ⓘ Sandmarc

Unlike Oppo or Vivo, Apple does not offer its own telephoto converter for the iPhone 17 Pro ($1,057 on Amazon). Instead, there are several third-party options available for iPhones, such as the brand-new Sandmarc 96 mm telephoto lens, which is offered as an alternative to the older Sandmarc 48 mm and 72 mm lenses.

The lens screws onto the iPhone’s telephoto camera and is said to achieve a 32x zoom on the iPhone 17 Pro (Max), while a 20x zoom is possible on older iPhones. However, Sandmarc is exaggerating these figures slightly, as the iPhone 17 Pro actually achieves "only" 16x optical zoom. The advertised 32x zoom is only possible in combination with 2x digital zoom. Nevertheless, a 384 mm 35mm-equivalent focal length should be sufficient to capture portraits with natural bokeh – without even using Portrait Mode.
 

In their own sample photos, Sandmarc focuses on landscapes to demonstrate just how significant the difference is when using the tele-converter. However, these comparisons must also be viewed with caution, as they compare the iPhone 17 Pro’s main camera with the 32x hybrid zoom, even though the smartphone can offer 8x hybrid zoom even without an additional lens. The lens is 8.9 centimeters long and weighs 255 grams.

The Sandmarc 96 mm telephoto lens for the Apple iPhone is now available in the manufacturer’s online store. The telephoto converter costs $345, shipping is free within the U.S. The lens is available in versions for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 Pro (Max), and the iPhone 17 Pro (Max).