How to Test Your Phone for DIY Compatibility

So you have an older iPhone or an Android and you want to try and figure out your own solution to use the ObscuraFlex™ adapter? 

DIY USE: If you are considering purchasing the adapter with the intention of creating your own phone cradle, or other attachment, please understand that while I heartily encourage experimentation, and I will do my best to help, I don't have a support team to assist you. I'm just one guy, and I'm not liable for experimental or DIY use.

That said, the first thing you'll want to do is see if your phone is even capable of focusing at the distance needed to use any of the adapter versions we currently make.

To do that, simply download this PDF, and follow the instructions to see what your phone's main camera's minimum focus is and determine if the resulting image would be acceptable if you placed your phone at the distances marked on the measuring scale. 

If your phone model appears to work well at those distances, and you feel like reaching out to let me know, please submit the the results of your testing via the QR code printed on the chart. 

And good luck with your project! 

If you don't have access to a printer, the easiest way to test the minimum focus distance is as follows: 

1. Open your camera app.
2. If your phone has multiple lenses, cover each lens with a post-it, or piece of low-tack tape until only the MAIN lens is uncovered. 
3. Set your phone to the maximum zoom that the MAIN lens allows before it switches lenses (different phones behave differently). 
4. Hold a ruler (preferably one that shows millimeters) as close to the lens as you can get, sticking out in front, with zero as close to the phone body as possible (see photo below). 
5. Adjust the camera's focus to determine the closest measurement on the ruler you would consider "in focus". The image below shows about 85mm is in focus. 

The result with this iPhone SE (3rd Gen) is approximately 85mm (3.35 inches).

If your results show that your model of phone can focus at 100mm or less then it's a great candidate for use with ObscuraFlex™ and I would really like to hear from you.