Sony imx sensors. How to choose a smartphone with the best camera. How to determine that a camera is of high quality before looking at photos and videos from it

The only explanation more banal than this axiom is “the iPhone, it turns out, does not have a slot for a memory card.” But newbies continue to make mistakes when they fall for the number of megapixels in the camera, which means they have to repeat themselves.

Imagine a window - an ordinary window in a residential building or apartment. The number of megapixels is, roughly speaking, the number of glasses inside the window frame. If we continue to draw parallels with smartphones, in ancient times window glasses were the same size and were considered a scarce commodity. Therefore, when the so-called “Tolyan” said that he had 5 glasses (megapixels) in his window unit, everyone understood that Anatoly was a serious and wealthy person. And the characteristics of the window were also immediately clear - good review outside the house, large glass area.

A few years later, windows (megapixels) were no longer in short supply, so their number only needed to be increased to required level, and calm down on this. Just adjust it to the area (a window for ventilation and a loggia, for the sake of strength, require a different number of windows) so that the camera produces a slightly denser picture than 4K monitors and TVs produce. And finally deal with other characteristics - for example, combat clouding of glass and image distortion. Teach cameras to focus correctly and paint available megapixels efficiently, if you want specifics.

On the right there are more “megapixels”, but they do not provide anything other than “obstacles” with the same “sensor” area

But people are already accustomed to measuring the quality of cameras in megapixels, and sellers happily indulged this. Therefore, the circus with a huge amount of glass (megapixels) in the same frame dimensions (camera matrix dimensions) continued. As a result, today the pixels in smartphone cameras, although they are not “packed” with the density of a mosquito net, the “deglazing” has become too dense, and over 15 megapixels in smartphones almost always spoil rather than improve photographs. This has never happened before, and again it turned out that it is not size that is important, but skill.

At the same time, the “evil,” as you understand, is not the megapixels themselves - if tons of megapixels were spread out on a fairly large camera, they would benefit the smartphone. When a camera is able to unleash the potential of all megapixels on board, and not “smear” them in large quantities when shooting, the photo can be enlarged, cropped, and it will remain of high quality. That is, no one will understand that this is just a fragment of a larger picture. But now such miracles are found only in “correct” SLR and mirrorless cameras, in which the matrix alone (a microcircuit with photo sensors, onto which the image flies through the “glasses” of the camera) is much larger than the assembled smartphone camera.

“Evil” is the tradition of putting a clip of megapixels into tiny cell phone cameras. This tradition brought nothing but a blurry picture and an excess of digital noise (“peas” in the frame).

Sony piled 23 megapixels where competitors put 12-15 megapixels, and paid for it with a decrease in picture clarity. (photo - manilashaker.com)

For reference: in the best camera phones of 2017, the main rear cameras (not to be confused with the b/w additional ones) all operate with a “pathetic” 12-13 megapixels. In photo resolution it is approximately 4032x3024 pixels - enough for a Full HD (1920x1080) monitor, and for a 4K (3840x2160) monitor too, albeit back to back. Roughly speaking, if a smartphone camera has more than 10 megapixels, their number is no longer important. Other things are important.

How to determine that a camera is of high quality before looking at photos and videos from it

Aperture - how wide the smartphone “opened its eyes”

The squirrel eats nuts, deputies eat people’s money, and cameras eat light. The more light, the higher the quality of the photo and the more details. But you can’t get enough sunny weather and studio-style bright lighting for any occasion. Therefore, for good photos indoors or outdoors in cloudy weather/at night, cameras are designed in such a way that they produce a lot of light even in unfavorable conditions.

The easiest way to get more light to reach the camera sensor is to make the hole in the lens larger. The indicator of how wide the “eyes” of the camera are open is called aperture, aperture, or aperture ratio - these are the same parameter. And the words are different so that reviewers in articles can show off incomprehensible terms for as long as possible. Because, if you don’t show off, the aperture can simply be called, excuse me, a “hole,” as is customary among photographers.

The aperture is indicated by a fraction with an f, a slash and a number (or with a capital F and no fraction: for example, F2.2). Why

So it’s a long story, but that’s not the point, as Rotaru sings. The point is this: the smaller the number after the letter F and the slash, the better the camera in the smartphone. For example, f/2.2 in smartphones is good, but f/1.9 is better! The wider the aperture, the more light enters the sensor and the better smartphone“sees” (takes better photos and videos) at night. The bonus of a wide aperture comes with beautiful background blur when you photograph flowers up close, even if your smartphone does not have a dual camera.

Melania Trump explains what different apertures look like in smartphone cameras

Before buying a smartphone, don’t be lazy to check how “sighty” its rear camera is. Have your eye on Samsung Galaxy J3 2017 – search for “Galaxy J3 2017 aperture”, “Galaxy J3 2017 aperture” or “Galaxy J3 2017 aperture” to find out the exact number. If the smartphone you have your eye on doesn’t know anything about the aperture, there are two options:

The camera is so bad that the manufacturer decided to remain silent about its characteristics. Marketers engage in approximately the same rudeness when, in response to “what processor is in the smartphone?” they answer “quad-core” and do their best to avoid disclosing the specific model.
The smartphone has just gone on sale and no specifications other than those in the advertising announcement have been released yet. Wait a couple of weeks - usually during this time the details will be released.

What should be the aperture in the camera of a new smartphone?

In 2017-2018 Even for a budget model, the rear camera should produce at least f/2.2. If the number in the denominator of this fraction is larger, get ready for the camera to see the picture as if through darkened glasses. And in the evening and at night she will be “low-blind” and will be able to see almost nothing even at a distance of several meters from the smartphone. And don’t rely on brightness adjustments – in a smartphone with f/2.4 or f/2.6, evening photography is “tight” programmatically exposure will turn out to be a “rough mess”, while a camera with f/2.2 or f/2.0 will take a higher-quality photo without any tricks.

The wider the aperture, the higher the quality of shooting on a smartphone camera

The coolest smartphones today have cameras with an aperture of f/1.8, f/1.7 or even f/1.6. The aperture itself does not guarantee the maximum quality of pictures (the quality of the sensor and the “glass” has not been canceled) - this, to quote photographers, is just a “hole” through which the camera looks at the world. But all other things being equal, it is better to choose smartphones in which the camera does not “squint”, but receives an image with “eyes” wide open.

Matrix (sensor) diagonal: the larger the better

The matrix in a smartphone is not the matrix where people with complex muzzles in black cloaks dodge bullets. In mobile phones, this word means a photocell... in other words, a plate on which a picture flies through the “glasses” of the optics. In old cameras, the picture flew to the film and was saved there, and the matrix instead accumulates information about the photograph and sends it to the smartphone processor. The processor compiles all this into the final photograph and stores the files in internal memory, or on microSD.

There is only one thing you need to know about the matrix - it should be as large as possible. If the optics is a water hose, and the diaphragm is the neck of a container, then the matrix is the same reservoir for water, of which there is never enough.

The dimensions of the matrix are usually measured in inhuman, from the bell tower of ordinary buyers, Vidicon inches. One such inch is equal to 17 mm, but cameras in smartphones have not yet grown to such dimensions, so the diagonal of the matrix is denoted by a fraction, as is the case with the aperture. The smaller the second digit in the fraction (divisor), the larger the matrix -> the cooler the camera.

Is it clear that nothing is clear? Then just remember these numbers:

A budget smartphone will take good photographs if its matrix size is at least 1/3" and the camera resolution is no higher than 12 megapixels. More megapixels means lower quality in practice. And if there are less than ten megapixels, the photo will be visible on good large monitors and TVs look loose, simply because they have fewer dots than the height and width of your monitor screen.

In mid-class smartphones, a good matrix size is 1/2.9” or 1/2.8”. If you find a larger one (1/2.6” or 1/2.5”, for example), consider yourself very lucky. In flagship smartphones, a good tone is a matrix measuring at least 1/2.8”, and better – 1/2.5”.

