PGYTECH, the company behind the telephoto extender lenses for Vivo and Oppo flagships, has just unveiled its new “RetroVa Vintage Imaging Kit,” a modular camera system designed specifically for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro series.
This kit aims to solve one of the biggest complaints of mobile photographers i.e. the lack of tactile controls and the limitations of digital zoom at long distances. By combining a physical camera-style grip with a massive 2.35x optical telephoto extender, PGYTECH is promising to turn the iPhone into a legitimate rival for mirrorless cameras.
The core of the RetroVa kit is a dedicated phone case and a detachable leather-textured grip. Unlike typical Bluetooth shutter buttons, this grip features a two-stage mechanical shutter that allows you to half-press to focus and full-press to take the shot.
The grip also includes a physical zoom rocker, a customizable function button, and a control dial that can be mapped to settings like ISO, exposure, or white balance. This setup is designed to make the iPhone feel like a traditional camera, allowing for more stable, one-handed shooting.
The standout feature is the 2.35x Master Telephoto Extender. This lens screws directly onto the adapter ring of the phone case, sitting over the iPhone’s existing telephoto lens.
On the iPhone 17 Pro, which has a 4x optical lens, the extender pushes the effective focal length to 235mm (approximately 10x optical zoom). For the iPhone 16 Pro series, which features a 120mm (5x) lens, the extender reaches a staggering 282mm, or nearly 12x optical zoom.
The lens itself is built with a 13-element system divided into three groups using ED (extra-low dispersion) glass. This high-end glass is designed to maintain sharpness and reduce the “watercolor” effect often seen with heavy digital zoom.
The RetroVa kit is currently live on Kickstarter and has already far exceeded its initial funding goal.
Shipping is expected to begin in March 2026.
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