Using external lenses on your Lumia

Capture insects, flower petals or take extreme close-ups with external lenses such as macro, and fish-eye and your Lumia smartphone.

Indian engineering student Ritesh Meena became interested in mobile photography after buying the Lumia 620 in 2013. Photography then became a passion after he got his hands on the Lumia 1020 and Lumia 535.

“I have become a great fan of Lumia and it’s Camera,” said 21-year old Ritesh. “Right now, Lumia 535 and Lumia 1020 are my handy phones, and I love to click photos with them every day.”

(Click on the pictures to see the high resolution image)

He likes to take his photos without any external lenses, but when it comes snapping close-up images or distant images, he relies on macro and tele lenses.

We recently had a chat with Ritesh to learn how he uses external lenses to click photos with his Lumia.

Q: Why do you use external lenses with your Lumia?

A: There is no doubt that Lumia smartphones have the best optics and great camera quality, but specialized photography requires different lenses such as macro, wide angle, and fish-eye to get proper focus and to produce desired results. The same goes when you need to click distant buildings or need to click during harsh sunlight.

Q:  What kind of external lenses do you use with your Lumia 535?

A: There are several brands such as Universal lens or Insta lens, which one can find in stores or online. One can also try DIY [do it yourself] lenses and make your own lenses. I prefer to use macro (my favorite), wide-angle, fisheye and tele lens. A polarized lens is also available–you can use your sunglasses for the same effect.

Q: How do you choose lenses for your Lumia?

A: It all depends on the type of shot you want and the result you [want]. For macro lens, check if the lens works fine by focusing on your hand … to see closely the skin texture and other features. For beginners, I suggest the “3-in-1 lens set,” which will include lenses like macro, fisheye and wide-angle.

Q: How do you attach external lenses on your Lumia 535?

A: Lenses come with attaching options like magnets, pins or bands. If these default options don’t work, use a rubber band. I always use it and sticks hard to your phone and you shouldn’t worry about falling.

Q: Share the steps to click photos using external lenses on your Lumia.  

A: First, attach the right lens depending on your need. For instance, for clicking a shot in daylight or in harsh sunlight, hook the polarized lens.

Second, open the Lumia camera and set focus as per your desired shot.

Third, check if you need to adjust white balance, ISO or shutter speed. Otherwise, let them be in auto mode and start to click.

Fourth, use a tripod while clicking night shots or testing long exposures.

Last, use your creativity.

(Click on the pictures to see the high resolution image)

Q: How much do these lenses cost?

A: One can get the most commonly used lenses (macro, wide-angle and fish eye) from $19.99. Tele lens is expensive and the cost depends upon zoom capability (the higher the zoom power, the higher the price). Normally, 12x zoom is the most expensive.

Q: Share some tips for Lumia photographers who want to use external lenses.

A: I want to tell people to continue clicking with their Lumias. Use external lenses only when you can’t do with the default Lumia Camera–don’t make it a habit as this is not your permanent gear. A nice Lumia such as Lumias 640 XL should be your next purchase to learn the ropes of photography.

Thanks a lot for talking to us, Ritesh!