Loreo 3D Lens-In-A-Cap 22-24mm f/11 APS-C

The Loreo 3D Lens-In-A-Cap turns your Nikon APS-C DSLR into a stereo 3D camera for $225. The 90mm stereo base is the standout feature, but the optics are near the bottom of our database and the f/11 to f/22 aperture range is brutally slow. Worth it only if you specifically want 3D photos and can live with soft, dark images.

Optically, this thing is a toy. The 2-element design sits in the 18th percentile in our database, which means soft corners, low contrast, and plenty of chromatic weirdness. The f/11 to f/22 aperture range is painfully slow, landing in the 22nd percentile. You'll be cranking ISO or shooting long exposures in anything but bright daylight. Manual focus only, and the continuous slider from 1.5m to infinity is functional but vague. The 90mm stereo base is actually the highlight here, wider than most phone-based 3D rigs, which gives the 3D effect more depth. Stabilization is present and ranks in the 79th percentile, which helps when you're hand-holding at f/16. But let's be real: this lens is about the gimmick, not the glass.

Stacked against the Tamron 18-300mm or Sigma 16-300mm, the Loreo looks like a science fair project. Those lenses are sharp, fast, and versatile. The Loreo is none of those things. But that's not really the point. The Loreo does something those lenses can't: it captures true stereo pairs in a single shot. The Nikon 20059 and Sony 18-135mm are better everyday lenses by every measurable metric. The Loreo is a specialty tool, and it only makes sense if you specifically want 3D output. For everything else, literally any of the competitors will serve you better.

At $225, the Loreo 3D Lens-In-A-Cap is a niche purchase. You're not paying for image quality, you're paying for the 3D effect. Compared to a used Fuji W3 or a stereo film camera, it's actually not a bad deal. But compared to any normal wide-angle lens in this price range, the optics are a joke. If you're curious about 3D photography and already own a compatible Nikon body, it's a fun experiment. Just don't expect it to replace your regular glass.

The Loreo 3D Lens-In-A-Cap is a weird little gadget that turns your Nikon APS-C DSLR into a stereo 3D camera. It's a manual focus, fixed aperture lens that squeezes two side-by-side images onto one sensor. Think View-Master meets your old D90. The build is plastic, the aperture is stuck between f/11 and f/22, and you'll need a tripod or serious sunlight. But if you want old-school 3D photos without buying a dedicated stereo camera, this is about as cheap as it gets.

Skip this if you want sharp, usable images. The optical quality is in the 18th percentile, and the slow aperture makes it useless for anything but bright daylight or tripod work. If you need a general-purpose wide-angle lens, buy almost anything else. If you're not specifically interested in stereo 3D photography, this lens will just collect dust. Portrait shooters should absolutely look elsewhere, the 15.8 out of 100 score in that category is one of the worst we've seen.

Buy this if you're a 3D photography enthusiast who wants a cheap way to shoot stereo pairs on a DSLR you already own. The 90mm stereo base and filter compatibility are genuine improvements over older Loreo models. But if you're looking for a sharp wide-angle lens, run. The optical performance is bottom-tier, the aperture is painfully slow, and the customer reviews reflect that. This is a toy for tinkerers, not a tool for serious shooters.