premier smartphone camera in the industry. At the time, I was not in the market for a new phone, but my mom was, so I suggested the Pixel to her. She loved it for more than just the camera, but every photo she sent to me just blew me away. It felt unfair that her phone took so much better pictures than mine. So, I decided to do what many of us tech enthusiasts do, and went online looking for deals on the Google Pixel. In case you don’t remember, the original Pixel did NOT have many (if any) promotions during its first 6 months on the market, making it very difficult for me to pull the trigger on a purchase – especially since I’m not a Verizon customer, nor will I ever be (that’s a topic for another review). Because of this struggle to find a deal, enough time passed to where I started hearing rumors about the Pixel 2. It was time to be patient and play the waiting game.
Months later, the Pixel 2 was announced and Google shocked the world with the highest DXO Mark score of any phone EVER – 98! (Yes, I know DXO scores are not the only way to judge camera performance, but this improvement was notable at the time). This score was up from the 89 that the original Pixel scored and knowing how impressed I was with the original, I immediately clicked ADD TO CART. The photos I was able to produce with the Pixel 2 were nothing less than INCREDIBLE. At family gatherings, family members would throw their iPhones aside and beg me to take pictures for them because my phone took such great photos. I was more and more impressed with each shot that I took with this phone. I would even try to take photos of increasingly challenging scenes just to see how far I could push the camera; intentionally breaking the rules of photography by shooting into direct sunlight, or seeking out areas of poor lighting, only to be in awe of the results every time. But these high flying feelings didn’t last forever.
Eventually, I started to get a little bored; bored by how easy it was to take a great photo, bored by how little editing was required to make each photo share-worthy, and simply bored by taking the same types of photos, just in different locations - portrait, landscape, flower, food, repeat. After a year of the greatest smartphone camera experience ever, I became eager to upgrade to the Pixel 3 to recapture that initial magic which my Pixel 2 seemed to have lost. But I was instantly disappointed; not by the Pixel 3’s camera performance, because it’s still class leading, but disappointed by the lack of “wow” factor that I felt with the Pixel 2. It didn’t have the same obvious improvement in photo quality thaw we saw from the original Pixel to the Pixel 2. I was temporarily wowed by the new Night Sight feature - which is pure magic if you ask me, but its use cases are limited and the older Pixels have that feature too. I finally turned to the internet to look for inspiration and found increasingly frequent articles and videos touting the advantages of Moment lenses.
These Moment lens advertisements *ahem* articles and video reviews showed me a new world of photographic possibilities that I simply could not replicate with with my Pixel 2 or 3 alone. They could take portrait photos with natural bokeh without any edge detection failures, and they could take breathtaking wide angle shots to give the scene more drama than the standard focal length lens. And finally, they had a macro lens which I thought would be a game changer. You can always zoom in/out with your feet, but the details that can be seen with a macro lens cannot be imitated. I had to have them! After browsing the Moment website for a moment (no pun intended), I was quickly turned off by the astronomical pricing for these lenses. I simply could not justify paying $100 per lens, plus another $30 for the case required to attach the lenses. After tax, it would have easily surpassed $350 for the set. The dream was dead.
Fast forward a couple months and I stumbled upon an article comparing the Moment lenses with a new lens kit from Rhinosheild. (Seriously - Rhinosheild?! Hurry up and get to the Sirui lenses already) Hang on, almost there... I was excited because these new lenses appeared to be much cheaper than Moment’s, but my excitement was quickly tempered by the side-by-side photo comparisons. IN the review, the Rhinosheild photos looked down right terrible. Somehow, their lenses made the camera’s photos look worse. I kept searching for alternatives and finally stumbled upon Sirui lenses. At the time, there were a handful of decent reviews for them and they were only a fraction of the cost of the Moment lenses. And to top it all off, they fit perfectly onto Moment brand cases. You know the drill by now… ADD TO CART!
The Review:
It took a while, but we’re finally at the review you were looking for. I purchased the Sirui 3-lens kit from Amazon for the grand total of $160 (before taxes) and I purchased the Moment case (wood grain model) for $30. Just in case you skipped the background, let me reiterate that the equivalent set from Moment (without a carrying case) would cost me over $330! The Sirui lens kit comes with 3 lenses (wide angle, portrait & macro), a hard shell carrying case, and a universal lens clip for those who don’t have a compatible phone case. Now of course, I braced myself for these lenses to be of marginal quality to help save on price. I held my breath as I opened the package and inspected the contents.