Smartphones with large sensors take better pictures than models with small photocells

Can it get any cooler? It happens - look at 1/2.3” in Sony Xperia XZ Premium and XZ1. Why then don’t these smartphones set records for photo quality? Because the camera’s “automation” constantly makes mistakes with the selection of settings for shooting, and the camera’s reserve of “clarity and vigilance” is spoiled by the number of megapixels - in these models they piled up 19 instead of the standard 12-13 megapixels for new flagships, and the fly in the ointment crossed out the advantages of the huge matrix.

Are there smartphones in nature with a good camera and less harsh characteristics? Yes - take a look at Apple iPhone 7 with its 1/3" at 12 megapixels. On Honor 8, which has 1/2.9" with the same number of megapixels. Magic? No - just good optics and perfectly “polished” automation, which takes into account the potential of the camera as well as tailored trousers take into account the amount of cellulite on the thighs.

But there is a problem - manufacturers almost never indicate the size of the sensor in the specifications, because these are not megapixels, and you can embarrass yourself if the sensor is cheap. And in reviews or descriptions of smartphones in online stores, such camera characteristics are even less common. Even if you choose a smartphone with an adequate number of megapixels and a promising aperture value, there is a chance you will never know the size of the rear photosensor. In this case, pay attention to the latest characteristic of smartphone cameras, which directly affects the quality.

Better few large pixels than many small ones

Imagine a sandwich with red caviar, or take a look at it if you don’t remember what such delicacies look like. Just as the eggs in a sandwich are distributed over a piece of loaf, the area of the camera sensor (camera matrix) in a smartphone is occupied by light-sensitive elements - pixels. There are, to put it mildly, not a dozen, or even a dozen, of these pixels in smartphones. One megapixel is 1 million pixels; typical smartphone cameras from 2015-2017 have 12-20 megapixels.

As we have already figured out, containing an excessive number of “blanks” on a smartphone’s matrix is detrimental to photographs. The efficiency of such a crowd is similar to that of specialized teams of people replacing a light bulb. Therefore, it is better to observe a smaller number of sensible pixels in the camera than large quantity clueless. The larger each of the pixels in the camera, the less “dirty” the photos are, and the less “jumpy” the video recording becomes.

Large pixels in the camera (photo below) make evening and night shots better quality

The ideal smartphone camera consists of a large “foundation” (matrix/sensor) with large pixels on it. But no one is going to make smartphones thicker or allocate half of the body at the back for the camera. Therefore, the “development” will be such that the camera does not stick out from the body and does not take up much space, the megapixels are large, even if there are only 12-13 of them, and the matrix is as large as possible to accommodate them all.

The size of a pixel in a camera is measured in micrometers and is designated as µm in Russian or µm in Latin. Before you buy a smartphone, make sure that the pixels in it are large enough - this is an indirect sign that the camera takes good pictures. You type into the search, for example, “Xiaomi Mi 5S µm” or “Xiaomi Mi 5S µm” - and you are pleased with the camera characteristics of the smartphone that you have noticed. Or you get upset - it depends on the numbers you see as a result.

How big should a pixel be in a good camera phone?

In recent times, it has become especially famous for its pixel sizes... Google Pixel is a smartphone that was released in 2016 and “showed Kuzkin’s mother” to competitors due to the combination of a huge (1/2.3”) matrix and very large pixels of the order of 1.55 microns. With this set, he almost always produced detailed photographs even in cloudy weather or at night.

Why don’t manufacturers “cut” the megapixels in the camera to a minimum and place a minimum of pixels on the matrix? Such an experiment has already happened - HTC in the flagship One M8 (2014) made the pixels so huge that the rear camera could fit... four of them on a 1/3” matrix! Thus, One M8 received pixels measuring as much as 2 microns! As a result, the smartphone “torn” almost all competitors in terms of the quality of images in the dark. Yes, and photographs in a resolution of 2688x1520 pixels were enough for Full HD monitors that time. But the HTC camera did not become an all-round champion, because the Taiwanese were let down by HTC’s color accuracy and “stupid” shooting algorithms that did not know how to “correctly prepare” the settings for a sensor with unusual potential.

Today, all manufacturers have gone crazy with the race for the largest pixels, so:

In good budget camera phones, the pixel size should be 1.22 microns or more
In flagships, pixels ranging in size from 1.25 microns to 1.4 or 1.5 microns are considered good form. More is better.

There are few smartphones with a good camera and relatively small pixels, but they exist in nature. This, of course, is the Apple iPhone 7 with its 1.22 microns and OnePlus 5 with 1.12 microns - they “come out” due to very high-quality sensors, very good optics and “smart” automation.

Without these components, small pixels ruin the photo quality in flagship smartphones. For example, in the LG G6, the algorithms create obscenities when shooting at night, and the sensor, although ennobled with good “glasses,” is cheap in itself. IN

As a result, 1.12 microns always spoil night shots, except when you enter into battle with “manual mode” instead of stupid automation and correct its flaws yourself. The same picture prevails when shooting on the Sony Xperia XZ Premium or XZ1. And in a masterpiece, “on paper”, Xiaomi camera What prevents Mi 5S from competing with the flagships iPhone and Samsung is the lack of optical stabilization and the same “crooked hands” of algorithm developers, which is why the smartphone copes well with shooting only during the day, and at night it is no longer very impressive.

To make it clear how much to weigh in grams, take a look at the characteristics of the cameras in some of the best camera phones of our time.


Smartphone	Number of megapixels of the “main” rear camera	Matrix diagonal	Pixel size
Google Pixel 2 XL	12.2 MP	1/2.6"	1.4 µm
Sony Xperia XZ Premium	19 MP	1/2.3"	1.22 µm
OnePlus 5	16 MP	1/2.8"	1.12 µm
Apple iPhone 7	12 MP	1/3"	1.22 µm
Samsung Galaxy S8	12 MP	1/2.5"	1.4 µm
LG G6	13 MP	1/3"	1.12 µm
Samsung Galaxy Note 8	12 MP	1/2.55"	1.4 µm
Huawei P10 Lite/Honor 8 Lite	12 MP	1/2.8"	1.25 µm
Apple iPhone SE	12 MP	1/3"	1.22 µm
Xiaomi Mi 5S	12 MP	1/2.3"	1.55 µm
Honor 8	12 MP	1/2.9"	1.25 µm
Apple iPhone 6	8 MP	1/3"	1.5 µm
Huawei nova	12 MP	1/2.9"	1.25 µm

What type of autofocus is best?

Autofocus is when a mobile phone “focuses” on its own while taking photos and videos. It is needed so as not to change the settings “for every sneeze”, like a gunner in a tank.

In old smartphones and modern Chinese "state-priced" phones, manufacturers use contrast autofocus. This is the most primitive method of focusing, which focuses on how light or dark it is “straight ahead” in front of the camera, like a half-blind person. That’s why cheap smartphones need about a couple of seconds to focus, during which it’s easy to “miss” a moving object, or stop wanting to shoot what you were going to do because “the train has left.”

Phase autofocus “catches light” across the entire area of the camera sensor, calculates at what angle the rays enter the camera and draws conclusions about what is “in front of the smartphone’s nose” or a little further away. Due to its “intelligence” and calculations, it works very quickly during the day and does not annoy you at all. Distributed in all modern smartphones, except for the very budget ones. The only drawback is working at night, when the light enters into the narrow hole of the mobile phone’s aperture in such small portions that the smartphone “breaks the roof” and it constantly fidgets with focusing due to a sudden change in information.

Laser autofocus is the most chic! Laser rangefinders have always been used to “throw” a beam over a long distance and calculate the distance to an object. LG in the G3 smartphone (2014) taught this “scanning” to help the camera quickly focus.

Laser autofocus is amazingly fast even in indoor or dim environments

Take a look at your wristwatch... although, what am I talking about... okay, turn on the stopwatch on your smartphone and appreciate how quickly one second passes. Now mentally divide it by 3.5 - in 0.276 seconds, the smartphone receives information about the distance to the subject and reports this to the camera. Moreover, it does not lose speed either in the dark or in bad weather. If you plan to take photos and videos up close or at a short distance If there is a lack of light, a smartphone with laser autofocus will help you out a lot.

