October 12, 2024

iPhone Macro Focusing Mod

Posted August 27, 2008 at 2:29pm by iClarified
TUAW reader Daniel Forsythe modded his iPhone to focus a bit closer up so he could use it to read bar codes that he shoots from magazines and equipment labels.

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As many iPhone owners are aware, the iPhone and iPhone 3G are focused at near infinity for versatility. Personally, I take more close-up images, and would like the ability to actually read QRcode and Datamatrix barcodes directly from the phone at their usual size from magazines and equipment.

Both iPhone models have the same style generic mobile phone camera module with a screw style focus adjustment which has been glued at infinity in the factory.


Once you break this glue, you can turn the lens counterclockwise to bring the focus closer. In tests, I've had no problems focusing to as close as a quarter inch from the subject, although this is impractical as the iPhone shadows the subject heavily with its size.
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Take a look at his results in this flickr gallery. The improvement is incredible!


iPhone Macro Focusing Mod

iPhone Macro Focusing Mod


iPhone Macro Focusing Mod
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appsman
appsman - November 9, 2011 at 6:44am
If you have an iPhone 4 or 4S, and don't want to hack up your phone, there is this 3D printable macro lens holder that slides on and off: http://www.shapeways.com/model/328790/
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