Ever wished that your phone could take better pictures? Maybe by using real camera lenses? SwitchLens, a new crowdfunding campaign, promises to “turn any smartphone into a professional camera.”
SwitchLens allows you to use Micro Four Thirds lenses when shooting with your phone. The lenses don’t mount directly to your phone but rather to an external camera unit. This unit contains its own image sensor (either Micro Four Thirds or 1-inch) and connects to your phone, providing the power of a larger sensor and proper optical lenses.
This concept isn’t entirely new. Back in 2015, Olympus launched the Olympus Air A01—an external phone camera unit that featured an MFT sensor, allowing users to mount MFT lenses. Sony tried something similar in 2014 with the Sony QX1, which used a 1/2.3″ sensor and enabled E-mount lenses. More recently, in 2021, the Alice Camera crowdfunding campaign introduced another external camera unit with an MFT sensor for smartphones.
The main question is whether SwitchLens can succeed where Olympus and Sony didn’t and how it will compete with Alice Camera. Unlike Alice Camera, which focuses on AI features and content creation, SwitchLens emphasizes “real light photography, capturing images untouched by AI enhancements.”
SwitchLens offers two sensor options—Sony Type 1 or Micro Four Thirds—both compatible with the MFT mount used by Olympus/OM System cameras, Panasonic G cameras, and some Blackmagic cameras. Both sensors provide approximately 21MP resolution and 4K 60p video capability, surpassing Alice Camera’s 12MP, Olympus Air’s 16MP, and Sony QX1’s 20MP. Shooting in JPEG and RAW is also supported.
SwitchLens connects to your phone via WiFi and can either physically attach (using MagSafe/Qi2) for direct shooting or work from up to 32.8 feet away for remote shooting. The device weighs between 6oz and 6.3oz, depending on the sensor configuration, and features a 14500mAh rechargeable AA battery. It includes functionalities like focus peaking and autofocus, though the latter remains uncertain as per user feedback on similar products.
The SwitchLens Kickstarter campaign has already well-exceeded its $10,000 target, standing at $180,000 with over a month remaining. Pricing starts at $199 for the body only, with additional lens kits available at varying prices.
SwitchLens has generated significant interest and funding, but whether it will deliver on its promises remains to be seen. For those interested, more details can be found on the SwitchLens Kickstarter page.
