This $299 Lens Attachment Gives Your iPhone 17 Pro Up to 24x Zoom

Apple was a bit slow and late to the telephoto game. Even today, the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 4x optical zoom still pales in comparison to the competition. Don’t get us wrong, the cameras are great, but it doesn’t zoom as far as other Android phones. But if you’re an iPhone 17 Pro user looking for extended zoom, Sandmarc has unveiled a new 24x zoom 72mm lens attachment that could be worth checking out.

Sandmarc launches iPhone 17 Pro 24x zoom lens attachment

At the moment, Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro offers 4x optical zoom at a 100mm equivalent focal length, but this Sandmarc lens attachment bumps that to 24x zoom. Now, a lot of phones offer digital zoom, but it’s not quite the same thing.

For those unfamiliar, digital zoom is basically your phone cropping the image. How good the results are can be determined by your phone’s sensor size. For instance, a phone with an 8MP sensor probably won’t retain as many details after cropping compared to a 48MP sensor.

Optical zoom, on the other hand, preserves those details. In this case, Sandmarc claims that iPhone users can expect 12x optical zoom if shooting at the full 48MP resolution. Alternatively, they can get up to 24x zoom if they shoot at 24MP. The lens itself features a multi-element and multi-coated glass construction. The company says this preserves sharpness and color accuracy. It also helps reduce flare.

However, in case the photo above wasn’t already obvious, this adds serious bulk to your phone. The lens attachment weighs 180 grams. You’ll also need to attach it to Sandmarc’s case and filter mount system. This means it isn’t exactly a very pocketable setup. But for mobile photographers serious about their craft, it could be a useful accessory.

So, how much will this cost?

Unfortunately, Sandmarc’s 72mm lens won’t come cheap. The lens itself is priced at $299. However, like we said, you’ll need to get the accompanying case and filter mount system for it to work. This will add to the overall costs. But if you want to take your phone photography game to the next level, it might be a worthwhile investment. 

Typically speaking, these third-party lenses work pretty well across multiple generations. You’ll definitely need newer compatible cases in the future, but you can probably still keep using the lens.

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