Get your zoom ratios right, Huawei!

16 October 2018
Why is that a foreign concept in the smartphone world and why on earth are makers downplaying the zoom ratio of multi-camera setups?

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  • AnonD-731363
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  • 24 Oct 2018

Walter C. Dornez, 23 Oct 2018Yeah, Honor Magic 2 looks beautifulYoup honor magic 2 looks gruesome. Lets see what special it will have and the availability in Slovakia.

    AnonD-731363, 22 Oct 2018Man i am saying best overall. In this case it should be H... moreYeah, Honor Magic 2 looks beautiful

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      • AnonD-731363
      • SH3
      • 22 Oct 2018

      Walter C. Dornez, 22 Oct 2018You sure dude? You've always been a fan of stock AndroidMan i am saying best overall.
      In this case it should be Huawei. Mate 20 Pro. Because Porsche design offer just a leather finnish and cost 700 more bucks. And Mate 20 X is too big in that case i would vote for Razer 2.
      Or Honor magic 2 looks gorgeous we will see.
      If we speak about best stock android then Nokia 9 if it will be released.

        AnonD-731363, 22 Oct 2018Meeeh i really wonder which phone and brand wins best overa... moreYou sure dude? You've always been a fan of stock Android

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          • AnonD-731363
          • SH3
          • 22 Oct 2018

          Walter C. Dornez, 18 Oct 2018It is my pleasure to be of entertainment to anotherMeeeh i really wonder which phone and brand wins best overall phone of the year.
          I hope for Nokia 9 but still no signs of Nokia 9.
          They waiting for SD855 or what :-)
          But if i have to pick for my self Mate 20 pro.
          Or mate 20 gamming phone.

            AnonD-731363, 18 Oct 2018QWell good point you make me laughing a lot thank you. It is my pleasure to be of entertainment to another

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              • AnonD-731363
              • SH3
              • 18 Oct 2018

              Walter C. Dornez, 18 Oct 2018I mean, I think just keeping whole numbers is just easier, ... moreQWell good point you make me laughing a lot thank you.

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                • UrsuGras
                • mA$
                • 18 Oct 2018

                I don't get the point of this article. It is obvious that all phone manufacturers market their telephoto camera as 2x or 3x or whateverx zoom compared to what is considered the "main" camera. Which is the one that comes with the 24-28mm equivalent focal length as you said it yourselves:
                "It has become the norm for a smartphone's primary camera to have a focal length equivalent in the 24-28mm range."
                So THAT's the basis for comparison by convention and all these ratios are pretty much accurate.
                So then what is the point of all this rant?

                  AnonD-731363, 18 Oct 2018Yep its easily can be like that. But i can understand tha... moreI mean, I think just keeping whole numbers is just easier, otherwise we got guys who basically argue like this:
                  "Oh yeah? Well my company is better because we get 5x zoom"
                  "Lol, only 5x? We get 5.002 zoom

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                    • AnonD-731363
                    • SH3
                    • 18 Oct 2018

                    Walter C. Dornez, 17 Oct 2018That kinda sounds like the Pro Bowl in my countryYep its easily can be like that.
                    But i can understand that basic math for company big like huawei is a very difficult thing.

                      AnonD-632062, 17 Oct 2018Not really. It's a valid debate. Else, consumers like On... moreHuh, interesting, though I was referring more to the overall way the article was written

                        AnonD-731363, 17 Oct 2018Oh man this is more messy than an Stanley Cup where many me... moreThat kinda sounds like the Pro Bowl in my country

                          I don't agree with this article.
                          Right now, 3 sensors are used, but at some point, some maker might decide to put another sensor in between, for better quality at that focal length. If Zoom is used, they lose their bragging rights.
                          And the same for those that might have a longer tele, but not as wide at the wide end, or the other way around.

                          So better use the 35mm equivalent, and teach consumers that. And mark those positions clearly on the Zoom progress bar, if the camera uses interpolation.


                          Another reason to not use Zoom, is that the sensors differ, in terms of autofocus, OIS, and resolution. But sure even on Zoom cameras the aperture varies.

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                            • Fixpir
                            • 086
                            • 17 Oct 2018

                            Two conclusions
                            (1) It's not a zoom, of course. Why not call it bifocal/trifocal etc. ? Even simple hand held cameras used to be multifocal for a time (and if was better than zoom in term of apertures!).

                            (2) There's simply no way using only one figure will allow to clarify the situation for the customer. I'd suggest that phones are marketed with two numbers, Focal length equivalent for wide AND ratio tele to wide. Example "16mm wide ; 5x"

                            Anything else will mislead consumer, and nobody knows how they'll react.

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                              • AnonD-632062
                              • Hxc
                              • 17 Oct 2018

                              Kiyasuriin, 17 Oct 2018Does it even matter? O_ohttps://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_5s_tele_camera_­­only_has_16x_optical_zoom_digital_zoom_brin­gs_it­_to_2x-news-25760.php

                              Check this out. That's why it DOES matter. Else, companies like OnePlus will repeat their false marketing, mislead you and get away with it.

                              You can read my earlier (big) comment, to see my opinion on this article and if you want to know more about Zoom magnification and why it matters.

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                                • franzfifty
                                • FuZ
                                • 17 Oct 2018

                                so, just make it correct - the smartphones have 2 or 3 lenses with different focal lenghts. if you speak of "Zoom", then you would OPTICALLY be able to move from whatever wide 17mm to 80mm. so i could still have an optical 40mm or 70mm in between. that's NOT the case. So a Mate 20 Pro has 3 lenses with 3 different focal lenghts. that's it. everything in between is DIGITAL ZOOM.

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                                  • AnonD-731363
                                  • SH3
                                  • 17 Oct 2018

                                  Oh man this is more messy than an Stanley Cup where many mens represent many countries but play for a single team.

                                    Now this was a pointless article. The zoom camera is relative to the normal one, not the wide one. So it really is (almost) x2 and x3 respectively.

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                                      • Anonymous
                                      • MAf
                                      • 17 Oct 2018

                                      Huawei make the best cameras now

                                        Because all this numbers for casual consumer does not make any sense. If you put 5x or 3x zoom and someone will explain it is not "real" zoom, people will just point fingers to manufacturers and call them liars, and people will mock it's brand, for Apple maybe not big deal to lie and be mocked for others brands it can make significant damage

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