One
and only...
Got
an iPhone? Camera's great, right? Apple iPhones have always had
pretty decent cameras built into them, and everyday snaps tend to
come up looking decent. Still, no matter what your phone is, how many
megapixels it's packing, or how good then lens is, when you need a
photo to look truly excellent you'll still reach for your actual
camera. Well, maybe not anymore... We review the DxO One for iPhone.
What is it? Well, this is a camera add-on that plugs directly into your iPhone's Lightning port. The DxO One features a one inch sensor that captures images with 20.2 megapixels. The connected app acts like the iPhone's dedicated photography programme, therefore you essentially use the iPhone scree as the view finder. With the exception of the DxO itself clinging to the edge of your phone, this basically increases the performance of your mobile photography.
But
those bigger, more detailed pictures will quickly suck up your
iPhone's memory, right? Well, no – because the DxO One has its own
Micro SD card port, so you can save the images there, to be easily
removed and transferred physically. You can also use the iPhone's
connected capability share images wirelessly, and direct to the
internet – something larger, more expensive cameras might not be
able to do.
If
you're worried that something this small (and expensive) might easily
get damaged while banging about in the bottom of your bag until you
need it, we found the DxO One to be remarkably rugged. The body
itself is aluminium, and there is a bloody handy lens cover that
slides up securely into place. The Lightning connector also folds
away, so when not in use this is a very tidy and tough package.
In
use we found the DxO One to perform exceptionally well. Take a
general shot and you won't, at first glance, notice too much of a
difference to other mobile cameras. However, the USP here is that
almost everything about the images can be adjusted, including the
depth of field. This gives close up shots of people and objects a
more professional feel than they have any right to possess
(especially considering we were taking them).
That
larger lens is also incredible in low light situations – something
that plagues most smartphone cameras. Evening and indoors photography
just seems so much clearer and sharper, without that annoying grey
haze over everything.
Furthermore,
and this may be a real clincher for some, the DxO One also comes with
bundled photography software for Mac. This means you can really make
the most of the images you capture, beyond awkwardly fiddling with
them on your phone. The included software is worth a good couple
hundred pounds so certainly isn't something to be sniffed at.
If
you're looking to drastically improve the quality of your
photography, without having to both fork out the big bucks for a new
camera, or learn all the tricky adjustments and lingo of a pro, the
DxO One is absolutely perfect.
£449.99
Available from www.amazon.co.uk