Header banner
Revain logoHome Page
Jayshawn Cuatlayol photo
1 Level
1311 Review
41 Karma

Review on πŸ“½οΈ ULANZI 1.55XT Anamorphic Lens for Smartphones - Enhance Filmmaking with Filmic Pro App, Mobile Phone Wide Movie Lens, Delivering Full Cinematic Video to Filmmakers by Jayshawn Cuatlayol

Revainrating 5 out of 5

I'm glad I gave it a chance

I found user error behind all the negative reviews. solve problems alone. If you really need something to work on a budget, take the time to figure out how it actually works. Firstly, if you have vignette, warp, blur problem, get a 17mm thread phone case. I found one for my phone on eBay for $15 with free shipping. If you see blurry or warped edges, bet you're using a screw mount. I think it bends the glass a bit when you screw it down. The clothespin mount gave me a perfectly sharp and focused image, so I didn't blur or distort the lens. However, the clip-on mount has its own issues. First, it doesn't properly cover the iPhone X's camera platform. Its size doesn't fit in the ring around or on the camera platform on the back of the phone, so it hangs on an edge and it's impossible to avoid vignetting when panning the camera. Also, fiddling with it each time to place it correctly is a pill of anger and frustration, much like a pill is for a horse. It has been reported that a lens with an additional filter becomes too heavy for the clip and the lens begins to slip. That's a bit inaccurate. I found a user error behind it. The clip has two ends, one that screws onto the lens and the other that grips the other side of the phone. The side of the handle has a little round whorl for some reason. If you accidentally rotate the hinge with the metal side facing the phone screen instead of the grip side, it will not lock into place. It will slip from the weight. So check the pivot if your lens slips. Again, I would recommend that you buy a phone case for the lens rather than using the mounts that come with it. I saw a YouTube review comparing this Ulanzi lens to Moment and Moondog Labs. This didn't make the Ulanzi look competitive, but I find this rating very inaccurate. First, Ulanzi didn't give me a warmer image, and I've already resolved the crease issue as a mount issue, not a lens issue. In addition, instantaneous lenses have no thread. They are beveled. This is robbery. You can only install them on Instant products. Of course, you'll have to add $15 to $50 for a threaded lens case at Ulanzi, but you should still use a case for your lenses instead of covering part of your phone's screen. Even so, you're still less than half the cost of Moondog labs or an instantaneous lens. I love the optional filter adapter with this Ulanzi lens. I bought 52mm filters, a 17mm to 52mm adapter, a 37mm to 52mm adapter and wide angle and macro lenses (the adapter allows me to use the same 52mm putting filters on those lenses) and I'm still going for the price of just a Moondog from Labs lens. Kiss my win, world. If you think you need "better" gear to tell a story, you don't know how to tell a story. Take Ulanzi. And save your changes so you can use them to transform your world.

Pros
  • Cell Phones & Accessories
Cons
  • Can't remember