Nowadays, mobile phone manufacturers like to focus on camera functions, and even Apple’s press conference spent a lot of time introducing the camera effects of iPhone11Pro. Especially for night shooting, even if the light is insufficient, it is possible to take very good photos. This thanks to the very popular night scene mode in recent years. But the performance is mediocre on still pictures.
This article introduces several evaluations of the best mobile phones for taking pictures and gives you a reference case.
iPhone11Pro Series
1. Introduction of Hardware Parameters
The iPhone 11 Pro equipped with three lenses for the first time has rich camera functions and easy operation. This time there is not much improvement in the specifications, but the camera effect is extremely surprising. The ultra-wide-angle lens can shoot more scenes at one time, and the night scene mode also gives Apple phones a place in night shooting.
First, let’s take a brief look at the three 12-megapixel cameras of the iPhone 11 Pro series. The official names of the three cameras are: super wide-angle, wide-angle, and telephoto. Among them, the ultra-wide angle is the latest camera added this time.
Ultra-wide angle: focal length equivalent to about 13mm (120° viewing angle), F2.4 aperture
Wide angle: focal length equivalent to about 26mm, F1.8 aperture
Telephoto: focal length equivalent to about 52mm, F2.0 aperture
With the powerful computing power of the A13 bionic chip, the iPhone’s most-mentioned night scene mode, smart HDR, 4K 60P video shooting and front camera slow motion.
2. Three-shot field of View Comparison
Since the ultra-wide-angle lens added this time has a large field of view of 120°, it has more choices when shooting portraits or landscapes. Judging from the two sets of samples we took, the ultra-wide-angle lens has a very good distortion control ability, which can instantly give us a new way of composition. Using this lens to shoot portraits can take longer legs, while shooting landscapes can make the picture more impactful.
3. Smart HDR Function
The smart HDR function of iPhone 11 Pro is mainly through the A13 bionic chip and machine learning technology, allowing the phone to more accurately identify the subject, skin, hair, clothing, and background of the character, so as to achieve high light ratio and strong backlighting. The normal exposure of the subject can also be guaranteed under the environment.
4. Portrait Mode
Although the iPhone 11 Pro series has three cameras, it is actually impossible to use an ultra-wide-angle lens when shooting in “portrait mode”. “Portrait Mode” can only be used in 1X and 2X format. That is the wide-angle lens and telephoto lens.
In addition, this time Apple also added a “high-key monochromatic light” effect to the “light effect mode” of portrait shooting, which can adjust the portrait to black and white and place it on a white background.
5. Night Mode
Thanks to the upgrade of this wide-angle lens of about 26mm and the computing power of the A13 chip, the “night mode” of the iPhone 11 Pro series can take multiple photos at the same time after being turned on, and perform software synthesis, so that the final shot is excellent Night photo.
6. Support Handheld Night Scene Shooting
The night mode of the iPhone 11 Pro series can automatically recognize whether the user is holding it or using the stable mode. When the iPhone detects that the phone is in a tripod or other stable state, the night mode will open for a longer exposure time. When handheld shooting, the iPhone will intelligently adjust the exposure time to ensure that you can get clear photos even when shooting handheld.
7. Front camera 120FPS Slow Motion Support
This time Apple not only upgraded the original deep-sensing camera on the front to 12 million pixels, but also can shoot up to 4K 60PFS video performance. It also brings the 120FPS slow motion shooting function of the front camera, through which more special selfie effects can be achieved.
Samsung Note10+
The difference between Samsung Note10 and Note10+ in taking pictures is DepthVision, which is the Tof lens. This function allows Samsung Note10+ to determine the precise depth of field effect, allowing real-time focus to obtain better images. Samsung Note10+ has three lenses that can shoot a wide range of focal lengths. On the basis of Samsung S10+, it is closer to color realism and can show more detailed photos.
