; the most expensive.
Characteristics: push-button; best camera; camera + battery; .
Trends: new products of the year; most anticipated.
10. Apple iPhone 8
The average price is 51,600 rubles.
Among the giants from Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei, the 4.7-inch Cupertino G8 looks small. But it fits into your pocket without any problems and lies comfortably in your hand. Inside it is the top-end “Apple” chip A11 Bionic, from 64 to 256 GB of memory for user data and a battery with a capacity of 1821 mAh.
Unlike the Plus version, the iPhone 8 has one 12 MP main camera. It has an f/ 1.8 aperture, 5x digital zoom, optical image stabilization and support for Live Photos. But all this was also in the iPhone 7. The key difference from the previous model is that the iPhone 8 can now shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second, and also does slow-mo recording at 240 frames per second in 1080p mode (Full HD), not just 720p.
Pros:
- Convenient size.
- There is NFC.
- The camera takes excellent quality photos even in low light.
- The case is waterproof.
- Very loud stereo speakers.
Minuses:
- A memory card cannot be inserted.
- Glass is prone to scratches, so don't carry your phone without a case.
The average cost is 56,990 rubles.
Everything about this phone is great: a frameless 6.3-inch AMOLED display, a huge amount of RAM of 6 GB, and from 64 to 256 GB of internal storage, one of the best on this moment Snapdragon 835 processors (or Exynos 8898M - depends on the region).
However, what stands out Galaxy Note 8 among the competitors is a dual 12-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization and optical Zoom 2x. It takes detailed, colorful photos, has bokeh (background blur) effects, and has an easy-to-use yet fully featured app. The Galaxy Note 8 has no shortage of photo modes: Auto, Pro, Panorama and Food, and the missing modes can be downloaded from the Galaxy app store. There's also a new Full View camera option that matches the size of Snapchat and Instagram Stories.
Pros:
- Futuristic frameless design.
- One of the best screens in terms of brightness and color reproduction on the mobile market.
- It is possible to add memory.
- There is NFC.
- There is fast and wireless charging.
- There is a stylus.
Minuses:
- Combined slot for nanoSIM and microSD.
Compared to the tenth place in the 2018 smartphone camera rating according to DxOMark, the “plus” model became 54 grams heavier, acquired a 5.5-inch screen and a dual 12/12 MP camera with a wide-angle and telephoto lens. The camera's autofocus is very fast, and you can shoot in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second.
The overall camera performance is an evolution from previous iPhone lenses. And sharpness in mixed conditions is impressive - you can see a lot of detail in both brighter and darker areas of the photo.
In general, the iPhone 8 Plus tends to overexpose every photo, making the image brighter than the subject or scene in real life.
Pros:
- Large screen with excellent color reproduction.
- Dual main camera that takes bright and very clear photos in any lighting condition.
- There is NFC.
- Very fast processor A11 Bionic.
- There is wireless and fast charging.
Minuses:
- A memory card cannot be inserted.
- The battery lasts for a day of use with an average load.
- Heavy and slippery body.
7. Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S
The estimated price in Russia is 32,000 rubles.
At the end of March 2018, the presentation of a new 5.99-inch frameless smartphone from Xiaomi took place. New chinese phone with a good camera you will get latest processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 6/64 GB, 6/128 GB or 8/256 GB of memory, as well as a 3400 mAh battery.
Mi MIX 2S has a rear dual 12-megapixel camera with a Sony IMX363 sensor, a 4-axis optical stabilization system, phase detection autofocus and 2x optical zoom.
In addition, the camera uses artificial intelligence capabilities to automatically adjust to shooting conditions and blur the background in portrait photos.
Pros:
- There is fast charging.
- There is a slot for a memory card.
- The top model will be “enclosed” in an elegant ceramic case. Regular versions will have a glass back cover.
- Possibility of user identification by face.
- This is the most inexpensive smartphone with a good camera in our top 10.
- There is NFC.
Minuses:
- Most likely, like Mi Mix 2 - one of the, its “big brother” will be very slippery. And all its beauty will be hidden in the case.
6.Huawei Mate 10 Pro
Offered for 44,890 rubles.
Few of them Chinese smartphones compares in design and performance to this luxury gadget made of glass and metal, with a six-inch OLED screen and an 18:9 aspect ratio. The fast HiSilicon Kirin 970 processor, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of flash memory allow the Mate 10 Pro to “pull” heavy applications and games on maximum settings. And the 4000 mAh battery will last a day and a half under full load.
There are two camera modules on the back of the Mate 10 Pro: a 12-megapixel color sensor with optical image stabilization, and a 20-megapixel black and white sensor. Both cameras have an f/1.6 aperture. This solves the problem of poor image quality in low light.
