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PGYTech has brought Vivo and Oppo’s telephoto extender idea to the iPhone ecosystem. Its RetroVa Vintage Imaging Kit launched on Kickstarter in late January 2026 and quickly passed its $10,000 goal, raising over $79,000 from global backers. The timing matters. Apple is reportedly exploring similar optical accessories for future iPhone Pro models, but PGYTech is delivering the experience now.
Smartphone users want real zoom, not software tricks. This kit answers that demand with physical optics, manual controls, and external storage—features once reserved for dedicated cameras.
Vivo Oppo 12x Telephoto Extender Inspires iPhone Grip Design
Vivo and Oppo popularized telephoto extender technology in flagship phones like the X200 Ultra and Find X8 series, using periscope lenses to deliver extreme reach. PGYTech, already known for making official add-on lenses for these brands, now brings that idea to iPhone users.
The RetroVa Vintage Imaging kit adapts Vivo Oppo’s 12x telephoto extender for iPhone 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. It pairs a protective case with a retro-style leather grip, manual camera controls, a microSD slot, and a 2.35x telephoto extender lens. The black pebbled leather finish takes cues from 1970s film cameras while maintaining precise cutouts for ports, buttons, and cameras.
The grip changes how the iPhone feels in hand. A metal shutter button enables instant capture. A multi-function button switches exposure compensation and focus modes. A zoom lever allows smooth focal adjustments, while a control dial fine-tunes shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. Together, these physical controls bring DSLR-like feedback to an experience that has long relied on touchscreens alone.
A built-in microSD slot supports direct 4K ProRes recording, handling cards up to 1TB. That removes storage limits from long shoots. USB-C with USB 3.1 enables transfers up to 312MB/s. The adapter ring supports filters and additional lenses, while a standard 1/4-inch tripod mount and strap option improve stability for handheld or tripod work. PGYTech’s Pro Imaging app unlocks manual modes, film-style color rendering, and custom watermarks designed specifically for the telephoto extender.
Vivo Oppo 12x Telephoto Extender Boosts iPhone Zoom Power
The 2.35x telephoto extender mounts directly over the iPhone’s telephoto camera, delivering true optical reach instead of digital crop. On iPhone 17 Pro, the base 100mm 4x lens extends to 235mm, translating to roughly 10x zoom from the 24mm wide-angle baseline. Image sharpness remains consistent across the frame.
On iPhone 16 Pro, which starts with a 120mm 5x periscope camera, the extender pushes reach to 282mm. That delivers nearly 12x zoom with strong edge detail and natural background blur. The results outperform standard digital zoom, especially in good light.
PGYTech’s Pro Imaging app adds focal presets at 400mm, 600mm, and 960mm, with hybrid modes extending even further. On iPhone 17 Pro, combined optical and digital processing reaches up to a 2350mm equivalent. Users can stack ND filters to control highlights in bright conditions or CPL filters to cut reflections from water and glass. Night mode remains usable, helping low-light shots retain clarity that typical digital zoom cannot match.
This leap highlights how fast smartphone zoom has evolved. iPhone 7 introduced 2x optical zoom in 2016. iPhone 15 Pro Max reached 5x in 2023. Vivo Oppo’s 12x telephoto extender concept pushes well beyond that, enabling wildlife shots at long distances, tighter framing at sports events, and more controlled compositions for travel and street photography.
Vivo Oppo 12x Telephoto Extender Kit Pricing and Kickstarter Success
PGYTech launched the RetroVa Vintage Imaging kit on Kickstarter in late January 2026. The campaign quickly surpassed its $10,000 funding goal and has raised more than $79,000 from backers worldwide, signaling strong early demand from iPhone photographers and creators.
Early backers can secure the full kit for $149, with the standard pledge priced at $184 plus shipping. The leather grip and case bundle costs $72, while the telephoto extender alone is also available at $72. A filter pack is priced at $16. PGYTech expects deliveries to begin in April 2026.
The company’s track record adds confidence. PGYTech has previously shipped similar accessories for Vivo and Oppo devices. While crowdfunding always carries some risk, the rapid funding pace and clear production roadmap suggest solid momentum behind the project.
Vivo Oppo 12x Telephoto Extender Impacts Creators and Pros
For creators, the kit reshapes mobile workflows. TikTok and Instagram creators gain tighter framing and cinematic depth without bulky rigs. YouTube vloggers capture cleaner close-ups without relying on gimbals. The grip stabilizes handheld video, while physical controls enable smoother exposure and focus adjustments during recording.
Professionals benefit as well. Event coverage becomes easier when speakers can be framed clearly from the back of a room. Product reviewers can isolate small details without sacrificing sharpness. Travel photographers capture architecture and distant landmarks with less distortion. RAW files saved directly to microSD speed up editing in tools like Lightroom, reducing reliance on internal phone storage.
Competition in this space is heating up. Other accessory makers and smartphone brands are likely to follow. PGYTech’s advantage lies in its deep roots with Vivo and Oppo’s telephoto ecosystem. As demand grows, pressure increases on Apple to integrate similar hardware directly into future iPhones. For now, the Vivo Oppo 12x telephoto extender gives iPhone users a powerful glimpse of what mobile photography can become.
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