Kodak / Eye Caramba Ltd.
Accessories introduce versatility to the easy-to-access smartphone camera — and now Kodak has a kit that includes the most common photography tools for under $70. On Thursday, September 5 during IFA 2019, Eye Caramba Ltd., one of Eastman Kodak’s several approved brand licensees, unveiled a new line of smartphone accessories, including two lens sets, a portrait light, a tripod, and a kit containing everything in the lineup.
The new line starts with the Kodak Smartphone 2-in-1 lens set, a 100-degree wide-angle lens that converts to a macro lens by twisting off part of the lens. The ultra-wide expands the built-in camera’s point of view, while the macro allows for a 15x magnification for close-ups.
Kodak’s 3-in-1 set includes those same two lenses plus a fisheye lens with that classic rounded fisheye look and vignette. Both lenses use a clip style mount that allows the accessory to fit with a number of different devices.
The Kodak Smartphone Portrait Light is a mountable, continuous ring light that can slip over the front or rear-facing camera on most devices. As a ring light, the light helps create circular catchlights in the eyes and minimal shadows, a look popular for portraits as well as applications like beauty tutorials.
The Kodak-branded tripod is both an eight-inch tabletop tripod and a 10-inch grip, with an adjustable mount to accommodate different devices. The tripod can adjust for both vertical and horizontal shots and includes a Bluetooth remote for snapping selfies and other photos without a hand on the camera.
While the line-up doesn’t appear to include unusual features, the Kodak logo continues the budget-friendly angle of many of the brand’s licensees. The kit, which includes the 2-in-1 lens, tripod, and light plus a carrying case, retails for about $70. The 2-in-1 lens set sells separately for $30, the 3-in-1 for $40, the light for $20 and the tripod for $30. While budget lenses tend to lack some of the sharpness of high-end options, the Kodak lineup could be another budget-friendly option for mobile photographers.
The new line is expected to be available in October.
Eastman Kodak now licenses the brand name to several manufacturers for products from cameras and film scanners to tablets. Eye Caramba, the company behind the newest licensed products, specializes in smartphone photography accessories. The company is based in Finland.