The phone also supports the new AI zoom (intelligent digital zoom) function, and can evaluate the object in the video finder field to set the optimal shooting parameters.
Pros:
- Huge screen with rich colors and automatic brightness adjustment.
- Clear and loud noise from stereo speakers.
- There is NFC.
- Instant fingerprint sensor.
- There is fast charging.
Minuses:
- A memory card cannot be inserted.
- No 3.5 connector.
The average cost in the maximum configuration is 70,400 rubles.
The frameless 5.8-inch smartphone was the most anticipated new product of 2017 from Apple. Losing the home button and changing the design were dangerous but also necessary steps after years of similarity to most iPhone models. The result is a powerful and elegant device with a fast six-core A11 Bionic processor, 256 or 64 GB of internal storage and the ability to identify by face.
The pride of the iPhone X is its dual 12/12 MP rear camera. It has an f/1.8 aperture and can take pictures with natural color reproduction and minimal noise.
iPhone X uses a wide-angle lens and digital zoom to improve low-light photography. Therefore, an image taken in the dark will not appear dull or blurry.
"Standard" iPhone photos automatically have good level blur.
The 7MP TrueDepth front camera takes very bright and clear selfies. Not only can it blur the background, but you can also use the Portrait options to change the lighting of the scene or cut yourself out of the image altogether and place your image against a black background.
Pros:
- Top performance.
- Great cameras.
- User-friendly interface.
- Juicy and bright screen.
- There is NFC.
- Convenient Face ID option.
Minuses:
- A memory card cannot be inserted.
- The body is slippery and heavy.
Can be purchased for 45,380 rubles.
Google Pixel 2 is a clear example that two rear cameras are not always better than one. This small 5-inch phone also features an extremely convenient way to call a smart phone. Google Assistant Assistant. Just squeeze the sides of the phone. It's much easier than accidentally pressing another button (Bixby) in Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus.
The latest games will run smoothly on the Pixel 2 thanks to the 4GB Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor random access memory and from 64 to 128 GB of memory for user data.
The 12.2 MP rear camera with F/1.8 aperture is the best part of the Pixel 2. The color reproduction is true to life and the photos look vibrant. Even photos taken in low light using the Pixel 2 look like we turned on the lights.
Both the 8-megapixel front and rear cameras have background mode portrait blur. This phone also has optical image stabilization and very fast laser autofocus.
Pros:
- Fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.
- Has an NFC chip.
- Has moisture protection class IP67.
- It holds a charge for a long time, despite the seemingly modest battery capacity of 2700 mAh.
- Excellent stereo speakers.
Minuses:
- A memory card cannot be inserted.
You can buy it for 54,000 rubles.
This is one of the largest Android phones, thanks to its 6.2-inch edge-to-edge screen. It's similar in many ways to last year's S8 Plus, but the updated model changes the location of the fingerprint sensor (it's now centered on the back) and adds stereo speakers.
The powerful Exynos 9810 chipset, the impressive size of RAM (6 GB) and from 64 to 256 GB of internal memory will allow you to use the smartphone for several years, when other flagships are already outdated.
The Galaxy S9 Plus (as well as the S9) has an excellent dual 12/12 megapixel camera with an f/2.4 aperture that automatically opens in bright light and expands to f/1.5 in the dark. This is the first in the world mobile phone with such a wide aperture. Thanks to this, a photo taken in poor lighting will be extremely detailed and bright.
The main camera of the device can capture super slow-motion video at 960 frames per second. And the 8-megapixel front camera can be used to transform your face into an animated one using AR Emoji.
Pros:
- There is a slot for memory expansion.
- You can make contactless payments.
- Battery 3500 mAh.
- Fantastically beautiful appearance.
- The widest aperture of the main camera in the ranking of smartphones with the best camera of 2018.
- There is both wireless and fast charging.
- There is face unlocking.
Minuses:
- Fingerprints are clearly visible on the rear glass.
- AR Emoji is an over-hyped feature with few features.
The estimated cost is 46 thousand rubles.
Updates for the P20 compared to last year's Huawei P10 include a glass back, new body colors, a powerful eight-core Kirin 970 processor and an increased screen size - 5.8 inches versus 5.1 on the Huawei P10. In addition, the P20 model has acquired 128 GB of flash memory and has 4 GB of RAM. This should be more than enough for most tasks, although it's less than the 6GB inside the P20 Pro.
Huawei P20 has a dual main camera (12 MP f/1.8 color module and 20 MP f/1.6 monochrome module). Thanks to the wide aperture, the camera can capture more light, and even in low light, photos come out very clear and with minimal digital noise. The camera has built-in memory, thanks to which you can shoot super slow motion at 960 frames per second and in HD resolution. Until now, only smartphones with good cameras from Sony and Samsung could boast of this.
