Leica i9 Camera Concept for iPhone

Imagine being able to take professional-quality photos with your iPhone 4. Better yet, imagine docking your iPhone 4 into a case that doubles as a ready-to-shoot professional camera. We’ve got some great news: You might not have to imagine much longer. Product development consultancy Black Design Associates, LLC recently unveiled the i9 camera concept, a pairing that would see the iPhone 4 connect to a Leica camera system. This means that you would be able take photos of the highest calibre without having to carry around a separate SLR. In other words, the i9 Leica system makes Instagram look like child’s play.

The main advantage of this symbiotic concept is the combination of the high-grade image sensor with professional 8x optical zoom lens and the ready-to-shoot operating style of a Leica camera. If that doesn’t sound like reason enough to dream about picking up this handy gadget-upgrade, when the iPhone 4 docks with the Leica i9 “case” both device’s independent batteries combine for longer battery life. The i9 also has its own internal flash memory, which means you won’t have to sacrifice your phone’s storage for your mesmerizing shots or videos. There’s even a Leica app that allows you to easily transfer your files to your iPhone 4 to instantly share via email, Facebook, or Youtube – talk about all-around combination. 

Young professioanls like to take pictures and shoot videos whether to capture memorable moments or for work-related purposes. The Leica i9 camera concept would provide a high-quality way to do just that, capitalizing on the ultra-connectivity of the iPhone 4 so that users would be inspired to take professional pictures and send them from anywhere. California-based Black Design Associates envisioned this concept with a “Compliment without Compromise” philosophy, which is evidenced when they claim that that the i9 can double as a compact and protective case for your iPhone. They’ve even included an interchangeable backing in their designs for the i9 in order to accommodate future generation iPhones that get released; an impressive confidence in the timelessness of their design and a good example of market awareness.

There is no current information on a release date for the i9 (so far as we can tell it’s still in pre-production), but Black Design Associates has already developed products for giants including Mattel and Disney, so it may only be a matter of time before they bring this concept to fruition. Their consultancy specializes in developing products that have a large impact in the marketplace, and this practical concept is sure to be one to watch. Upgradable software – including a possible voice-controlled camera shutter – leaves the i9 with exciting and limitless possibilities for photography lovers and young professionals. It will be interesting to see what this combination of pricey devices will retail for…