1. Hardware Configuration
Let me talk about the basic hardware configuration first. The rear of Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ uses a four-camera combination of ultra-wide-angle + wide-angle + telephoto + 3D depth of field. The specific parameters of the lens are 12Mp main camera (S5K2L4, F1.5/F2.4 dual aperture) + 12Mp length Focus (S5K3M5, 1.0μm, F2.1) + 16Mp ultra wide-angle (S5K3P9, 1.0μm, F2.2) + ToF (IMX316).
2. Clarity
Compared with iPhone11Pro and Pixel4XL, Samsung Note10+ has a balanced and bright color. It does not have a high contrast ratio like Pixel4XL, but the exposure control is not as good as iPhone11Pro.
In terms of resolution of the original scene, Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is also quite good. The iPhone shooting objects will be a little blurry when zoomed in. Because the two sensor algorithms are different, the clarity of the picture is slightly different.
3. Color Display
For mobile phone users who like to take pictures, owning a high-resolution mobile phone is an urgent need. The main rear camera of Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ uses Samsung’s flagship image sensor S5K2L4, which has an unprecedented resolution, and the camera is very clear, which is convenient for the second creation of photography. When shooting colorful objects, it can easily restore the original color.
The high color temperature and better color accuracy make the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ perform well in shooting with diverse colors. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ has more accurate color transitions, which can make objects more three-dimensional and colorful. The visual impact is stronger.
4. Night Shooting
In the night scene part, the low light pen-hold shooting and super night scene of Note10+ have reached the same level as the P30 Pro. I did not expect that Samsung can polish such a small sensor to the current level, which is a bit powerful.
5. Ultra-wide-angle Lens
The viewing angle of the ultra-wide-angle lens is very wide. The photos taken by the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ can show a wider, more impactful, and more spatial visual effect than the human eye. It can be said that the visual effect of the ultra-wide-angle lens is particularly wonderful.
The ultra-wide-angle lens Note10+ is better than the P30 Pro, especially the dynamic range and color. It is really the flagship ultra-wide-angle lens I have used so far.
Pixel4XL
Since the Pixel 3, Google mobile phones have used their own AI calculations to allow a single lens to shoot depth of field, detect photos, etc., and become an indicator mobile phone in the Android camp. In the face of manufacturers using multiple lenses to stimulate consumer market demand, the test version of the Android 11 operating system was used in the process.
1. Hardware Configuration
Google Pixel 4 XL provides a dual-lens configuration for the first time. The shooting specifications are as follows:
Wide angle: 12.2 million pixels, aperture f/1.7, 27mm, photosensitive element 1/2.55 inches, Dual Pixel PDAF phase focus, OIS optical anti-shake.
Telephoto: 16 million pixels, aperture f/2.4, 50mm, photosensitive element 1/3.6 inches, 1.0 m, Dual Pixel PDAF phase focus, OIS optical anti-shake, 2x optical zoom.
2. AI Algorithm
Pixel 4 XL is characterized by the AI algorithm that allows the phone to take good photos easily.
With the help of advanced algorithms on the AI platform, Google can provide amazing photo effects. From Night Sight to Super Res Zoom, to Live HDR + and Dual Exposure controls, Pixel 4 offers many camera functions. Regardless of the situation and lighting conditions, you can take good photos.
3. Main Photo
The Pixel4 series continues to use a 12-megapixel main camera, supports OIS+EIS hybrid anti-shake, 1.4μm single pixel size, basically the same parameters as the previous generation, and adds a 16-megapixel telephoto secondary camera.
4. Resolution
In terms of super resolution, the previous Pixel3 achieved a function comparable to a telephoto lens with a single camera. Now the Pixel4 optimizes the zoom experience based on the telephoto + main camera + AI, and can shoot up to 30x zoom without blur.
5. HDR Mode
The upgraded night vision mode can shoot starry sky. The housekeeping HDR function provides double exposure control options, and users can directly adjust the highlight and shadow details in the preview.
Unlike the multi-frame real-time HDR preview that Apple uses violently with a high-performance processor, Pixel4’s LiveHDR+ directly uses deep learning to calculate the HDR picture, and the angle of opening a new path is quite strange.