On the front, Huawei P20 has a 24-megapixel selfie camera that shows facial details in such detail that even the smallest blemishes are visible.
Pros:
- Premium design.
- Flagship processor.
- Great cameras.
- Capacious battery of 3400 mAh.
- There is fast charging.
- There is NFC.
Minuses:
- A memory card cannot be inserted.
- No headphone jack.
- Thick bottom frame.
Approximate price - 64,100 rubles.
The best camera phone of 2018 - Huawei P20 Pro - features a top-end design and a significant upgrade internal components. Compared to the Huawei P20, the new photo flagship boasts an increased OLED screen size of 6.1 inches with an 18:9 aspect ratio, a more capacious 4000 mAh battery, 6 GB of RAM (the regular model has 4 GB) and IP67 water resistance.
However, the most important difference is the unique triple camera, created in collaboration with the German company Leica. This is the best camera in a smartphone in 2018 at the moment.
The question arises: why does a smartphone need three cameras at once? Previously, Huawei equipped its gadgets with cameras with color and black-and-white sensors, which worked in tandem to produce photos with improved depth and sharpness. And thanks to the addition of a telephoto lens, you can shoot objects that you can’t get close to. It allows you to zoom in on an image without losing its quality.
The Huawei P20 Pro has a fantastic 40MP color lens and is paired with a 20MP monochrome sensor.
Above the RGB lens is an 8-megapixel sensor. It has 3x optical zoom and 5x software zoom.
Examples of photos on Huawei P20 Pro
In bright light
Portrait
Portrait with bokeh effect
In low light conditions
There are also improvements to the camera software, including six-axis AIS image stabilization, which allows you to take stunning photos in low light conditions and without the need for a tripod. And the intelligent assistant Master AI will tell you how best to compose the frame when shooting landscapes and group portraits.
On the front of the phone, there is a 24-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, thanks to which your face will be visible in every detail in selfies.
Pros:
- Glass back panel It shimmers beautifully, and thanks to the rounded edges, the gadget fits comfortably in the hand.
- Powerful camera.
- Top-end Huawei Kirin 970 processor with NPU module for neural network computing.
- There is NFC.
- There is Huawei Super Charge fast charging technology.
- Very fast touch fingerprint sensor built in Home button under the screen.
Minuses:
- No headphone jack.
- Thick bottom frame.
- No memory card support. You will have to be content with the built-in memory of 128 GB.
The P20 Pro places such a heavy emphasis on camera improvements that other elements of the phone seem comparatively neglected in terms of updates. However, this is the most beautiful and powerful phone from Huawei. It, as well as P20, will appear in Russian stores in April.
About smartphones with the best cameras based on DxOMark ratings. But a lot has changed since then. Firstly, the composition of the competitors has been completely updated, as new generations of flagships have been released. Secondly, the rating itself has changed. Now experts take into account the quality of bokeh in portrait mode, and the algorithm for calculating the final points has been adjusted.
Innovations can be approached in different ways. Obviously, smartphones with a single main camera are now at a disadvantage: even if they are capable of taking amazing photos, the lack of portrait mode will reduce the final score. Not a very fair comparison, right? Moreover, not everyone needs artificial bokeh.
At the same time, nothing prevents you from opening tests of the models you are interested in and comparing scores in individual disciplines: DxOMark evaluates photo quality in nine separate aspects, and bokeh is only one of them.
It is also necessary to remember that the final score consists of the score for photos and videos, so if you only care about the quality of the pictures, then it is better to pay attention to this parameter. And since we are now more interested in photographs, we will mainly indicate the corresponding assessment.
It is noteworthy that now there are several devices in the list of smartphones with the best cameras Chinese brands. Moreover, a gadget from the Middle Kingdom recently became the absolute leader.
Rating participants
Huawei P20 Pro: 114 points
Is it unusual to see Huawei at the top of the photo ranking? The Chinese company has been trying to compete with industry leaders for several years, trying different approaches, but now it has truly surprised. 
The Huawei P20 Pro cameras are remarkable in several respects. Firstly, three main modules are installed here at once. Secondly, the main one has truly gigantic dimensions - 1/1.78". mobile sphere a larger matrix was equipped only Nokia Lumia 1020 (1/1.5"). This is about twice as large as the Samsung Galaxy S9 with its 1/2.55" (if you compare the area, not the diagonal of the sensor). Yes, the aperture here is slightly worse (f/1.8), but even taking this into account, the P20 Pro sensor receives 20% more light due to its area.
The surprises don't end there. Huawei P20 Pro also has incredible high resolution- 40.0 megapixels. Taking into account the Quad Bayer structure, the information from individual pixels is added up according to the formula 2 x 2, so that the final image has a more ordinary resolution of 10.0 megapixels.
