Sandmarc, a mobile photography specialist, has unveiled the Microscope Lens Edition for iPhone, an optical add-on for the iPhone that provides smartphone shooters with 40x magnification.

“Go from macro, micro, to micro 3x in seconds and see the world in finer detail,” Sandmarc said. Because lighting is a significant impediment to capturing fine macro detail, the Sandmarc Microscope Lens includes an integrated light, allowing photographers to shoot clear, bright scenes even at 40x magnification.

The Microscope Lens for iPhone fits over the smartphone’s rear camera module and is attached to the provided iPhone case. While not necessarily thick, consumers may find it difficult to keep the microscope connected when placing their iPhone in a standard jeans pocket. When not in use, the 12.8mm thick lens should be quite easy to tuck away somewhere.

The Microscope Lens Edition is also considerably smaller than Sandmarc’s earlier this year announced 100mm Macro Lens for iPhone.

Many recent iPhone models, including the iPhone 12 and onwards, as well as Apple’s bigger smartphones, such as the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Plus, are compatible with the lens. Despite the fact that the third-generation SE model was released last year, Sandmarc does not put the iPhone SE on its compatibility list.

In the case of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple’s newest flagship gadget provides 5x optical zoom (120mm equivalent) on its telephoto camera. When used with the Sandmarc Microscope Lens Edition, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x camera can achieve 200x magnification.