Smartphones are trying to morph into cameras. But camera companies already tried this…and failed

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then cameras should be blushing at all the attention from smartphone brands. At one of the biggest smartphone events of the year, both Xiaomi and RealMe showed off experimental devices that gave smartphones mirrorless-like lenses. But while the Xiaomi Optical Modular System and RealMe Interchangeable Lens Concept were unveiled in 2025, the concept “cameras” took me back a full decade – because camera companies already tried to do the same thing years ago, and failed.

The year is 2014 and, hot on the heels of the company’s very first full-frame mirrorless camera the year before, Sony took another risk and launched the QX1, an APS-C sensor that used E-Mount lenses and attached to a smartphone. The Sony QX1 was, essentially, a camera without the camera. The QX1 offered the sensor and lens mount, but operating the camera was largely done through whatever smartphone it was mounted on.

Sony would later go on to announce the XQ10 and XQ30, zooming smartphone-attachable cameras with a point-and-shoot sized sensor, and the XQ100, a smartphone-attachable camera with a one-inch sensor similar to the RX100 series. A year after the XQ1, Olympus tried the Air A01, a Micro Four Thirds sensor and lens mount that similarly omitted the LCD screen in favor of a smartphone.

All four of those cameras from Sony and Olympus have all been discontinued, without successors, indicating that the unusual format wasn’t popular enough to get up off the ground. But, fast forward ten years and now there’s not just the Xiaomi Optical Modular System and the RealMe Interchangeable Lens Concept, but the upcoming Alice Camera as well as the SwitchLens that raised more than $800,000 on Kickstarter.

That raises the all-important question: Did cameras like the Sony QX1 fail because the technology wasn’t ready yet, or because not enough people even want a cross between a smartphone and a mirrorless camera?

I remember trying out one of the early Sony QX cameras. One of my biggest issues with the camera-that's-not-quite-a-camera was the delay that resulted from having to connect to the phone using Wi-Fi. There was a noticeable delay between when the shutter release was pressed and when the image was actually taken, rendering it fairly useless for shots of moving subjects.

But 2025 technology could help allay some of that issue. The Xiaomi concept camera-phone uses LaserLink, which uses near-infrared to transfer the data to the phone. The RealMe concept eliminates the need to connect wirelessly entirely, where the phone is essentially the mirrorless camera body, just with glass to protect the sensor when a lens isn’t in use. The Alice Camera uses wireless connectivity, albeit in a more modern form including Wi-Fi 6.

But the other part as to why I think cameras like the QX1 and Air A01 failed to take off is that smartphones have terrible ergonomics for taking photos. The thin design is excellent for slipping into a pocket, but not so great for holding up a large lens for long periods without having something to wrap your fingers around.

Another potential factor at play is that, in 2025, it's not just photographers buying cameras. Influencers are undoubtedly playing a role in the market as well and could be drawn to the concept of a smartphone that operates like a mirrorless camera. Ten years ago, influencers were a far smaller niche category of buyers.

Cameras like the QX1 weren’t the only experiments to try to mix the best of dedicated cameras with mobile photography. Cameras like the Zeiss ZX1 and Samsung Galaxy NX are dedicated cameras, but with an Android operating system that allows them to run photo editing apps and share images without a smartphone at all. But, like the QX and Air series, have both been discontinued.

Perhaps what is most ironic about smartphone brands' attempts to be more camera-like is that it comes at a time when dedicated cameras are seeing a resurgence. Compact cameras are now in high demand after nearly dying out, in part for the small size and, I could argue because it’s not a smartphone. A dedicated camera gives you more than ergonomics, swappable lenses, and better image quality; it gives you the ability to capture memories without being distracted by notifications and apps. Or, for that matter, draining the smartphone battery.

I’m amused but also glad to see the latest attempts to merge smartphones and mirrorless cameras into one device, however. I think the engineers who design cameras and the photographers using them both need creativity and experimenting – even if those experiments feel slightly recycled or never really get up off the ground. But, I certainly won’t be first in line to buy a smartphone-mirrorless mashup.

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