Holga lens effects iPhone case

Wouldn't you love to be able to preview iPhone photo special effects before you take a picture? The status quo for photography apps like Instagram right now seem to be that you shoot the picture, and then apply an effect. Our friends at Engadget pointed out that the Holga folks have now come up with what they call the Holga iPhone Lens Filter Kit SLFT-IP4 (US$24.99 plus $5.25 shipping), which provides physical effect lens filters instead of those cheesy digital equivalents.

The case looks vaguely like a rotary dial for an iPhone 4 or 4S, with the dial providing ten different filters. As noted on the Holga Direct website, those ten filters do the following:

1. Dual Image Lens: Produces 2 identical images similar to a Holga 2-way split image filter

2. Triple Image Lens: Produces 3 identical images similar to a Holga 3-way split image filter

3. Quadruple Image Lens: Produces 4 identical images similar to a Holga 4-way split image filter

4. 60mm Macro Lens: For taking photos at approximately 60mm from the lens

5. Empty Hole: For taking images with no effect

6. Red Filter with Clear Heart Shape Centre: Reduces absorption of blue & green lights with clear heart shape centre to stand out

7. Red Filter: Reduces absorption of blue and green light

8. Green Filter: Enhances green colors

9. Yellow Filter with Clear Center: Clear circular spot in center to stand out with surroundings in pale yellow to mimic sunset

10. Blue Filter with Clear Center: Clear circular spot in center to stand out with surroundings in blue to mimic gentle moon atmosphere

For about $30, you can get some really incredible photos. If you'd like to see what each of the filters can do for your photography, be sure to take a look at the examples shown here. Me? I'd love one just for the retro-looking case.