But keep in mind that cell phones are not Star Wars weapons, so the range of the laser in the camera barely jumps a couple of meters. Everything that is further away is viewed by the mobile phone using the same phase autofocus. In other words, to photograph objects from afar, it is not necessary to look for a smartphone with “laser guidance” in the camera - you will not get much use from such a function in general shots of photos and videos.

Optical stabilization. Why is it needed and how does it work

Have you ever driven a car with leaf spring suspension? On army UAZs, for example, or ambulances with the same design? In addition to the fact that in such cars you can “beat off the butt,” they shake incredibly - the suspension is as rigid as possible so as not to fall apart on the roads, and therefore it tells passengers everything that it thinks about the road surface, frankly and not “spring” (because that there is nothing to spring with).

Now you know how a smartphone camera without optical stabilization feels when you try to take a photo.

The problem with shooting with a smartphone is this:

The camera needs a lot of light to take good photos. Not direct rays of the sun into the “face”, but diffuse, ubiquitous light around.
The longer the camera “examines” the image during the photo, the more light it captures = the higher the quality of the picture.
At the time of shooting and these camera “peeps”, the smartphone must be motionless so that the picture does not get “smeared”. If it moves even a fraction of a millimeter, the frame will be ruined.

And human hands are shaking. This is clearly noticeable if you lift with outstretched arms and try to hold a barbell, and less noticeable when you hold a cell phone in front of you to take a photo or video. The difference is that the barbell can “float” in your hands within wide limits - as long as you don’t touch it against a wall, a neighbor, or drop it on your feet. And the smartphone needs to have time to “grab” the light for the photo to come out successful, and to do this before it deviates a fraction of a millimeter in your hands.

Therefore, the algorithms try to please the camera and not put increased demands on your hands. That is, they tell the camera, for example, “so, 1/250th of a second you can shoot, this is enough for the photo to be more or less successful, and taking a shot before the camera moves to the side is also enough.” This thing is called endurance.

How optical stabilization works

What does optostab have to do with it? So, after all, he is the “depreciation” with which the camera does not shake like the body of army trucks, but “floats” within small boundaries. In the case of smartphones, it does not float in water, but is held by magnets and “fidgets” at a short distance from them.

That is, if the smartphone moves a little or trembles during shooting, the camera will shake much less. With such insurance, a smartphone will be able to:

Increase the shutter speed (the guaranteed time “to see the picture before the photo is ready”) for the camera. The camera receives more light, sees more image details = the quality of the photo during the day is even higher.
Take clear photos on the move. Not during an off-road sprint, but while walking or from the window of a shaking bus, for example.
Compensate for shaking in video recordings. Even if you stomp your feet very sharply or sway slightly under the weight of the bag in your second hand, this will not be as noticeable in the video as in smartphones without an optical stabilizer.

Therefore, optostab (OIS, as it is called in English) is an extremely useful thing in a smartphone camera. It’s also possible without it, but it’s sad - the camera must be of high quality “with a margin”, and the automation will have to shorten (worse) the shutter speed, because there is no insurance against shaking in a smartphone. When shooting video, you have to “move” the image on the fly so that the shaking is not visible. This is akin to how in old movies they simulated the speed of a moving car when it was actually standing still. The only difference is that in films these scenes were filmed in one take, and smartphones have to calculate the shaking and deal with it on the fly.

There are vanishingly few smartphones with a good camera, which without stabilization takes pictures no worse than competitors with stabilization - these are, for example, Apple iPhone 6s, the first generation of Google Pixel, OnePlus 5, Xiaomi Mi 5s and, with some stretch, Honor 8/ Honor 9.

What not to pay attention to

Flash. Useful only when shooting in pitch darkness, when you need to take a photo at any cost. As a result, you see the pale faces of people in the frame (all of them, because the flash is low-power), eyes squinted from the bright light, or a very strange color of buildings/trees - photographs with a smartphone flash definitely do not carry any artistic value. As a flashlight, the LED near the camera is much more useful.
Number of lenses in the camera. “Before, when I had 5 Mbps internet, I wrote an essay in a day, but now, when I have 100 Mbps, I write it in 4 seconds.” No, guys, it doesn't work like that. It doesn’t matter how many lenses there are in a smartphone, it doesn’t matter who released them (Carl Zeiss, judging by the quality of the new Nokia cameras, too). Lenses are either high quality or not, and this can only be verified with real photographs.

The quality of the “glass” (lenses) affects the quality of the camera. But the quantity is not

Shooting in RAW. If you don’t know what RAW is, I’ll explain:

JPEG- standard format, in which the smartphone records photos, it is a “ready-to-use” photo. Like the Olivier salad on a festive table, you can take it apart “into its components” in order to transform it into another salad, but it won’t turn out to be of very high quality.

RAW is a hefty file on a flash drive, in which all brightness, clarity and color options for a photograph are sewn in its pure form, in separate “lines”. That is, the photo will not be “covered with small dots” (digital noise) if you decide to make it not as dark as it turned out to be in JPEG, but a little brighter, as if you had set the brightness correctly at the time of shooting.

In short, RAW allows you to “Photoshop” a frame much more conveniently than JPEG. But the catch is that flagship smartphones they almost always select the settings correctly, so, apart from the smartphone’s RAW memory being polluted with “heavy” photos, there will be little benefit from “Photoshop” files. And in cheap smartphones, the camera quality is so bad that you will see poor quality in JPEG, and equally poor quality in RAW. Don't bother.

Camera sensor name. They were once super important because they were a “quality seal” for a camera. The size of the matrix, the number of megapixels and pixel size, and minor “family characteristics” of shooting algorithms depend on the model of the camera sensor (module).

Of the “big three” manufacturers of camera modules for smartphones, the highest quality modules are produced by Sony (we do not take individual examples into account, we are talking about the average temperature in a hospital), followed by Samsung (Samsung sensors in Samsung smartphones Galaxy is even better than the coolest Sony sensors, but the Koreans are selling something absurd on the side), and finally, OmniVision, which produces “consumer goods, but tolerable”, closes the list. Intolerant consumer goods are produced by all other basement Chinese companies, the name of which even the manufacturers themselves are ashamed to mention in the characteristics of smartphones.

8 - execution option. Do you know how this happens in cars? The minimum configuration is with “cloth” on the seats and a “wooden” interior, the maximum is with artificial suede seats and a leather dashboard. For buyers, the difference in this figure means little.

Why, after all this, should you not pay attention to the sensor model? Because with them the situation is the same as with megapixels - Chinese “alternatively gifted” manufacturers are actively purchasing expensive Sony sensors, trumpeting at every corner “our smartphone has a super-high-quality camera!”... and the camera is disgusting.

Because the “glass” (lenses) in such mobile phones is of appalling quality and transmits light a little better than a plastic soda bottle. Because of these same bastard “glasses,” the camera aperture is far from ideal (f/2.2 or even higher), and no one is tuning the sensor so that the camera selects the colors correctly, works well with the processor, and doesn’t spoil the pictures. Here is a clear example that the sensor model has little effect:

As you can see, smartphones with the same camera sensor can shoot completely differently. So don't think that the cheap Moto G5 Plus with IMX362 module will shoot as well as the HTC U11 with its amazingly cool camera.

Even more annoying is the “noodle on the ears” that Xiaomi puts on the ears of buyers when it says that “the camera in Mi Max 2 is very similar to the camera in the flagship Mi 6 - they have the same IMX386 sensors! They are the same, only smartphones shoot very differently, the aperture (and therefore the ability to shoot at poor lighting) is different in them, and Mi Max 2 cannot withstand any competition with the flagship Mi6.

The additional camera “helps” take photos at night with the main one and can take black and white photos. The most famous smartphones with such camera implementations are Huawei P9, Honor 8, Honor 9, Huawei P10.
The secondary camera allows you to “shove in the impossible,” that is, it takes pictures with an almost panoramic viewing angle. The only proponent of this type of camera was and remains LG - starting with the LG G5, continuing with the V20, G6, X Cam and now the V30.
Two cameras are needed for optical zoom (zooming in without losing quality). Most often, this effect is achieved by simultaneous operation of two cameras at once (Apple iPhone 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 8), although there are models that, when zoomed in, simply switch to a separate “long-range” camera - ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom, for example.

