The protective cases from Gizmon leave no doubt as to what your favorite iPhone feature is; they make your phone look like a vintage Leica (a look-aLeica?) and add camera features.
The company makes several variations of the cases - from a blacked-out model, the iCA Military, to the iCA Deluxe, which lets you change the color of the grips to black, tan, pink or blue.
The cases come apart like puzzle boxes, requiring you to snap off the functional viewfinder, twist off the lens, then separate the remaining shell. It takes a combination of force and finesse until the parts wear in a bit.
All of the cases come with a tripod stand, and two faux lenses. One is thinner, making the case easier to pocket.
Various models come with other accessories; the Deluxe, for example, has a strap-and-cloth bag.
The cases don't seem to add a lot of padding, but they do add some functions like a working shutter button that presses on the volume up button, which can be used to trigger the shutter.
The cases also have a screw mount for Gizmon's accessory lenses, which include a polarizing lens that removes reflections from glass and deepens detail in clouds, a fisheye that gives a super wide angle view, and a kaleidoscopic lens that gives you three images of your subject.
The cases are priced from $55 to $65, and the lenses are priced from $25 to $35 at sites like Four Corner Store.
The cases don't block access to the charging cable, headphone plug, microphone or speakers. As gimmicky as they look, the cases are thought out well enough to make you smile, rather than say “cheese.â€
