Moment Tele 58mm M-Series lens review

Until recently, I never really saw the point in lenses for your smartphone. The best camera phones are now so good, why would I bother investing money into something that would make my phone bulkier? 

Well, if you want to take better quality images and videos that look more professional, a phone lens is a smart solution and the Moment 58mm Tele lens is up there with some of the better phone lenses.

Moment 58mm Tele Lens: Specification

Dimensions: 27.58 x 39.5mm
Weight: 73.1g
Resolution (Axis): 300+ LP/MM
Resolution (Edges): 200 LP/MM
Lateral chromatic aberration: <1px at edge
Distortion: <0.75%
Equivalent focal length (over iPhone Wide Lens): 58mm
Minimum focus distance: 7.25" / 184.15mm (varies between phone models)
Optical design: All glass, 6 elements, 4 groups
Lens coating: Multi-layer, low flare, broadband anti-reflection

Moment 58mm Tele Lens: Key Features

For anyone who uses the zoom feature on their phone a lot, investing in a telephoto lens for mobile would be a wise idea. Moment makes some really good smartphone lenses and the M-Series 58mm tele photo is no exception. It's small, lightweight and comes in a handy carry case so that you can pack it away safely when you don't want to use it. You can attach it to the front of your camera using the phone specific case which has dashes you need to align, and then a simple twist locks it in place.

Moment 58mm Tele Lens: Build and Handling

Made from an entirely metal casing, six glass elements and complete with rubber lens cap, the Moment lens feels really well made. There are a few nice finishing touches such as the wooden panel on the back of the phone case and a smooth plastic finish. The one downside to the smooth finish is it does feel slightly slippery in your hands so I would recommend attaching a Popgrip or another kind of handle onto the back of it. If you're pretty attached to your phone case, it is a bit annoying having to switch cases to use the lens but the case Moment provide is nice enough to keep on at all times.

The rubber lens cap fits snuggly over the lens so there is no risk of it coming loose when in your bag and accidentally scratching the front element. The locking mechanism feels robust and when locked in place is very secure – there's no chance of it coming off by mistake. 

Moment 58mm Tele Lens: Performance

I was really happy with the quality of the pictures I took using the Moment 58mm lens. There is a noticeable difference in image quality when you crop in. When comparing photos taken with the 58mm lens and zooming in by 58mm using the cameras zoom, image colors look more natural and there is less pixelation. 

Sample images

Image 1 of 5

Shot with 58mm lens

Same image as before without the 58mm lens

Left image: shot with 58mm lens, colors are more accurate but image has less contrast

Right image: shot zoomed in to 58mm, colors are more vibrant and have more contrast

Moment 58mm Tele Lens: Final Verdict

If you're someone who finds themselves using the zoom feature on their phone a lot, this 58mm telephoto lens is definitely worth investing in. This is especially true if you're planning on going away soon and don't want to take or don't own a "proper" camera system. I think I might actually prefer this to the equivalent ShiftCam lens as it feels more secure when attached to the case mount and it doesn't move around.

I tested the lens using an iPhone 11 which already has a pretty good camera but the Moment M-Series telephoto lens made it even better. 

Overall it's got a high-quality feel to it, and whether you're using it for photo or video it will definitely improve the quality of your content. I wouldn't necessarily rush out to buy one as it's still quite an investment, but perhaps if one came up secondhand or on offer I would reconsider.

Read more:

Best lenses for iPhone and Android camera phones
Best photo apps