Will.i.am to Launch 14 Megapixel Camera Add-on for iPhone

[dontwalkhand]

I am more interested in the Leica iPhone camera, with iP5 support though. Wish concept products become real eventually

[inlinevolvo]

Only people who know little about photography boast about megapixels.

[adamfilip]

unless its full frame.. im not interested

[TechZeke]

Originally Posted by AJH1993

This add-on better be so three thousand and eight.

And not two thousand and late

TechZeke's Officially Approved Post of the Month.

[kd5jos]

Micro 4/3rds. If this had a micro 4/3rds sensor and I could swap out lenses, I'd likely buy two (after seeing examples of the picture quality). If it required an iPhone 5, upgrades all around. If it worked with a 4/4s, outstanding, no problems. Being able to interchange the lens with lenses I already have would make the purchase an easy one.

[rtdunham]

Originally Posted by JGRE

[Yeah. let add a coffee machine, a hair dryer and a refrigerator to a iPhone, because the iPhone does not make good coffee, can't dry your hair blablabla.....the man is an idiot.

Let's get this straight. HE proposes an accessory lens for a device that includes a camera. You propose a coffee machine, a hair dryer and a refrigerator. And HE is an idiot? (takes deep breath...)

Surely you can come up with a more persuasive argument than that. If you can't, maybe you should reconsider your position.

[Rubytone]

Originally Posted by NOV

you could use the iphone screen for monitoring and use iOS for software and photo management.

A stand alone camera requires a sync operation to move the photos to the iPhone. Not to mention the previous step where the photos need to be transferred from the stand alone camera to a computer. This device would make it possible to skip all that. iPhone has a better screen than all of these high end stand alone cameras as well. AND it's the handiest pocket sized photo viewer around.
I always had to bring my MacBook Pro every time I travelled. Since the 3Gs I rarely bring it any more because the capabilities of the phone have improved so much. We are moving closer to an age where the processing power of our phones will be enough to take care of everything we used to to on a computer and there will be no sync operation. If you don't need a computer for anything other than to transfer high quality photos to your phone then this camera seems less expensive.

[zoozx]

Will I'm Stupid, i just lucked out with some bad music....

[rocknblogger]

Originally Posted by Watabou

What's the point?

1. The iPhone already has a decent camera.
2. I don't need another bulky accessory.
3. Megapixels aren't everything.
4. I don't need something that's made by will dot i dot am plus.
5. It will probab--er--definitely cost a lot.

Then it's not for you, is it?

[Pyrrhic Victory]

Most of you are missing the point. This isn't designed for people who love their iphone and happen to take a lot of pictures. It's for people who love photography and happen to use their iphone a lot. Anyone who can appreciate the superiority of the iphone's camera over other smartphone cameras can appreciate this concept.

[jessica.]

This guy is ****ing ridiculous.

[Vodka]

Originally Posted by Gemütlichkeit

I really don't get what that dude does for a living. He's on political shows, he's dancing on stage, he's making magic iDevices. Why should we as the general consumer listen to him?

you haven't seen the "X-men: Wolverine" yet?))

[fertilized-egg]

The main questions here would be what kind of sensor and optics combination are they using and exactly what special photographic functionality they are offering on top?

Some have posited that this should be the way to go for existing camera makers such a Nikon. I'm skeptical given the "pedigree" of the add on but with the right components, it could be a decent performer.

[foie.gras]

anything carrying a celebrity name, as a primary selling point, is usually second rate at best.

Hey, this may not be your daddies George Foreman Grill!

[quasinormal]

Originally Posted by krravi

Will I Am or however you spell it came for an interview with Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear once.

Jeremy introduced him to the crowd as a noted fashion designer and then asked him...

"So what is this you are wearing? Looks like a golfing outfit"

LOL

Call me a hypocrite, but if the buffoon and ambassador and hero for the cognitively challenged, Jeremy Clarkson, was marketing this camera, I be in boots and all. This idiot and his equally idiotic sidekicks are as Steve Coogan suggests just some school bullies.

Top Gear Offensive- Steve Coogan

By the way, have you heard the latest Kanye West album yet?

[RodThePlod]

Personally, I like to wait to see what a product brings to the table before slamming it.

Will.i.am is a businessman and entrepreneur as well as a musician, certain people on these boards may not like that, but these are facts. I'm sure Will.i.am hasn't personally sat down in his bedroom and designed a camera attachment for the iPhone; more likely he's involved with a talented bunch of people with a great idea who need capital and a big name to make a splash when they launch their gear to market.

If Will.i.am can provide funding and make headlines for a startup like this, where's the big problem?

We'll find out soon enough, anyway.

RTP.

[rocknblogger]

Originally Posted by jessica.

This guy is ****ing ridiculous.

Why do you think so?

He is into tech, an entrepreneur, has money to invest, a team of designers and programmers and a plan. What's wrong with that?

Seems like a lot of people here hate for the sake of hating.

[2IS]

So in essence, this will have neither the convenience of using my iPhone camera nor the quality of my DSLR. I'll pass.

[ellsworth]

Every artist/celeb is trying to cash in on the Dr. Dre beats era.

[portishead]

Originally Posted by MacDav

Yeah...but how do you really feel? If the device is fantastic and works beyond belief, should people not buy it out of pure hatred? Just asking.

Yes absolutely. Same as with buying anything that's made by Monster cable, or whatever other crappy company. Some companies you shouldn't buy their products on principle. I believe anything WillIAm creates falls in this category.

[towg]

You cant improve the sensitivity of a cameras sensor. Its impossible to improve without new hardware.

It may be higher in MPs - but the quality wont be improved. I'm surprised this doesnt break any advertising guidelines.

[MacDav]

Originally Posted by portishead

Yes absolutely. Same as with buying anything that's made by Monster cable, or whatever other crappy company. Some companies you shouldn't buy their products on principle. I believe anything WillIAm creates falls in this category.

Okay, thanks for answering my question.

[macnerd93]

After being a DSLR user for the past few years now, any camera in comparison seems pretty crappy. its not the amount of megapixels a camera has its all to do with the quality of the glass and diameter of the lens. Phones and point "n" shoots have tiny optics so they are always going to be pretty poor in comparison to even a low end DSLR.

The 4S camera is still extremely poor in comparison to my Nikon, especially in low light conditions, plus I hate fully automatic cameras, manual controls FTW.

[Gomff]

Obviously no camera on a phone is going to come near the quality of a DSLR. But that doesn't mean there isn't a demand for better camera options on something that you always have with you, rather than carrying round a professional, expensive and bulky camera just in case there's something you want to take a picture of.

[wigby]

Slow news weekend. Stop mentioning his name and it will go away. He obviously just got a new PR agent so they are trying to wow him. Anyone remember the NASA stunt he pulled with his music on Mars a few months ago-look it up.

As far as the actual device or idea...every photographer has wanted something like this since iPhone had apps. The one thing my expensive, super megapixel DSLR is missing is a good screen, decent interface and apps to make the shooting process faster and easier. But this is not going to be a point and shoot add-on for $200 so forget about it. I would pay between $500 and $1000 if it did the following:
1. Interchangeable lenses. Canon preferred but it will probably be micro 4/3.
2. Faster RAM than iPhone to allow it to snap larger pictures more quickly. iPhone RAM is a bottleneck here.
3. Open API app support. The possibilities for processing, uploading, editing, etc are endless here for obvious reasons.