Photography firm DxO has opened up early access for its upcoming DxO ONE smartphone-mounted camera. The professional-quality cam is compatible with a small stable of select devices, and mounts onto the device via a USB Type-C connector. DxO lists a small number of phones that are guaranteed to be compatible, but if you’re interested in getting your hands on a DxO ONE unit early, you can tell the company via a form on its website what type of phone you have, and if the company determines that the phone is compatible, you should be able to order your DxO ONE with no issues. The Early Access pack costs $499, the total retail price of the camera alone when it launches, and includes the camera, a waterproof shell for it, and DxO’s PhotoLab software.
The camera itself boasts a massive 1-inch sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, capable of shooting at up to 20.2 megapixels in RAW format. Naturally, this is going to generate gargantuan file sizes in very detailed pictures, which some older smartphones may have problems editing. Even on smartphones that can handle it, you’ll either have to convert the pictures before working with them, or get an app that can support the RAW format, such as Snapseed. Once you have the file ready to edit and compress, the next step is sharing it, which can happen on the spot and very naturally due to the DxO ONE being hooked up to your smartphone. The DxO ONE supports Facebook Live and a time lapse shooting feature out of the box, and will be getting more features and accessories in the coming months.
The waterproof casing for the camera includes a cable backdoor that allows you to run a cable from your smartphone and plunge the camera up to 45 meters down, depths that even the most well-protected smartphones will have serious trouble with unless they’re in a special waterproof case of their own. Since such cases wouldn’t protect the DxO ONE and sticking it in a zipper bag or a similar waterproof apparatus may not provide adequate protection or could produce blurry shots, the casing is basically essential for using the DxO ONE underwater. The DxO PhotoLab software is a PC-based image editing suite that can process images taken with the DxO ONE, among others, with a wide variety of tools. These come free for Early Access buyers, but the waterproof casing and PhotoLab will cost $59.90 and $199, respectively, once the DxO ONE hits retail.
