3 ms·

If we are playing with phone camera form factors, I vote for thinking outside the phone. Remove the camera entirely from the phone, and put it in a separate cyl

If we are playing with phone camera form factors, I vote for thinking outside the phone. Remove the camera entirely from the phone, and put it in a separate cylindrical device; a smaller incarnation of Apple's ancient iSight webcam. Stuff in better optics, put controls on the cylinder, and allow viewing the image from my watch when taking a photo/video. So I can leave the phone at home...

Someone 2y ago
I think that would be a niche product, at best. Most users would want to use the screen of their smartphone as a viewfinder. That either means using both hands or requiring a way to attach the thing to the smartphone. Also, to do the image processing, that cylinder would need to have most of the processing power of the iPhone and, thus, a fairly large battery.
- ipv6ipv4 2y ago
  Yes, it is niche today. I’m hoping for a less phone screen oriented future.
kalleboo 2y ago
Sony actually did something like this once back in 2013. It could work independently or clip onto your phone as a viewfinder Low end model https://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/compacts/sony_dscqx10 https://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/compacts/sony_dscqx10 High end model https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-dsc-qx100 https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-dsc-qx100
- globular-toast 2y ago
  Tbh answer is usually "Sony did that, but nobody cared". They also did the camera in the middle thing with the Xperia Pro. It even had adjustable aperture! Sony has consistently been innovating in this space but has always had basically insignificant market share. People keep complaining about mundane updates and AI crap but they won't buy phones from the one manufacturer that bucks this trend. MKBHD has a couple of videos about it (regarding the Xperia 1vi iirc). My Sony phone has a 4k 120hz oled screen, notification led, headphone jack, fully manual camera mode, no bloatware or ai crap, great battery life (never had to charge my phone during the day). They had the battery save features years before other manufacturers. They've been doing this consistently for years. I don't know how they keep doing it, but I'm glad they do.

Someone 2y ago

I think that would be a niche product, at best. Most users would want to use the screen of their smartphone as a viewfinder. That either means using both hands or requiring a way to attach the thing to the smartphone. Also, to do the image processing, that cylinder would need to have most of the processing power of the iPhone and, thus, a fairly large battery.

ipv6ipv4 2y ago
Yes, it is niche today. I’m hoping for a less phone screen oriented future.

kalleboo 2y ago

Sony actually did something like this once back in 2013. It could work independently or clip onto your phone as a viewfinder Low end model https://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/compacts/sony_dscqx10 https://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/compacts/sony_dscqx10 High end model https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-dsc-qx100 https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-dsc-qx100

globular-toast 2y ago
Tbh answer is usually "Sony did that, but nobody cared". They also did the camera in the middle thing with the Xperia Pro. It even had adjustable aperture! Sony has consistently been innovating in this space but has always had basically insignificant market share. People keep complaining about mundane updates and AI crap but they won't buy phones from the one manufacturer that bucks this trend. MKBHD has a couple of videos about it (regarding the Xperia 1vi iirc). My Sony phone has a 4k 120hz oled screen, notification led, headphone jack, fully manual camera mode, no bloatware or ai crap, great battery life (never had to charge my phone during the day). They had the battery save features years before other manufacturers. They've been doing this consistently for years. I don't know how they keep doing it, but I'm glad they do.