Xiaomi’s Camera Concept Is a Wild Blast From the Past, and I Love It

Xiaomi may have been talking a lot about the cameras on its new 15 Ultra phone at this year’s Mobile World Congress, but it had another bit of mobile camera tech up its sleeves. In essence, it’s a camera unit that attaches to the back of a phone, turning the phone into the screen and brains for the camera, but providing a much bigger camera sensor and professional-standard lens. 

The device, which Xiaomi calls the “modular optical system” is strictly a concept right now, but I was able to get hands-on with it in a meeting room backstage at MWC. The device is best thought of as a small camera lens, but it contains an image sensor and connects to the back of the phone. When it does, the phone is then able to use this camera unit as its main camera, in theory, significantly improving the quality of your images. I even managed to snap some test shots.

While Sony’s QX10 and QX100 were not well received, I actually really like this as an idea. It allows more dedicated photographers — like myself — to carry a much more pro-standard camera unit with them to snap onto their phone whenever they want better image quality. It’s much smaller and lighter than carrying a regular mirrorless camera with you. 

As it’s a concept, there still remain a lot of unknowns, including the potential price, whether Xiaomi will build the laser connection into other phones or move to a different connection system, or if this product will ever be anything more than a bit of a novelty at a tech show. 

I hope it comes to life. Xiaomi has a good record of working hard on pushing mobile imaging forward, and if it continues to work with iconic camera maker Leica, then I’ll be even more excited about the idea of strapping a Leica-standard lens unit to my phone.