The New HEINE Smartphone Adaptor Mag

If you have a dermatoscope, taking photographs of lesions is important, to put in the patients notes and for including in referral letters. For them to be useful, they need to be clear and focussed and this is where an appropriate phone adaptor becomes essential. Taking a photograph through a dermatoscope is not something I would recommend without this attachment – unless you have two pairs of steady hands!

I recently received my new Heine Smartphone Adaptor (called the HEINE Smartphone Adaptor Mag attachment) and below is a short review of this new product.

The Previous Solution

Figure 1 The original camera adaptor

Prior to the arrival of the new camera attachment, I was previously using the HEINE Universal Smartphone Connector for my Delta 30. This earlier adaptor was a simple magnetic ring which you stuck to a spare plastic phone case, whilst locating the correct lens on the phone to place the “O“ ring over (Figure 1). This took a bit of trial and error to locate the correct lens and with a sticky fixing you only had one go, but it worked. If you had to switch camera lenses this meant a glue-picking removal and repositioning.  However, as a permanent, prominent fixture on the case, it also meant that you needed a separate phone case with you for your dermoscopy photography.

Review of the new HEINE Smartphone Adaptor Mag

Figure 2 The new Heine Smartphone Adaptor MAG

The new Smartphone Adaptor overcomes those issues in a simple to use device. It consists of a coin shaped magnet (with a sticky backing) (Figure 2) which is placed on the back of your regular phone case. This acts as an anchor for the camera attachment (Figure 3):

Figure 3 Phone case with the magnetic attached

This can then easily be aligned to the correct lens and firmly secured by turning the fixing lock (Figure 4).

Figure 4 Smartphone case with attachment secured magnetically

The dermatoscope can then be easily attached for photography (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Dermatoscope is magnetically attached to the smartphone case

Once finished, the attachment is easily removed.  

The new Adaptor mag is an improvement on the old method for two reasons. Firstly, its adjustable and you can move it and place it over the correct lens as needed. Secondly, when not in use, all you have on your camera case is a small magnetic disc, which means you don’t need a separate phone case.

Figure 6 In position for a photograph

Fitting and using the device is very straightforward. It represents a significant upgrade from the previous model. The latest HEINE Adaptor Mag is priced at approximately £120 (Including VAT) in the UK.