“The iPhone camera, versatile as it is, remains significantly restricted when compared to devices such as DSLRs which are designed to accept interchangeable lenses,” Paul Monckton writes for Forbes. “More adventurous photographers have for many years turned to add-on lenses such as those from Olloclip and Moment as a way of supplementing the iPhone’s capabilities with wide-angle, telephoto, macro and even fisheye options. However, these lenses bring with them an inevitable reduction in image quality.”
“Now, a recently granted patent reveals how Apple could dramatically improve the quality of add-on lenses by incorporating specialized supporting hardware within the iPhone itself,” Monckton writes. “US Patent No. 10,031,312 describes a ‘small format camera system for mobile devices’ which can detect when an external lens is being used and automatically apply adjustments and corrections to mitigate any quality-reducing factors.”
“The external lens could be detected either directly with specially designed sensors or by inspecting captured images for tell-tale distortions. The clever part, however, is how the then makes adjustments to optimize image quality,” Monckton writes. “This is achieved in several ways, including mechanically altering the position of the phone’s built-in lens in one or more axes to ensure perfect alignment, as well as through image processing after taking the photo.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Oh, yes, this would be an excellent addition, as anyone who’s used external iPhone lenses can attest. Further, we’d love to see Cupertino offer some official Apple-branded add-on lenses for iPhone, too.
Dearest, most beloved Interns, be loves now, please, and TTK!
TGIF! Prost, everyone!
It would be brilliant to create a new mounting format specifically for lenses! You open options to powered LEDs like ring lights with maleness built in, little motors, I bet even the big manufacturers get involved as well as some Bio tech. Gotta fit over the cases though!!!
“… like ring lights with maleness built in …”
What do they call it, the hermaphrodite mount?
Yes… because so many people need more $100+ accessories for their iPhones.
…better than $600 for a DSLR camera.
Good because iPhone cameras suck in low-light conditions. Don’t downvote that – I’m not a hater, and in fact have owned 8 iPhones to date. But every single person I know takes better dark pics on other phones. I’ve used maybe a dozen different apps, some helped, but none made this work well IMO.
If the iPhone had a good low-light camera, I’d be as happy as I could be because otherwise, I DO love my iPhone(s).