Moment makes an anamorphic lens for DJI drones

Moment extends for the first time its range of additional camera lenses beyond smartphones, with the project to launch an anamorphic lens for DJI drones.

The lens attaches to DJI's Mavic 2 Pro or Mavic 2 Zoom and works with the existing drone camera to capture a wider field of view, with cinematographic light objectives. A crowdfunding campaign for the goal is being launched on Kickstarter today. It sells for $ 199, with plans to ship in November. Moment said the lens will be sold retail for $ 300.

Moment has made a name selling clipped lenses at the back of a phone, offering different fields of view and more options for photographers. While interest in traditional Instagram posts has faded, Moment co-founder Marc Barros said the company has found growth room by attracting vloggers and filmmakers. Drones, he says, are the other essential tools that filmmakers have begun to count on.

"We just watched what people were using," he says. "They all had a phone, a big camera and a drone." The Moment team said it managed to fly the Mavic 2 Pro in strong winds with the new target set, without affecting the performance of the drone.

In addition to the new lens, Moment sells clip-on ND and CPL filters for its own lens and the integrated lens of drones. He also designed a new iPhone case with enough space for the phone to slip into the drone's controller without being removed. The filters will be priced at $ 99 on Kickstarter ($ 120 retail) and the deal at $ 25 ($ 30 retail). Because the Mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 2 Zoom have different cameras, different lenses and filters will be sold for each model.

Picture: Moment

Moment launched its first anamorphic goal last year. Moment's most expensive lens is $ 150, but it's also one of the least expensive ways to start shooting in anamorphic, a format that usually requires expensive lenses for high-end cameras. Barros said Moment expected it to be a niche product, but it has become the company's "top selling goal," with nearly 50,000 units produced to date.

The creation of a lens for a drone comes with additional complications. DJI's UAVs use a cardan to stabilize the camera and record smooth video, and staining a heavy lens in the front may compromise its balance. To remedy this, Moment has reduced the weight of its existing anamorphic lens by changing the case from metal to plastic. (The window stays the same.) A clip that attaches the lens to the camera also includes a weight on the back to properly counterbalance the added weight.

As the lens is added above an existing lens, it has some disadvantages. You will have to attach it each time you start the drone. It does not work as well at all focal lengths. As the drone camera is already wide enough, the effect is limited unless you connect.

Picture: Moment

Then there is the problem of anamorphic shooting: the anamorphic lenses press the footage to fit the sensor better. This means that the panoramic photos will not show up correctly. It also means that when you watch your footage, it will look a little strange. Moment said that there was talk with DJI to add the ability to automatically reduce footage in the drone controller's app, but that's not safe for now.

However, in a world where drone images are more and more common and all are similar, Moment thinks that its anamorphic offer will appeal to many filmmakers who wish to stand out. It also seems that Moment will be one of the only companies – if not the only company – to offer clip-on lenses for DJI drones.

Barros says that the development of the lens is largely complete and Moment now needs to determine the number of units to be manufactured. "It's the least risky of all the kickstarters we've done," he says.