While the Xiaomi Modular Optical System picks an idea that has been around for a while and both Olympus and Sony explored, the solution from Realme pairs available Leica M lenses with a smartphone.

The Xiaomi Modular Optical System and the Realme Interchangeable Lens Concept displayed during the Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, bring back an idea that has been around for years: using external lenses to get better quality images and video from a smartphone. It’s nothing new, the most popular project being Sony’s QX series, which included four models, the QX1, QX10 and QX30 and QX100, the Smart Lens series, designed to be used with a smartphone. With a 20.2 megapixels, 1-inch sensor paired with a 28-100mm ƒ/1.8 / ƒ/4.9 Carl ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* lens, the lens was compatible with both Android and iOS.

Announced in September 2014, the Smart Lens is considered by many as Sony’s biggest flop in the segment, and that explains why it never became popular as a commercial product. The same fate suffered by the Olympus Air, also announced in 2014, which used a Micro Four Thirds sensor with 16MP and was introduced with a 14-42mm lens but could use any MFT lens, a clear advantage that still did not make it more popular.

From Olympus to Motorola

The Olympus Air “lens-camera” was designed to be operated through Wi-Fi from a smartphone and Olympus announced, at launch, that an open-source application programming interface released with the camera would allow users to expand functionality. Despite all the curiosity and excitement created at launch, both projects – Sony’s and Olympus’ – are dead… making it reasonable to ask if the solutions now announced by Xiaomi and Realme are viable, at a time when smartphone optics have reached much better quality than a decade ago.

Before we continue it’s important to mention the Motorola Hasselblad True Zoom Camera, with 10X optical zoom that, according to Motorola “adds an advanced imaging experience to your phone in a snap. Now you can use your smartphone to capture images in ways that have never been possible, fueling your creativity and letting you share the brilliant results.”

Designed for Moto Z smartphones, the accessory, launched in 2016, has a 12MP 1/2.3-inch sensor with a 10x optical zoom 25-250mm (in 35mm equivalent) f/3.5-6.5 lens. Opinions about the module differ, from the DPReview reviewer stating that “The Hasselblad True Zoom is the best smartphone camera add-on I have used so far. Attaching it to the phone is super-easy and quick.” to PCMag’s comment: ”The Hasselblad True Zoom Camera adds a capable 10x zoom lens to your Moto Z smartphone, but slow focus and a frustrating app hold it back.”

Do you REALLY want to carry lenses for your smartphone?

Despite their differences, both projects now revealed at MWC 2025 appear to be nothing more than demonstrations of technology prowess mixed with some “wishful thinking”. If you really want to carry multiple lenses… you’ll probably by a real camera. And if you want better quality, you’ll probably buy one of the compact cameras coming to the market, as there is a growing interest for those models… and a keen interest from camera makers to bring them back and regain some market share lost to smartphones.

On the other hand, solutions like those from Xiaomi and Realme could help smartphone companies to expand their market share, by pairing better optics with the power of modern devices. If they can convince users to carry extra gear in their pocket…  or an extra bag.

Enough crystal ball gazing, time to share what each of the projects promises. The Xiaomi Mobile Optical System appears to be a modern clone of the Olympus Air (with some differences), built around a Micro Four Thirds sensor – 100 megapixels now – and a 35 mm f1.4 lens that explores something smartphones can not do: variable aperture from f/1.4 to f/11. That’s quite interesting, as smartphones users are always limited – except in a few cases – to a fixed aperture.

Xiaomi’s system uses a new type of “lens mount”, that the company calls LaserLink. The lens couples to the phone magnetically, onto a circle on the back of the device, and uses power from the smartphone to activate the system, through two connection pins. The prototype was shown at MWC with a version of the new Xiaomi Ultra 15 smartphone – which is a photographic powerhouse on its own – but there is no indication of when or if  it ever makes it to the market.

Xiaomi tried Realme’s solution three years ago

Realme’s approach is different, as it effectively builds a lens mount adapter on a smartphone to accept external lenses, which for now are limited to Leica M compatible models but can be developed to work with lenses from other brands. The adapter is paired with a 50MP 1-inch sensor and at MWC the company showed two lenses, 73 and 234mm that clearly demonstrate the advantages of using interchangeable lenses with a smartphone. Two aspects to consider: lens multiplier is 2.7x and focusing is manual, as there are no electrical contacts on the Leica M mount.

For those thinking that these projects are surprising, it’s important to note that Xiaomi had a similar project back in 2022, when it revealed a version of the 12S Ultra with a 1-inch sensor and a Leica M mount… which somehow makes the Realme solution a bit of a “me too” …

Now, despite all the “wishful thinking” it’s not probable that any of these prototypes makes it to the market, although Xiaomi’s solution appears to be more viable… and probably able to deliver better results, due to the difference in sensor size.