Build Quality - 5/5 Stars
To my pleasant surprise, they looked and felt very nice. The weight of the lenses was more substantial than I expected, and reassured me they were truly made of metal and glass. Although I’m not much of a fan of the bright red and blue colors for the macro and portrait lenses respectively, so far, neither appears as though the color would fade or chip easily. Scratches however are a real concern so I do not dare set these lenses down on any surface which is harder than a microfiber cloth. Speaking of which, the package includes a small microfiber cloth for cleaning the lenses as needed. It tucks away nicely into the sturdy and fairly rugged case which holds all 3 lenses. The case even has a metal clip/hook that can be secured to just about anything when traveling.
Wide Angle Lens - 4/5 Stars
The wide angle lens has a focal length of 18mm and doesn’t have that unnatural fisheye look of the original V-series LG phones. I’ve found it great to use for the following 3 scenarios:
When taking a picture of a landscape (obviously) or anything that’s too big or tall to fit within the view of the standard focal length. Turn the camera vertically to capture tall buildings or statues.
When taking pictures in a cramped space - real estate agents would love this to make any room look larger and more spacious; especially when you can’t step back any further for a better perspective.
When using the Pixel’s portrait mode - it allows for background blur without cropping in as far. This one isn’t my original idea. I found it on one of the reviews I read.
This lens has proven to be quite versatile; more so than I expected when I purchased it. The lens doesn’t overly distort the scene and the image looks clear and detailed almost all the way to the corners. I only gave it 4 stars though because I wish the focal length was just a hair wider. It may be personal preference, but maybe 16mm would be ideal for my use cases. I found that I could easily replicate the wide angle viewpoint in a few cases by taking just a few steps backward, making the lens less useful in those scenarios.
Portrait Lens - 5/5 Stars
I did not expect to be as impressed with this lens as I was. I was already using my Pixel 3 in portrait mode for background blur to great success, so having a dedicated portrait lens felt redundant. I was WRONG! The portrait lens creates such a smooth and natural background blur that is every bit as satisfying as a dedicated camera. The artificial bokeh (or fokeh) that smartphones are using just doesn’t compare. This lens is the largest and heaviest of the three, so it takes a bit more effort to balance the phone when taking photos. The 60mm focal length does place you much closer to your subject so taking a few steps back is often required, causing your amateur subject to wonder if you’re doing something wrong. I originally planned to give this lens only 4 stars because it does have one small “flaw” that I can find: it’s not exactly razor sharp, or at least, not as sharp as I expected it to be. Granted, it’s sharp enough, and probably just as sharp as the Pixel 3’s lens. But for no reason at all, I just expected the results to be sharper. The reason why I kept the 5 star rating, however, is because of the added benefit of the 60mm focal length. It offers a true optical zoom to the Pixel 3, which already has a fairly impressive digital zoom, and the combination of both offers significant reach that neither could provide alone. I’ve found that I can zoom in up to 8x without critical loss of detail. It’s a very capable lens. I can remove it for normal/wide angle shots, and put it back on for portrait or telephoto shots. If I could only carry one single lens, this would be the one.
Macro Lens - 4/5 Stars
Macro photography is an area where smartphones generally struggle. Software simply cannot overcome the minimum focus distance of the hardware, resulting in blurry photos when positioned too close to the subject. Some of the most dramatic photos can be achieved through macro photography, and this lens is the tool I needed to complete my smartphone photography journey. The Macro lens offers a 10x magnification (not zoom) of the subject so you can see every detail in a flower petal, drop of water, or grain of sand. It highlights details that are barely visible to my naked eye and really brings everyday objects to life. The lens even comes with a light diffusing, removable hood to prevent harsh shadows as you hold the phone so closely to your subject. Be careful though, as you have to hold the lense within 1-2 cm of the subject and risk scratching the lens by contact. I prefer to use the lens hood to help protect the lens. The moment I feel the hood touch my subject, I know not to get any closer. My only complaint is the SUPER shallow depth of field doesn’t allow me to take full advantage of the sensor area. I’m sure it is a standard characteristic of macro lenses, but I find that only the very center of my photo is in focus while the rest of the frame is quite blurry. This forces me to crop out half of my photo before sharing so that only the in-focus area is presented. With phone sensors being so small, cropping really sacrifices the final resolution of the photo.