How to choose a high-quality selfie camera in a smartphone?

Best of all - based on examples of real photographs. Moreover, both during the day and at night. During the day, almost all selfie cameras produce good photos, but only high-quality front cameras are capable of shooting something legible in the dark.

It is not necessary to study the vocabulary of photographers and go deeper into what this or that characteristic is responsible for - you can simply memorize the numbers “this much is good, but if the number is higher, it is bad” and choose a smartphone much faster. For an explanation of terms, welcome to the beginning of the article, and here we will try to derive the formula for a high-quality camera in smartphones.


Megapixels	No less than 10, no more than 15. Optimal - 12-13 MP
Diaphragm(aka aperture, aperture)	For budget smartphones - f/2.2 or f/2.0 for flagships: minimum f/2.0 (with rare exceptions - f/2.2) optimal - f/1.9, f/1.8 ideal - f/1.7, f/1.6
Pixel size (µm, µm)	the higher the number, the better for budget smartphones- 1.2 microns and above for flagships: minimum - 1.22 microns (with rare exceptions - 1.1 microns) optimal - 1.4 microns ideal - 1.5 microns and above
Sensor (matrix) size	the smaller the number in the fraction divisor, the better for budget smartphones - 1/3” for flagships: minimum - 1/3” optimal - 1/2.8” ideal - 1/2.5”, 1/2.3”
Autofocus	contrast - so-so phase - good phase and laser - excellent
Optical stabilization	very useful for shooting on the go and night photography
Dual camera	one good camera is better than two bad ones, two average quality cameras are better than one average one (brilliant wording!)
Sensor (module) manufacturer	not specified = most likely there is some junk inside OmniVision - so-so Samsung in non-Samsung smartphones - ok Samsung in Samsung smartphones - excellent Sony - good or excellent (depending on the integrity of the manufacturer)
Sensor model	a cool module does not guarantee high quality shooting, but in the case of Sony, pay attention to sensors IMX250 and higher, or IMX362 and higher

I don't want to understand the characteristics! Which smartphone to buy with good cameras?

Manufacturers produce countless smartphones, but among them there are very few models that can take good photographs and shoot videos.

Once upon a time, ambitious smartphone makers said they would soon drive compact cameras out of the market. This happened before our eyes. Today everyone knows that the camera even in an inexpensive smartphone takes pictures no worse than a point-and-shoot camera. Next stage - catch up with DSLR quality. While this does not sound entirely realistic, new smartphones prove that this goal will also be achieved sooner or later. There are a lot of decent models on the market that allow you to create very, very high quality photos. We analyzed the existing offer and selected smartphones with best camera 2018. Looking ahead, we note that all these camera phones they are very, very expensive, but the cameras in them are truly luxurious.

When it comes to evaluating a camera, the question involuntarily arises: how can you understand that it is cool in one smartphone, and worse in another? First of all, you need to look at the technical specifications:

number of megapixels. Forget about the “more is better” rule. This has not been the case for a long time, but for some reason marketers and sellers continue to mislead users. When it comes to a tiny (compared to a DSLR) camera in a smartphone, a large number of megapixels can even cause harm. 12-13 megapixels is enough to create wonderful pictures. It’s good that many companies realized this and focused their attention on improving other parameters;
diaphragm. To take a good photo, the camera needs light. It hits the matrix and forms an image. Light passes through the aperture, and the wider the aperture blades are open, the greater the chance of getting a clear, beautiful photo, even in conditions that are far from ideal. In the specifications, the aperture is designated as f/2.0 or F2.0. The lower the number, the better. For example, a camera with f/2.2 and f/1.9 will shoot equally well during the day, but in the evening with a module with f/1.9 the pictures will be better. Today, the standard even for inexpensive smartphones is f/2.0, and they put it in flagships modules forf/1.8 and evenf/1.6. By the way, a wide aperture, even in the absence of a second module, will allow you to create macro photographs with a bokeh effect;
matrix diagonal. The bigger it is, the better. That's all the average user needs to know. There is no need to go into details. The diagonal of the matrix is indicated by a fractional number, and the smaller the number under the fraction, the better. For example, a 1/3” camera is normal for the budget class, 1/2.9” and 1/2.8” are for the mid-range, and 1/2.5” are for flagships, but there are often exceptions. Recently, manufacturers prefer not to indicate this characteristic at all;
pixel size. A lot of stupid pixels may not improve the quality of the photo, but, on the contrary, cause blurriness and noise. Therefore it’s better to have fewer larger pixels on the matrix than many small ones. Manufacturers usually indicate the pixel size. For budget and mid-range smartphones this figure should be 1.22 microns or more, in flagships - at least 1.25 microns, and better - 1.4 and even 1.5 microns;
autofocus type. Autofocus can be contrast (the most primitive, used in very cheap smartphones), phase(works quickly during the day, problems are possible at night) and laser. The latter is the most modern and accurate, always works quickly;
optical stabilization– the key to high-quality photographs of dynamic scenes. This feature is invaluable when shooting video and will be useful to all those whose hands often tremble;
number of lenses. Many people believe that the more there are, the better. No. It is better when the lenses are of high quality, but this can only be judged by test images;
camera sensor manufacturer. Modules from Sony, as well as from Samsung(the company makes better sensors for itself than those it sells externally). Slightly worse, but acceptable, sensors are removed from OmniVision. The most popular are Sony sensors, which in the camera characteristics are marked as IMX and a three-digit number, for example, IMX The first digit indicates the generation, the second indicates the class of the photosensor (the larger the better), the third indicates the version;
additional main camera performed in several versions. Option #1 is a black-and-white sensor, which captures light better and allows you to take better photos in low-light conditions. Option #2 – a camera with a wide viewing angle to squeeze as much of the landscape into the frame as possible. Option No. 3 – the second camera is used for zooming.

It also happens that a camera with seemingly ideal parameters takes, to put it mildly, not very good pictures. This means that the manufacturer did not pay enough attention automation, optics and software algorithms. It is advisable to personally evaluate examples of photos in different shooting conditions before purchasing. It often happens that with a fairly mediocre set of characteristics, a smartphone takes excellent pictures - this means that the developer was not too lazy to finish the software shell. But when a manufacturer takes a good sensor, but kills it with lenses or software problems, it’s very disappointing.

We move from theory to practice. We found the best camera phones, selected the best among them and prepared a rating for you. The analysis used sample images, as well as the opinion of an authoritative resourceDxOMark, which tests cameras using its own algorithm and gives them scores. Go!

Smartphones with the best camera 2018

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Just a few weeks ago new flagship from Samsung was presented atM.W.C. 2018. The model received a very cool camera and has already been called a smartphone with the best camera in the world. Both the Galaxy S9 Plus and the slightly more compact Galaxy S9 received main module with variable aperture. No one had done this before. Yes, they tried, but Samsung was the first to bring the idea to life. What does it give us? aperture with variable value fromf/2.4 to a/1.5? This feature brings the smartphone camera closer to the DSLR and allows it to adapt to any shooting conditions. When it’s light, the aperture blades close to keep the frame clear and to convey depth, which is especially important when shooting landscapes. When it is dark, the petals open as much as possible to let in light. Tests show that The device takes pictures at night, indeed, much better than all other smartphones, even better than its main competitor, the iPhone X. The matrix resolution is 12 megapixels, there is optical stabilization and phase detection autofocus.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, unlike the Galaxy S9, received additional main camera with a resolution of 12 megapixels and f/2.4 aperture. The second module is required for 2-card optical zoom. The pixel size of the main camera is 1.4 microns, in the additional one – 1 microns. The smartphone can shoot video in slow motion, has a portrait mode and copes superbly with all shooting scenarios. Front-camera with 8 megapixels it can also blur the background and takes excellent pictures (f/1.7 aperture, 80-degree viewing angle).

