Kogeto's Panoramic Dot Is iPhone 4's Newest Camera Add-On
May 24, 2011
The iPhone 4 is a great camera. It might not have the killer specs that competing handsets have, but the focus, clarity, and richness of its 5MP sensor make the best mobile snapshots I've yet to see (offering easily the best quality in that pixel range). In fact, just before I purchased my iPhone last year, I bought this bad boy for website photos and general use. Because I'm lazy, the iPhone's taken over my dedicated camera's simpler, more casual roles.
And, naturally, I'm not the only one.
To that end, more and more accessories are coming to market that enhance or modify the iPhone 4's camera capabilities. From flash-imbued cases to dedicated tripods to underwater baggies, there's no shortage of gadgets to help you get that perfect shot.
Now, you can add the Dot to the matrix. Made by Kogeto and funded through Kickstarter, the panorama lens add-on has already reached its goal of $20,000 with 20 days left on the clock. That means it'll be heading into limited production soon, with full-volume production scheduled for sometime after summer.
All things considered, the design is dirt simple. You just snap on the case, and the 360-degree custom lens fits snugly in place over the iPhone's own unit. Using the app provided with the kit, all footage is processed (and even shared!) in real time. The only downside to the thing, beyond its $100 price tag, is that you cannot preview while shooting; the iPhone must be laid horizontally -- face-down -- during capture.
There's no question that the Kogeto Dot is a neat, useful accessory and that people are genuinely interested. For me, personally, accessories for mobile phones are always hard to justify.
But that's for another post.
