Xiaomi announces the prototype of a revolutionary camera with retractable zoom: brighter shots and better image stabilization
Xiaomi could launch soon a smartphone equipped with a camera with retractable zoom. With the presentation at the Mi Developer Conference 2020, it was possible to appreciate the new proposal of the Chinese company and take a closer look at some of the peculiar features of the new model, although there is still no concrete information on release dates.
In recent years, the camera has become a prominent feature of every smartphone. Technology has made great strides, offering phones with three or four cameras with different lenses and uses, so that you no longer have to compromise and can completely rely on a lightweight, high-performance object. However, the zoom is one of those constraints that often do not allow you to take pictures from a distance while maintaining high quality, since you have to rely on digital processing and not on dedicated lenses. Xiaomi, with its latest proposal, may have found a compromise between the two worlds.
Xiaomi and retractable zoom, the first features revealed
The prototype presented by Xiaomi at MIDC 2020 speaks for itself: it is an extendable lens that, by stretching beyond the smartphone chassis, allows you to take advantage of different focal lengths to focus even over longer distances. Nothing is known about the focal lengths covered, as no further details were provided during the event.
To shed some light on the functionality of the new lens, a video was shown during the conference that demonstrated the prototype’s technical capabilities. Certainly, as understood from the images, the lens is capable of shooting in macro mode, as well as being able to handle infinity focus.
Xiaomi and retractable zoom, brightness as a strong point
The strong point of the new model of Xiaomi, at least according to initial statements, would be the brightness of the lens. If this were to be confirmed by field tests, it would really be a great feature that anyone with a little experience with cameras could appreciate.
This would be made possible thanks to a larger aperture of the lens, capable of projecting more light onto the sensor (an increase of 300%, for Xiaomi). Stabilization would also be improved compared to the past, through a technology capable of capturing 20% sharper photos.
Smartphones and retractable zoom, the precedents
Xiaomi is not the first company to think of making a retractable zoom and incorporate it in one of its smartphones. In the past, Samsung had already thought about it, with its Galaxy K Zoom: the experiment, however, was not a great success and the model soon ended up in oblivion, outclassed by more advantageous choices.