Leaked Sony 'lens camera' range is literally a camera for your phone

True North

Well-known member
Came across this...interesting.

http://www.androidcentral.com/leaked-sony-lens-camera-range-literally-camera-your-phone

Probably won't be long before we have a phone that can shoot 4k @ 240 fps on our Smart Phones....lol.

Sony looks set to bring high-end imaging as a smartphone accessory

Last month we reported on rumors that Sony was preparing a new type of camera accessory for smartphones, which incorporated full camera hardware into a lens-shaped add-on. Today the source of that leak, SonyAlphaRumors, has published detailed leaked renders and photos of the add-on, which looks just as crazy as was described.

Dubbed DSC-QX10 and DSC-QX100, the two lenses are said to incorporate almost all the camera hardware into the lens body itself -- so sensor, image processor, Wifi and NFC connectivity and an SD card slot. As previously reported, the accessory attaches to the back of smartphones and connects over Wifi (after being paired through NFC), allowing you to use your phone as an oversized viewfinder. Significantly, today's report says the lenses will support both Android and iOS, meaning you won't necessarily need a Sony phone to use these camera add-ons.

In terms of optics, the high-end model will feature the sensor from Sony's latest RX100 Mk. II top-level compact, along with a Zeiss lens. The entry-level version (pictured) is said to feature a 1/2.3-inch 18-megapixel sensor behind an f/3.3-5.9 Sony G lens with 10X optical zoom.

As we said last month, this kind of product could be significant for Sony, which has identified cameras and smartphones as two of its main areas of focus. Certainly nothing like these "lens cameras" exists on the market today, and if they support the two largest mobile platforms at launch, then Sony could have a niche hit on its lands. There'll be the question of pricing to address first, though.

Any takers?
 
The RX100 II camera lens looks interesting with the larger 1"-type Exmor-R BSI-CMOS sensor but it looks thicker than the RX100 II camera in the closed position and it also has NFC/Wi-Fi for communication with smartphones. I hope the price is lower than the RX100 II camera at $750.

RX100 II camera lens on right ..............RX100 & RX100 II :
DSC-QX100_DSC-QX10_InSituation_01_Xperia-Z-1200_zps932fca38.jpg9499728961_83b03f2789_c.jpg
 
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Will it work on any phone, windows, android, apple? I think that's the key to future success with these sorts of products. Apple continues to make things that ONLY work with Apple, and nothing else.
 
I really like the idea. I want to have a decent quality camera with me at all times, but by the time you have a wallet, phone and camera in your pocket things start getting a little crowded. This could be a really interesting solution.
 
I don't get why people would deny or fight this idea. It's brilliant. Might not be for you but imagine the amount of smart phones in this world. Sony is going to make a killing with this. If you're fighting this then you don't like progress and innovation.
 
I don't get why people would deny or fight this idea. It's brilliant. Might not be for you but imagine the amount of smart phones in this world. Sony is going to make a killing with this. If you're fighting this then you don't like progress and innovation.

Who's "denying" or "fighting" it?
 
Not many here but many on social media have been vocal about it being a bad idea. Personally I like the concept!
 
It's the next step in the evolution of the Ricoh GXR, where the camera body is replaced by the smart phone. Essentially Sony is selling the lensors by themselves for use with your phone. Personally, I think the Sony product concept is flawed because they want you to clip the lensor to your phone. It's too fiddly, awkward, and unattractive. But at least they're trying something new instead of the same old same old we're seeing from other camera makers.
 
I'd be more interested if they built this into a phone case. That way it's not just awkwardly clipped on... it'd actually feel like it was part of the phone. Or a step further... they could build a case that has someplace for the lens to actually snap and lock into place... then you could remove the lens and use it as a regular phone case.
 
Do the lenses have their own power supply (battery), I guess the data link between lens and phone is wireless ( wifi or Bluetooth).
if so this could get interesting, placing the device in inaccessible locations and using the phone to shoot with, yes the range is limited but.....
 
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