ZEISS is Jumping Into the World of Smartphone Lens Accessories

ZEISS today announced that it is partnering with Fellowes Brands to create a premium line of lens accessories for smartphone photography, “setting a new quality standard” in the space.

Three lenses have been created so far: a wide-angle, a telephoto, and a macro. Each of the ExoLens-brand lenses will feature ZEISS optics and will be made with black anodized aluminum with white labeling.

Each of the lenses features T* antireflective ZEISS coating that helps to minimize reflections and improve light transmission.

Mounting the lenses to a smartphone will require a special device-specific ExoLens bracket that holds the phone on one side and the lens on the other. The machined aluminum bracket has a screw thread for the lens, a standard tripod mount, and a cold shoe for accessories.

Here are a few sample photos captured with ExoLenses by ZEISS Ambassadors (you can find a large gallery of high-res photos here):

The first ExoLens+ZEISS lenses will launch and ship sometime in the late second quarter of 2016, and will be compatible with iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, and 6S Plus (support for additional devices may come later on).