Sony (NYSE: SNE)'s Smartphone Lens Camera to Cost $450, Announcement on Sep. 4
Sony Comes Up with Innovative Attachable Lenses for Smartphones
What could be better than taking photos with top of the line smartphones with like iPhone 5, or Samsung Galaxy S4? Taking photos with lenses attached to the smartphone.
Sony has done exactly that with the QX10 and QX100, two lenses that connect to the smartphone camera. These are essentially huge lense camera accessories that can be hooked up to cameras on mobile devices. What does it do? You can turn your smartphone into a mean machine that zooms right in with image sensors giving you amazing quality with 18-20 megapixels.
While the Sony Xperia Z1 or 'Honami' is anticipated for release on September 18 in New Delhi, India, the lens cameras will be named 'ExpressOn' and will be announced on September 4.
The QX100 offers an extraordinary product combination of a camera sensor, lens and a processor all packed into one. The smartphone has a dual role in that it acts as a control for the lens and a display. You can bet your smartphone photos will look more like quality photos you might see on Flickr.com or Yahoo for that matter.
After the specs on the QX100 leaked, rumours say that the price is also out.
A report by the Sony Alpha Rumors cite that the Sony QX100 will carry a price tag of $450, since it has a similar sensor to Sony RX 100M II's 20.2 megapixel sensor. Sony has gone out of its way to please Apple Inc's fans because the lens camera connects to iPhone through Bluetooth. This should pack extra punch into the picture. Ring controls will allow users to operate the lens camera manually.
Analysts say that this is a steal since users get the image quality of camera worth $750 carrying a 1-inch sensor and you get to use it on a large screen display on your smart phone. Definitely the way to go with cameras instead of lugging around heavy camera equipment.
With the QX100, just grab your lens and fit it onto you Android or iOS Samsung Galaxy S4 or iPhone 5.
Sony has made a smart move towards combining a smart lens with a smartphone and this kind of innovation is likely to keep competition at bay.
In comparison to Sony's products, digital camera sales in China have dropped by more than 33% during the first half of 2013. This is the first time that such a drastic loss has been declared. The reason? Smartphones with sophisticated cameras.
Of course, that makes sense because you don't have to lug around an additional piece of equipment if you have a smartphone that can do it all with a high definition lens.
"There is no need to bring along a camera if your mobile phone can take pictures of similar quality," said said Zuo Yanque, brand director at industry watcher CMM, China Market Monitor Co Ltd.
The only alternatives are smartphones that have built in cameras. These are custom made for the photographer in you. The two that stand out the most are the Nokia Lumia 1020 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 Xoom.
More information about the QX100 is available after leaked information on QX100 specs (Source: Sonyalpharumors)
1) Power Button
2) Microphone
3) Display Panel
: Indicates that the card is not inserted
: Indicates the remaining battery charge
4) Hook for belt
5) Tripod
6) Ring Control (DSC-QX100)
7) The power / charge / movie
Green: Power on
Orange: running charging
Red: running video
8) Zoom lever
9) shutter button
10) Multifunctional jack
11) RESET button
Dimensions (standard CIPA):
DSC-QX100: 62,5 mm × 62,5 mm × 55,5 mm (W / H / D)
Weight including CIPA, battery packs NP-BN, "Memory Stick Micro, DSC-QX100: 179 g
Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-BN, 3,6 acts as the power supply
Consumes 1.1 W during shooting
The QX100 has the same RX100MII sensor and Zeiss lens ($600 on Amazon), and has a QX100 has an indicator display with a battery pack, offering more duration of use. The new QX lens-camera will be announced on September 4th along with the Sony Honami or Sony Xperia Z1.