Stabilize your video and shoot wide-angle with the OWLE Bubo
Designed for use with the iPhone 3G/3GS (and some iPhone 4 compatability), the OWLE Bubo is a camera enthusiast accessory that will enable users to get the most out of their iPhone’s camera capabilities. Built to be a solid pound of anodized aluminum, the Owle comes with a detachable 37mm x45x wide-angle/macro combination lens and a silicone case fit for the 3G/3GS, and to an extent, the latest iPhone. In addition, there are four holes on each of the four corners of the accessory for use with mounting devices and a cold shoe for mounting things like flash and mic devices like so:
This is quite an extreme example, but as you can see the mic merely plugs into the headphone connector and there is space on the right side of the phone for an extended battery pack. You can also change out the lens for a SLR lens for some really interesting shots.
The Owle’s setup stabilizes the camera due to a wider and heavier grip as opposed to holding the camera near the lens. Unfortunately, the directional mic they provide is not compatible with the iPhone 4 but they are in the works to find a new mic solution and new cases that will fit the iPhone 4 snuggly with their OWLE. Below is a video recorded using the iPhone 4 and the OWLE:
If you’ve ever watched iPhone 4 test videos, you’ll notice that they are very unstable when used without some tripod or monopod setup. Not the case with this video. Though you might be asking yourself..
Why carry around aluminum bulk for a phone camera when you could be using a real camcorder?
At $119.99 from their affiliate stores, the OWLE Bubo is not the cheapest of solutions. The closet decent 720p-recording solution is the Flip UltraHD for $149.99 (Amazon) but it simply does not compare to the functionality of the feature-packed iPhone 4. When a user can whip out their phone that they carry around them at all times to record some unsuspecting action, other hand held solutions in this price range do not make as much sense. The OWLE makes for a fantastic attachment when you know you’ll need to record something and it seems to do the job well.
The OWLE Bubo caters to what seems like a niche market when other users have already come up with devices to enhance their iPhone 4 movie making experiences, so changes in their product are expected to be slow. I eagerly await their response to iPhone 4 compatibility, but in the mean time you can check out the OWLE more at WantOWLE for more information or purchase the OWLE from the following stores (more listed on their site):
$119.99 @ Adorama | Filmtools | Tekserve
P.S.: Also, here’s a little clip proving it’s not the equipment that makes the photographer/director, so don’t be disappointed if you can’t afford those high-end solutions! (Don’t mind all that other expensive equipment he uses..)
The iPhone Fashion Shoot - Lee Morris Shoots With The 3GS Fstoppers