Conclusion:
I took the Sirui Lens kit with me on a trip to Cancun recently and was able to get some fantastic shots that I absolutely would have not been able to achieve with the Pixel 3 alone. Even though my wife is pregnant, she was a willing model for me on our vacation. And if you know anything about most women, they can be very critical of how they look in photos. She came away from the experience quite impressed with the results and has even given me permission to share them with complete strangers on the internet. There is a link to an album of sample images at the end of this review.
Bottom line - if you are looking to take your smartphone photography to the next level, and aren’t willing to shell out the cash for a Moment lens system, give the Sirui lenses a shot (does that count as a pun?). As long as you don’t expect these lenses to turn your phone into a DSLR, then I doubt you’ll be disappointed. And as you can probably tell by my willingness to write this lengthy review, I certainly am not.
Bonus:
Moment Photo Case - 4/5 Stars
I am fairly impressed with the Moment Photo Case. It is offered for the Pixel 3 in three colors and I chose the black with wood grain backplate. It looked the classiest of the three to me and it certainly feels premium in the hand. It’s bulkier than the ultra thin X-level cases I typically use on my phone, but nowhere near as thick as an Otterbox Commuter or anything like that. The threaded connection for the lenses is super easy to use, requiring only a quarter turn to secure and release the lens. The lenses are also clearly marked in a way that helps you quickly align the threads. I docked it’s rating just a little for the price. In a world of $10 cases, $30 seems a bit steep, but is ultimately required to complete the experience. I also wish Moment made a battery case for the Pixel 3, as this would turn the phone and Sirui lens kit into the ultimate photography tool. Anyone who takes a bunch of photos knows the toll it takes on the battery. And due to the somewhat cumbersome nature of swapping lenses, you typically only carry them with you when you plan to take a lot of pictures. Hopefully, a Moment battery case will be developed some day. Do you think they’ll ever read this review?
Link to Sample Photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HakfHBeif8FekCPv7
Hey, i'm interested in these lenses but i can't seem to find them online (also i can't find the case you're talking about) could you dm me a link?
Thanks for your review. I have the portrait and have a problem, the pictures look bland and not sharp. I had that lens with my old Pixel 2 and it worked fine.
I just got 2 lenses. One from Apexel with 120 degrees capture but there is some distortion and problems with focus on the corners.
Just got the 18mm Sirui and this is a whole other lens. Sharp images with huge quality compare with the Apexel. Though it is only 95 degrees. But no distortion or problems with sharpness.
I am loving it. I know Sirui now on Aliexpress has a new version which from reviews they are saying are even better than Moment now. I just didn't want to wait 2 to 4 weeks so I bought the only one I found here in Brazil available.
---------- Post added at 11:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 AM ----------
Since I had the same doubts I will attach one example for each lenses.
You can look the difference.
For the Sirui will see a clean and good image.
For Apexel, check the right and left side of the picture. Center is clear and sharp but corners are bad.
YorbenB said:
Hey, i'm interested in these lenses but i can't seem to find them online (also i can't find the case you're talking about) could you dm me a link?
Click to expand...
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From what I understand, this lens kit is not sold in all regions across the world. I am specifically talking about one of the many kits available on the US Amazon website.
Is this one done with portrait lens: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9xcJ7TdFfdVMDfL7A and the other without just with the Pixel's default focal length?
The Pixel is doing quite well in wide angle but I'm looking for a descent lens towards zoom (or maybe portrait).
TGHH said:
Is this one done with portrait lens: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9xcJ7TdFfdVMDfL7A and the other without just with the Pixel's default focal length?
The Pixel is doing quite well in wide angle but I'm looking for a descent lens towards zoom (or maybe portrait).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None of the linked photos where taken with the Pixel lens alone. All included the Sirui lens attachments. The wider shot was taken with the wide angle lens.
Thank you for the review. I miss my ultra wide lens from my LG. And miss from the pixel 4. I hesitate between stay with my pixel 3 and go to the Moment Case and sirui lens oder buying a f*cking iPhone 11 Pro...
