Xiaomi’s detachable micro four-thirds camera module reportedly enters mass production | Infinium-tech

Last year at MWC, we got some hands-on time with a curious prototype – the Xiaomi Modular Optical System. Xiaomi called it a research project, so its future was uncertain. However, digital chat station Now reports are that the device is going into mass production and will be commercially available early this year (exact date to be determined).

In case you missed it, it’s a detachable camera module that houses a 100MP Micro Four-Thirds sensor with a 35mm f/1.4-f/11 lens and a manual focus ring. The sensor offers native 2x zoom with pixel binning.

What separates it from previous devices like Sony lens-style cameras is the high-speed connection called LaserLink. With low-latency and high data rates up to 10 Gbps, this camera utilizes the phone’s powerful ISP to perform image processing.

Prototype Micro Four-Thirds module and a custom Xiaomi 15

Which phone? Well, last year the prototype was showcased with a customized Xiaomi 15. However, this is old news now. There is talk that the upcoming “Xiaomi Mix 5” flagship will be the first flagship to feature the required LaserLink connection.

And this is the biggest downside of this system – only phones that have not only Qi2-style magnets on the back, but also data connections will be able to use the detachable Micro Four-Thirds module.

On the plus side, the module has been removed – it doesn’t have its own battery but instead draws power from the phone. No processing hardware either. Still, the prototype we handled weighed 100 grams, which was a bit awkward on the smaller Xiaomi 15 (but it should feel better on the larger mix-class device). Additionally, the camera turns off when not in use and takes a few seconds to boot back up.

Here’s CEO Lei Jun demonstrating the Micro Four-Thirds module:

Source (in Chinese) through