We can talk about the Galaxy S9+ for a long time, because it one of the most advanced smartphones today. It received an 8-core Exynos 9810 processor with a frequency of 2.7 GHz: very powerful, but such resource-intensive applications where this “stone” would show itself 100% have not yet been invented. The screen has a diagonal of 6.2 inches, made using Super AMOLED technology, resolution 2960 * 1440. There is 6 GB of RAM, the main one is 64/128/256 GB, there is a slot for memory cards up to 400 GB. The model received IP68 protection from moisture and dust, is equipped with a face and retinal scanner, and can make AR Emoji - an analogue of Animoji in the iPhone. Let's add stereo speakers, fast charging (battery capacity 3500 mAh) and a chic appearance, and we'll probably get best smartphone for today. The 6/64 version costs about $1200.

Apple iPhone X

Apple smartphones always have good cameras. Anniversary and revolutionary iPhone model X only confirmed this rule. Before the release of the Galaxy S9+ (and even after it), the camera in the iPhone X will serve as an example for comparison. Apple traditionally pays attention to software optimization, but everything is fine with the hardware. Rear camera – dual, both modules received 12 megapixels. One of them is a wide-angle lens with f/1.8 aperture, the second is a telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture. Both modules have optical stabilization. There is a portrait mode and 2x optical zoom. The camera performs well in all shooting scenarios, but is inferior to the Galaxy S9+ at night. The front module has a resolution of 7 megapixels, an f/2.2 aperture, and can use the screen backlight as a flash.

main feature new iPhone - “bangs” on top. The attitude towards it is ambiguous, so we will not comment on this feature. Let us only note that, following Apple, many Chinese companies have churned out clones of the iPhone X at very different prices. The AMOLED screen has a diagonal of 5.8 inches and a resolution of 2436 * 1125, the highest contrast and brightness. A fast processor, IP67 water and dust protection, face recognition technology and other more or less useful features make the gadget dream smartphone. The dream (64 GB version) costs about $1350.

Google Pixel 2

The flagship from Google is distinguished not only by its compact size, but also by its conservatism, and this is not a minus at all. The company did not use fashion trends such as a dual camera and an elongated screen. However, the smartphone takes excellent photos, and many experts are confident that this is the best camera phone on the market. this moment. The main module has a resolution of 12.3 megapixels (f/1.8 aperture, pixel size 1.4 microns, matrix diagonal 1/2.6”), phase and laser autofocus, optical and electronic stabilization. Everything is perfect on paper, and in reality it’s no worse. The camera can handle any scene, the pictures turn out really gorgeous - amateur photographers should appreciate it.

The front camera has a resolution of 8 megapixels, an aperture of f/ 2.4, a pixel size of 1.4 microns and a matrix diagonal of 1/3.2”. The characteristics, frankly, are not so hot, but the front camera takes pictures very well. In addition, background blur is also implemented here. In general, the pictures come out great in any conditions. Video can be shot in 4K at 30fps, FullHD at up to 120fps, and HD at 240fps.

As for the main parameters, the smartphone received a 5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920*1080, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5, fast Snapdragon 835 processor with a frequency of up to 2.45 GHz, IP67 water and dust protection. The battery capacity is small (obviously for the sake of compactness) - 2700 mAh, but the function should save fast charging. The smartphone is equipped with 4 GB random access memory, main memory – 64 or 128 GB. The pluses also include the presence of stereo speakers, an active noise reduction system and a bunch of chips from the manufacturer. There is no 3.5mm jack. The device costs about $800: a lot, but better than its competitors.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Another confident contender for the title of smartphone with the best camera. The device has a glass body, a giant screen, a fast processor, enviable battery life and a dual camera, which becomes the object of our interest. The Leica main camera duo is positioned vertically. The color module has a resolution of 12 megapixels, the additional monochrome module has a resolution of 20 megapixels. Aperture for both camerasf/1,6 , contrast, phase and laser autofocus, optical stabilization, there is a 2x hybrid zoom. The smartphone is excellent at taking photos in low light conditions, not to mention simpler shooting scenarios such as landscapes, portraits and macro. The background is blurred perfectly, the pictures are clear and the colors are reproduced correctly. The front module has an 8 megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture and fixed focus. He copes with his tasks at a high level.

Huawei installed in its flagship an 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 970 processor with a frequency of up to 2.36 GHz and neural computing module. Thanks to this solution, the smartphone will cope much more quickly and efficiently with applications that use artificial intelligence technology. OLED screen with a diagonal of 6 inches and a resolution of 2160*1080, protective glass, 4000 mAh battery with fast charging function, IP67 waterproof – here everything is so perfect it's boring. The only downsides are the easily soiled body (glass, after all) and the price. There are versions with 4 and 6 GB RAM, main memory can be 64/128/256. The “simplest” phone with 4/64 GB costs $630, which compares favorably with its more expensive fellow camera phones.

HTC U11 and HTC U11 Plus

HTC U11 was released in the summer of 2017 and captivated fans of mobile photography with its excellent photography in the dark and excellent detail when photographing complex objects such as threads and hair. There were only questions about the design, so in the fall the company released the HTC U11 Plus. The camera module remains the same, but above appearance we worked: whether it has become better is a big question, everything is subjective.

The main camera in both models received a resolution of 12 megapixels and aperturef/1.7 , pixel size – 1.4 microns, there is optical image stabilization. All this means that both day and night you will be able to get photos of excellent quality, with a spectacularly blurred background. Post-processing enthusiasts will love the fact that smartphone can shoot inRAW. Naturally there is manual mode– the user himself will be able to configure all shooting parameters. The 16 megapixel front module with f/2.0 aperture and without autofocus allows you to create very decent selfies. In general, the device deserves to be included in the ranking of smartphones with the best camera.

HTC U11 received a body made of glass and metal, a 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 2560*1440, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and a 3000 mAh battery. The 8-core Snapdragon 835 with a frequency of up to 2.45 GHz is responsible for performance; there are versions with 4 and 6 GB of RAM, and 64/128 GB of main memory. An under-screen fingerprint scanner, features include a body compression sensor and a physical activity tracking sensor. The price for the 4/64 version is about $660.

HTC U11 Plus received, as is now commonly called, a full-screen 6-inch display with an aspect ratio of 18:9. The changes also affected the batteries: new version its capacity is 3930 mAh. The 4/64 version costs $790.

Apple iPhone 8 and Apple iPhone 8 Plus

Yes, the eighth iPhones are criticized for their outdated design, but they still buy them, because in terms of technical characteristics they are practically perfect. The new iPhones differ from the iPhone 7s by having a glass body, a faster processor, and an increased amount of memory. The rest has not changed, but the cameras began to shoot even better. In the Plus version, the main camera is dual, in the younger version it remains single.

iPhone 8 Plus received two main camera modules 12 MP each. One of them is wide-angle with an f/1.8 aperture, the second is a telephoto lens with an f/2.8 aperture. Eat dual optical zoom, portrait mode, stage lighting mode, and the wide-angle lens received optical stabilization. iPhone 8 equipped with only one 12 MP f/1.8 lens, there is no optical zoom. The cameras work quickly, produce images of decent quality, and they are not afraid of the dark. The 7 MP f/2.2 front camera produces decent results.

The eighth iPhones look solid. The younger version received a 4.7-inch screen (resolution 1334*750), the older version – 5.5 inches (1920*1080). Both versions are powered by a 6-core A11 Bionic processor, equipped with 3 GB of RAM, the main one can be 64 or 256 GB. Powerful and beautiful apples are traditionally not cheap - fashion gadgets, after all. iPhone 8 – from $790, iPhone 8 Plus – from $1060.

We also note that the year before last iPhone 7 andiPhone 7 Plus also filmed at the level, namely, the iPhone 7 Plus set the trend for dual main cameras.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Last year, the company’s line of phablets was replenished with the Galaxy Note 8 model. This year, obviously, an updated version will be released, but for now, the “eight” can confidently fight for the title of the best camera phone. However, the camera is not the only advantage of the gadget, but it is very, very significant. Both main cameras received 12 megapixel resolution and optical stabilization. This was the first smartphone in which both main modules are equipped with optical stabilization. One of the cameras is wide-angle with an f/1.7 aperture, the second is a tele-camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Their collaboration allows you to create excellent photographs in any conditions and effectively blur the background. Thanks to the function dynamic focus You can change the focus object after shooting. The photos turn out spectacular. The good news is that video in 4K resolution turns out to be of really high quality. The front camera, with its 8 megapixels and f/1.7, performs quite well.

