pixels and pictures

Lots of random sources seem to think some upcoming iteration of the iPhone X will feature three rear-facing cameras, either this year or next. So here we are: I’m telling you about these rumors, although I’m not convinced this is going to happen.

The most recent report comes from The Korea Herald, which claims that both Samsung’s Galaxy S10 and a new iPhone X Plus will feature three camera lenses. It isn’t clear what the third sensor would do exactly for Apple. Huawei incorporated three cameras into its P20 Pro — a 40-megapixel main camera, a 20-megapixel monochrome camera, and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera. Most outlets seem to think Apple’s third lens would be used for an enhanced zoom.

Earlier rumors came from the Taiwanese publication Economic Daily News and an investors note seen by CNET. Both of those reports indicated a 2019 release date for the phone. All of these rumors seem underdeveloped at the moment and of course, even if Apple is testing a three-camera setup, the team could always change its mind and stick with the dual cameras. Still, if Apple wants to make an obvious hardware change to its phone cameras, a third lens would be one way to do it.

The Leica APO-Telyt-R 1:5.6/1600mm, pictured above, is a massive telephoto lens that dwarfs any Leica camera that you attach to it. It’s the company’s longest, largest, and heaviest lens.

It was produced as a custom order by one of the world’s wealthiest photography-enthusiasts, Qatari prince Saud bin Muhammed Al Thani, who paid a whopping $2,064,500 for the hefty piece of glass.

When Mathieu Stern came to us with his 3D printed photographic lens project, we were immediately excited by the idea. Not only Mathieu is one of those enthusiasts of photography well known on the web (he launched for example an original and poetic web series “The Weird Lenses Challenge“) but also our professional proximity with the world of art, design, and images we work on on a daily basis at Fabulous, naturally brought us closer. 

Moreover, as an application design office specialized in additive manufacturing, it is always a pleasure to embark on a new challenge. The question posed by Mathieu is identical to that posed daily by our customers: how to use the competitive advantages of 3D printing to design and manufacture a new innovative product, cheap, and above all performing.