As cameras and lenses have improved, some photographers and filmmakers have begun looking back at objectively “worse” vintage lenses with envy. There is a certain charm to softer lenses, and Sandmarc hopes to capitalize on the nostalgia craze with its new Retro Filter for iPhone.
“With a growing admiration for vintage aesthetics, we aimed to create a filter that enhances the iPhone camera’s ability to produce high-quality content with a nostalgic effect,” Sandmarc explains. “The Sandmarc Retro Filter offers a vintage filmic look for every shot, perfect for capturing timeless photos & videos in any environment.”
The Sandmarc Retro Filter essentially reduces fine details in images, reduces contrast, and introduces a soft halation around light sources. This is similar in spirit and functionality to the dreamy highlight diffusion filter (HDF) that Ricoh Imaging added to its most recent GR III and GR IIIx models. There’s clearly a demand for this type of look, as those GR III HDF cameras are so popular that Japanese photographers have had to enter a lottery to buy them.
PetaPixel has also seen the desire for a “vintage” look with much more complex optical designs, such as Module 8’s variable-look Tuner system that recreates classic lenses through reverse-engineered lens adapters.
More like Ricoh’s HDF system and less like Module 8’s sophisticated multi-glass design, Sandmarc’s new Retro Filter is relatively simple. It is multi-coated glass that screws onto many Sandmarc’s iPhone lenses, including its anamorphic, wide, and telephoto lenses. As shown in the video below, the Retro Filter looks and functions like a neutral density or polarizing filter photographers attach to typical camera lenses.
Speaking of polarizing filters, the Retro Filter also has a polarization effect. It also includes two strengths: strong mist and soft mist. Sandmarc says the softer option provides subtle diffusion while utilizing the polarization effect, while the strong mist option delivers a more dramatic filmic look.
The Sandmarc Retro Filter is compatible with any iPhone model and is available for preorder now for $99.99. It is expected to begin shipping in August.
Image credits: Sandmarc