I ask myself if the system really practicable is. The shot the moment fast.
cle_m_ent said:
Thank you for the review. I miss my ultra wide lens from my LG. And miss from the pixel 4. I hesitate between stay with my pixel 3 and go to the Moment Case and sirui lens oder buying a f*cking iPhone 11 Pro...
I ask myself if the system really practicable is. The shot the moment fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a fair question to ask. For casual snap shots, the separate lenses make no sense.
***WARNING*** EXTREMELY LONG REVIEW ***WARNING***
TLDR:
If you’re serious about your photos, but don’t want to buy a dedicated camera, the lenses from Sirui offer so much versatility and creativity to the Pixel 3 - a phone that is already one of the best point and shoots in the world. After spending a week taking photos with them on vacation, I believe they are absolutely worth every penny!
Introduction:
I love photography - full stop. But I can’t stand the thought of spending $2,000 on a dedicated camera and another $2,000 on lenses and accessories. Plus, carrying all of that around doesn’t sound fun either. This is why I started using my phone’s camera as my primary shooter. The results of smartphone cameras have improved dramatically in the past 2-3 years to the point where I am proud to share my photos online with regularity. Granted, there is still only so much a fixed focal length lens on a smartphone can ever do – even if that smartphone is a Pixel. Enter, the moment lenses… (but wait, I thought this review was about Sirui lenses?!) Hang on. Sometimes we have to go back before we can go forward; we’ll get there…
Background:
Ever since the original Google Pixel was released, the camera was praised and lauded as the premier smartphone camera in the industry. At the time, I was not in the market for a new phone, but my mom was, so I suggested the Pixel to her. She loved it for more than just the camera, but every photo she sent to me just blew me away. It felt unfair that her phone took so much better pictures than mine. So, I decided to do what many of us tech enthusiasts do, and went online looking for deals on the Google Pixel. In case you don’t remember, the original Pixel did NOT have many (if any) promotions during its first 6 months on the market, making it very difficult for me to pull the trigger on a purchase – especially since I’m not a Verizon customer, nor will I ever be (that’s a topic for another review). Because of this struggle to find a deal, enough time passed to where I started hearing rumors about the Pixel 2. It was time to be patient and play the waiting game.
Months later, the Pixel 2 was announced and Google shocked the world with the highest DXO Mark score of any phone EVER – 98! (Yes, I know DXO scores are not the only way to judge camera performance, but this improvement was notable at the time). This score was up from the 89 that the original Pixel scored and knowing how impressed I was with the original, I immediately clicked ADD TO CART. The photos I was able to produce with the Pixel 2 were nothing less than INCREDIBLE. At family gatherings, family members would throw their iPhones aside and beg me to take pictures for them because my phone took such great photos. I was more and more impressed with each shot that I took with this phone. I would even try to take photos of increasingly challenging scenes just to see how far I could push the camera; intentionally breaking the rules of photography by shooting into direct sunlight, or seeking out areas of poor lighting, only to be in awe of the results every time. But these high flying feelings didn’t last forever.
Eventually, I started to get a little bored; bored by how easy it was to take a great photo, bored by how little editing was required to make each photo share-worthy, and simply bored by taking the same types of photos, just in different locations - portrait, landscape, flower, food, repeat. After a year of the greatest smartphone camera experience ever, I became eager to upgrade to the Pixel 3 to recapture that initial magic which my Pixel 2 seemed to have lost. But I was instantly disappointed; not by the Pixel 3’s camera performance, because it’s still class leading, but disappointed by the lack of “wow” factor that I felt with the Pixel 2. It didn’t have the same obvious improvement in photo quality thaw we saw from the original Pixel to the Pixel 2. I was temporarily wowed by the new Night Sight feature - which is pure magic if you ask me, but its use cases are limited and the older Pixels have that feature too. I finally turned to the internet to look for inspiration and found increasingly frequent articles and videos touting the advantages of Moment lenses.
