ShiftCam Introduces LensUltra Smartphone Lenses
ShiftCam’s LensUltra smartphone lenses are the world’s first to be made of fluorite, which the company claims provides photographers with unrivaled clarity and better bokeh. It’s not a brand-new concept to use fluorite in camera lenses. A naturally occurring crystal called fluorite has unique qualities that make it ideal for use in the production of lenses. As a result, it has been utilized by the top brands that create standalone optics for many years.
“Fluorite enhances image quality by reducing color fringing and improving color accuracy,” says ShiftCam, the company that produced the ProGrip. “Its unique optical properties make it ideal for camera lenses, resulting in sharper, clearer, and more precise images.
Although fluorite is frequently utilized in full-size lenses made for standalone cameras, according to ShiftCam, it has not been used in lenses made for mobile photography.
ShiftCam claims to have developed a line of lenses built with premium materials and cutting-edge optical processes commonly found in full-size lenses for photography and video use.
“At ShiftCam, we are dedicated to enabling the creation of cherished memories. Our mission since early 2017 has been to revolutionize mobile photography by developing compact, comprehensive, and convenient tools that enhance the quality of mobile shooting,” the company says. “We seek to create a seamless transition between the mobile phone and professional camera experience, enabling users to capture high-quality images effortlessly. Our products are designed with a passion for adding value to professionals and empowering amateurs to tell their unique stories. We believe everyone has a story to share with the world, and we provide the tools to do just that.”
The primary goal of the lenses is to give mobile photographers a way to overcome the restrictions of using only built-in smartphone optics. ShiftCam claims that its LensUltra can transform a smartphone into a capture device that dramatically increases image quality rather than depending on computational techniques that frequently sacrifice clarity.
The LensUltra set has seven lenses: a 60mm telephoto, a 75mm macro, a 16mm wide angle, a 10x typical macro, a 200-degree fisheye, and two anamorphic lenses for video use: a 1.33x cinematic wide and a 1.55x super-wide.
All the lenses mount to a smartphone using ShiftCam’s Universal Lens Mount or Camera Case. According to the producer, the case is compatible with iPhone models from 11 to 14 and Samsung Galaxy S23. At the same time, the lenses are compatible with most phones using the Universal Lens Mount. Additionally, the case promises two meters of drop protection.
Two more filters, a variable neutral density, and a circular polarizer, are part of the LensUltra line.
The LensUltra is available for funding on Kickstarter, with prices ranging from $119 for a single photography lens to $850 for the entire collection of lenses and filters.