6. Portrait and Night Scene Shooting
Seeing the actual imaging performance, the Pixel4 rear camera is as rich in texture as always, and the resolution brought by 12 million pixels is satisfactory.
The portrait mode has become more accurate with the support of dual cameras and algorithms. Even in low-light environments, the separation of hair and background is still clear, and there is no blurring error.
Hand-held night scene shooting has further enhanced the night vision function of Pixel4, and the wish of shooting stars has finally come true.
Xiaomi CC9Pro
A 100-megapixel main lens, five camera lenses, and 5x optical zoom + 10x hybrid zoom + 60x digital zoom, this is almost all the configuration of Huawei P30Pro, and the price is very cheap. Tied with Huawei Mate30Pro for first place in the DXO ranking.
1. Configuration
Both the 100-megapixel camera effect and ultra-wide-angle lens photography can provide very high-quality photos, with different focus points. The 100-million-pixel lens can take very spacious photos, and the picture is clear enough. The 1/1.33 large photosensitive element can help us capture clearer pictures and smart video images.
The innovative five-camera + dual optical image stabilization technology can crush other big names at this point. Double soft light + double flash, even in the dark night when you can’t see your fingers, just turn on the soft light to get gentle picture quality. Supporting 10x hybrid optical zoom + 50x digital zoom can fully help us shoot the stars, shoot the moon, and shoot all ideal scenery.
2. Macro Shooting
Have you heard of the 1.5cm super macro lens? In terms of macro lens design, Xiaomi once broke through the traditional 2cm and 4cm. The innovative 1.5cm can get a more perfect composition and blurred background image, which is more agile and beautiful for the performance of the main character in front.
3. Ultra-wide-angle Lens
The ultra-wide-angle lens is richer in photo details and meets different camera needs. The most important thing is that the price is really too cheap.
Huawei Mate30Pro
Although both DXO and Xiaomi CC9Pro ranked first, Huawei Mate30Pro is obviously stronger in color control and night shooting processing. Especially for the proud night scene shooting, whether it is shooting the stars or the moon, it can reflect the very powerful night shooting algorithm. In this regard, Xiaomi CC9Pro is indeed a little behind. In addition, the video recording function of Huawei Mate30Pro is more powerful, 960fps slow motion shooting is unmatched by any mobile phone today.
1. Configuration
The stacking of materials on the rear camera of Huawei Mate30Pro is extremely simple, with two 40-megapixel outsole lenses, one 1/1.54 inch and one 1/1.7 inch, and it also supports optical image stabilization. It is equipped with an 800 A telephoto lens that supports optical image stabilization can achieve 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom.
2. 30x Zoom
The biggest feeling of picking up Huawei Mate30Pro to take photos is that the original mobile phone can also “shoot birds”. The zoom can be up to 30 times and the focal length can be switched freely. The photos are still very sharp, and the noise is well controlled.
3. Night Crystal Shooting
If the zoom effect is due to the telephoto lens, then it is the turn of the 40 million ultra-sensitive cameras to perform the night scene shooting. The picture below was taken at ten o’clock in the evening when the sky was completely dark. But after shooting with Huawei Mate30Pro, the picture has changed from night to afternoon. The sky, flowers, and buildings are all restored naturally. The noise that should have been controlled by the dual ISP of the mobile phone is very good. The picture still maintains high definition.
4. Ultra-wide-angle Lens
At present, the ultra-wide-angle lens on the mobile phone is already indispensable, because its wide-angle photography allows the mobile phone to accommodate the world, wide and shocking.
The following copycat version of the Eiffel Tower was taken in the ultra-wide-angle mode of Huawei Mate30Pro. It is vast and spacious.
Shocking, if you use the normal mode to shoot, the sky will not show so much, and the left and right images will be cropped a lot, so the captured pictures will look a bit monotonous, just like flowers always need green leaves to set off.
