Last year I reviewed the PGYTECH MagCam.  In short, I really didn’t care for it at all.  This year PGYTECH has a new approach to trying to provide a more camera like experience when taking photos with your iPhone – the RetroVa Grip Kit.  in short, I like this product a lot better – and for a specific type of a consumer, I might even recommend it.

For the purpose of this review, I picked up the most basic version of the RetroVa – which consists of the phone case and the Bluetooth device that connects to the USB end of your phone in conjunction with the case.  Surprisingly, the RetroVa (about $90) is actually a bit more expensive than the MagCam (about $60).  The RetroVa can also be purchased with various accessory lenses that, depending on what you choose, can run over $200.00 or even $300.00.  And that’s the point where things get stupid.  Because the only advantage that the MagCam has over the RetroVa is that it attaches magnetically via MagSafe to the phone.  That means you can probably use the for several future generations of the iPhone.  Because the RetroVa concept is designed around an iPhone case, as soon as Apple changes the design of the iPhone, you lose compatibility with the RetroVa.  At $90, it’s not that much more expensive than a case that I’m going to replace once I get a new phone anyway.  But once you start adding on accessory lenses that run up the price to the $200 to $300 range, I just don’t think it makes sense for a device that may only last you one phone generation.  If you’re the type that keeps a phone for several years, this may be less of consideration.  But with how good the latest crop of native iPhone lenses, I really question the benefit of bringing along accessory lenses.

WHO IS THE RETROVA FOR?

In my opinion, the RetroVa is for someone who is really into iPhone photography – someone who wants to enjoy a more camera-like experience when taking photos , but doesn’t want an actual camera.  Plug the Bluetooth module that comes with the case into your iPhone’s USB port, and the system is complete.  The look is complete.  Clearly a RetroVa equipped iPhone is intended to resemble a vintage camera.  It’s designed to provide both the look and experience of taking photos with a camera, not a phone.

The Bluetooth grip module provides a shutter release button, a zoom lever, and a customizable dial that can be assigned a couple of different functions like exposure compensation…and that’s about it in terms of physical controls.  Okay…here’s the honest truth:  it’s easier and feels much more natural to snap photos on a RetroVa outfitted iPhone than without.  An iPhone is primarily laid out out to be, unshockingly…a phone.  Using the phone-first control layout to operate a camera is compromised at best.  I can certainly see the appeal of the ergonomic improvement provided by the RetroVa when doing iPhone photography.

So you could buy the RetroVa, use the case as your iPhone case – it’s designed to function as a protective case for an iPhone – and keep the Bluetooth control module charged up and ready to plug in when you’re ready to take photos.  For what it is, it functions quite well and looks great.  It’s even Magsafe compatible, so you can wirelessly charge your iPhone while the case is on.

Remove the Bluetooth module, and the RetroVa functions well and looks great as an iPhone case.

But the real story here isn’t the RetroVa…it’s the PGYTECH camera app.

THE BEST CAMERA APP I’VE EVER USED?

The PGYTECH camera app is fantastic.  It’s not perfect, but it’s easily the best iPhone camera app I’ve ever used.  Largely due to the nine FujiFilm and Kodak inspired “Retro Film” filters included in the app.  The best part?  The app is completely free.  No subscription required.

I plan to do an in-depth review on the PGYTECH camera app, but suffice to say that the app combined with the RetroVa really does provide a fantastic experience, and can produce some really interesting results. That said, you don’t have to buy the RetroVa to use the PGYTECH camera app.  The RetroVa has a customizable dial that allows user to rotate through the Retro Film filters a bit more intuitively.  But you neither have to have the PGYTECH camera app to use the RetroVa, or have to have the RetroVa to use the PGYTECH camera app.  I used the app for about a week prior to getting the RetroVa.  And here’s the thing:  I genuinely enjoyed the photo taking experience more when I used the RetroVa kit than I did without.  Not so much that I felt like the RetroVa was for me – it isn’t.  But the appeal of not having to lug camera gear around with you to get a camera-like experience isn’t lost on me.  The Bluetooth grip module isn’t large – you could literally bring it with you everywhere.  So even if you have a “real camera” that camera system may not be ideal for bringing along with you every day.  The RetroVa may fit the bill as an EDC camera solution.

I’m not the target audience for the PGYTech RetroVa Grip Kit.  But for the right iPhone photographer?  I’d definitely recommend it…and might even want to borrow it from time to time.