The giant 6.3-inch display amazes with high-quality images. The device comes to our market with Samsung processor Exynos 8895: in AnTuTu tests the device scores more than 170 thousand points. This is power! RAM of 6 GB and built-in 64/128/256 GB is enough for the eyes. Separately worth noting sound quality and a multi-functional unsinkable stylus. By the way, the smartphone itself received protection from moisture and dust according to the IP68 standard. The battery capacity, however, is only 3300 mAh. Some may not like the dirty glass case, as well as the price, but it’s time to get used to the fact that flagships cost about a thousand “green” and are a fashion item. This model, for example, is perfect for business people who need to work a lot with documents and spreadsheets. For the 64 GB version they are now asking from $900 to $1050.

ASUS Zenfone 5Z and ASUS Zenfone 5

Recent MWC exhibition, held in Barcelona, introduced us to the masses interesting new products. ASUS has introduced a whole series of new smartphones. If Zenfone 5 Lite just received an elongated screen, then 5 and 5Z are very strongly reminiscentiPhone Xwith his bangs, but they are much cheaper. Zenfone 5Z and Zenfone 5 are slightly different in terms of hardware, but they have the same cameras. Rear module – double. The main camera received a Sony IMX363 sensor, 12 megapixel resolution, f/1.8 aperture, optical stabilization and phase detection autofocus. The 8-megapixel auxiliary module has a viewing angle of 120 degrees. In theory, the camera should cope well with different scenes and produce effective blur. The front module is more modest: 8 megapixels and the same viewing angle of 120 degrees.

Zenfone 5 received a 6.2-inch diagonal screen with an aspect ratio of 19:9 and a resolution of 2264 * 1080. On board is a fast Snapdragon 636 processor and 4 or 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB of main memory, it can be expanded. The developers say that the smartphone uses software with the makings of artificial intelligence, and its forces will be used to more economically consume energy and improve the quality of shooting.

Zenfone 5 Z outwardly it is exactly the same, but inside it hides a slightly more powerful Snapdragon 845. There are 4, or 6, or even 8 GB of RAM!! Latest version Overall impressive. Main memory capacity – 64/128/256 GB. The price will start at $590 (Zenfone 5 will obviously be cheaper), sales will begin in June.

LG V30+

Recently everyone praised the cameraLG V30 . We don’t argue that it’s really cool, but the new product, which was released just recently, promises even better shooting quality. As befits a flagship, it uses dual main camera. One of them has a resolution of 16 megapixels, aperturef/1.6 , the second is 13 megapixels, f/1.9 and a viewing angle of 120 degrees. As a result, excellent photo quality in any shooting conditions, the ability to create photos with maximum scene capture, and the presence of optical stabilization will allow you to achieve excellent results even when shooting in difficult conditions. Cameras received glass lenses CrystalClear, which minimize light scattering when transmitting it to the matrix. The front camera with its 5 MP and f/2.2 takes acceptable pictures.

The smartphone has top-end hardware. This is a powerful modern 8-core Snapdragon 835 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory (expandable up to 2 TB). The screen is made using OLED FullVision technology, has a diagonal of 6 inches and a resolution of 2880*1440 pixels. There is protection against water and dust IP 68 and a fast charging function, the battery capacity is minimally sufficient - 3300 mAh. The device looks futuristic and costs about $900.

Xiaomi Mi Note 3

The new flagship from the famous Chinese company received the same pair of cameras as in the more expensive Xiaomi Mi 6. Both main cameras have a resolution of 12 megapixels, one of them has an f/1.8 aperture, and the second one has an f/2.6 aperture. the first is wide-angle, the second camera has a telephoto lens, so you can zoom in on the image without losing quality and create bokeh. In most shooting scenarios, the camera performs excellently, almost on par with its more expensive counterparts. The front module with a resolution of 16 megapixels will delight those who like to take selfies.

The beautiful glass case houses the fast Snapdragon 660 processor. The manufacturer decided to save money on the screen. Well, how to save money. Not to say that the display is bad, but these days they are also installed in devices of the lower price segment. The screen is made using IPS technology, has a diagonal of 5.5 inches and a resolution of 1920*1080. The fingerprint scanner is conveniently located under the display. The 3500 mAh battery can charge quickly and provides acceptable battery life. The smartphone is sold in 6/64 and 6/128 GB versions. If you need a smartphone with a good camera under 20,000 rubles ($350), then take a closer look at version 6/64. A device with twice as much memory will cost 1.5 times more.

Vivo X20 Plus

The flagship from Vivo completes our top camera phones. Now everyone is actively discussing that updated smartphone companies Vivo X20 Plus UD will be the first in the world in which The fingerprint scanner will be built into the screen and will be located at the bottom of the display. While everyone is just waiting for the new product to go on sale, it is known that the cameras in the new smartphone will be the same as those in the Vivo X20 Plus.

The model is equipped dual main camera: the first module has a resolution of 12 megapixels and an f/1.8 aperture, the second has a modest resolution of 5 megapixels. An additional module is needed to blur the background. The front module also has a resolution of 12 megapixels and f/2.0. The authoritative resource DxOMark rated the device’s camera at 90 points out of 100, which is a good result.

The device received a Super AMOLED display with a diagonal of 6.43 inches and a resolution of 2160 * 1080, an 8-core Snapdragon 660 processor, a fairly capacious 3905 mAh battery and an acceptable memory reserve of 4/64 GB. The device costs about $540. There are also cheaper alternative – Vivo X20. This smartphone is equipped with the same cameras, but has a slightly smaller screen (6.01 inches, the same resolution) and a less capacious battery (3245 mAh), but the processor is the same, and the price is about $460.

Kensuke Mashita: “I would love to put a one-inch sensor and G Master lens into a smartphone.”

Since 2015, the editors of the site began to talk seriously about smartphones, because the camera in these gadgets has become more than just a tool in the hands of a photographer. Today we can state that yesterday’s users of smartphones with good cameras are gradually switching to amateur and professional cameras.

Sony Mobile invited us to conduct an exclusive interview with Kensuke Mashita, a senior manager from the Sony Mobile team. Mashita-san is in charge of the technology used in the camera unit Sony smartphones Xperia.

We tried to ask him the most important questions about Sony Xperia cameras, smartphone cameras in general, and where mobile photography is going next.

- Has the compact camera segment died with the growth of smartphone sales?

The market for compact digital cameras is declining. Our colleagues at Sony Digital Imaging are now focusing on high-end compact cameras. On the other hand, smartphones occupy the position of low- and mid-level compacts. And I think this trend will continue.

- What prospects do smartphones have in the photo market?

Smartphones today have achieved fairly high image quality, comparable to compact cameras that were released a few years ago. But a smartphone is more than just a camera: it has connectivity, advanced graphics and processing power, and a faster-than-camera processor. digital processing, large display and simple interface. Therefore, smartphones are completely different, they give us a new experience. For example, if it were not for the development of this market, selfies would not have appeared. We have to search and find new scenarios that are accessible not so much to the camera, but to the smartphone as a camera and mobile device with connectivity to mobile and wireless networks.

- To what extent is the smartphone camera today a reason to buy a new device or replace an old one?

According to our research, the most motivating factors for buying a new smartphone are the design of the device, the camera and time battery life. These three factors are the main ones for the buyer, and they work in conjunction. Russian market particularly focused on smartphone design. This is called show off, when the main goal is not to enjoy the appearance of the gadget, but to show off. This is where self-expression takes place through the design of the device.

The camera is just as important because it allows you to show off your at its best, your achievements and surroundings.

It's no secret that Sony Semiconductors is the main supplier of sensors for mobile cameras. How is Sony Mobile related to this company?

Yes, all major manufacturers use Sony sensors in their smartphones. But each of them installs sensors with different characteristics. Of course, in mobile photography the sensor is important, but optics are also important. Because this is what all the restrictions apply to, including the thickness of the smartphone.

