Explaining the tech behind Huawei P20 Pro's triple camera

10 April 2018
We go over what Quad Bayer is and how it helps the Pro shoot better HDR photos than any other phone.

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  • J
  • Jason Melling
  • uBU
  • 12 Apr 2018

It can be explained in one word "gimmick"

    • L
    • Leugimrc
    • Bb}
    • 12 Apr 2018

    Akalp, 12 Apr 2018Dxo Tested rear camera and not front. Talk is about rear camera.A profissional IT and a freelancer, photographer who uses front camera? aka the worst camera in all smartphones?

      • d
      • davidletterboyz
      • tZ4
      • 12 Apr 2018

      On paper it's a very smart idea and all. But what this article failed to address is the advantage of the P20 Pro vs the non-Pro version. Other than the ability to zoom, actually the non-Pro version gives very similar output.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • vV5
        • 12 Apr 2018

        .alpha, 11 Apr 2018Surprisingly Samsung users are the most vocal anti-Huawei v... moreWhere? I don't see them. Are you living in a parallel universe?

          • A
          • Alex
          • 64h
          • 12 Apr 2018

          Anonymous, 11 Apr 2018can you call with that thing?No. But i can make far superior photos, when i need 'em. For calls i have a $160 phone. Which can also make photos good enough for everyday use.
          So i have a decent smartphone and superior photos, for half of the price of your phone. What do you think, who's the winner here?

            • A
            • Akalp
            • ija
            • 12 Apr 2018

            Anonymous, 11 Apr 2018I m tech support advisor and 20 years of experience workin... moreDxo Tested rear camera and not front. Talk is about rear camera.

              Anonymous, 11 Apr 2018XZ2 Premium will show up next Monday, not IFA. Nope, Sony announces their smartphones only in 3 events: CES, MWC and IFA.
              Well, at least this year is their first time to announce phones at CES, but the XZ2 Premium will come out at IFA 2018 later this year.

                • D
                • AnonD-3124
                • sxr
                • 12 Apr 2018

                tonymancs, 12 Apr 2018Too much technology and AI and stuff and still very mediocr... moreI agree with you. I've seen sample shots of this p20/p20 pro and i just cant figure out why the "triple camera system" with so much advanced technology could just result in those kind of pictures. A higher MP camera doesnt count as a better camera.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • pp}
                  • 12 Apr 2018

                  tonymancs, 12 Apr 2018Too much technology and AI and stuff and still very mediocr... moreEven P20 have better camera then S9+ so no need for P20 pro.

                    Too much technology and AI and stuff and still very mediocre result, not close to S9+ and no comment about Nokia 808/Lumix CM1. Just create a 20Mpx monochrome photo with exposure time 4s as a brightness mask and stack it on a 40/10Mpx shot at ~1/30s. So in fact photos are not 4s but ~1/30s. Due to the mask and subsequent sharpening pictures are incredibly washed out. No comment about useless 40Mpx photos (not useful as 38Mpx from Nokia 808). 40Mpx sensor to make a 10Mpx photo that looks acceptable as non-zoomed 1.5Mpx photo- Why?

                      • D
                      • AnonD-383755
                      • mi7
                      • 11 Apr 2018

                      ChronoRad, 11 Apr 2018Bingo, Samsung fanboys are so salty right now that Samsung'... moreThere is no best flagship, it all comes down to one's needs

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • kqQ
                        • 11 Apr 2018

                        Dave, 11 Apr 2018Still no 3.5 jack OR a card slot, so no thanks.You forgot about FM radio as well also real antenna...

                          Interpolation using 2 sensors for zoom-in feature increases details as it uses different color pixels from 2 sensors for interpolation(if not even another mono). If there will be device with dual/triple rgb cameras, we may finally see bigger resolutions using that interpolation to get sharper image or bigger pixels to have great low light capability while getting high res shot. Wow, so thats what will come next, well its here already.

                            • g
                            • gan
                            • D0c
                            • 11 Apr 2018

                            Great practical achievement from Huawei. They achieved this in such a slim profile. Also the use of three camera is really practical. And use of AI is not a gimmick word here. Truely they are using high tech processing and techniques. I think current android or ios phones cant even come close to this in camera capability. Next year we have to see what others come up with camera. I think if this growth of innovation continues with Huawei then they will be number one in android soon. Samsung have to act fast.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • gNV
                              • 11 Apr 2018

                              Alex, 11 Apr 2018I bet that a $300 new entry level DSLR or a $100 10 years ... morecan you call with that thing?

                                So its actually 2.5Mp with real full r+g+b, just interpolated using mono-colored pixels, and going even further using more pixels for one color. If other companies will use this kind of technique we may see phones with 4 times of current resolution, like 12mp will become 24/48mp, or 19mp will become 38/76mp. Well, even our eyes guess and fill in the blanks, why not use such tech in cameras... Though there is option of using multiple sensors instead(probably what sony is working on).

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • pQr
                                  • 11 Apr 2018

                                  LG Superfan, 11 Apr 2018Lack sharpness? Huawei images are so oversharpenedOversharpening has nothing to do with the sharpness of a lens.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • pQr
                                    • 11 Apr 2018

                                    Shui8, 11 Apr 2018That technology long before have been done in previous huaw... moreYes, they used the technology before and gsmarema never showed us an example that it actually leads to significantly better results. Moreover Huawei might have improved the technology. Recently I covered the lens of the monochrome camera of the Mate 10 Pro and there was nearly no difference.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • pQr
                                      • 11 Apr 2018

                                      LG Superfan, 11 Apr 2018If I am not mistaking P20 Pro has 2μm pixel size which is q... morePixel size is likely 1.0 micrometer. In most cases pixel size isn't as important as sensor size, but there is a rumor that Huawei uses pixel binning, so in 10 megapixel mode it might be behave more like 2.0 micrometer pixels. Though Huawei never confirmed this officially. And the media just copies what Dxomark writes although Dxomark isn't Huawei and Dxomark often states wrong specs.

                                        • S
                                        • Shui8
                                        • KZ8
                                        • 11 Apr 2018

                                        Anonymous, 11 Apr 2018"This allows the P20 Pro to combine the low-light shooting ... moreThat technology long before have been done in previous huawei/honor flagship phones, take honor 8 pro or honor 9, they dont even have OIS, but because of the monochrome+rgb sensor in low lights, easily competes with other OIS phones at that era. What impressive about night mode in P20 pro is, their new AI stabilizer system that can stabilize a 4 second handheld night shots! I still cant believe it, very very impressive.