Your smartphone may take nice photos, but it's likely still not as good as a full-on Micro Four Thirds (M43) camera. The SwitchLens is designed to combine the best of both devices, as it's an M43 camera that works with your phone.
There are already a number of products on the market that are claimed to bring real-camera-like functionality to smartphones.
Some of these incorporate a camera-like hand grip and shutter release button, while others place extra lenses overtop of the phone's own lens. In almost all cases, however, the light still ultimately travels through the smartphone's small lens and onto its likewise-puny image sensor.
By contrast, the SwitchLens utilizes much more capable M43 lenses – either its own or those made by other companies – along with a Sony Type 1 (1-inch) sensor. This setup allows it to capture 5592 x 3710-pixel RAW or JPG photos, along with videos up to a maximum resolution of 4K/60fps.
The device physically connects to the user's iPhone or Android smartphone via the phone's MagSafe or Qi2 magnet, or via a phone case with a magnetic ring on the back. The SwitchLens also wirelessly connects to an app on the phone via Wi-Fi.
That app allows the user to line up shots and fully adjust settings using the smartphone's touchscreen, which is considerably larger than the built-in screens on most standalone M43 cameras. What's more, if the phone and the SwitchLens are pulled apart from one another, the former can still control the latter from a distance of up to 10 meters (33 ft).
Users can manually or automatically choose between ISO settings of 100 to 12800, shutter speeds of 10 seconds to 1/8,000th of a second, and a white balance of 2600 to 8600K. Images are recorded on either a user-supplied SD card of up to 1.5TB in capacity; on the phone; or a combination of both.
Power is provided by a user-supplied rechargeable 14500 lithium-ion battery, although there's currently no word on runtime. The whole rig, battery included, is claimed to tip the scales at 200 g (7 oz).
The SwitchLens is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, with pledges starting at US$199 for the device itself without any lenses – the planned retail price is $329. Assuming everything works out, it will ship to backers in November.
And should you be wondering, the whole idea of physically connecting a "real" camera to a smartphone isn't a new one. Past examples include Sony's QX line of cameras, the Alice Camera and the Olympus Air A01. The super-telephoto Excope DT1 also recently wrapped up a Kickstarter campaign of its own.
You can see the SwitchLens in use, in the video below.
Source: Kickstarter