Most Sony smartphones have a camera that does not protrude from the body, but the iPhone and other devices have a camera that protrudes a millimeter or more. Our designers strive to ensure that nothing protrudes without compromising the functions and capabilities of the smartphone. For the buyer, design is extremely important, and we try to find a balance. But believe me, it is very difficult.

I can't say which Sony sensor is the best today. Sony Mobile's strategy was previously aimed at high resolution at 23 megapixels. But today, most manufacturers install 12 megapixel sensors, including Samsung and Apple. This is the difference in approach, because Sony used high resolution due to its greater image stabilization capabilities, best quality pictures as it approaches. Of course, in such scenarios our camera outperforms 12-megapixel sensors. But on the other hand, the physical size of the pixel is very important.

With the development of dual cameras in smartphones, many different solutions have appeared on the market. For example, thanks to zoom lenses, the quality of zoom has become an order of magnitude higher. We can say that a new era of mobile photography has arrived, and in the next generation we will show our vision. Unfortunately, I cannot share the details of our new strategy, but we will change some things in the near future.

The relationship between Sony Mobile and Sony Semiconductors has traditionally been such that we received a top-end sensor on exclusive terms. We got the IMX300, the same situation with the IMX400. This interaction will continue in the future. We act as a leader who tests new technologies.

G8142 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/500 sec

How new are the features of the Motion Eye camera unit (predictive shooting, super slow-motion video shooting and tracking autofocus when continuous shooting), built on the Sony Exmor IMX400, are popular among smartphone buyers?

The Sony Exmor IMX400 processor has a sensor with 128 megabytes of stack memory, and thanks to this it is possible to record video in super slow motion mode and carry out predictive shooting. With our camera you can see things that the human eye cannot catch.

Unfortunately, not much time has passed since the release of the first smartphone with Motion Eye (-ed.). Not enough data has been collected yet. We have an idea of how many people take photos and how many take videos with their smartphones. Now we are trying to find out how many people use super slow motion. We found out that when getting acquainted with a smartphone, many people try to evaluate recording at a speed of 960 frames per second. Our goal is to make interest in know-how permanent. I think Sony's Super Slow Motion exceeds expectations. Some will say that this was done just to attract the attention of buyers, but we really wanted to create something new.

The most common argument of those who do not like Sony Xperia: “All smartphones have a Sony sensor (Samsung, Huawei, iPhone and others), but they all take pictures much better than Sony Xperia smartphones.” Do you have any understanding of why this happens?

Unfortunately, in mobile photography it is impossible to achieve the best quality in different conditions. Quality may vary depending on shooting conditions and functions used. Cameras with a 12-megapixel sensor and larger pixel size perform better in low-light conditions, but if you shoot daytime landscapes, you can achieve greater detail thanks to the higher resolution of the sensor. In my opinion, if we shoot a landscape, the Sony Xperia will win, but in a number of scenarios we may lose to our competitors. The question of approach is also important here. You can take a good picture in the dark with our smartphone, and its resolution will be one and a half times higher. We focus on high resolution because it provides better image stabilization.

If we made the same camera as other brands, perhaps there would be haters of a different order who would get to the bottom of the truth and find a difference in the performance of our camera compared to competitors.

Unfortunately, most people pay attention to “laboratory” camera tests, and it is better to look at real photographs. Sometimes one conflicts with the other. Of course, we prioritize user experience.

At the same time, we listen to feedback our users. For example, in the Sony IMX400 the resolution was reduced from 23 to 19 megapixels, thereby increasing the pixel size slightly. We tried to find a compromise and improved the situation with shooting in low light conditions. At the same time, super slow motion and stack memory appeared. Thanks to the latter, the situation with video recording, including HDR, has improved. This is only possible with memory. Soon we will have another improvement, which is being kept secret for now.

All Sony Xperia cameras are tested in more than 100 different scenarios. Lighting conditions at the same time differ in different parts of the world. In Russia, daylight hours tend to zero, so high-quality photography in low light conditions is extremely important for us. At the same time, there are different shades of light: people want to look good in photographs, so that the skin looks not only natural, but also beautiful. Similar feedback from Sony Mobile's regional offices is being accumulated all over the planet. It's impossible to standardize, but work is being done. The camera operates according to a certain averaged algorithm, and a compromise is reached.

G8342 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/2000 sec, 4.4 mm eq.

Why Sony Mobile ignores optical image stabilization in the main camera and continues to use its own electronic system SteadyShot?

If we installed optical stabilization in a smartphone, there would be many photographs in which moving objects are greatly blurred due to increased shutter speed. This doesn't happen with SteadyShot. Yes, perhaps it would look impressive, but I’m not sure that everyone will like it. Thanks to SteadyShot, we have the opportunity to shoot at fast shutter speeds and avoid most blur. The automation itself understands what to do: if there is a dynamic scene in the frame, then the shutter speed will be minimal; if the picture is more static, the shutter speed increases. Of course, under normal conditions and in the absence of moving objects in the frame, smartphones with optical image stabilization take better pictures than Sony, but here again we are talking about different scenarios.

- In what proportions and what influences mobile photography: sensor, optics, post-processing algorithms?

Sensor - 30%, optics - 30%, image processing processor (ISP) - 30% and post-processing algorithms - 10%. It all depends on the type of processor. For example, in DSLR cameras there is almost no post-processing. Smartphones have technical limitations, so processing and post-processing are very important.

Any module developed at Sony Mobile is shown in the Digital Imaging division. They test our functions and issue a certificate of conformity.

Sony Mobile is the only brand in the market except Google smartphone Pixel 2, which completely ignores the dual camera trend. Why is this happening? When can we expect a dual camera from Sony?

We monitor various trends. There are ideas for creating triple, quadruple cameras, combinations various cameras. We introduced the stacked memory camera to the world. In our opinion, it provides a better experience compared to dual camera. Technologies in processors and graphics are evolving, as is the camera. In the near future, the time will come to show a dual camera. Perhaps Sony will surprise you.

G8142 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/5000 s

- When the Camera app is in Sony devices Will mobile become more convenient?

We work not only for professionals, but also for a general audience that is not so well versed in various settings.

If we talk about manual settings, then for most users such parameters as shutter speed, light sensitivity, focus, white balance and exposure are sufficient. All this is in our application. But there are more advanced and demanding users. I can't go into details, but there will be changes to the app in the near future.

At this point, Mashita-san asked us what we would like to see in Sony smartphones. Our answer was simple: RAW format.

- I would like to know your attitude towards DxOMark testing. At the moment, Sony smartphones are not even in the top ten.

We always look at the results table and feedback from this site. Some of their comments are very helpful to us. But I'm not sure their tests can be 100% useful to most people in their use cases. Your colleagues at DxOMark gave us a lot of feedback when developing the testing policy, and it was really helpful in many ways. However, in September the benchmark changed, adding scores for optical zoom and background blur, and, of course, new system focused on dual camera. We have always taken this site seriously, but we want to look at the new methodology for distributing ratings, understand the logic and trends. Time needs to pass.

In fact, we are not only talking about DxOMark, but also about other laboratory tests and techniques that are used on the market. In my opinion, real photographs show the performance of the camera better than any tests. We will continue to observe the methodology, look at the results and, perhaps, turn to them again for feedback.

G8342 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/1600 sec, 4.4 mm eq.

What technical limitations exist in cameras today? mobile phones? Is it possible to see some kind of serious breakthrough? For example, a one-inch matrix (as they did in the Panasonic CM-1) or a real telezoom lens. If you fantasize, what would you like to see in a mobile camera? And what can really appear?

In my opinion, a one-inch sensor in a smartphone camera is an excellent solution. But this will probably increase the thickness of the case and the weight of the gadget. An optical telezoom lens also requires more space. And today the market offers us a solution in the form of a dual camera. But this is not enough for us. Most likely, sensor sizes will not change in the near future. Perhaps the problems will somehow be solved by double, triple and “smart” cameras with artificial intelligence and machine learning.

