In the recent past, all tech world investment has been channeled to the mobile industry, and now that technology is beginning to seep out into other gadgets, much more is expected in the world of cameras. Improvements in technology will see best chips, sensors, batteries and software going beyond the smartphone industry.
Latest rumors reveal that Palo Alto, California-based startup Light, is taking the current technology to the L16 - a DSLR-quality camera that fits in the user's pocket and it is more affordable than some comparable cameras.
The L16 sports 16 camera lens modules on the front, and the software on the gadget combines all images together to achieve one image that is up to 52 megapixels. The camera will possess strong low-light functionality, depth of field control and reduced image noise.
The camera will also come with 25-150mm optical zoom through folded optics - a method of bending light to make the camera more compact.
The L16 will require much processing power to handle a lot of data being built into one image, and that is why the camera will run on the Snapdragon 820 SoC, Qualcomm's next-gen quad-core clocked at 2.2 GHz. As a result, the L16 will practically be a smartphone except that it will not have a cellular modem.
Furthermore, the camera will sport a 5-inch touch screen to allow for some editing and the ability to share on social media. The L16 will also run on a modified version of the Android M OS. However, its size will be slightly larger than Apple's iPhone 6+, which is 6.22 × 3.03 × 0.28 inches.
The camera went up for pre-order on Oct. 7 at a starting price of $1,299, which will increase up to $1699 to the highest end. The company expects shipping the camera by the end of summer 2016 and it will only ship a limited number of cameras as pre-orders.
Dave Grannan, cofounder and CE of Light told Forbes, "The L16 is actually providing all the functionality of a $6,000 DSLR camera gear. It's like having a full-frame DSLR with a zooms lens and prime lens."
The move is a great demonstration for Qualcomm on how its chipset can be utilized in other fields outside phones, where the company has dominated in the premium Android phone market. The San Diego chipmaker hopes to diversify the forms of devices to be powered by its chipsets.
A Qualcomm spokeswoman told the same publication that the company's Snapdragon processors have powered other cameras previously, but never one that has used so much of the chip's processing abilities.
Reportedly, Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn, best known for making Apple iPhones, will be behind the development of the new cameras. In a different report from the same publication, Foxconn made a strategic investment in Light's $25 million Series B round announced in July this year.
Light anticipates moving into the world of phones with its technology. Apart from making this camera, the company is also licensing out its camera technology for Android phones.