ShiftCam Gear shows world’s first 240mm telephoto for iPhone

The ShiftCam 240mm Super Zoom Telephoto partners with your iPhone’s 5x periscope camera (4× & 8× on iPhone 17) to unlock true long-reach optics—not a digital crop.

Samsung – and other smartphone companies – may have faked the photo of the moon with AI when promoting their smartphones, but now ShiftCam Gear promises that, with its new lens, users can “Bring the Moon Closer (and Everything Else)”. Officially announced now, although ShiftCam Gear revealed details before, the world’s first 240mm 10× periscope telephoto lens for iPhone features, the company says, offers “true optical reach that turns stadium seats, wildlife trails, and even the moon into your personal front row.”

In a recent blog post about the specifications of the new lens ShiftCam Gear noted that “smartphone camera apps often mix true optical steps with hybrid/digital zoom—so that “10×” button you tap isn’t always a real lens. On iPhone 15 Pro Max, the longest optical zoom is 5× (≈120 mm); anything beyond that (up to 25×) is digital, which enlarges pixels rather than changing perspective.”

The company added that “across Android flagships, you’ll see the same pattern. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra dropped its prior 10× periscope for a 5×, 50 MP tele and leans on sensor crop to present “10×” in the app—powerful, but not the same as a native 10× optic, and the UI doesn’t clearly separate optical from digitally assisted zoom.”

That’s where the new lens from ShiftCam Gear enters. The company adds “why do we care? Because telephoto compression—that pulled-forward background, the “closer” feel—comes from using a longer focal length optic, not from cropping. Digital zoom can mimic framing; it can’t change perspective.”

Optimized around the iPhone’s periscope module, LensUltra 240mm Tele gives you predictable, razor-sharp tele results every time you choose 4×, 5× or even 8× on the new iPhone 17. The lens really allows users to unlock true long-reach optics. It’s not a digital crop, so, ShiftCam Gear says, “expect telephoto compression, natural depth, and crisp, inviting detail that pulls distant moments into intimate focus.”

The optics are, ShiftCam Gear says, “tuned to the true tele sensor for clean compression, fine detail, and minimal focus hunting—so framing stays consistent and your shots don’t drift into soft, digitally cropped look and plays perfectly with leading pro apps (Halide, Blackmagic, ProCamera, Filmic).”

The new 240mm Super Zoom Tele reveals details, the company claims, “your eyes can’t — without the bulk of a DSLR” and with telephoto lenses that usually weigh kilograms, while “LensUltra 240mm Tele fits in your pocket and mounts in seconds — so you can travel light and shoot more.”

Although announced as ideal for iPhone users, the 240mm lens, according to ShiftCam Gear, “works with all smartphones”. It requires a mounting solution for tele/periscope camera and is compatible with S.Mount mounting system (Camera Case/Universal S.Mount). The lens requires a 3rd party app to activate/lock Tele camera on phone (eg. Lightroom, Indigo, Blackmagic Design).

The system offered by ShiftCam Gear goes beyond the lens and includes a set of professional filters optically matched to the 240mm system to preserve edge-to-edge sharpness, eliminate vignetting, and unlock pro-level creative control.

The 240mm lens can also be used for macro, with the addition of four achromatic converters that thread directly onto the 240mm LensUltra, turning it into a precision macro system. ShiftCam Gear adds that “instead of carrying bulky lenses, you simply stack converters to build magnification — from subtle textures at 10× to microscopic worlds at 40×. Clean, color-true detail without chromatic aberration, all in a pocket-sized system.”

Here is some more information about this Modular Macro Innovation, as ShiftCam Gear calls it: “one converter delivers ~10× macro. Add more — up to four stacked — to push magnification to ~40×. Unlike typical phone macros that force you flush against your subject, this system lets you shoot from further away, making it easier to compose, light, and capture living subjects without disturbance. It’s true optical magnification with telephoto compression, so you capture fine detail without crowding the subject or casting shadows.”

The lens is available in different kits but here is one for you to check: the Full 240mm System Kit, which is a complete, pocketable ecosystem. ShiftCam Gear says that “it’s a studio-grade toolkit that turns your iPhone’s 5× periscope camera (4× & 8× on iPhone 17) into a versatile optical platform—from DSLR-style compression to museum-level detail and cinematic light control.” It costs $354.19 USD now, although the regular price is $505.99 USD.