The smartphone that can use a full-size Leica lens

Xiaomi recently showed off a concept phone that can carry a full size Leica lens.

The still camera market is a tricky place right now. With the increasing quality of smartphone cameras, the compact market is, well, not doing so well. The average smartphone can now capture images that would have been protected a few years ago by much more expensive and larger devices, so it’s really not surprising that the number of people wanting to buy a separate camera is declining.

However, the big limitation with smartphones is the limited lens options. True, finding a smartphone that comes equipped with multiple fixed lenses, and even limited optical zoom is becoming more common, but there isn’t really any customizable option.

Recently Xiaomi showed a concept smartphone, which is called the 12S Ultra concept, which it developed in collaboration with Leica. The device never made it to market, but it does give a glimpse of what’s possible when you pair a phone with the ability to use a full-size lens.

Image: Xiaomi.

Apart from the standard built in camera, the device has a 1-inch 50.3MP sensor that will take its images with a swappable Leica M-mount lens. Only 10 units were ever produced, and it is unlikely to ever hit the market, the reasons for which may be obvious.

An example image taken from the Xiaomi 12S Ultra concept phone. Image: Xiaomi.

The market for smartphones with full-size lenses will be incredibly small. Most users want convenience, and if you have to carry heavy lenses with you, you can pack a good DSLR or mirrorless camera as well. That said, it shows what can be done with a compact device, although the future of smartphone camera technology really lies with multiple built-in lenses and computational photography.

by h/t petapixel,