We’re finally starting to see concepts and new products out on the wire this many months after the pandemic and we have to say, we’re totally here for it.
Now, whether or not consumers will feel the same way about this Xiaomi concept is another topic entirely.
What we have here is a Leica M Lens mounted on a Xiaomi concept smartphone reportedly developed alongside the 12S Ultra, Engadget reports.
Of course, it doesn’t take a lot of insight to see how big of a deal this could be for smartphone cameras moving forward if it ever comes to market.
One thing about the concept design that has caught many eyes is the way Xiaomi decided to integrate the 1-inch sensor underneath a shield of glass, speculating that this choice was made for protective purposes more than anything else.
As for installation, it is done via unscrewing the protection ring on the camera island, Engadget explains, and then use of an adapter to complete the job. Far from the first smartphone to tout this idea, the Xiaomi concept is the latest and probably far from the last we will see.
Engadget notes that there is no word as of yet whether or not Xiaomi plans on bringing something like this out and everything is pretty much in the concept stage at this point.
One issue that seems to be bandied about more than any other when it comes to smartphones and lenses is the relative ephemerality of smartphones compared to cameras with the latter not only representing a sometimes more significant upfront cost but also a longer useful life. Do consumers want to buy lenses for smartphones or will they be content relying upon improvements in technology to approximate what a lens can do? Only time will tell but it’s certainly a massive seachange in terms of how people view smartphones and their relationship with lenses and other camera equipment.
What do you think of the idea of smartphones making use of lenses intended for cameras? Let us know in the comments.
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[Engadget]
