Have you ever wondered how to take wide-angle photos with an iPhone? If you are anything like me, you rely on your iPhone to document a lot of important things in your life. Being a full-time blogger, I require quite a few images for blog posts and find that my iPhone handles the brunt of that job.
Although I love my DSLR, it’s just not that convenient to pull out all my gear while I am elbow deep in sawdust and paint. Therefore, snapping shots with my iPhone has really come in handy. Except, that is, when I need a wide-angle.
No matter how far you zoom out, sometimes you just can’t capture everything. So, when I discovered how to take wide angle photos with an iPhone, I knew this was something that I wanted to share!
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When To Use a Wide-Angle Lens
Interiors:
There are all types of camera lenses available for every situation. The wide-angle lenses are typically used to capture images when you want an all-inclusive or expansive shot. One of the more common displays is seen in beautiful landscape images. However, they are also very popular in interior and architectural photography.
With interior shots, a photographer will frequently encounter small cramped rooms where it is nearly impossible to capture a detailed shot. If you have the luxury of the necessary equipment, you can manage this feat reasonably well. But, if you are on a tight budget and trying to manage with just your iPhone, you may be in for a challenge.
Travel:
If you are a travel blogger or you just like to take amazing photos when you travel, you know that a wide-angle lens comes in handy. You probably know that it can be a hassle to carry a DSLR around to every place that you go while traveling.
Unfortunately, not having your camera handy can mean that you miss out on a spectacular image. You probably snap a lot of things with your phone camera and having the ability to extend to a wide-angle would push some of those images into a higher category of quality.
Group Selfies:
It’s not just for great real estate, architecture, and landscapes. A wide-angle is wonderful for those group selfies, too! But, have you ever tried to do a group selfie with a DSLR? If not, don’t!
Group selfies are a thing that should be restricted to phones and maybe a few smaller point-and-shoot cameras. However, fitting a lot of people into a shot either requires an assistant, a selfie stick, or a really long arm.
When bloggers attend conferences, we often want to take selfies of all the great friends that we have met and made. I am sure that you have struggled with this same problem. With this wide-angle lens,* you can squeeze quite a few people into a shot without needing to be Stretch Armstrong.
How I Take Wide-Angle Photos With an iPhone…
As I was saying before, I use my iPhone to take most of my project’s process photos with my iPhone. Of course, I always do my final shots with my Canon Rebel T6i.* But, I don’t like subjecting my equipment to the dust and the elements that come with DIYing.
As long as the lighting is adequate, an iPhone can produce some pretty amazing shots. What little I need to improve upon, I am able to do in Photoshop. Since I have created a nice collection of presets, I can zoom through it pretty fast.
There are also those occasions when I need to get into spaces where I just can’t capture everything that I would like to capture in a shot. Small rooms, like bathrooms, laundry rooms, or closets, can cause issues with being able to squeeze the whole room into view.
That is where this amazing little lens* comes in handy. Yes, there is actually a lens available to turn your iPhone’s lens into a wide-angled version! I was thrilled and excited to try one out.
The Perfect Little Wide-Angle Lens
There are several different brands available, but after a lot of research, I opted for this kit.* It not only comes with a wide-angle lens but also comes with the addition of a macro lens.
I haven’t used the macro lens yet, but it will come in handy if/when I need to get a detailed shot of something very tiny. Like maybe food ingredients or Christmas ornaments.
In addition, this kit includes a clip-on light, lens covers, and a nice case to hold everything. Although I can’t say that the light is useful in terms of photography, it makes a nifty little console light for my SUV.
The lenses are actually space-saving as well. When separated you have the macro lens, which takes photos at 15x. Both sections have their own lens cover and store nicely in the case.
When the two components are attached, it creates the wide-angle effect. I keep mine set up this way. If I ever decide that I need the macro lens, I will just remove the front lens and snap the shots. Then, put the wide-angle lens back in place and get back to business. I love the way this device was designed!
How To Use Wide-Angle Lens
So, how does it work? Well, it couldn’t be more simple. You just clip the lens over the iPhone lens. Make sure that it is lined up so as not to cover any of the original lens. Then, you can snap away.
When you are finished with the new lens, you just unclip it and store it back in its case. And the greatest feature is it is so small that you can tuck the whole kit inside a purse, or just loop it on your wrist and carry it with you. Super convenient!
If you need to swap between the iPhone’s built-in lens and this wide angled lens, it is super easy. The kit comes with a nifty neck strap that allows you to conveniently carry the lens around.
You just loop one part of the lanyard around the lens and snap it to the other end of the lanyard on the neck strap. Then, you can quickly remove and use the lens without worrying about where you are going to put it when you are done.
Final Comments…
Whew! That’s quite a lot for such a small package. I can’t say enough how much I have used this little gem. It really has come in handy, and the price point is quite reasonable.
If you have been struggling with capturing wide-angle photos with your iPhone, you really ought to give this a try. I am sure that you will be as pleased as I have been.
Want to get one of these? You can buy it here!*
Terry J. Scroggins says
How do I get away from iPhone video that is wide-angle? I want normal vision.
Terry
Rachel Lynn says
Use two fingers in a pinching motion to adjust the zoom.