I think that increasing the camera module is the next step in smartphone development. But if you think about it, a one-inch sensor is great, but it is very difficult to insert into a smartphone body. It might make sense to separate the smartphone and the camera, but Sony did that with the QX series. Maybe something will change in the optics: instead of G Lens optics, G Master will be used. The cost of such a smartphone will be very profitable for us, but people most likely will not appreciate it. Technically, such an implementation is possible.

Still, there are much fewer restrictions in DSLR and mirrorless cameras than in smartphones. But the computing power is on the side of smartphones. Cameras have their own development path, and smartphones have their own. Cameras must be comfortable and ergonomic, and they usually cost more than smartphones.

We are witnessing the emergence of a new marketing feature to attract smartphone buyers - a 48 megapixel camera. Mobile phone manufacturers seem to have conspired and are trying to “buy” users with record megapixels. Some have already released their smartphones with a record-breaking camera resolution, while others are just preparing devices with such a module. They will differ in the sensor that will form the basis of the camera. You have to choose between two: and Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1. Is there a difference between them and which one is better?

Honor General Product Manager Xiong Junmin decided to answer this question. But before that, let us remind you that Sony and Samsung presented their 48 MP modules last year. The size of both sensors is decent - 1/2 inch, but the pixel size is only 0.8 microns. But the trick of these sensors is that the pixels can read information from four neighboring pixels and this allows you to create 12 megapixel photos with large 1.6 micron pixels. This adaptation should improve the quality of shots taken at night.

According to the top manager Honor, Sony IMX feature 586 in color filter Quad Bayer . With it, neighboring pixels of the same color are grouped according to a 2x2 pattern into one to an equivalent pixel of 1.6 microns in size. This increases the sensitivity of the sensor, and it “turns” into a 12 megapixel module. In theory, this should be useful specifically when shooting shots at night and will allow you to get bright images with a low noise level. Herself Sony announced that the sensor will be able to produce “honest” frames measuring 8000x6000 pixels without interpolation.

In the case of a sensor Samsung Galaxy Bright GM 1 it creates frames measuring 4000x3000 pixels and this figure corresponds to a camera with 12 million effective pixels, where each size is 1.6 microns. With this sensor, whose physical resolution is 12 megapixels, the smartphone will actually be able to produce images with a resolution of 48 megapixels, but this effect will be achieved through interpolation and the price for this is loss of detail. Whereas Sony IMX586 will create clearer frames.

Conclusion of the General Product Manager of Honor - Sony IMX586 produces “honest” 48 megapixel frames obtained by transforming the pixel structure, while pictures with a similar resolution from Samsung GM1 are only the result of artificial image enlargement. The extent to which its conclusion corresponds to reality can only be verified by comparing pictures taken with the camera of the Redmi Note 7 and Honor V20/Huawei Nova 4. It will be interesting to see how both sensors work in practice and how noticeable the difference will actually be between photos taken at 48 and 12 Mp. Still, there is an assumption that 48 megapixel photos are obtained using a Sony sensor, not without the help of digital image processing.

Sony has a lot of matrices for smartphone cameras in its arsenal, and the range is constantly being updated. Along with radically new solutions (like the IMX400, which supports video shooting at 960 FPS), matrices are also being produced that are modified (improved or cheaper) versions of previous models. One of them was the Sony Exmor RS IMX386, which is actually an updated variation of the IMX286, released six months earlier.

Sony Exmor IMX386 is a photographic matrix, according to marketing ranking, located on the border of the middle and flagship price categories (closer to the flagships). It found application in smartphones priced at $250–$500, released in late 2016 and early to mid-2017. Sony review Exmor IMX386 will take you closer to the technical specifications and capabilities of this camera.

Specifications Sony Exmor IMX386

The basis of the Sony Exmor IMX386 is a CMOS matrix, made in 4:3 proportions, standard for photographic equipment. Its size is 1/2.9", the physical diagonal is 6.2 mm. The full sensor resolution is 3968x2976 pixels or 11.8 megapixels. There is a phase-detection autofocus system with selective placement of the corresponding sensors (there is no Dual Pixel technology).

Due to the increased diagonal (compared to the most popular 1/3.06") and reduced resolution (versus 13 megapixels), the camera has an increased pixel size. The dimensions of the pixel cell are 1.25x1.25 microns, which gives a 25% larger light-absorbing area than cameras with 1.12x1.12 µm: 1.56 µm2 versus 1.25 µm2. In theory, this should give more high quality and the detail of the photo in low light conditions, but how it works in practice – we’ll see later in the review.

Not all camera modules based on Sony IMX386 are equipped with an image stabilization system. Flagships have it, while mid-range models are equipped with sensors housed in a simpler housing. The optics of the cameras are also different: based on Sony IMX386, modules are created whose lenses contain 5 or 6 lenses, with an aperture from F/1.6 to F/2.2. Therefore, the final quality of photos and videos may vary on different devices.

Video recording from the camera can be recorded in resolution up to 4K. The maximum frame rate when recording video in Slow-Mo, with a reduced resolution, can reach 240 FPS, but is limited by the capabilities of the chipset. Therefore, in existing smartphones with Sony IMX386, the video recording speed is usually lower.

Smartphones with Sony Exmor IMX386 camera

As of the end of August 2017, the Sony IMX386 matrix was of interest only to leading Chinese smartphone manufacturers. Companies from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan have not yet released their devices with such a camera, but Xiaomi and Meizu liked this sensor. Companies have created a number of mid- and high-end devices with such matrices.

In , the flagship of 2017, the main camera is based on Sony IMX386. It is made as part of a module with a 4-axis optical stabilization system and a six-element lens. The lens aperture is F/1.8. In the middle class, Xiaomi equipped phablets and . The main camera of both differs from the flagship in a simplified module system and cheaper optics. These smartphones do not have optical stabilization, the lens consists of 5 lenses, and the relative diameter of its pupil is F/2.2.

Meizu also did not ignore the Sony IMX386. The first device with this camera was , released in the summer of 2016. Its matrix is made in a body without OIS, with optics with an F/2 aperture. The same configuration is used in the fashionable glass mid-ranger Meizu M3X. But Meizu Pro 6S and Pro 6 Plus use a more advanced main camera configuration. The lens aperture has not been improved, but the module received a 4-axis optical stabilization system and laser autofocus.

The latest Meizu devices with this camera are the flagships Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus. They use a dual camera based on color and black and white Sony IMX386 sensors. Their optics have an F/2 aperture and consist of 6 lenses.

Huawei and AGM each have one device with Sony IMX386 matrices. The first equipped it with a mid-range phablet, which is equipped with a dual camera. The main one of the pair is precisely the object of review. The module configuration is simple, without a stabilization system and five-lens optics with an F/2.2 aperture.

The latest smartphone presented, equipped with Sony IMX386, is AGM X2. He has two of these matrices, color and black and white. The smartphone is not yet on mass sale, so there is no detailed verified information about its cameras yet, but since the company is not the most famous, most likely, a simple module configuration is used, without OIS and improved optics.

Examples of photos from a camera based on Sony IMX386

To evaluate what the Sony IMX386 matrix is capable of in mid-range smartphones and flagships, we offer a selection of photographs taken from it. To take examples, we used Xiaomi Mi6 and Mi Max 2 equipped with this matrix. The photographs were taken in approximately the same lighting conditions so that you could look and see how the quality and aperture of the optics affects the quality of the pictures.

Flash shot on Xiaomi Mi6

Night, dark, photo with flash (Mi MAX 2)

Daytime, cloudy, shot in the shade of trees on Xiaomi Mi6 (1300 lux)

Daytime, cloudy, shot in the shade of trees on Mi MAX 2 (1300 lux)

During the day, cloudy& Shot on Mi6 (2000 lux)

Daytime, cloudy. Mi MAX 2 (2000 lux)

Daytime, cloudy. Mi6 (5000 lux)

Daytime, cloudy. Mi MAX 2 (5000 lux)

As you can see, despite the same IMX386 matrices, Xiaomi Mi6 is slightly superior to Mi MAX 2 in image quality. In addition to the matrix, the chipset, software, optics, etc. play an important role.