Sony Cyber-shot QX10 and QX100 attachable lenses for smartphones announced at IFA 2013

As part of their announcement of the Sony Xperia Z1 today, Sony took some time to show off a couple new accessories for smartphones. The Cyber-shot QX10 and QX100 attachable lenses take the form of a lens, but are really a complete camera that can be attached to a smartphone via a special bracket that quickly clips on an off. The QX100 comes with a 20.2 MP Exmor 1-inch sensor, a Carl Zeiss lens with 3.6x zoom capability, and Sony’s BIONZ image processing software. The QX10 is an 18.2 MP device with a Sony G Lens that can zoom in 10x and has built-in Optical SteadyShot. The devices will sell for approximately $500 and $250 respectively.
Even though the devices were announced in conjunction with the Xperia Z1 unveiling, both devices will actually work with other Android devices or even iOS devices. The devices establish their connection with a smartphone through built-in WiFi or Bluetooth capabilities.  If you were hoping to get some of the capabilities of the Xperia Z1′s camera, but don’t want to swap out for a new smartphone, this may be one path to take.