Sony Cyber-shot QX10 review: a WiFi 'lens camera' that mounts directly on your smartphone

Sony QX100 Lens.

Earlier this month at IFA, Sony introduced an entirely new type of point-and-shoot camera. The QX10 and its big brother, the QX100, are missing a built-in LCD. Instead, framing, image review, configuration and even storage are all handled on another device: your smartphone. These "lens cameras," as they've become unofficially known, mount directly on a handset you already own, pairing with Sony's PlayMemories Mobile app via WiFi. The benefits are considerable. The absence of a display allows for a more compact body, improved power efficiency and a lower price tag. The QX100, for example, includes the same optics as Sony's flagship RX100 Mark II, but retails for $500, compared to $750 for its fully equipped counterpart. The QX10 is the more mainstream of the two, with a smaller footprint and an affordable $250 price tag.

Aesthetically, both lens cameras are quite similar, though the QX100 is larger than the QX10 despite its more limited focal length. The reason for the discrepancy is a generous 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor, and a higher-quality f/1.8-4.9, 3.6x Carl Zeiss lens to match. The QX10, however, sports a 1/2.3-inch 18.9-megapixel sensor -- that's comparable in physical size to what you'd find in a mid-range point-and-shoot. Still, it's substantially larger than the embedded smartphone sensor it's likely to replace, and the f/3.3-5.9, 10x G lens is unmatched by all but the Galaxy S4 Zoom. In fact, you might say this is Sony's answer to Samsung's misstep, and when you factor in cost, compatibility and image quality, Sony comes out far ahead.
In the box, you'll find an instruction manual, the lens camera, a detachable smartphone mount with an extending arm, a wrist strap, an NP-BN battery pack rated for 200 shots and a micro-USB cable for charging and wired image transfers. There isn't one accessory you won't need, nor are there any critical components missing, with the exception of a microSD card. The lens measures 1.5 inches high with the smartphone attachment and 1.125 inches without. You connect the two with an embedded bayonet mount. There's also a sliding arm that'll accommodate just about any current phone model, including the Galaxy Note II, and rubber pads positioned where the accessory meets your handset to eliminate any risk of damage when you attach and detach the lens.

We tested the QX10 with both a Galaxy Note II and a Moto X, and it fit on both, though the X's shorter design meant the camera mount often edged too close to the phone's volume rocker -- the Note offered more real estate. We also tried attaching the camera to an iPhone 4, which was an even tighter squeeze than the Moto X. It did fit, though we'd recommend sticking to a larger device if possible. You can also use the lens on its own, though there aren't many physical controls, and without a viewfinder to speak of, it's a bit of a crapshoot. There are but three buttons: a power control on the top, then a shutter release and a zoom toggle on the left side of the lens. Any settings adjustments -- and there aren't many to choose from -- are handled directly in Sony's PlayMemories Mobile app. (For more Indepth Info just follow the Engadget link Below.)

 Info Via Engadget.