Detachable camera lenses for smartphones could completely change the photo taking environment.
Sony has unveiled its newest gadgets in the form of detachable smartphone lenses, which have the potential for changing the way that people take pictures using their mobile devices.
Some wonder whether this will take off, or if this might simply be too niche to be mainstream.
The Sony QX-10 and QX-100 gadgets function quite simply by connecting with the smartphone to become the viewfinder. These two stand alone lenses use either NFC technology or Wi-Fi in order to be able to communicate with the smartphone. This is a considerable effort by the manufacturer to take smartphone photography in an entirely new direction.
These gadgets now represent an entirely new form of mobile consumer product.
They offer consumers the ability to use a small gadget accessory to enhance the quality of their photography. This gives them the ability to enjoy the high quality of pictures taken with digital cameras, without having to tote around an additional device. Smartphones become capable of adjusting and cropping the images that they snap. The user can then use the same device to share the pictures that they have taken via social media.
According to Sony, they are hopeful that these new gadgets will become “a dream come true for anyone who loves their smartphone, but wants the photo quality that only a dedicated camera can deliver.”
Both of the two new gadgets are compatible with both Android and Apple smartphones. They can either be clipped directly onto the devices, or they can be operated independently, with the device screen acting as the viewfinder for the separate QX-100 or QX-10 lens.
The QX-10 offers an 18.2 MP lens, with a 10x optical zoom. On the other hand, the QX-100 offers a smaller zoom of 3.6x, but is a gadget with a considerably larger sensor, with a 20.2 MP resolution, and an aperture that can achieve a width as great as fl.8. Sony feels that the QX-10 is the best option for close-ups of people, as well as pictures taken of landmarks in the distance – the typical vacationer’s pictures. The QX-100 is geared more toward the professional photographer, with manual lens control and enhanced low lighting performance.