These Moment lens advertisements *ahem* articles and video reviews showed me a new world of photographic possibilities that I simply could not replicate with with my Pixel 2 or 3 alone. They could take portrait photos with natural bokeh without any edge detection failures, and they could take breathtaking wide angle shots to give the scene more drama than the standard focal length lens. And finally, they had a macro lens which I thought would be a game changer. You can always zoom in/out with your feet, but the details that can be seen with a macro lens cannot be imitated. I had to have them! After browsing the Moment website for a moment (no pun intended), I was quickly turned off by the astronomical pricing for these lenses. I simply could not justify paying $100 per lens, plus another $30 for the case required to attach the lenses. After tax, it would have easily surpassed $350 for the set. The dream was dead.
Fast forward a couple months and I stumbled upon an article comparing the Moment lenses with a new lens kit from Rhinosheild. (Seriously - Rhinosheild?! Hurry up and get to the Sirui lenses already) Hang on, almost there... I was excited because these new lenses appeared to be much cheaper than Moment’s, but my excitement was quickly tempered by the side-by-side photo comparisons. IN the review, the Rhinosheild photos looked down right terrible. Somehow, their lenses made the camera’s photos look worse. I kept searching for alternatives and finally stumbled upon Sirui lenses. At the time, there were a handful of decent reviews for them and they were only a fraction of the cost of the Moment lenses. And to top it all off, they fit perfectly onto Moment brand cases. You know the drill by now… ADD TO CART!
The Review:
It took a while, but we’re finally at the review you were looking for. I purchased the Sirui 3-lens kit from Amazon for the grand total of $160 (before taxes) and I purchased the Moment case (wood grain model) for $30. Just in case you skipped the background, let me reiterate that the equivalent set from Moment (without a carrying case) would cost me over $330! The Sirui lens kit comes with 3 lenses (wide angle, portrait & macro), a hard shell carrying case, and a universal lens clip for those who don’t have a compatible phone case. Now of course, I braced myself for these lenses to be of marginal quality to help save on price. I held my breath as I opened the package and inspected the contents.
Build Quality - 5/5 Stars
To my pleasant surprise, they looked and felt very nice. The weight of the lenses was more substantial than I expected, and reassured me they were truly made of metal and glass. Although I’m not much of a fan of the bright red and blue colors for the macro and portrait lenses respectively, so far, neither appears as though the color would fade or chip easily. Scratches however are a real concern so I do not dare set these lenses down on any surface which is harder than a microfiber cloth. Speaking of which, the package includes a small microfiber cloth for cleaning the lenses as needed. It tucks away nicely into the sturdy and fairly rugged case which holds all 3 lenses. The case even has a metal clip/hook that can be secured to just about anything when traveling.
Wide Angle Lens - 4/5 Stars
The wide angle lens has a focal length of 18mm and doesn’t have that unnatural fisheye look of the original V-series LG phones. I’ve found it great to use for the following 3 scenarios:
When taking a picture of a landscape (obviously) or anything that’s too big or tall to fit within the view of the standard focal length. Turn the camera vertically to capture tall buildings or statues.
When taking pictures in a cramped space - real estate agents would love this to make any room look larger and more spacious; especially when you can’t step back any further for a better perspective.
When using the Pixel’s portrait mode - it allows for background blur without cropping in as far. This one isn’t my original idea. I found it on one of the reviews I read.
This lens has proven to be quite versatile; more so than I expected when I purchased it. The lens doesn’t overly distort the scene and the image looks clear and detailed almost all the way to the corners. I only gave it 4 stars though because I wish the focal length was just a hair wider. It may be personal preference, but maybe 16mm would be ideal for my use cases. I found that I could easily replicate the wide angle viewpoint in a few cases by taking just a few steps backward, making the lens less useful in those scenarios.
