You may recall our post on the Puzlook camera case for the iPhone 5/5s, which was a protective case that also contained a number of camera lenses that slid into place over the rear-facing camera of the iPhone’s rear-facing camera, much like the sliding number puzzles of olden days.
Puzlook has now come up with a similar case for the iPhone 6/6s and iPhone 6/6s Plus. We were able to get our hands on an early model of the case for the iPhone 6 Plus, and ran it through its paces. While we had a great amount of fun trying out the Puzlook, if you’re looking for super-high quality telephoto pics, grab yourself a DSLR. if you’re looking to have some fun taking photos that you normally can’t get with an iPhone, stick around and check the Puzlook out with us.
Overview
The Puzlook 6+ is a two piece case for the iPhone 6 Plus that easily snaps onto the back of the device. The top part of the case holds the puzzle/lenses for the case, allowing them to slide in place over the iPhone’s rear-facing camera. Each lens snaps securely into place, and doesn’t show any signs of rattling or sliding out of place.
One concern for cases such as this is the bulk they add to the iPhone, While the Puzlook for the iPhone 5/5s definitely added bulk to the device, the model for the 6/6 Plus doesn’t add near as much bulk, at least not to the overall device. Most of the bulk is up near the top of the case, due to the frame which holds the lenses and allows them to slide into place. (See the photo below.) The bottom piece of the case is thin, and snaps easily into place, insuring the lenses remain in place. (The case also includes a snap on cover to protect the lenses when they are not being used.
To be clear, while the Puzlook doesn’t add a great amount of bulk and weight to the iPhone, this isn’t a case you’ll want to use every day. The case is for one thing only, using the included lenses with your iPhone.
Puzlook also offers the Zoom Kit, which adds a bit more bulk to the bottom piece. However, the added bulk allows for storage of the x4.5 zoom lens, as well as adding a place to screw a tripod adapter into.
The Lenses
The lenses included with the Puzlook include an 8mm Fisheye Lens, a 12mm Wide Lens, and a 45mm telephoto lens. All three lenses reside in one of three spots in the four square Puzlook frame, leaving one space to allow sliding the lenses around into position. (Again, think of the old sliding puzzles you played with as a kid.)
Also added to the mix is the Zoom Kit for the Puzlook 6+. This extra added accessory is made up of a X4.5 Zoom Lens, along with a Zoom Kit Case, which takes the place of the default bottom half of the Puzlook case. The Zoom Kit Case includes a compartment to store the x4.5 zoom lens in when it’s not being used. Also included is a separate macro lens, which the Zoom lens screws into when it’s being used.
Using the Lenses
As mentioned before, the lenses slide into place and can easily be slid out of the way for another lens to take its place. The lenses can also be arranged so the iPhone’s camera is left uncovered to take normal photos.
We found that the lenses slid in and out of place easily enough, and snapped into place securely, with no jitter or rattle. Photos from all lenses came out as expected. They weren’t DSLR quality, but since you’re basically laying a lens over the iPhone camera’s own lens, some degradation is to be expected. For most users, the photos will be perfectly acceptable.
We found the most sensitive lens to be the optional X4.5 Zoom lens. Mostly because the focusing is quite sensitive when using the lens. Focus is either there, or it isn’t, and the lens is also sensitive to glare and lens flare in bright sunlight. We also found that using a tripod for photos helped considerably with the quality. (The Puzlook case can be mounted on a standard tripod.) Note, taking photos with the X4.5 lens requires using the Puzlook app, available free in the App Store. All shots using the X4.5 lens accompanying this article were taken using the Puzlook app.
However, we found the quality of the photos to be acceptable. If you’re looking for high quality photos, you’ll need to look at a true DSLR camera, but your average iPhone users will find the Puzlook a fun and easy to use accessory. Remember, just as best camera is the one that is always with you, the best LENS is the one that is always with you!
Verdict
[rating:3.5]
We’ll admit, the Puzlook 6+ isn’t for everyone, and the pricing may be a little rich for many iPhone users’ pocketbooks. However, we did find the Puzlook to be an easy to use, and fun accessory for taking photos with our iPhone 6 Plus. My wife is the photographer in our house, and while sadly an iOS 9 upgrade incident lost the photos she took with it, forcing me to use the much less artistic shots I took for this review, she enjoyed using the case while we had it.
The Puzlook is not the case for users who simply like to point and shoot. It is instead the perfect case/accessory for iPhone photography fans who enjoy setting up their shots, and we highly recommend the use of a tripod if you have one handy.
Pricing and Availability
The Puzlook camera lens cases are available for the iPhone 5/5s (in limited quantities and colors), iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models should work just fine with the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus handsets.
Pricing is as follows:
- Puzlook 6 Slim: Available in White or Black. Includes Easy Slip Upper/Lower body and 3 Puzzle Type Lens: Fisheye, Telephoto, Wide Angle – $109.95 MSRP
- Puzlook 6 Zoom Kit: Available in White or Black. Includes Add on System for 6 Slim: x10 Macro with x4.5 Zoom CAM, Lower Body Storage – $109.95
- Puzlook 6+ Slim: Available in White or Black. Includes Easy Slip Upper/Lower body and 3 Puzzle Type Lens: Fisheye, Telephoto, Wide Angle – $119.95 MSRP
- Puzlook 6+ Zoom Kit: Available in White or Black. Includes Add on System for 6+ Slim: x10 Macro with x4.5 Zoom CAM, Lower Body Storage – $119.95
- Puzlook Basic (for iPhone 5/5s) WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, Available in White/Black/Pink/Silver. Includes Fixed Case, 5/Lens: Fisheye, SuperWide, Wide, Tele, Micro, 8GB USB Stick (can be used as a handsfree stand) – $109.95
All pricing includes shipping costs within North America only!
Exclusive U.S.A. distribution inquiries are welcome. Please direct all inquiries to elie_assaf@sympatico.ca or call at 1-613-410-4666. Interested parties can also find out more about the Puzlook iPhone cases at the Puzlook website.
