Sandmarc Brings ‘Optical-Quality’ Superzoom to iPhone

Peta Pixel | Aug. 19, 2026, 10:29 a.m. | Original

A person holds a black smartphone with a large, detachable telephoto lens being attached to the camera array.

Sandmarc has announced a new 96mm telephoto lens for iPhone, promising optical-quality performance at focal lengths that are historically handled only through digital zoom.

“There’s a distance between what iPhone zoom can do and what photographers actually need. Digital zoom closed the gap on paper. Optically, it never quite got there,” Sandmarc says. “We wanted glass that pulled distant subjects in with the same clarity, compression, and depth you’d expect from a dedicated camera.”

The company says that its new 96mm Telephoto lens for iPhone offers up to 32x total reach, depending on the phone used. When paired with the longer 4x telephoto zoom on the latest iPhone 17 Pro models, which promise 8x “optical-quality” zoom via sensor cropping, the lens hits that advertised 32x spec. On iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro phones, it offers 20x zoom.

A person holds a smartphone equipped with a large external lens attachment while photographing a desert landscape at sunset.

The add-on phone lens incorporates multi-element, multi-coated glass. The sample images below show the type of performance smartphone users can expect. Given the relatively long focal length, users will want to stabilize their phone in some situations.

Several pelicans perch on a grassy coastal cliff overlooking the ocean under a clear blue sky.
Ocean waves crash against a dark, textured rock formation jutting out from the water.
Golden, eroded badlands stretch toward a range of dark, rugged mountains under a blue sky filled with scattered clouds.
Deep, angular shadows cast across the textured, golden-brown slopes of arid, eroded hills.

“The Sandmarc Telephoto 96mm Lens is built for the moments where distance is the only obstacle,” Sandmarc explains. “Mounted directly to your iPhone’s tetraprism telephoto camera, it adds 4x true optical magnification, delivering reach, clarity, and compression that digital zoom cannot replicate.”

Using the Sandmarc Telephoto 96mm Lens has a couple of very important requirements. First, like other similar smartphone add-on lenses, the 96mm Telephoto requires a special Sandmarc iPhone case. These cases come in a wide range of colors and start at $50.

Four sailboats are moored in a calm harbor near a shoreline with trees, a fence, and a white building in the background.
A Grumman A-6 Intruder aircraft with "MARINES" and "151782" markings sits on the flight deck of a ship.
A partially open metal-framed window is set into a building facade featuring vertical, light-blue fluted tiles.
A close-up view of ornate, light-colored stone architecture featuring vertical columns, decorative finials, and intricate carved details illuminated by warm light.
A modern high-rise building at night, illuminated by vertical and horizontal strips of bright orange neon lights along its exterior facade.
A dimly lit urban alleyway at night, framed by dark buildings and illuminated by a single glowing window and distant streetlights.
A low-angle view of a historic building facade featuring arched windows, decorative stone molding, and a metal fire escape.
A yellow diamond-shaped sign attached to a wooden fence reads "GATES LOCKED AT 5 PM" with several small stickers applied to its surface.

Another important caveat is that the Sandmarc lens requires photographers to use the company’s free iPhone camera app, Sandmarc Camera . The app includes full manual controls, a robust add-on lens panel, RAW shooting, and more.

Pricing and Availability

The Sandmarc Telephoto 96mm Lens is available now for $345 . As mentioned, it also requires a special Sandmarc case. It works with Sandmarc’s optional iPhone lens filters , too, including polarizers and neutral density (ND) filters.

The Telephoto 96mm Lens joins Sandmarc’s existing 48mm and 72mm add-on lenses for iPhone, which are $245 and $295, respectively.

Image credits Sandmarc

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