HiLO Lens combines a right angle lens and an iPhone app. You may be wondering why we need an app, you may know why. In either case please read on…
In relation to Street Photography.
When using the iPhone for Street Photography HiLO Lens allows the iPhone to be held comfortably at hip level while viewing the screen. With the iPhone held in portrait orientation, the camera will be re-oriented by HiLO Lens to the left or right of the photographer.
When the iPhone is used as an internet terminal (not a camera) we typically incline the phone so it is comfortable to read. With HiLO Lens attached we should hold the iPhone in the same inclined position. This would draw less attention to the photographer who will appear to be consulting a page on the iPhone. With the iPhone inclined in the portrait orientation and HiLO Lens attached, the camera’s image is rotated.
Using the accelerometers in the iPhone it is possible to detect the inclination of the iPhone with an app and automatically rotate the image so it appears vertically aligned. This is one of the features the HiLO Lens app provides.
The app helps when HiLO Lens is used as a tripod
HiLO Lens can be used to replace a tripod in common situations. By laying the iPhone near the edge of a flat surface (e.g. a table, chair, step etc) with HiLO Lens attached, the camera is orientated horizontally. This can replace a tripod and allows for stable photos, auto-portraits, group photos etc. In this position the iPhone is inclined due to the HiLO Lens accessory, therefore the camera image is rotated, so the auto-rotation feature of the HiLO Lens app corrects for this.
To help take self-portraits or group photos the HiLO Lens app can provide a delay before taking the photo. So you can setup the scene, then get in position, before the camera takes your photo.
Digital image processing keeps quality up and cost down
The HiLO Lens right angle lens needs to be small, provide high quality images and not cost the earth. Optics can be very expensive, professional camera lenses typically cost thousands of dollars! Even a simple camera lens typically consists of three or four lenses. To reduce the number of lenses used in HiLO Lens, we correct for certain types of optical distortion using software rather than more lenses. This trick is already used by most digital cameras (including the iPhone camera) and it helps keep cost down while achieving high quality images. The HiLO Lens app applies these corrections specifically for the HiLO Lens optics.
Sharing is caring
The HiLO Lens app can also help users share photos. Owners of HiLO Lens will have common interests e.g. Street Photography or Ground Level Perspective photography or self portraits etc. So HiLO Lens will provide an easy way for users to share images using Flickr groups.
But you are in control
The HiLO Lens app makes it easier to use the HiLO Lens accessory, but if for any reason you want to take photos with another app (including the Apple camera app) then this is possible. The HiLO Lens app can apply corrections to images in the iPhone’s photo library. So if you want to use fancy filters or other specialized apps this poses no problem.