Camera Spy Lens

Product Description

Remember that very first time you went out with your shiny new SLR, determined to shoot some Pulitzer-worthy people shots? You know, real stuff. Candid shots of people just living their lives and doing real things completely unaware that they were on camera. It's hard. People have a sixth sense for knowing when someone's taking their photo. Especially so when you've got an SLR and a big lens pointed right at them.

Opteka's Super-Secret Spy Lens is the answer. It's the ultimate accessory for kids, the photo-shy, street photography or any time you want natural, unposed shots.

Meant to fit the end of your SLR's zoom lens, it has a secret cut-out on the side and a precision mirror assembly inside. In short, you can shoot left, right, up, or down (it swivels 360 degrees), all while appearing to shoot straight ahead. The result? The picture-perfect candid shots you've always dreamed of.

Mount: Fits lenses with 58mm or 52mm threaded filter rings
Construction: Optical glass, mirror, aluminum

Includes
52-58mm Adapter Ring
Front and Rear Lens Caps
Pull String Soft Pouch
Limited 5-Year Warranty

Features

• Point your camera one way and shoot the other with this right angle lens attachment
• Easily attaches to your lenses filter threads (58mm or 52mm)
• This lens can be a valuable asset when shooting video (or still pictures) at the beach, pool, and other public places
• Accommodates all viewing distances from near wide-angle to full zoom
• Built-in rotating barrel to allow height adjustments. Compact, 3 1/2 inches long

Top Reviews

Excellent for People Watching
by M. Haus (5 out of 5 stars)
September 3, 2010

I plan on going to India over Christmas and then Israel in the spring. I really like taking people pictures, but I feel so awkward doing it because often your subject will see you trying to take a picture of them. And the people in those parts of the world don't really like having their picture taken by westerners. But with this your body can be facing one direction and the direction you camera is looking can be 90 degrees to the right or left!

The mirror is of good quality, but you get what you pay for and for thirty dollars this thing is most definitely worth it. I have a Canon XSi and I typically use it with my 50mm f/1.4 lens. I read that it's best to use it with a focal length of about 50mm because if your field of view is too much you might start to see the inside of the lens thing.

Also, it has a piece of glass on the front so it looks just like any telephoto lens when attached to your camera. I highly recommend this product if you'd like to take candids or just like being able to capture a moment without anyone knowing.

HEY! I almost forgot, it comes with an adapter too. I haven't used it because it fits my camera just fine without it.
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Does not work with FULL FRAME SENSORS CAMERAS!
by VGSTER (1 out of 5 stars)
August 11, 2018

Does not work with FULL FRAME sensors CAMERAS such as 5D, 5DS, 1Ds as it listed in the attachment description. Critical image vignetting.
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Give World Sidewise Look
by DON P (5 out of 5 stars)
March 11, 2018

Bought this for a friend i have one of my own ... some vignetting but that is expected. I have two Opteka optics add on lenses and respect the brand name.
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More like a gag gift
by Sea Duck (3 out of 5 stars)
May 2, 2016

Gadget that we bought for a friend who's a really good photographer. I haven't seen him using it more than a couple of times.
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Fun, but not for serious spy work
by RMoore (3 out of 5 stars)
June 1, 2009

The product functions as promised. For a voyeur who isn't particular about the vignetting, it successfully captures photos which you might not dare attempt otherwise. It takes pictures at right angles to the direction of the camera and photographer. It swivels, so photos can even be taken straight up and down, as well as to either side. I enjoy "people-watching" in public as much as anyone, but unfortunately, the large hole in the side would likely be a dead giveaway. I experimented with cooperating family members to see what they thought, and they agreed that if I kept my hand over the hole and peeked through my fingers at the subject until he looked away, I might get away with it. I could quickly uncover the hole and take the picture when they weren't looking directly at me. But I wouldn't go after a fugitive from the law with that thing.
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Just for fun
by K. M. (3 out of 5 stars)
June 19, 2009

I bought this just to have some fun taking pics of people that will never pose for a shot. It feels a little flimsy in hand and I wish it came with some type of cover for the front glass. I'm always smudging that thing. I would have liked some type of case for it when it's not in use as lint gets on that mirror very easily. I guess you get what you pay for though, and it really is just for fun.

I do like that it came with an adapter ring so that you can use it with different size lenses.

I was impressed with the ability it gave me to take pictures as different angles. I shot some cool tree and cloud shots.

Overall that giant hole is a dead give away for any aspiring spies, but it is lots of fun to play with.
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Brilliant
by Celeste (5 out of 5 stars)
July 11, 2013

I have to get use to the way the lens turns, but AWESOME, I really enjoy this and will recommend it.
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Avoid intimacy, or increase it
by Larry Benjamin (5 out of 5 stars)
June 19, 2016

I remember first seeing these offered as an accessory in the 1970s. It won't fool anyone who knows what it is, but since most people are unfamiliar with them, as long as they don't know what to look for, they won't pay much attention to someone who appears to be taking a photo in a completely different direction. A fake dark "filter" on the front helps make the Opteka look more like a regular lens, at least from that angle.

My camera is a Canon G16
, which can mount filters and other accessories directly to the camera body with a cylindrical adaptor, so the right angle attachment is not affected by lens movement (I use a Lensmate for attaching filters, but wouldn't recommend this for something as heavy as the Opteka). In the wide angle setting, the Canon sees the Opteka's inner housing, but on telephoto, the lens moves closer to the mirror, so the housing isn't visible.

One thing missing is any protection for the mirror. I solved that with a neoprene lens pouch, but a curved plastic cover for the opening would have been a nice touch.

There is an ethical issue around photographing people without their consent. Some photographers I admire, like Henri Cartier-Bresson, got around this by working very fast in order to capture candid moments. Others, like Diane Arbus and Richard Avedon, went the opposite direction, by getting to know their subjects in order to gain their trust. Modern cameras tend to obscure the photographer's face, due to the need to use either a viewfinder or LCD screen. Arbus used a Rolleiflex which allowed her to relate to the subject without the camera betwen them, since a twin-lens reflex viewfinder is on top, so you hold the camera against your body and look down at it to compose the shot. Avedon used a view camera that he stood next to, with nothing between him and his subjects. So one way to use the Opteka would be to turn the mirror upward, allowing you to hold the camera on your chest and look down at the LCD instead of having it in front of your face (the image will be upside-down if you do this). It's ironic that an accessory intended to allow the photographer to avoid contact with their subject, can also bring them closer together.
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do not buy from the 47th Photo
by Andrew T. Nguyen (1 out of 5 stars)
September 3, 2009

This item is not fitting my canon digital rebel XTi. When I call customer service, they said this is the only item that they have , and it should fit all the camera that they listed. If it does not fit then they said it is the canon dealer that I should contact with . I had tried to see if it fit on some camera that they listed but they still didn't fit. I returned . I don't think I will buy anything from The 47th Photo dealer anymore.
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A Fun Lens To Use.
by James M. Fitzpatrick (5 out of 5 stars)
October 21, 2012

I find this lens very useful when taking event photos and catch people being themselves (not posing). It is easy to place on my Canon t3i camera.

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