Leica just announced a partnership with Chinese mobile device company Huawei. The speculation is that Leica will provide high quality optics for Huawei cell phones. Again Leica has shown that it is a different company than the slow-moving, traditional camera manufacturer of my youth. Although high quality optics on a mobile device is not a new concept, Nokia has already manufactured a cell phone with a Zeiss lens,  this partnership is intriguing.

With the quality of electronics improving at breakneck speed, is the ÔÇ£one-deviceÔÇØ concept the future of photography?

I can hear the moans of my brethren now. But what if the conventional wisdom was turned on its head? What if your beloved Leica was also your mobile device?

This concept is close to becoming a reality. Both Nikon and Samsung have produced 16MP point and shoots with the Android operating system builtin. The idea is appealing. Why not put an M mount on your iPhone 10? Just think about it,┬á your trusty Summicron-M 35/F2 would always be by your side, ready for that ÔÇ£decisive moment.ÔÇØ When traveling you could take a professional quality photo, make a 4k movie, surf the web and make a phone call all with the same device. ┬áMy back feels better already.

One thing is certain, the vast majority of people are using cellular phones to make still images and movies. Why not make them with good glass? Sorry gotta go, my Monochrom is ringing.