Review: SquidCam Case and 4-lens system for iPhone 6/6s and 6/6s Plus

In December 2014, I posted a full review and unboxing video on olloclip 4-in-1 Photo Lens for iPhone 6. The response has been overwhelming so I guess my fellow readers would love seeing more of this coming up on my blog.

In fact, after olloclip, there were numerous all-in-one lens for smartphones come up with low price and easy clip-on for all types of smartphones to try to grab the market share but the quality was also being traded off. I don’t see many have done it right until I knew about SquidCam, despite the fact that it is not a low-cost option.

Thanks to the sponsorship from SquidCam, we are able to get comprehensive hands on experience with their flagship products.

iPhone lens 6/6s Case and 4 lens system fisheye, macro & wide-angle lenses
My first impression is: it is really fun the play with the case and removable blocks. The lens are also removable so you may carry them separately in your bag and leave the case on your phone with great outlook. The case quality is great and solid and offers some level of protection to your iPhone. The button and port cut-outs are well done too.

What to expect in the package for iPhone 6/6s Lens system:

• 2-in-1 180 iPhone Fisheye lens + 15x macro lens
• 2-in-1 2x iPhone wide-angle lens + 10x macro lens
• 1 Rectangular block (2×3 pattern size)
• 1 square block (2×2 pattern size)
• Hybrid Hard Plastic Case

iPhone lens 6/6s Plus Slim Case and 4 lens system fisheye, macro & wide-angle lenses
It comes with a completely different design from the iPhone 6 model above. This one looks sleek and minimal which is really appealing to me at first sight. Specially the case itself, great quality, feel comfortable when holding in hand, not slippery with friction and grip which is worry-free to hold the phone in any way. It has full coverage on the back and corners of the phone which offers 100% protection to the fragile and weak parts from scratches.

Hybrid iPhone 6 Plus and 6s Plus camera case. Stiff yet flexible crack resistant sides that will not stretch! This case fits very tight and protects the front lcd screen with a 1.5mm bumper frame that will allow a hardened screen protector to be installed.

What’s inside the package for iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus Lens system:

• 2-in-1 180 iPhone Fisheye lens + 15x macro lens
• 2-in-1 2x iPhone wide angle lens + 10x macro lens
• Slim hybrid plastic camera case

Talking about the lens itself, I want take the approach by making a comparison between the SquidCam lens and olloclip on different aspects:

Design
Both designs have their pros and cons and everyone has their own taste. I personally find olloclip and the iPhone 6 Plus version of SquidCam appealing to me as both of them for the metallic part that create high-tech and elegant feel.

Convenience
From what I could have tested out, SquidCam definitely has the advantage in terms of convenience by snapping on the case and the lens without any friction at all. But for olloclip, I did have an unpleasant experience with it on my iPhone 6s Plus (which is 0.4mm thicker than my previous iPhone 6) as it broke a few of my screen protectors when clipping on (both plastic film and tempered glass ones). It was just too tight to have a screen protector thicker than 0.1mm which is really painful for me when I see cracks on it.

Photo shootout comparison with olloclip 4-in-1 lens (iPhone 6s Plus used)
This is actually the most important element as it is the core function of the lens. I did comparison on all the 4 lens and below is the output side by side. I would say they are almost on-par for Macro lens performance, while olloclip’s output looks sharper with wider focus in the 10x shot. However, there is a major drawback for SquidCam for Fisheye and Wide-Angle which has a significant dark corner appearing on the photos which can only be eliminated with camera zoom-in which defeats the purpose of having wide-angle lens for shooting scenery and so. This is especially significant during low-light or back-lighted conditions. The reason is that the case is creating gap between the SquidCam lens and camera lens and this deems to be a drawback for the benefit of case protection.

Fisheye Lens

15x Macro

10x Macro

Wide-Angle (Daylight)

Wide-Angle Back-lighted

Bundled accessories
SquidCam lens comes with the protective cases for iPhones, and playable removable blocks for small iPhones offers more joy and practicality for using the product. On another hand, olloclip come with pendants that you can clip the lens on which I used it a lot when travelling around without worrying to have dropped or left the lens behind. Both have their own advantages so which one is better? Well I believe it really depends on what you need from them.

Compatibility
It is obvious that olloclip lens is compatible universally for iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s and 6s Plus, which makes life better when you have multiple devices to share the lens, with friends and family members. SquidCam is, on the other hand, limited by the case size and you may have to purchase multiple cases to accommodate the devices.

Additionally, there is lack of front facing camera support from SquidCam which is a major drawback for selfie lovers. To me, certainly it is a big deal as I took selfies with my girlfriend quite frequently and Fishlens or Wide-Angle lens are often used.

Price
If you are looking for low-cost quick-fix solution, both SquidCam and olloclip will be most likely out of your budget, as they all cost you not more than $70. In my opinion, it is still a bit over-priced for lens functionality, regardless of the design and other bundled accessories. If you do utilize the lens and care about photography and want to have fun with who or what you take pictures with, the lens will worth every single buck you paid for. But certainly, you may have to purchase a newer generation again if you will opt for newer iPhones, most likely, with a new and different design from the current models.

To conclude the above, I tabulated my ratings on some of major elements on both products for your reference only:

Overall speaking, I would still recommend getting SquidCam – despite a lack of front facing capability – it is super convenient to use – just snap on the case and you are ready to go. The camera case keeps your phone protected while using the lens which is really a big deal when you hold your phone for photos. For full details, please visit SquidCam official site but here are the links to the merchandise:

• Case and 4-lens system for iPhone 6/6s [$69.95]
• Slim Case and 4-lens system for iPhone 6 Plus/ 6s Plus [$74.95]
• Full set of colorful Silicone Blocks [$14.95]

P.S. You can get 15% off your SquidCam order by liking SquidCam’ Facebook page.

More importantly, we are going to host a giveaway soon! (U.S. only) Make sure you follow me on Twitter and stay tuned with the details to be annouced later in this post!