Here's another trick: the Huawei P20 Pro's zoom lens has an equivalent focal length of 80mm. This roughly corresponds to an optical zoom of 3.3 compared to a conventional mobile camera.
Another module is monochrome with 20.0 megapixels. It is capable of working in tandem with the main one, which should expand the dynamic range. Another surprise is that all three rear cameras are equipped with optical stabilization. 
There is so much information about the Huawei P20 Pro cameras, some of the details are so unusual, that we will not list the rest of the characteristics of this smartphone so that you can digest a little of what you just read (the main specifications will be included in the comparison table at the end of the article).
Let us note just one unpleasant detail: Huawei designers could not resist and copied the protrusion of the iPhone X. Fortunately, a mode is supported in which it is visually masked with a black background, and to the left and right of it only system information remains (time, battery, network signal, etc.) .
Huawei P20: 107 points
Despite the visual and ideological similarities, Huawei P20 differs from Huawei P20 Pro not only in screen size. There are already two main cameras here, not three: it was decided to abandon the most “long-range” one.
In addition, the main sensor is simpler: it has a size of 1/2.3" with an aperture of f/1.8 and a resolution of 12.0 megapixels. However, the pixels themselves are still relatively large - 1.55 microns. In addition to it, a black and white camera with a resolution of 20.0 megapixels is used. It received a slightly lighter optics - f/1.6.
The manufacturer claims a 2x “lossless” zoom, but it should be remembered that the picture is still the result of digital zoom.
However, even taking into account numerous simplifications, Huawei P20 is not so significantly behind its older brother and is ahead of other competitors.
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus: 104 points
Samsung is one of the traditional industry leaders in camera quality. The latest flagship Galaxy S9 Plus has already been tested by DxOMark specialists: the smartphone received 104 points for photos and 99 total points.
“Nine” received the slogan “Camera. Created anew." And although this statement sounds too loud, in reality Samsung has the right to say this. The point is that the main Galaxy camera S9 Plus (and Galaxy S9 too) received a variable aperture. Previously, only digital cameras could boast of this.
Based on the shooting conditions and settings, the smartphone can select the aperture f/1.5 and f/2.4. And here’s another small revolution: Galaxy S9/S9 Plus became the first smartphones with f/1.5 aperture available.
The second rear module of the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is responsible for 2x optical zoom and portrait mode. In addition to this, engineers have increased focusing speed compared to the previous generation and introduced support for 10-bit color encoding. There is now support for video recording at 960 frames per second at 720p resolution.
As for other parameters, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is not so significantly different from its predecessor. Yes, there is a new Exynos 9810 Octa chip with four Mongoose M3 cores and four Cortex-A55 cores, stereo speakers and even animated Samsung AR Emoji emoticons. But the main innovation was the relocation of the fingerprint scanner to a more convenient place: under the rear camera (previously it was on the side of it). I just don’t understand why it couldn’t be done right away?
The official price tag of the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is 67,000 rubles. In online stores the new product can be found for 54,000.
Publication date: 04.06.2018
On March 27, the flagship Huawei P20 series smartphones were presented in Paris. It's no surprise that the P20 Pro and P20 smartphones took the top two spots in the DxOMark rankings. However, the P20 Pro smartphone managed to get 10 points more than the current leader in the rating. Let's figure out how and why this happened?
Being Huawei's latest flagship smartphone, the P20 Pro plays by its own rules. It features the world's first three-camera system. It not only opens up new technical possibilities, but also sets a new trend in the development of mobile photography, exceeding all imaginable expectations.
The purpose of this article is to analyze the revolution in the smartphone market started by the P20 series from two points of view: technical breakthrough and improved operating algorithms.
1. Unique camera system
Innovative 40 MP Leica triple camera
The main feature that distinguishes P20 Pro from others modern smartphones, is the world's first triple camera. Huawei has been working together with Leica for several years. This collaboration was marked by the release of a series of smartphones with dual Leica cameras offering advanced photography capabilities.
Huawei collaborated with Leica again for the development of the P20 series - newest flagship The company is equipped with a VARIO-SUMMILUX lens with three lenses. The main lens of the P20 Pro smartphone has a 40-megapixel 1/1.7-inch sensor, F1.8 aperture and an equivalent focal length of 27mm.
The second lens is equipped with a 20-megapixel black and white sensor with an F1.6 aperture and a focal length of 27 mm.
Finally, for the first time ever, there is a third camera with an 8-megapixel sensor with a long-focus zoom lens that supports 3x optical zoom and 5x hybrid zoom. A 10x digital zoom feature is also available.
Size matters: The P20 Pro has the largest CMOS sensor of any popular smartphone camera at 1/1.7-inch. A sensor of this size allows you to create more detailed images, as well as photos with a bokeh effect.
