Moment lens Kickstarter looks better than most, but do we need more smartphone lenses?

 

 

Moment is a new Kickstarter for a pair of smartphone lenses, that'll work with either your iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy. Yet, despite being crafted by people who seem to know an awful lot about cameras and lenses, we're left wondering "does the world need another set of iPhone lenses?"

Let's start with the good stuff, shall we? The Moment lenses are being produced by Marc Barros, who was the co-founder and CEO of defunct action cam company Contour, as well as Contour's former Chief Product Designer Erik Hedberg. Also behind it is Michael Thomas and Russ Hudyma, of lens manufacturers Hyperion Development. In other words, people who know a thing or two about cameras, lenses, and product design.

The Moment lenses are also interesting in that they use a mount that sticks to your phone, but is small enough to be used in-between it and a case. It then projects a small bayonet mount out, which the lenses can lock into. Also, unlike many other iPhone lenses, the Moment has a full set of lens specs, giving us a feeling that this 2x zoom and wide-angle lens are being made by people who actually know what they're up to. And the photos on the Kickstarter page actually look pretty good.

But we just can't help but ponder why the world needs yet another iPhone/smartphone lens. Even beyond the ultra-popular Olloclip, there have been dozens of other attempts to strap lenses to the iPhone. So while we think the pedigree of the Moment gives it an awful lot of potential, but it really does feel hard to get excited about yet another Kickstarter for yet another smartphone-photography doodad. And I say that as someone who has backed a number of them.

Still, if you're interested, you can back both lenses for $99, and the Kickstarter only just started and is already well on its way to the $50,000 goal.