DIY: iPhone Macro
I was playing with a big toy magnifying glass with my daughters one day, and thought, “hmm, I wonder if I can use this with a camera”. Sure enough, it worked, but the big plastic lens in the toy had quality issues. With a better lens, this could be a really interesting thing!
So I did a bit of googling and found the site Optics Planet. They have many different magnifiers, from very cheap models to “Whoa! That’s pricey!” items from Carl Zeiss.
I settled on the next tier down from Zeiss, which is a range from Bausch and Lomb called Hastings Triplet Loupes. They are a three element design, and had good quality reviews. I also liked how it had a metal body with a loop for a lanyard or other tether. I chose the 10x model, and placed my order.
It showed up this past Friday and exceeded my expectations for quality. I took this photo of a dime to check it out…
Whoa!
Here’s how it looks to use it with the phone…
So I went for a hike that evening and brought the magnifier with me. Got some neat pictures of plants and animals…
Go forth and capture the tiny world around us. It’s easy!