Due to its large size and despite the highest resolution for smartphones, the pixel size is 1.55 micrometers. The larger pixel size allows them to capture more light, resulting in improved light sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio.
Thanks to the P20 Pro's advanced pixel binning technology, a 40-megapixel photo from the main camera can be recorded at 10-megapixel resolution. This method results in images with 2-micron pixels along with all the benefits of the smartphone industry's best light sensitivity and wider dynamic range. HUAWEI smartphone The P20 Pro supports an ISO range of up to 102,400 in low light conditions, which is not only unique in mobile photography, but also found only in high-end models among digital cameras.
Its extraordinary sensitivity allows the P20 Pro to take clear photos in extremely low light conditions - so low that even the human eye can't see anything in it.
Excellent wide dynamic range performance
To achieve high compatibility and photo quality when shooting backlit subjects, Huawei not only equipped the P20 series smartphones with an extremely sensitive and powerful image sensor to improve light sensitivity right down to the substrate, but also developed newest algorithm multi-frame noise reduction RAW images, allowing HDR images to achieve never-before-seen levels of clarity.
Unlike previous options when shooting HDR photos, the P20 Pro will compile HDR images using RAW files. In other words, the HDR mode in HUAWEI P20 brightens and darkens the desired areas of the image even before it is loaded into the smartphone’s memory. In the example of a backlit image below, you can see that such processing of a photograph allows you to get a picture that is significantly superior in quality to similar pictures taken on other smartphone models.
Thanks to powerful technology and image processing, the new Portrait mode is truly innovative - whether you're shooting against a backlit background or working in low-light conditions, your photos will look great.
New zoom system provides excellent image quality
Smartphones with dual cameras are no longer something new on the market. To address the common problem of poor quality photography from a distance, an increasing number of manufacturers are releasing smartphones equipped with 2x optical zoom. It is obvious that users today expect to see this feature in their gadget. That's why Huawei is setting new standards in this field by significantly increasing the zoom capabilities of its new smartphones and introducing the P20 Pro with 3x zoom and 5x hybrid zoom. You can easily switch between three focal lengths by selecting 1x, 3x and 5x in the camera interface.
Dual cameras serve different purposes at less than three times magnification. A black and white sensor captures gray color space to provide image detail and tone, while a color sensor captures color color space. The information received from both sensors is then combined through overlay, alignment and merging to create the final image. This method gives better results than the traditional Bayer filter method.
For magnification of more than three times, a third lens is automatically connected to the work. Huawei engineers worked painstakingly to achieve synchronization of automatic exposure control, automatic calculation of white balance and autofocus. The result of their work is the excellent quality of zoom photography that we see today in the P20 series smartphones.
Creating a three-lens module to quickly switch between zoom modes was no easy task, not to mention the fact that the operation of such a module had to be smooth and consistent.
Even at 5x zoom mode, the Huawei P20 Pro can perfectly capture the true colors of objects, as well as accurately display fine details such as hair and eyes. To understand how far Huawei is ahead of its competitors today, just look at the zoomed-in photos taken by the P20 Pro and other smartphones and feel the difference.
When we use the Huawei P20's 10x digital hybrid zoom to shoot a poster from a far distance, its leading edge is still clearly visible thanks to intelligent hybrid photography and subsequent compensation. The difference is obvious.
The “Shoot What You See” concept at its finest
Out-of-focus shots are a problem for many users, especially when shooting moving subjects. There are many reasons for this problem, including slow autofocus and poor motion tracking.
In addition to Huawei's traditional four-in-one autofocus (LDAF, PDAF, CDAF and depth-of-field focus), users of the P20 series smartphones now have another option: predictive 4D focus.
As the name suggests, how 4D Predictive Focus works is that the subject's movements will be tracked accurately and quickly, allowing smartphone users to capture every moment they deem worthy of being captured.
The P20 series smartphones feature a four-in-one autofocus system, and thanks to the detection range of the latest laser sensor, their camera is capable of recognizing objects up to three meters away.
4D Predictive Focus automatically tracks your subject and predicts its trajectory for faster, more accurate focusing. Also, thanks to the immediate shutter response (Zero Shutter Lag), the P20 series smartphones allow the user to shoot exactly what he sees at the moment.
As an example, let's look at this series of photographs. The P20 Pro can predict the trajectory of a woman's hair and pre-set the focus to where it will be in the next seconds. Thus, with a shutter lag approaching zero (1/900 of a second), the P20 Pro smartphone is able to accurately capture the smallest details of a subject.
Looking at the photos taken by smartphones A and B, we immediately see that when smartphone A finished shooting, the woman’s hair had already fallen, which is sure sign shutter delay. In addition, the image of the T-shirt turned out to be overexposed. As for the photo taken by smartphone B, in addition to the shutter delay, we see blur due to inaccurate focus. A slow shutter also results in blurry images.
