Domestic smartphone player iBall recently launched its mSLR Cobalt 4 at Rs 8,499. The Cobalt 4 comes with the same hardware as any other budget 5-inch Android smartphone. However, iBall wants to differ from the crowd by packaging the Cobalt 4 as an mSLR smartphone boasting of superior camera with “detachable” lenses. PICTURES: Check out the iBall mSLR Cobalt 4 If you go by the marketing images or even the box image you will get the impression that the device actually allow users to change lenses like in D-SLR cameras. However, the reality is different. Anybody who is familiar with mobile lens kits will easily understand that the 'mSLR' term is completely a marketing gimmick. Those who are not aware of lens kits might find this smartphone to be attractive. The company has packaged the entire smartphone to attract buyers in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. So, should you buy this smartphone to be a pro mobile photographer? Here is the review. iBall mSLR Cobalt 4 First things first. Mobile lens kits are available online for as low as Rs 300. Smartphone lens are nothing new and these can be used with almost any smartphone with the help of the lens clip. So, be sure of what exactly you want- lens kit or Cobalt 4? Don't opt for the iBall mSLR Cobalt 4 only because it offers a free lens kit. While smartphone lens kits sound amazing, in reality they are of very little use. Also, the image quality totally depends on quality of the lens. If you feel that a zoom lens will be of great help, then note that smartphone cameras are not built for such optics. Zoom lens might help you reach closer to the subject but be sure the image will be blurry. The macro lens, on the other hand, works well. Apart from the so-called mSLR feature, the device is a just another average Android smartphone. Specs: 5-inch qHD (960 x 540 pixels) IPS display | 1.4 GHz octa-core CPU | Android KitKat 4.4 | 1GB RAM | 8GB ROM (up to 32 GB expandable) | 8MP A/F rear camera with LED Flash and 3.2MP front camera with Flash | Dual SIM standby 3G support | 2,000 mAh battery What is good? Using a smartphone lens kit with the clip is a difficult task. So, iBall has added a custom back cover with a camera ring to attach the lenses. This is a noble thought from iBall, however the back cover is ugly. The company has delivered a solid build device and has paid attention to overall the look and feel. What is not that good? The mSLR really doesn't deliver. The camera quality is not acceptable anymore for a smartphone priced over Rs 8,000. The performance again is nothing great while the display quality is again average at best. The battery life is also average. Verdict: For the experience that the device is offering, you will feel that you have paid more. Especially, after looking at devices from Xiaomi, Yu, InFocus, Lenovo and others. The sad part is that the device couldn't stand up to its mSLR promise with its average camera. If you are amazed by the term mSLR, then buy a smartphone lens kit. The iBall mSLR Cobalt 4 is not recommended.
