ExoLens' Zeiss lenses are iPhone 7-ready, too

As with the recent announcement from Moment, all it takes to make iPhone 6-compatible lenses work with the iPhone 7 is new mounting hardware.

So goeth Exolens splitting into two lines, ExoLens Pro and Prime; the Pro lenses use Zeiss optics, while the Prime line will be the standard consumer ExoLens lenses.

The Pro lenses are the same ones I've already reviewed, so really what the company is announcing is that the iPhone 7-compatible ExoLens Pro Wide-Angle Kit with Optics by Zeiss (what a mouthful) and the ExoLens Pro Telephoto Kit with Optics by Zeiss are starting in December for $200 and $250, respectively. (I don't have UK or AU pricing yet, but those directly convert to approximately £160/AU$260 and £200/AU$330.) The ExoLens Pro Macro-Zoom Kit with Optics by Zeiss for iPhone 7 will ship in January 2017 for $200 (directly converted, about £160/AU$260).

Zeiss Exolens photo samples

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I don't think it makes sense to shove the Zeiss to the end of the Pro product name, though, since Zeiss optics are the main reason to buy them -- despite the fact that it's a Fellowes product. ExoLens isn't as powerful a brand for people who care. They should wait until the lenses have actually been out for a while and people have begun to associate the "ExoLens Pro" with the Zeiss optics.

The first Prime lenses, a 0.6x wide angle, the 2x telephoto and super wide-angle/macro combo, are slated to ship in early 2017 as well.

Editors' note, October 17, 2016: Edited for corrections.