An iPhone DSLR prototype housing hits snags

For what you'd have to charge just to recover your costs, on this, someone would be able to buy a consumer-grade 12MP camera. You'd have a phone with all of the convenience of SLR and all of the functionality of a point-n-shoot and a relatively crappy resolution.

Bad. Idea.

This is completely whacked out. IT'S A PHONE, PEOPLE. If you want an SLR, buy a camera.

This has nothing to do with making the iPhone into an SLR, and everything to do with giving you control over the focus, depth of field, and zoom.

The hopelessness is sort of obvious: SLR lenses are designed to have a long register distance—the distance between the rear element and the film plane. This is to leave space for the reflex mirror. In order to get the image to focus properly, the lens would have to be offset at that distance or larger (if larger, then you lose infinity focus).

When you do that though, the focal length will be in real terms, not effective. So a 50mm lens will become effectively like a super dooper telephoto at that point. Not only that, the image plane is much much larger than the sensor are so the optics are just wasted on something you can do with a $20 lens.

Apple should just buy Nikon. A touch interface combined with traditional ergonomic camera controls would make for one seet camera. Specially the point and shoot cameras.

As for DSLRs; those that have actually used them constructively know this is a silly idea. The huge lens is literally wasted on the iPhone. Further the point of an SLR is being able to control that lens and the exposure. However add on lens for simple cameras have been around for ages. They aren't a bad idea and give passable results on low end cameras.

Part of the trick here, in getting the good results, is proper mounting of the lens. It is very important for them to be centered on the cameras main lens. There is no way to reliable accomplish this on the iPhone.

So playing around with this might be a lot of fun but getting to the point of salesble hardware is another thing altogether. I don't want to sound like I'm knocking the guy because I'm not. One of the best ways to learn about optics is to tear things apart or build your own DIY whatever.

What's with all the negativity? Sure, you might consider this a waste of time, but that's this guy's choice - don't berate him for it. As with many "inventions", it's not the end product that makes it worthwhile, it's the journey to get there, and that is also half the fun. Who knows what else may evolve from this kind of project.

People should be applauded for the simple act of trying something new, something different, not lambasted for "wasting their time". I'm sure our world would be without many useful things if their originators had just not bothered or given up because other people said it was a waste of time.

How is this any better than Owle Bubo? Ultimately it's going to be limited by the phone, not the lenses anyhow. The housing looks identical to Owle while this just has a bulkier lens.

http://www.wantowle.com/

But, why?

No zoom or focus? Did you actually get an iPhone 4? Mine works fine with focus and he digital zoom function. Why carry around all that extra bulk when you have the slimness of the iPhone?

Not in my life. Happy to have the slim factor.

well, a lens doesn't make dslr. so it's iphone lens attachment housing project. doesn't sound so sexy though, it's not exactly a fresh idea either. dealextreme etc have had attachment lens phone covers for ages. not very useful though.