As far as the cameras built into smartphones have come, they still can’t quite compete with a dedicated shooter in terms of image quality and control. But Sony thinks it’s found the solution. Instead of waiting until they can cram the capabilities of a DSLR or a mirrorless camera into a phone, these convincing photos from SonyAlphaRumors reveal the company might be releasing a pair of accessories that work alongside a smartphone to vastly improve its photographic capabilities.
The DSC-QX10 and the DSC-QX100 — as they’re claimed to be be called — look like camera lenses, but they’ll actually be full-on cameras packing sensors, a Bionz processor, Wi-Fi and NFC wireless capabilities, and even an SD card slot. What they’ll be missing, however, is an LCD display and controls, but that’s where your Android or iOS smartphone will supposedly step in, providing a large touch screen for settings and previews.
They haven’t been officially revealed by Sony just yet, but according to SonyAlphaRumors one of the lenses will use the same one-inch sensor as the new Sony RX100 II, while the other will feature an 18 megapixel sensor with a 10X zoom. It’s a clever solution to improving a smartphone’s photography prowess, but only if you’re willing to give up its pocket-ability. [SonyAlphaRumors]
Pictures: SonyAlphaRumors