PGYTech's RetroVa is for the Serious Smartphone Photographer

PGYTech is crowdfunding the RetroVa Vintage Imaging Kit, which makes the iPhone “feel like a real camera” and gives it a 235mm focal length.

Designed for the iPhone 16 and 17 Pro and Pro Max, the RetroVa comes with physical buttons and dials, including a shutter release that focuses when half-pressed. The dials can control ISO, white balance, and EV.

The telephoto lens on the iPhone 17 Pro is a 100mm focal length, but the RetroVa’s 2.35x telephoto extender allows photographers to shoot with a 235mm equivalent. On the iPhone 16 Pro, it gets a 282mm focal length.

“The 2.35× Master Telephoto Extender unlocks a focal range previously impossible on a smartphone,” says PGYTech. “Reach up to 235mm (4×) optical on iPhone 17 Pro, or push to a staggering 2350mm equivalent. From the subtle details of wildlife to the raw energy of a concert stage, RetroVa brings the distant world into razor-sharp focus — without the digital noise.”

The telephoto extender features a 13-element / three-group optical system crafted from ED glass that is optimized for the iPhone f/2.8 aperture.

There are also film emulators, custom borders, and watermarks via the PGYTech Pro Imaging App. And for the photographer short on memory space, the device also comes with a microSD slot in the grip for storage. It supports ProRes and HEVC recording, but doesn’t support 4K60 ProRes.

The RetroVa is MagSafe, and there’s also a strap available. There’s a host of other accessories available, too. It includes a MagSafe light, a smaller 2x telephoto extender, and filters.

“Perfect for street and everyday shooters who crave speed and stability,” PGYTech says. “It features zero-lag mechanical controls and external recording support—allowing you to shoot more and stay steady without draining your phone’s storage.”

For smartphone shooters planning to upgrade to the iPhone 18 Pro, PGYTech says only the phone case will need replacing; the grip will continue to operate.

The RetroVa Vintage Imaging Kit has tiers from $72 to $184 on Kickstarter. The first units are scheduled to ship this month.

Disclaimer: Make sure you do your own research into any crowdfunding project you’re considering backing. While we aim to only share legitimate and trustworthy campaigns, there’s always a real chance that you can lose your money when backing any crowdfunded project. PetaPixel does not participate in any crowdfunding affiliate programs.

To hold projects accountable, all crowdfunding campaigns on which PetaPixel reports are financially backed with the lowest tier option in order to give the publication visibility into all backer-only communications. If a campaign owner acts in a manner inconsistent with its promises, PetaPixel will share that information publicly.m

Image credits: PGYTech via Kickstarter