Weekly poll: under-screen cameras are nearly here, but are they better than flip-up cams?

23 August 2020
ZTE will bring the Axon 20, the first phone with an under display camera. Asus will challenge it with the Zenfone 7, which will have a flip up camera.

Sort by:

  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • MFI
  • 24 Aug 2020

wbpwns, 24 Aug 2020I said rear screen and flip cameras are for same quality ph... moreNo you have not. Power consumption of secondary screen as the one used for videocalls and selfies. Let's not discuss that any more.

Sure I can have flipcam or pop-up, the point is I'd better have none of them but clean compact design instead. So when underscreen is good enough, I'd rather try that if I could. The issue of privacy and security is important though. So makers should try hard to convince me I always know for sure whether that camera is working or not. We will see then, it's not yet here.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • MFI
    • 24 Aug 2020

    Qimchi, 24 Aug 2020Here's my take on the underscreen camera. For quality ... moreYes, powering camera through the same wire as notification light around lens. Then why not both underscreen and flipcam on the market so that everybody can choose between rear quality on the front or no moving parts clean design instead.

      Anonymous, 24 Aug 2020Please see also my second "Edit" post below. T... moreI said rear screen and flip cameras are for same quality photos and videos either way (used as front or rear cam).

      If you want fullscreen with separate front cam, pop-up can also be used.

      I never mentioned power consumption anywhere.

        Here's my take on the underscreen camera. For quality it can be very good since they can hide the size of the sensor module. Flip-Up cameras will and probably always have the better quality as most manufacturers would put the best on the rear. The underscreen camera should have a tally light that is always on as long as the front facing camera is powered. For privacy reasons and to let the user know that they are being watched.

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • MSJ
          • 24 Aug 2020

          wbpwns, 24 Aug 2020You're literally using the same camera hardware for se... moreAnd I did not mention more power consumption.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • MSJ
            • 24 Aug 2020

            wbpwns, 24 Aug 2020You're literally using the same camera hardware for se... morePlease see also my second "Edit" post below.

            The idea of rear screen isn't wrong. I just don't think it's worth to have secondary big screen just for selfies and videocalls unless screens became pretty cheap and durable enough. No need to pay and have second screen for anything else. And if it was small- for selfies I say yes, for videocalls NO.

            In theory rear screen solves it, in reality makes phone more expensive and less durable. I don't think OEMs would really go this way.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • PZa
              • 24 Aug 2020

              dbjungle, 24 Aug 2020Hole punch is the best method. I have no interest in pop u... moreUnder display fingerprint readers are not half-baked, they're fast and reliable (not including ones on Samsung phones).

                • B
                • Brnare
                • SuD
                • 24 Aug 2020

                I don't mind the quality of the front camera as long as I can use it on video calls.

                  Are we asked to vote on the solution, or quality?
                  Because probably only very few has seen a photo taken with an under display camera.

                  Is the solution better? Depends on the sacrifice in image quality and visibility of camera on the display. If it affects the uniformity of the display, then it's a no go for me. Even with some visibility on the display it will be better than notches though.

                  As far as image quality goes, for me the front camera is only for video calls, so as long as it is decent enough for that I'm good. Some others may use it more for selfies and have a higher requirement, and in such cases it might not be good enough, but who knows until the result is available for everyone to see :-)

                  For now though, my preference is pop/flip-up. Maybe that will change after this device with an under-display camera will show it's results.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • gLT
                    • 24 Aug 2020

                    None of them. Smartphones rank on top contributing to pollution.

                      I still have some reservations about under-screen cameras especially regarding photo quality, so my vote goes for the flip-up cameras. After all, the photo quality will remain the same whether you use it as a rear camera or front selfie or wefie camera.

                        Anonymous, 23 Aug 2020Dual screen is useless. You need 1) selfie -works 2) vide... moreYou're literally using the same camera hardware for selfie so same quality photos and videos. IF THAT'S IMPORTANT then dual screen or flip camera is best for that

                        If it's just for bezelless, then pop-up (vivo nex s or find x) is enough

                        All those above mentioned solves that bezelless and privacy because there's no camera facing you at all times.

                        Ud camera images are still questionable and also has privacy issues.

                        If your need is just bezelless screen and selfie and video calls, any of them would be fine.

                          Hole punch is the best method. I have no interest in pop up cameras. Under display cameras sound cool, but if they're worse than the hole punch there is no point. I don't want another half baked under display solution like the fingerprint sensors.

                            • D
                            • AnonD-909757
                            • pZQ
                            • 24 Aug 2020

                            TestTest, 24 Aug 2020I am using Honor Magic 2 since phone came out, with slider.... moreThe only issue with flip up, pop up and slider in term of durability, is literally that peoples convey false idea bout it, everyone constantly talk about wear, added point of failure, fragility, water, dust and whatnot, but those are theoretical possibilities that actually doesn't apply in real life.

                            It started with news websites, such as GSM Arena and others, spreading fear about those, they used key words like "wear, fragile, point of failure, moving parts" and today everyone have copied the exact same speech and arguments against those, despite being over two years they are out, which is the age people start to change their phones, 2 to 3 years, and despite huge sells with models like OnePlus 7 Pro, 7T Pro, K20, K20 Pro, Mi 9T, Mi 9T Pro, K30 Pro, Poco F2 Pro who sold in huge quantities, the only one talking about issues with those phones are those who don't own one and don't know better and only repeat the same old debunked myths.

