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Even though most smartphone cameras come with digital zoom, which allows us to approach the subject, doing so decreases the general resolution obtaining a much more pixelated photo. Some of the newest smartphones, for example the iPhone 7 Plus, are an exception as they include two lenses, letting your subject appear twice as close to the camera without losing resolution. But this setup is still limited, as you can only zoom in, not out.

This is the reason people started looking for extra optics which you can add on top of your phone’s existing camera. A macro or tele lens, for example, will make your subject appear closer, whereas a wide angle or fisheye lens will allow you to capture a wider scene, in effect making the subject appear farther away from what you are capturing. 

These lenses make this possible without losing resolution, however, some of the lenses can produce some noticeable blurriness and color distortion around the edges of the frame. To make sure that your images are as sharp as possible, it is therefore important to know which lenses are the best in the market. After all, a lens should enhance, not deteriorate, your images.

At the same time, a good lens attachment needs to, obviously, be portable and easy to use. If a specific case is required, it should be good enough that you would consider using it every day, if not, you will end up not using it.

Taking all of this into consideration, here is a list of what we believe to be the best 7 lenses in the market today:

1. Olloclip 4-in-1 Lens

With a cost of 80$ and only available for iPhone, this impressive kit of lenses include a fisheye, wide-angle, 10x macro and 15x macro lens. This kit also comes with wearable pendants which keep the lens instantly accessible and make them compatible for both front and rear cameras on the iPhone for first time ever. They are compact, have an easy-to-use design and weigh less than an ounce.

Olloclip has also a telephoto lens option, with a 2x magnification with almost no distortion and good sharpness, improving color saturation and removing glare and reflections. The only inconvenient is its cost of 100$, 20$ more than the 4-in-1 lens kit.

2. Moment Lenses

If you have entered any of our latest Shutta photo contests, you may know that we love this line of lenses; we give them away as a prize quite often. Moment offers a selection of lenses for both iPhones and many Android devices for 100$ each, which we consider worth it because of the great image quality they provide. Specifically, wide-angle and the telephoto lenses are among the best on the market, providing sharp and crisp images, but you can also find a superfish and a macro option. These lenses, attached to your phone by a magnetic plate, have a bigger size and a higher weigh than others, but they deliver a very low amount of distortion.

3. iPro

As you can probably tell by its name, iPro lenses are only for iPhone devices. The user can choose between a fisheye, super wide, wide and macro option for a cost from 40$ to 80$ for each depending on the lens. These lenses deliver excellent optical quality, very similar to the Moment lenses one, but they require an special case which currently costs about 85$. The case has the appropriate texture to make the phone feel secure in your hands, and it's also easy to put it on and take it off.

4. Manfrotto

The Manfrotto set of 3 lenses includes a fisheye, wide and telephoto 1.5x portrait option for 40$, only compatible with iPhone devices. Each lens is made of solid aluminum and outfitted with thick and high-clarity glass. The portrait lens is one of the best lenses for portraiture in the market, as it captures the image with a correct three-dimensional outcome. For this model the user needs an specific plastic case to attach the lenses via a threaded screw mount.

5. CamKix

This model offers a set of four lenses - tele, fisheye, macro and wide angle - for a 50$ prize range, only compatible for iPhone devices. Inside the kit users will also find the iPhone case required to attach the lenses to the phone, and a small tripod that hold the phone in place. These lenses’ image quality isn’t as good as other ones, because of a substantial blurring, distortion, and noticeable vignetting with the wide-angle, but perfect for someone who wants a toy more than a professional tool to play with it.

6. Mobi-Lens

Compatible for both Android and iPhone, Mobi-Lens offers a kit of three lenses - fisheye, macro and wide - for just 30$. These lenses are designed to work with front or back cameras, and can be easily clipped on with a silicone grip to hold them tight to the mobile device. They also include filters that cut out glare and makes colors brighter.

7. Aukey

The Aukey 3-in-1 lens kit is the budget option we offer, with an approximated prize of 13$ for a wide, a fisheye and a macro lens. These lenses are a great way to start shooting new style photos before moving on more expensive products. They come in a recycled cardboard box and with a clip that holds the lens, making it easy, fast and secure. A simple kit that is easy to install, but with an excellent photo quality.

As you consider the various options and find out which of these lenses are compatible with your smartphone, also keep in mind what kind of photos you are looking for. Every lens has a specific use, and, depending on how professional you want your pictures to look, a different lens may be the best solution for each scenario. Whatever your budget, go out, have a play with a few lenses, and then use Shutta to show off your impressive results!

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