For example using HiLO Lens like this:

You get a photo like this:

It’s a challenge to take good photos without becoming the spectacle in a restaurant. Typical photos can look cluttered because of the angle.

HiLO Lens allows for more discreet photos. Sitting at the table, holding the iPhone at eye level and viewing the screen, we can get a real “bird’s eye view”.

I’m not a great photographer. But one thing I’ve noted is that changing the angle of view makes for more memorable photos. Here are a couple of examples, taken with HiLO Lens last night at Adriatico:

Even if there are 21 Reasons You Should Never Take Pictures With An iPad a lot of people are pulling the iPad out for photography.

Using the iPad for photo and video editing is a great idea. This is often what people mean when referring to iPadography.

Maybe HiLO Lens can make the iPad cool for photos/video because you could “shoot from the hip” ?

Instagram uses square images. So HiLO Lens offers a wider angle shot. The following images will help explain. I took the first photo with the iPhone4 camera, then cropped it to show what Instagram would upload. I took another photo with the HiLO Lens attached, from the same position, then cropped it like Instagram.

The HiLO Lens App does not yet have an Instagram mode. But if there is enough interest it would be easy to add.

You may be wondering how the lens is holding on to the iPhone ? A magic material know as polyurethane gel has a tacky surface structure. One side of the gel pad is stuck permanently to our lens. The other side sticks temporarily to the iPhone. It does not leave any traces when you remove it. If the gel pad gets dirty then clean with soapy water and after drying it is as good as new !

The optics container is machined from a block of aluminium, then powder coated in matte black. Matte black helps reduce stray light.

Among the techniques used in photography, taking pictures at waist level (or “shooting from the hip”) can be one of the most frustrating to master. Regular point-and-shoot cameras have their screens behind the lens, so if you use them to shoot at waist level, you can’t simultaneously see the images you capture. This could mean a lot of outtakes for you. With the 16.1 megapixel Samsung MV800 digital camera, however, you could significantly decrease the number of wasted shots.

Why ?

The MV800 has one three-inch screen, its most advertised feature, that flips up to 180 degrees. With it, you can position the camera way high up or way down low and still see the screen before you hit the shutter release buttons. Yes, buttons. One at the top and another at the back of the camera’s main body. The adjustable screen, on the other hand, has the Home and Playback buttons.

What we love

Ground-level photography is easier with the MV800. Its fun screen effectively takes the guesswork out of ground-level photography by allowing you to easily view ground-level pictures and videos before they are captured, which is also what HiLO Lens is especially designed to do. And you don’t have to tilt your head more than you should when looking at the screen—even if it’s flipped at a 180-degree angle. The screen detects its position and automatically adjusts the display to suit the angle you set it at (a similar auto-rotation feature is provided by the HiLO Lens app).

Surprisingly, the rotating LCD doesn’t add a lot of bulk to the MV800. Having dimensions of 3.62″ × 2.21″ × .72″, the camera is nice and compact, which is nice if you want something not too obtrusive. And it only comes in classic black, so that’s a plus for those who dislike cameras that look like flashing neon signs.

MV800 also offers some nice customization options. You can change the wallpaper on the screen’s display, use art filters and frames, and manually edit your pictures with Funny Face. Funny Face lets you bend and stretch (and ultimately mess up) your friends’ faces as well as your own with just a tap of your finger. Kids will likely enjoy these options most.

What we don’t love

Apart from the rotating LCD, nothing really sets the MV800 apart from other compact cameras. Picture quality is average; it’s slightly better than what you get with cell phone cameras. And so the $280 price tag may not please some buyers.

Moreover, the rear shutter release button should probably be elsewhere; being at the middle of the camera’s posterior side, it isn’t always easy to press. Holding the camera very high or very low can make the button trickier to reach.

The end game

If you have ever used the bathroom mirror to take a self-portrait you will love the MV800. It’s designed for people who want to see the screen no matter which angle they point their cameras at. The screen is MV800’s main selling point, and it’s the standout feature of the camera, a rare feature for a point and shoot camera. With this camera you can take photos from new angles and capture more memorable moments. But if you own an iPhone then we suggest waiting for HiLO Lens !