ShiftCam in partnership with a media production company called Tusk, has introduced the CINEMA // Series, a mobile lens and filter system designed to elevate smartphone filmmaking. This system offers seven attachable lenses and eight cinematic filters, enabling filmmakers and content creators to capture high-quality footage with their iPhones with a cinematic feel. The Cinema Series is positioned as an affordable alternative to traditional cinema gear, in a compact package for the device that is likely already in your pocket.
If you don’t know ShiftCam, it has been making mobile accessories for the past several years with a focus on snap-on lenses for iPhone including its most recent LensUltra Series – which we were pretty impressed with when we tested them.
Unlike the LensUltra series which is aimed at more general photography and videography on an iPhone, the new Cinema Series is aimed exclusively at creating cinematic video on the Netflix-approved iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
But, honestly, the new Cinema series and LensUltra series look a little too similar to me – with both kits having the exact same makeup of lenses with very similar specs and compatibility with magnetic snap-on filters. The proof will really be in the pudding of whether these lenses can actually render more “cinematically” or if this is a redesign of the LensUltra kit – I hope to be able to put them through their paces soon.
The filter set includes a circular polarizer (CPL) to reduce glare and reflections from non-metallic surfaces, a black mist 1/2 filter to soften highlights and reduce digital sharpness, two variable neutral density (VND) filters (1-5 stops and 6-9 stops), which allow adjustable light reduction, as well as neutral density (ND) filters in ND64, ND128, and ND512 strengths.
The Cinema series lenses are crafted with fluorite crystal optics and multi-layer coatings for clarity, color accuracy, and reduced distortion. The collection includes a 16mm wide angle lens, an 8mm 200º fisheye lens, a 25mm 10x macro lens for extreme close-ups, a 60mm telephoto lens, and a 75mm telemacro lens, as well as two 18mm 1.33x and 15mm 1.55x anamorphic lenses.
The Cinema Series is being launched on Kickstarter today, with the full set available for $1,949, which yes, is very expensive – but a lot cheaper than even one proper cine lens.
NOTE: As a word of caution when backing any project on Kickstarter, there is a chance you won’t ever receive the product, and there are no refunds for canceled projects. However, as an established brand (and a product that seems to already be developed and produced) you can have some confidence in the Cinema Series landing on your front porch when the funding period ends.
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For more lens options for your iPhone check out our guide for the best lenses for iPhone and Android.
