Spy Lens Review
In January when my Spy Lens finally
arrived I promised a review. I figured I need a better opportunity to really try it out extensively. This opportunity came up with my recent
trip to Marrakech. So here it goes…
The Spy Lens is a really intriguing idea. Many people behave very differently with a camera pointed at
them. That is – when they realize a camera is pointed at them. So quite often you get the most authentic pictures when the people are not aware. There a few things that
help taking such pictures: being lucky, being quick, a long lens and… the Spy Lens. This lens comes with a mirror inside and lets you shoot around corners in an angle of 90
degrees. As you are not pointing a big lens directly at the person, it should be easy to catch the pristine and authentic moments we are after.
While the build quality feels solid you need to be aware that the lens is only available at a 58mm diameter. Now my standard zoom lens has a diameter of 77mm. While you can of course use
a converter it heavily limits your view in the wide angle. Plus it looks quite strange. Unfortunately “strange” gets people curious …and aware. Which is exactly what
you try to avoid with this lens. Maybe less of a problem if you have the right lens combination. Another problem is the dust though. The mirror is a dust magnet! So you better be equipped
to clean up that mess. And because you have no lens cap you have to clean it a lot. The handling you have to get used to. Rotating the mirror and finding the right frame is really not
that easy. Especially if there is movement or if there is little time.
For me the Spy Lens failed the reality test. While I am sure you can have fun with it, it is really nothing more than a toy. But frankly speaking I did not expect anything more. I bought it for fun. And I am sure you can have fun with it. Just don’t get your hopes up to high. It’s not the holy grail for authentic shots. But it is a fun gadget.