Dacha Works MOD 4 iPhone 4 Case Review
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If you've got an iPhone 4, you already know very well of how capable your iPhone 4 is when it comes time to take pictures on a sunny day. The MOD 4 case for the iPhone 4 by Dacha Works is a simple back snap-on case with a vintage camera-style appearance. Dacha Works' first case for the iPhone 3G/S was all about the ergonomics and hand grip, but it turned out to be a disappointment once I got my hands on it. So now the MOD 4 case is here and it promises all the grip you could ever possibly want while taking those perfect shots. Hopefully Dacha Works ironed out all the kinks, and finally put a case worthy of the iPhone 4 out on the market. If you dig those vintage view finder camera like the Leica, you may want to stick around for the full review right after the jump!
If you get yourself a MOD 4 case for your iPhone 4, this is what you're going to get out of the packaging. It's a simple back snap-on case made entirely out of hard plastic. It snaps on the back of the iPhone 4 not as easily as most back snap-on style cases. Taking off the MOD 4 case is equally as hard as putting it on. Not such a good start. Hopefully things improve from here.
Nope. A major disappointment so far. When I first got the MOD 4, it looked pretty good sitting behind the clear plastic packaging. I was expected at least some sort of rubber coating on the exterior where the MOD 4 proudly displays a camera-style pebble texture found on real cameras. The MOD 4 is made purely out of hard plastic with a few key spots that are textured with the pebble leather or rubber-like pattern. The MOD 4 case feels like a cheap piece of plastic on the iPhone 4. Dacha Works should have at least added some sort of rubber to make this case stand out and feel much better in the hand.
Thankfully, the MOD 4 isn't all the bad thanks to its camera-like side grips which add a comfortable grip for your fingers to take hold of when taking a picture or even just holding the iPhone 4 in the horizontal position. I still think there's a massive piece missing on the MOD 4 case. Sure you get an improved handling experience while using the MOD 4 case on the iPhone 4, however I don't think that alone can save the overall negative downsides this case has. The side grips are just enough to keep the case as slim as possible while still adding a good amount of surface area of grasping.
In addition to the two side grips, the MOD 4 case also features edge grooves around the band where your fingers can rest on. I wouldn't say that these particularly add much grip. Instead, the MOD 4's matte grainy textured plastic contributes to the grip. Buttons and ports are all easily accessible and remain uncovered by the MOD 4 case. Being a back snap-on style case, the MOD 4 does not add any front screen protection or an edge overlay to protect the iPhone 4's screen. Your iPhone 4 will only have limited protection when using the MOD 4 case. I haven't experienced any issues while using the LED flash to take pictures at night.
Even with the camera-style look the MOD 4 has, it only looks very dull to me. There's nothing that stands out to the eye that makes the MOD 4 an interesting case to look at. The all-black color tone just looks so boring and unfinished. The only feeling I picked up while using the MOD 4 case on my iPhone 4 was that I don't think anyone would even want to use such a case on an iPhone 4. There's nothing that differentiates the MOD 4 from its limited curves and textures. Everything looks unified. It seems like Dacha Works didn't really put much effort into creating this case. I could see more potential here, but sadly this isn't good enough. The MOD 4 case is like an empty coloring book waiting to be colored. Price $19.95.
