Sunday debate - Telephoto vs Ultra-wide secondary camera

13 May 2018
Phones now come with more than one camera and we discuss which complements the primary sensor the best.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • gyc
  • 13 May 2018

Telephoto is gimmick but Wide is awesome :)

    • S
    • Shinji
    • 0Vj
    • 13 May 2018

    Wide angle is the ONLY feature I really look for with my phone purchase... so LG it is.

      • D
      • AnonD-292897
      • 848
      • 13 May 2018

      I used to prefer wide angle, but since I started using telephoto on Note8, I fell in love with it. Even without fake bokeh, the photo looks more professional, less perspective distortion... awesome for portraits. Now I actually prefer telephoto over wide angle (which can to some extent be achieved with panoramic shot)

        • R
        • Rdmkr
        • nBR
        • 13 May 2018

        Telephoto lens is also good for creating more of a bokeh effect.

          • R
          • Rdmkr
          • nBR
          • 13 May 2018

          Perspective distortion makes wide angle lens useless for "fitting things in the frame"; people and other objects will end up looking weird and unnatural due to the distortion. 28mm equivalent is already very wide and already too distorting. You need the telephoto lens, both for capturing things at a distance and for removing the distortion (as much as possible) from portrait shots.

            • r
            • r33fd
            • 0U2
            • 13 May 2018

            Kiyasuriin, 13 May 2018Cont: Few disadvantages: No zoom. No taking screenshots ... moreNice specs. Didn't know how awesome our eyes actually are.
            Btw they do have filters (you see black and white at night kinda).

            But obviously I didn't mean to make an exact copy of human vision.
            Only a mare imitation that works in similar way to increase sharpness, perceive depth etc.

              • A
              • Andrea
              • 0x}
              • 13 May 2018

              Ultra-wide is so much fun!

                Kiyasuriin, 13 May 2018Easy, if you could check how much "MP" our eyes have as cam... moreCont:
                Few disadvantages:
                No zoom.
                No taking screenshots (have you taken one with your eyes? It's a 120 years long video!)
                No slow motion nor hyperlapse.
                No fliters (I haven't met the person who succeeded to switch his sight to a b&w one for a moment, then changed to sepia and back to normal sight without surgery.)

                  r33fd, 13 May 2018How about instead of those gimmicks we actually use 2 ident... moreEasy, if you could check how much "MP" our eyes have as cameras, you're talking about a dual camera 628 MP each. With variables ranging from a whopping f/1.39 to f/8.0 with the possibility to select in between. And the best post processor in the world, your own brain.
                  Even the mightiest of CPUs can't handle a mere 2% of this.

                    • 3
                    • 3d
                    • dVk
                    • 13 May 2018

                    I want two identical camera spaced as human eyes for 3d capturing.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • m5N
                      • 13 May 2018

                      New acronym for phone companys to use TLC. Triple Lens Camera.
                      But then again if the main camera was an Ultra Wide Angle lens and the second was Telephoto wouldnt that tick as many boxs as putting 3 lens on the back?

                        • u
                        • user
                        • 0xP
                        • 13 May 2018

                        AnonD-632062, 13 May 2018The perfect triple camera: 1) Main camera from the S9 (f... moreThe P20 Pro's main camera is much better than S9's.

                          • m
                          • me
                          • 0xP
                          • 13 May 2018

                          Shanti Dope, 13 May 2018Solution?? 1 - Buy the S9 (non-plus) or XZ2/XZ2 Compact ... moreOr buy a DSLR and you get that, just amplified by infinity.

                            • M
                            • Masoud
                            • gxZ
                            • 13 May 2018

                            George's description of why not use wide angle camera was really short and maybe not to the point to convince me. I need more explanation to this please.

                              • S
                              • Someone
                              • nxE
                              • 13 May 2018

                              Why are we talking about this? for 1000€ I should get telephoto, ultra-wide and monochrome.
                              I can get a car for 1000€ or a 7 days vacation for me and my family in Egypt or have my living expenses paid for 2 months.
                              What the hell people?

                                • d
                                • deal
                                • IWb
                                • 13 May 2018

                                Can't we have both?

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • pp}
                                  • 13 May 2018

                                  AnonD-222610, 13 May 2018Why need dedicated telephoto when megapixel is a thing you ... moreBoth choice is better choice.

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-222610
                                    • fI$
                                    • 13 May 2018

                                    Why need dedicated telephoto when megapixel is a thing you can just crop. Wide-angle is better choice.

                                      • r
                                      • r33fd
                                      • 0U2
                                      • 13 May 2018

                                      How about instead of those gimmicks we actually use 2 identical super high quality sensors with variable aperture.
                                      If you think about it human eyes are identical and yet they achieve wonders together.
                                      (boost light, boost resolution, extend field of view, perceive depth etc).
                                      Why can't we make a camera that mimics that ?

                                        Solution??

                                        1 - Buy the S9 (non-plus) or XZ2/XZ2 Compact or Pixel 2/2 XL or iPhone 8 (non-plus)
                                        2 - Buy two adapters; wide angle and telephoto zoom lenses
                                        3 - Attach either of the two on the phone's camera according to the situation
                                        4 - Enjoy best of both worlds