Better selfies
P20 series smartphones are equipped front camera 24 megapixel resolution with F2.0 aperture. Equipped with an innovative BSI CMOS image sensor and color temperature sensor, the P20 Pro smartphone is capable of correcting human skin color thanks to the work of artificial intelligence, which automatically adjusts skin color to different lighting conditions.
In backlit conditions, we can see that the P20 is still able to illuminate the face well, as it did in the left photo. The girl's skin tone in the photo looks natural, her facial features are clearly defined, which, combined with light retouching, creates a truly stunning effect. Meanwhile, the right photo lacks proper color optimization and retouching, and as a result, it loses significantly next to the left photo.
2. He knows: Artificial intelligence technologies in photography
Most smartphone users have only a general understanding of photography and often don't know what camera settings are optimal for them.
To improve the user experience of its customers, as well as to help them take great pictures and learn different camera modes, Huawei has created an AI-powered assistant.
Master of Artificial Intelligence (smart assistant based on artificial intelligence)
Huawei has developed a personal assistant to work with camera data in real time. Using scene recognition and facial recognition technologies, as well as other preset options, the smartphone can recommend the use certain settings and offer them in the user interface. User input is also recorded and stored in the device memory to create a circuit feedback. By constantly receiving information from user input, the device is able to independently detect various options and automatically adjust the camera operation according to the settings that best suit the user's preferences.
Scene recognition
This question can be broken down into three sections: image processing, image analysis, and image understanding.
Image processing is a technology that allows you to analyze, edit and process an image in accordance with the visual, psychological and other needs of users. Image analysis focuses more on the study of its details, which includes not only the use various methods image processing, but also content analysis, interpretation and detection. Understanding an image is its semantic awareness, consisting of a number of operations high level. These operations interpret the original scene taking into account the awareness of image details and use this information to provide guidance and plan a course of further action - in other words, they use a technique similar to a person’s ability to draw conclusions.
The scene recognition algorithm combines computer learning, deep learning with image analysis and awareness to then be able to distinguish one scene from another.
How to determine optimal settings for each scenario? The Artificial Intelligence Master follows the rules of recommendations. It examines several items on the screen to recognize the main item. It then checks objects visible on the screen for movement to minimize interference from external factors.
User preferences
The user decides whether he wants to use the help of an artificial intelligence wizard. To disable it, the user simply needs to click on the cross on the corresponding icon. The AI wizard will resume the next time you open the camera app.
In general, a “smart” application based on artificial intelligence technologies on P20 series smartphones operates in the mode of providing recommendations. The AI master can not only recognize scenes and make recommendations, he is also capable of computer learning, i.e. to optimize your work when shooting multiple objects. For example, when taking a portrait with a background of flowers, it activates the portrait mode rather than the flower mode.
Artificial intelligence technologies in image stabilization
It is known that the exposure of a photograph is influenced by various factors: shutter speed (shutter speed), aperture size and camera sensitivity. All these factors have a direct impact on the final result.
After setting the ISO and aperture settings, you can increase the shutter speed, thereby increasing the exposure time for long exposure photos. However, if you exceed the minimum shutter speed when shooting manually (about 1/30 second for regular smartphones), pictures will be blurred due to camera shake.
Once the sensitivity parameters are set, it should be understood that the smaller the aperture, the wider the depth of field, and the clearer and richer the image details. But to ensure that enough light reaches the image sensor, we need to reduce the shutter speed.
Since almost all smartphone cameras have a fixed aperture, the light sensitivity and exposure time of the smartphone camera increases after measuring light in dark conditions.
Photosensitivity is a technical problem, but the exposure time is influenced by the human factor, which leads to the appearance of low-quality photographs with poor lighting. The biggest problem when shooting at night is hand tremors.
The P20 series smartphones feature an all-new AIS (Artificial Intelligence Image Stabilization) technology in Night Scene mode, allowing users to capture beautiful night shots with continuous exposure for 6 seconds in manual mode.
The smartphone uses artificial intelligence technology to analyze and organize the features of each image, recognize the shape and outline of objects, and finally automatically capture images with a four-second exposure time. Using artificial intelligence algorithms, Smart Assistant corrects the unwanted effects of hand tremors that lead to cluttered or blurry images.
To create a high-quality night shot, he superimposes one frame on top of another, aligning each element of the photo. Without a doubt, this technology is a revolution in night photography. Whether you're in the middle of a desolate desert or a bustling night market, the HUAWEI P20 series smartphones will help you take clear photos.
When it comes to video shooting, the P20 series smartphones use AI image stabilization to achieve six-axis stabilization to prevent video distortion due to hand shake.