Portrait Lens - 5/5 Stars
I did not expect to be as impressed with this lens as I was. I was already using my Pixel 3 in portrait mode for background blur to great success, so having a dedicated portrait lens felt redundant. I was WRONG! The portrait lens creates such a smooth and natural background blur that is every bit as satisfying as a dedicated camera. The artificial bokeh (or fokeh) that smartphones are using just doesn’t compare. This lens is the largest and heaviest of the three, so it takes a bit more effort to balance the phone when taking photos. The 60mm focal length does place you much closer to your subject so taking a few steps back is often required, causing your amateur subject to wonder if you’re doing something wrong. I originally planned to give this lens only 4 stars because it does have one small “flaw” that I can find: it’s not exactly razor sharp, or at least, not as sharp as I expected it to be. Granted, it’s sharp enough, and probably just as sharp as the Pixel 3’s lens. But for no reason at all, I just expected the results to be sharper. The reason why I kept the 5 star rating, however, is because of the added benefit of the 60mm focal length. It offers a true optical zoom to the Pixel 3, which already has a fairly impressive digital zoom, and the combination of both offers significant reach that neither could provide alone. I’ve found that I can zoom in up to 8x without critical loss of detail. It’s a very capable lens. I can remove it for normal/wide angle shots, and put it back on for portrait or telephoto shots. If I could only carry one single lens, this would be the one.
Macro Lens - 4/5 Stars
Macro photography is an area where smartphones generally struggle. Software simply cannot overcome the minimum focus distance of the hardware, resulting in blurry photos when positioned too close to the subject. Some of the most dramatic photos can be achieved through macro photography, and this lens is the tool I needed to complete my smartphone photography journey. The Macro lens offers a 10x magnification (not zoom) of the subject so you can see every detail in a flower petal, drop of water, or grain of sand. It highlights details that are barely visible to my naked eye and really brings everyday objects to life. The lens even comes with a light diffusing, removable hood to prevent harsh shadows as you hold the phone so closely to your subject. Be careful though, as you have to hold the lens within 1-2 cm of the subject and risk scratching the lens by contact. I prefer to use the lens hood to help protect the lens. The moment I feel the hood touch my subject, I know not to get any closer. My only complaint is the SUPER shallow depth of field doesn’t allow me to take full advantage of the sensor area. I’m sure it is a standard characteristic of macro lenses, but I find that only the very center of my photo is in focus while the rest of the frame is quite blurry. This forces me to crop out half of my photo before sharing so that only the in-focus area is presented. With phone sensors being so small, cropping really sacrifices the final resolution of the photo.
Conclusion:
I took the Sirui Lens kit with me on a trip to Cancun recently and was able to get some fantastic shots that I absolutely would have not been able to achieve with the Pixel 3 alone. Even though my wife is pregnant, she was a willing model for me on our vacation. And if you know anything about most women, they can be very critical of how they look in photos. She came away from the experience quite impressed with the results and has even given me permission to share them with complete strangers on the internet. There is a link to an album of sample images at the end of this review.
Bottom line - if you are looking to take your smartphone photography to the next level, and aren’t willing to shell out the cash for a Moment lens system, give the Sirui lenses a shot (does that count as a pun?). As long as you don’t expect these lenses to turn your phone into a DSLR, then I doubt you’ll be disappointed. And as you can probably tell by my willingness to write this lengthy review, I certainly am not.
Bonus:
Moment Photo Case - 4/5 Stars
I am fairly impressed with the Moment Photo Case. It is offered for the Pixel 3 in three colors and I chose the black with wood grain backplate. It looked the classiest of the three to me and it certainly feels premium in the hand. It’s bulkier than the ultra thin X-level cases I typically use on my phone, but nowhere near as thick as an Otterbox Commuter or anything like that. The threaded connection for the lenses is super easy to use, requiring only a quarter turn to secure and release the lens. The lenses are also clearly marked in a way that helps you quickly align the threads. I docked it’s rating just a little for the price. In a world of $10 cases, $30 seems a bit steep, but is ultimately required to complete the experience. I also wish Moment made a battery case for the Pixel 3, as this would turn the phone and Sirui lens kit into the ultimate photography tool. Anyone who takes a bunch of photos knows the toll it takes on the battery. And due to the somewhat cumbersome nature of swapping lenses, you typically only carry them with you when you plan to take a lot of pictures. Hopefully, a Moment battery case will be developed some day. Do you think they’ll ever read this review?
Link to Sample Photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HakfHBeif8FekCPv7
Fantastic review. I have a mix of Sirui and Moment. I have the Moment wide angle and macro lenses and the Sirui portrait lens. Build quality between the Sirui and the Moment are on par as far as I can tell. Definitely used both the wide angle and portrait lenses a lot on a recent trip to NYC. Haven't really found much use for the macro lens yet, but I do want to play with it more when I go somewhere with a little more nature, and less concrete jungle.