Together with a telephone with pigments sensitive to temperature that allows him to change color, Realme has presented at the MWC a new concept of photography that, in the words of those responsible, It gathers the best in the digital world and most appreciated by optics fans. This is the Ultra project and, contrary to what has earned its prestige to the firm (mobile phones with an excellent quality/price ratio), this concept of the future would be high -end.
The “support”, aka a smartphone, has an aesthetic similar to the Xiaomi 15 ultra: profiles that combine black and chrome in an attempt to related them with the DSRL or Réflex cameras. In the rear, an area dedicated to the camera with an inch type sensor stands out. According to what Realme has revealed, the Ultra project has two traditional cameras on the phone: A wide and a principal, while TV requires an external optics. And here comes the magic. The sensor is exposed under a glass sheet, and you will need to place a lens, such as the one you would use with a DSLR, to be able to use it.
In the exhibition they made, Two lenses were shown, one 73 mm (approximately 3x) that is ideal for portraits and a 234 mm telephoto (about 10x) which could be excellent for sports or wildlife photographs. The lenses curl in a projection of the camera module itself, as if it were a traditional and can be exchanged. The little that could be seen, showed that they were manufactured by a third party and used the leica l mount to a patented adapter to connect them to the phone.
It is not yet known if these lenses will be the exclusive development of Realme or can be used compatible with Canon or Nikon, the two great referents in this type of cameras. During the demonstration they were made comparative with an iPhone 16 Pro Max, a reference in digital photography, and Ultra won by far in terms of quality, versatility and details. But I lost when keeping it, obviously.
Currently, Realme points out that it is not a product that is produced in mass, but little else. What is clear is that it is a future option that other manufacturers also share. In fact, Xiaomi presented a similar concept, baptized modular optical systemwhich has an integrated sensor in the lens module, only in this case it is connected by a device similar to a Magsafe and transmits the image wirelessly.
Taking into account the value we give to photography in mobile phones and the amount of accessories that can be sold through this type of projects, Realme’s option, if you work with renowned manufacturers (Leica or Hasselblad, for example)it can be the future of mobile photography.