3. Volumetric lighting effect in portrait mode
The P20 series smartphones come with a new feature that allows the user to add a 3D lighting effect when taking portraits. This effect uses real-time 3D modeling to simulate studio lighting based on the user's facial features. Studio lighting effects include the Butterfly effect, theatrical lighting effect, classic studio lighting effect and others. All of them are supported on both front and rear cameras. Users will be able to select lighting effects in the viewfinder and photo editing interface.
Smart photo assistant
When the smartphone sees that the photo is tilted horizontally, the smart assistant prompts the user to adjust the position of the phone. It can also identify faces in a group photo and recommend the best angles for taking group selfies.
Artificial Intelligence as a smart assistant for other photography-related functions
Using artificial intelligence technology supported by Kirin 970 SoC, P20 series smartphones can recognize various situations, in which the user is located, and provide assistance different ways. For example, a smartphone can enhance enlarged images of text to greatly improve clarity. In conclusion, we would like to quote the DxO resource specialists:
We're used to each new generation of smartphone being a little better than the previous one, but looking at the images and benchmark results of the P20 Pro, it seems like Huawei has skipped a generation or two.
The results really are that good. The P20 Pro's triple camera is the most significant innovation we've seen in mobile devices for quite some time, and this is a truly important phenomenon for the entire industry.
The new P20 Pro smartphone is able to select the optimal camera settings for each situation and combine image data from three sensors with a computational algorithm. This means that the P20 Pro beats its competitors in almost every area and becomes the leader in the camera phone ratings. Its zoom and bokeh effects perform head and shoulders above the competition in low light.
P20 Pro is the world's first smartphone with Leica triple camera.
The system features the highest resolution of any smartphone on the market today. The main camera has a resolution of 40MP, is equipped with a 1/1.73-inch RGB sensor and a 27mm lens with F/1.8 aperture. Secondary camera with 20MP resolution, 1/2.78-inch monochrome sensor and 27mm lens with F/1.6 aperture. And the third camera has an 8MP resolution, a 1/4.4-inch RGB sensor and is equipped with an 80mm F/2.4 telephoto lens and optical image stabilization.
In low-light conditions, the P20 Pro is a monster, capable of shooting photos with sensitivities up to ISO 102,400.
ISO 1250 (left) and ISO 51200 (right).
To make professional-quality photography accessible to a wider audience, the P20 Pro uses Master system AI, which activates artificial intelligence to control settings when shooting, including stabilization and AI-Assisted Composition, which helps build composition when shooting group and landscape photos. Scene Recognition identifies more than 500 scenarios in 19 categories to automatically select the optimal camera settings for every shot.
Predictive 4D focusing helps the camera predict the movement of objects and maintain focus on them.
The smartphone can record video in Super slow motion mode at 960fps:
To allow users to capture fleeting moments without delay, the smartphone has an Ultra Snapshot function. Just press the volume down button twice to take a photo in just 0.3 seconds, even when the screen is off.
Other functions and Huawei specifications P20 Pro: Kirin 970 processor, 4K video recording, 6.1-inch ultra-thin bezel display, 24MP selfie camera, AI, 3D portrait lighting, and 3400mAh battery.
DxOMark specialists, who tested the shooting capabilities of the Huawei P20 Pro, report that the triple camera system is not just a marketing gimmick.
“We're used to each new generation of smartphones being a little better than the previous one, but looking at the images and benchmark results of the P20 Pro, it seems like Huawei has skipped a generation or two,” DxOMark sums up. – The results are so good. The P20 Pro's triple camera is the biggest innovation we've seen in mobile devices for quite some time, and it's truly significant for the entire industry."
"The ability to choose best camera for a specific shooting situation and programmatically combining image data from all three sensors means that the new Huawei outperforms competitors in almost all respects, leading the ranking in photo and video recording capabilities. The P20 Pro is especially good at shooting in low light, zooming and creating bokeh, leaving no chance to its direct competitors. If you were looking for the best camera in a smartphone today, you've found it."
Smartphones and very productive smartphones are being replaced by gadgets in which some specific function has been hypertrophied through the efforts of developers. Some smartphones aimed at the younger generation are released with big screen and a powerful video processor to allow you to play the most performance-demanding games. Others are banking on the phone camera to allow travel enthusiasts and selfie enthusiasts alike to take not just good, but very good photos on their phones.
Who are DxOMark?
Speaking in simple words- these are the most famous and authoritative professionals who compile ratings of the quality of smartphone cameras. The company is American, but both Chinese and Indians, and even specialists from Russia, work there. The employees working at DxOMark are the founders of DxOMark Image Labs, an American company with more than 20 years of experience in the field of software research and components for gadgets and optics. They are the ones who constantly monitor the smartphone market, buy new models with their own money (very often the manufacturers themselves give them new products to test) and, based on their own parameters, compare which camera on a smartphone is better and decide which model to add to their rating and put in first place and Why.By the way, they do many different reviews and tests, but the most authoritative ones are in the field of cameras on smartphones. In 2018, several new products were released from giants such as Apple, Samsung, Asus, HTC and Xiaomi, which have already been tested with a verdict from DxOMark. In this article we will talk about the top models and find out why the best are called the best.
