CircularPolarization
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Olloclip's Telephoto + Circular Polarizing Lens: Up close and personal
For iPhone photography, the Olloclip 3-in-1 lens kit (US$69.99) has no peer. The kit includes high quality wide-angle, fisheye, and macro lenses ... but no telephoto lens. That hole in the Olloclip line has now been filled with the addition of the new Telephoto + Circular Polarizing Lens ($99.99) kit. This lens and filter combo is available for order now, and was scheduled to ship in late July, 2013 -- that date, of course, has come and gone, and the Olloclip website is still showing that the telephoto can only be pre-ordered. Design The telephoto lens is a 2X lens, meaning that everything seen through it is magnified optically by two times. Like the other Olloclip lenses, the telephoto is made from optical glass and aluminum, much more durable and optically superior than plastic. The entire little kit comes in two microfiber bags, one containing the circular polarizing lens and the other containing the iPhone 5 adapter with the telephoto. The telephoto can be used by itself, or the circular polarizing lens can be slipped onto the front of the telephoto lens to reduce glare and provide richer color. %Gallery-195776% Like the 3-in-1 lens kit, the telephoto can be used with a "naked" iPhone 5 or in concert with the Quick-Flip Case ($49.99) that adds a tripod mount and cold shoe to the mix. Functionality Like the 3-in-1 kit, the telephoto is a piece of cake to install. You simply slip the adapter over the camera lens on your iPhone 5 and the lens lines up perfectly. You can use the telephoto with any iPhone camera app, or for extra capability in terms of focusing you can download the free Olloclip app. To give the Olloclip Telephoto and Circular Polarizing Lens a workout, I went for a walk in our local greenbelt, which is filled with marshy areas that are loaded with cattails and prairie wildflowers this time of year. To demonstrate the telephoto capability I took some shots with the regular iPhone 5 lens, then with the Telephoto Lens with the Circular Polarizing Lens attached and adjusted (rotated) for maximum effect. The results can be viewed in the gallery below -- note that in each case, I have placed the non-telephoto image first, followed by an image through the telephoto. The final pair of images shows how the polarizer can be used to minimize reflections on water. %Gallery-195775% The optics in both the telephoto and polarizer are pretty good. I liked the fact that there was no visible vignetting; some third-party lenses I've used have shown the telltale edge shadowing of vignetting, while the images with the Olloclip telephoto were bright and clear across the frame. Conclusion While not exactly inexpensive, the Olloclip telephoto and circular polarizing lens are a perfect accompaniment to the company's wide-angle offerings for avid iPhone photographers. Pros Excellent build quality No vignetting of magnified telephoto image Coated lens reduces reflections to a minimum Circular Polarizer works very well for increasing sky/cloud contrast, reducing water reflections Included microfiber carry bags can be used to clean lens surfaces Cons Somewhat expensive, although the product quality is top-notch Might not be usable with future versions of the iPhone Who is it for? The hard-core iPhone photographer who uses the phone as his or her sole camera
Samsung, JVC pick RealD tech for their new 3D LCD televisions
A part of 3D's assault on the home theater this year is a battle over which glasses technology each manufacturer will choose, and after locking up Sony RealD has announced its tech is coming alongside new displays from JVC and Samsung. While JVC's 3D LCDs will use circular polarized passive glasses (like the ones you've probably worn at the movies) Samsung is promising to work on both active shutter LCD and passive eyewear models -- no word yet on any Gucci tie-ins, but it's still early.
Ready or not, the latest 3D technology is coming home
Avid readers of Engadget HD are up on the latest 3D display and display technologies, but the same can not be said for the general masses. And before you start on the whole "I'm not wearing any stupid looking glasses," because no matter what you say, there are more people paying extra to go 3D movies than ever and the reason is simple; it's because this isn't like the crappy 3D you saw during the Super Bowl last year -- or that our parents grew up with. No, the 3D that Sony, Panasonic, and others are promising next year is like nothing you've seen. We've come a long way since the old anaglyph red and blue glasses that come in cereal boxes. So if like most, you could use a refresher on the 3D technologies and when you might get to use them, you should head on over and check it out.
