A handheld imaging device is described to provide high quality RAW image data to a smartphone, or similar handheld imaging device. The imaging device can have a larger dimension, particularly with regard to the thickness of the device, thus overcoming some of the physical limitations to providing high quality optics and image sensing within the thin form factor of a modern smartphone. As the device is only connected when capturing images the smartphone form factor is not altered. The device does not replicate the high-end image processing functionality of a smartphone, but instead transfers RAW images to the smartphone for high-end image processing & enhancement on the smartphone CPU/GPU. Thus it can be manufactured at lower cost than a dedicated camera with equivalent capabilities by taking advantage of the sophisticated image processing capabilities of today's smartphones.