What is the DxOMark rating based on?
They generally use simple comparisons of indicators, among which there are three main ones:1. Color depth for portrait photography,
2. Dynamic range for landscape photography,
3. Low-light ISO (low-light image expressiveness) for sports, wildlife and action photos.
The translation of these values is free, and the ideal values of the indicators are developed by the DxOMark employees themselves. For example, the ideal Low-light ISO value according to their version is as follows: photo color depth – no less than 18 bit, dynamic range – no less than 9 EV, signal to noise ratio (SNR18%, signal to noise ratio at 18%) – not less than 30 dB. If you are not a professional photographer, this will tell you little, but these guys know what they are doing and in this article we will not go into details, but will simply publish the rating of the TOP 10 smartphone cameras according to DxOMark for 2018, indicating the scores for each smartphone model .
DxOMark 2018 smartphone camera rating by points
109 points - Huawei P20 Pro103 points - HTC U12+
102 points - Huawei P20
99 points - Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
99 points - Xiaomi Mi 8
98 points - Google Pixel 2
97 points - Apple iPhone X
97 points - Huawei Mate 10 Pro
97 points - Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S
94 points - Apple iPhone 8 Plus
94 points - Samsung Galaxy Note 8
92 points - Apple iPhone 8
90 points - Asus ZenFone 5
90 points - Google Pixel
90 points - HTC U11
90 points - Vivo X20 Plus
90 points - Xiaomi Mi Note 3
89 points - Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
88 points - Apple iPhone 7 Plus
85 points - Apple iPhone 7
83 points - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
82 points - LG V30
82 points - Motorola Moto Z2 Force
82 points - Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
80 points - Archos Diamond Omega
79 points - Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
73 points - Apple iPhone 6
73 points - Google Nexus 6P
71 points - Meizu Pro 7Plus
71 points - Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime
70 points - Lava Z25
70 points - Samsung Galaxy S5
69 points - Motorola Moto G5S
68 points - Apple iPhone 5s
68 points - Nokia 8
66 points - Gionee S10L
61 points - Nokia 808 PureView
57 points - Micromax Canvas Infinity
51 points - Intex Aqua Selfie
49 points - Energizer E520
A brief overview of the advantages of the 5 TOP rating models
Huawei P20 Pro
Three cameras
- Main camera: 40 MP, 1/1.73-inch RGB sensor with Bayer quartz structure, f/1.8 aperture lens with 27mm equivalent focal length,
- Secondary camera: 20Mp, 1/2.78" monochrome sensor, f/1.6 aperture lens with 27mm equivalent focal length,
- Camera: 8 MP, 1/4.4" RGB sensor, f/2.4 aperture lens with 80mm equivalent focal length and optical image stabilization,
- Default aperture mode. Focal length: 55 mm,
- PDAF on the main sensor,
- 4K video (not default mode, user set),
- 960 fps with slow motion playback at 720p,
- 6.1 "display with a resolution of 2240 x 1080,
- Kirin 970 chipset,
HTC U12+
2 cameras,
- 12MP main camera with 1/2.55" sensor (1.4μm pixel size), f/1.75 lens and OIS,
- 16 MP secondary camera (1.0 µm pixel size) with f/2.6 2x telephoto lens,
- Phase detector and laser-controlled autofocus,
- Dual LED flash,
- Shoot 4K video at 60fps
Huawei P20
2 cameras,
- Main camera: 12MP 1/2.3" RGB sensor, F/1.8 - lens aperture and 27mm equivalent focal length,
- Secondary camera: 20Mp 1/2.78" monochrome sensor, f/1.6 aperture lens and 27mm equivalent focal length,
- PDAF of the main camera,
- 5.8 "display, with a resolution of 2240 x 1080,
- Standard equivalent aperture focal length: 55mm
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
12MP main camera with 1/2.55" sensor and f/1.5/f/2.4 variable aperture lens.
- 12MP secondary camera with 1/3.6" sensor, 2x lens with tele aperture and f/2.4,
- OIS for both lenses,
- Dual Pixel PDAF on the main camera,
- LED flash,
- 4K format video at 60 frames per second,
- 720p super slow-motion video at 960 fps,
Xiaomi Mi 8
4-axis optical image stabilization (OIS)
- Dual camera with wide-angle main and secondary telephoto lenses,
- OIS on the main camera,
- Auto Focus in phase,
- Snapdragon 845 chipset,
- Powerful LED flash