We’ve seen products from companies like Lensbaby that let you take more interesting pictures with your iPhone, but this Magnifi case is so much more versatile. It can be adapted to work with even higher end optical instruments, including giant telescopes.

The Magnifi is comprised of two parts. The first part is the case that wraps around your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S. The second part is a detachable bayonet mount. This aligns with the iPhone’s camera and then it can snatch onto the eyepiece of the optical instrument you wish to use. This can work with telescopes, microscopes, binoculars and more, giving you a true optical view of whatever you’d normally see with these instruments. That could make for some very interesting photographic opportunities. The key is the detachable bayonet mount, because it precisely align’s the iPhone camera with the optical axis of the eyepiece.

This is a fairly universal adapter, but there are some caveats. The optical eyepiece has to be at least one-inch long and between 1-1.5 inches in diameter. This is because the bayonet mount has to wrap around it. This may also mean that you may have to remove the rubber seals on the eyepiece.

The Magnifi project is currently up on Kickstarter, seeking $10,000 in seed funding for an initial production run. Pledge $60 or more to get yourself one Magnifi.

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Sony’s latest “World’s First” is set to ring in a new era of voyeurism: The DEV 3D HD video recording binoculars.

While I’m struggling to think of a use for these that any good DSLR and telephoto lens can’t do, I’m sure birdwatchers or sports fans might feel differently. The binoculars record full 1080p HD video in either 2D or 3D, offering three hours of 2D recording time on a single charge. More impressive, though, is the stereo mic with audio input, two Exmor R CMOS sensors, dual f/1.8-3.4, 0.5-10x optical zoom lenses and Memory Stick Pro Duo and SDXC support.

But they’re not just for recording things way out in the distance, says Sony. The binoculars will capture 2D video of subjects only a half-inch away from the lens, or 36 inches away in 3D mode. With 5.4x optical zoom and up to 20x digital zoom on the DEV-5 model, that could make for some pretty stunning macro B-roll provided you hadn’t had too much coffee in the morning.

The DEV-5 also features a built-in GPS receiver for geo-tagging clips and shots, a feature passed over for the less expensive DEV-3. Both models, however, do feature electronic auto-focus to keep moving subjects in crisp focus while recording — an option they say is easily overridden by the manual focus dial on the top of the binoculars.

I have to say it’s their “stealth design” that bothers me most.

“The binoculars feature a ‘stealth’ design that eliminates distracting buttons or external details that could reveal a user’s position to wildlife,” reads Sony’s press release. “Both binoculars feature an ergonomic grip area that’s coated with an elastomer material for sure handling and stable operation. Top-mounted controls allow easy operation with gloved fingers, while dual buttons are provided to start recording instantly with either hand.”

I can’t seem to get the image of a glove- and trenchcoat-clad cat-burglaring pervert out of my head, hiding in the bushes outside the apartments across the street and operating a set of these effortlessly with one hand.

The DEV-3 and DEV-5 will be hitting shelves this November, when they’ll cost $1400 and $2000 apiece — right about the time I’ll be investing in some curtains.

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