                            As I often said, for any of those phones, pop up, flip up or slider, it is rare to find report of those failing, but for the same phones, there are numerous reports of keys components like display, battery or chips dying, yet they all continue talking nonsense about those solutions.
                            They often say things like "industry is trying to get rid of moving parts" in the same year where more complexe vibration motor, phone with cooling fan, camera gimbal and periscope with moving lenses are being introduced, proving they actually don't know anything about what they talk about, they only repeated what they read, either from another user or from a new article saying the same thing.

                            This is probably why those solutions haven't really gotten popular, when they first released, they were hugely popular, but quickly, after new articles with fearmongering theories got released, suddenly everyone got afraid it would break.
                            I never read anyone ever saying the same for pop up flash on DSLR cameras, only about smartphones, back in the days before the smartphones, no one ever complained about mechanical system, quite the opposite, everyone loved it, the Matrix Phone is a great exemple of how amazing phones were back then, how brands didn't feared to innovate, and how peoples were less stupid and did not simply repeat the same thing because they read it once, nowaday, even if a phone with a pop up could still work after 1000 years, because of how those myths are passed from one person to the next, there will still be peoples saying that "pop up have wear issue" and other nonsense...

                            So, thanks you for bringing light in this world full of peoples constantly thinking the phone is a monolithic block of indestructible matter and the pop up is as fragile as a sheet of toilet paper !

                              • D
                              • AnonD-923722
                              • tDP
                              • 24 Aug 2020

                              Problem of Under screen cameras :
                              Low quality selfie and the portion that have the cameras must be made different than the other parts of the screen.

                              Positives :
                              Larger sensor, full screen, no moving parts , waterproof

                              Problem of Pop Up, flip cameras :
                              Moving pieces, no waterproofing, costs money, takes a lot of space

                              Positives :
                              Larger sensor, better quality photos and videos, cannot simultaneously record front and rear camera at the same time (flip cameras), have a problen when there is a magnet (the motor is metal, it will be attracted and will have problems with magnet)

                              Problems of Punch Holes and Notches :
                              Not full screen experience, cuts to the content


                              Best implementation :

                              Under screen camera

                              Solution :
                              Increase the size of the sensor, so you don't lose a lot of quality to the lower light passing through the OLED. Since larger sensors deliver better quality.
                              Make an software that captures image at different focus points to increase focus areas and DOF. Larhe sensor means more bokeh, and not every photo needs bokeh. (If u take pic at eiffel tower, u don't wanna blur it right?)

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • TRF
                                • 24 Aug 2020

                                TestTest, 24 Aug 2020I am using Honor Magic 2 since phone came out, with slider.... moreSamsung has a phone (A80) with a flip camera. They are open to new form factors.

                                  • T
                                  • TestTest
                                  • XWs
                                  • 24 Aug 2020

                                  Anonymous, 23 Aug 2020The only con with mechanical solutions like the flip up cam... moreI am using Honor Magic 2 since phone came out, with slider. I have no issues with sliding mechanism. No dust caught in between plates, no scratches on inner glass over camera. Mechanism still clicks like a pro :).
                                  I don't recall anyone having issues with pop-up cameras also.
                                  Thing just never became popular because of Apple/Samsung never adopted it.
                                  In my opinion slide/pop-up is much more better solution than notches/punch-holes.
                                  People are also too hipped up about IP rating. I can't recall when I needed it, can't recall when my phone dropped in water, when I got caught on rain etc...
                                  In my opinion that is unnecessary increase in price.
                                  Splash proof, yes. That is useful, which both slider and pop-up are providing.
                                  99.99% of people are paying the price so that 0.01% of user's kids can play with phone close to water :)

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-909757
                                    • pZQ
                                    • 24 Aug 2020

                                    Anonymous, 24 Aug 2020So, you prefer to pay for a secndary screen than having a s... moreCorrection, I would prefer just no front camera or a retinal projector giving holographic interface and display possible, second display on the back is my least prefered of those third options, BUT :
                                    I prefer a second display on the back rather than a spy camera constantly looking at my face which by its presence cause a bunch of stupid dead pixels (notches and holes) or cost an arm while I am not gonna use it much anyway (underdisplay camera).

                                    The Nubia Z20 with his second display on the back was a quite good phone, of course they didn't innovated, they only put a regular display, but with a little bit of R&D, the capacitive touch layer can actually be modified to incorporate wireless charging receiver and NFC, and the designed isn't stupid enough, the phone would not be ultra thin (under 10mm there is no advantages, only diminishing return, many peoples actually don't like holding that thin of a phone despite this trend), making the back display not a space waster.

                                    The phone could easily incorporate both Oled and LCD to give to the one who prefer one or the other the choice, with smart and good handling of which display to turn off, dual display have many advantages, but again, I'd prefer just no camera and a retractable mirror in the phone's case for those who want/need it or retinal projection.
                                    I don't care if the phone is costlier while removing the front camera, it is totally worth it, privacy is way more important than the cost of a second display.

                                      • D
                                      • AnonD-909757
                                      • pZQ
                                      • 24 Aug 2020

                                      Anonymous, 24 Aug 2020And din't forget that under duspkay cameras can fail b... moreNo pixels are moved, the display have just a transparent spot, the quality is quite bad because the pixels are really close to the camera, not creating the glass effect of typical transparent display, then software correction is applied to the RAW picture which have really poor quality to make it usable, that's probably the part all brands had the biggest issue with as transparent display is easier than most people think.
                                      But we don't know if there is any durability or failure issues with underdisplay camera yet.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • PZa
                                        • 24 Aug 2020

                                        Anonymous, 24 Aug 2020Under display camera has moving parts(the pixels)They don't physically move. I don't think you can move diodes on a screen.

                                          2 of 6