Josh Hendrickson
Here at Review Geek, we generally hold to a rule of positivity. The old maxim of “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” serves us well. But occasionally a product concept comes along that’s too terrible to ignore. Like a case. For your smartphone…’s camera bump.
Yeah, you read that right. Not a case for your entire smartphone. But a case for your smartphone’s giant bulgy camera lens (the “camera bump”). The thing goes around the camera lens, which makes the bump even bigger, to offer it a little protection when you set your phone camera side down.
Now let’s be fair, scratching up the camera lens on your smartphone is a legitimate concern in this day and age. Smartphone manufacturers have two competing goals right now. The first goal is to make the thinnest phone possible, which helps with pocketability.
The second goal is to slide in the most amazing zoom-worthy, picture friendly, lens setup possible. Modern flagships often have three or even four different camera lenses (and sometimes more). Even with new periscope lenses, you need room for all those pieces. Hence, the camera bump.
But let’s have some real talk here, there’s already a great solution to protect your smartphone’s precious camera lens. It’s not some super-specific case that adds a bumper to a tiny portion of your phone. It’s just a case.
Whether you have an iPhone 11 or a Samsung Galaxy S20, you probably want a case for your phone anyway. Smartphones are expensive, and they can be fragile (doubly so for the dreaded curved screen). So by buying a case, you’ll add instant protection to your entire phone, not just a tiny portion of it.
You don’t even need a thick case. If you’re certain you can be careful with your phone, grab a thin one that adds a splash of color. Chances are even the thinnest of cases are thick enough to ride just a little taller than your camera lens.
And while that thin case may not offer as much protection, choose the right material, and you’ll find your smartphone more grippy. So you’ll protect the camera and drop your precious and expensive device less.
A quick look around at the various “camera bump case” options show an average price of $15. That’s the same price as the thin TPU case that protects your phone. There’s absolutely no good reason to buy a camera bump case; you won’t even save money. Or your phone from damage.
Save yourself from heartache, headache, and a good mocking from your friends, and get a real case instead. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.
