Sony sensors for smartphones specifications. Sony Xperia Lead Camera Engineer on the development of mobile photography, Sony technologies and the future

We are witnessing the birth of a new marketing chip to attract smartphone buyers - a 48 megapixel camera. Mobile phone manufacturers seem to have agreed and are trying to "buy" users with record megapixels. Someone has already released their smartphones with a record-breaking camera, while others are just preparing devices with such a module. They will differ in the sensor that will form the basis of the camera. You have to choose between two: and Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1. Is there a difference between them and which one is the best?

Honor General Product Manager Xiong Junmin decided to answer this question. But before that, we recall that Sony and Samsung introduced their 48 megapixel modules last year. The size of both sensors is decent - 1/2 inch, but the pixel size was only 0.8 microns. But the trick of these sensors is that the pixels can read information from four adjacent pixels and this allows you to create a 12 megapixel photo with large 1.6 micron pixels. This adaptation should improve the quality of shots taken at night.

According to top manager Honor, a Sony IMX feature 586 in color filter Quad Bayer . With it, neighboring pixels of the same color are grouped according to the 2x2 scheme into one up to an equivalent pixel with a size of 1.6 microns. This increases the sensitivity of the sensor, and it "turns" into a 12 megapixel module. In theory, this should come in handy when shooting shots at night and will allow you to get bright pictures with low noise. Herself Sony announced that the sensor will be able to produce "honest" frames with a size of 8000x6000 pixels without interpolation.

In the case of the sensor Samsung Galaxy Bright GM 1 it creates frames of 4000x3000 pixels and this figure corresponds to a camera with 12 million effective pixels, where the size of each is 1.6 microns. With this sensor, whose physical resolution is 12 megapixels, the smartphone will indeed be able to produce images with a resolution of 48 megapixels, but this effect will be achieved through interpolation and the cost of this is the loss of detail. Whereas the Sony IMX586 will produce sharper footage.

The conclusion of the general manager of Honor products is that Sony IMX586 produces “honest” 48 megapixel frames obtained by transforming the pixel structure, while pictures with the same resolution from Samsung GM1 are only the result of artificial image enlargement. To what extent his conclusion corresponds to reality, it will be possible to verify only by comparing the pictures taken on the camera Redmi note 7 and Honor V20/Huawei Nova 4. It is interesting to see how both sensors work in practice and how noticeable the difference between the 48 and 12 megapixel photos will actually be. Still, there is an assumption that 48 megapixel photos are obtained on a Sony sensor, not without help. digital processing Images.

(Watch out, lots of letters!)

Once again, for those who are always right by nature and without reading many letters, they begin to broadcast their undeniable miserable truth. I'm not a fan of Lumia, I understand perfectly well that this is a dead end branch and there can be no prospects for development. But what has been achieved on this platform in the past is objectively (based on a comparison of real shots) to this day ahead in all respects (sensor, high-quality light glass, color, sharpness throughout the frame, WB, depth of field, lack of movement due to optical stabilizer , the presence of well-developed post-processing software and excellent 4K video, evaluated on high-quality 4K TVs, replaceable batteries, and finally, which is important for heavy use for photos) when compared with any "photo flagships" on Android with all their sophisticated dual cameras with zooms and pseudo-bokeh ...

Whenever it comes into hand new smartphone, positioned by the manufacturer as a device with certain “steps forward”, I compare its photo properties and 4K video with the Lumia 950XL smartphone, an unsurpassed standard so far (it appeared on the market in October 2015). Previously, the standard was Nokia Lumia 1520 (announced back in October 2013), but he died untimely, although I am sure he could have remained so in the future. Images from both devices have been successfully and repeatedly used for printing in a magazine and other glossy printing publications.

Microsoft became the "flagship killers" Lumia 950XL, Lumia 950 and Lumia 1520. They buried not only Nokia, but also Windows Mobile, and with them advanced technologies in the field of mobile photography…

If you don't know what a standard is...

For several years I have been trying to find at least something comparable in the camp of devices on the Androd platform. But, making comparisons, I come to the same disappointing conclusion that There is not a single decent smartphone on Androd that can be compared in terms of photo and video quality. with Lumia 950XL. Moreover, it seems that things are only getting worse. Especially these marketing biases towards dual cameras with pseudo-telephoto, pseudo-bokeh or (sort of) variable aperture (Samsung Galaxy S9 +)! Manufacturers try to advertise their “achievements” with data on aperture increase (up to f / 1.7 and even up to 1.6) or sensor pixel size, while hiding other important parameters, such as the quality and resolution of optics or the sophistication of processing algorithms, and, often, and the type of sensor used. By the way, "mobile" concepts of focal length and aperture are ambiguous. In DSLRs, it’s easier: there are only a few manufacturers of “bodies” and “glasses”, mostly full frame or APS-C. Based on these things, you already understand the rest. In mobile photography, everything is very difficult in the presentation and comparison of such concepts as aperture, sensor size / type, ISO, focal length, etc. “Mirror” skills and ideas can be forgotten here ...

What kind of sensors are used on Android?

Almost all Androd cameras are based on numerous and very mediocre Sony sensors. There are also sensors from Samsung (ISOCELL) and OmniVision, but they are, by and large, also very dull in quality.

Formats

It is important to understand that some sensors are designed for shooting in the basic 16:9 aspect ratio, and others in 4:3 format, although both will provide the same resolution, say, 16 megapixels. At the same time, you can shoot in non-mainstream formats, but the resolution will be only about 12 megapixels, obtained by a crop from 16 megapixels, which phone manufacturers do not usually report about.

By the way, in the Lumia 1520 sensor, shooting in these formats is arranged a little differently. Here the 4:3 format is 4992 x 3744 pixels (18.7 MP), and 16:9 is 5376 x 3024 (16.25 MP). Thus, the Lumia 1520 sensor has a usable size of 5376 x 3744 pixels (20.1 megapixels). This so-called multi-aspect sensor. Similarly, in Lumia 950/950XL: 4:3 - 4992 x 3744 (18.7 MP) and 16:9 - 5344 x 3008 (16.1 MP). The name of the sensors in these Lumia (and who makes them) is not known, they are made using PureView technology developed by Nokia and Carl Zeiss (aperture f / 1.9, matrix diagonal 1 / 2.4 inches). Further, this case was continued (buried) at Microsoft and now the Chinese are picking up again in collaboration with Carl Zeiss ...

According to the principle of "best of the worst"

According to Chip magazine for November 2017, the next five are considered the best in the test of cameras - HTC U11 (color hereinafter in the text the most acceptable devices on Android are marked - "best of the worst"; there will be practically no Samsung reviews due to their price politicians), Google Pixel 2 , Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Google Pixel 2 XL and Apple iPhone X. The popular rating of the kimovil.com resource for the same period produced the following list of smartphones with the best photo properties (in descending order): ZTE Nubia Z17, Apple iPhone 8 Plus, Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Sony Xperia XZs, HTC U Ultra, Oppo R11s Plus, Oppo R11s, Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S8+, Vivo Xplay 6, OnePlus 5T, HTC U11, Xiaomi Mi Note 3, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge , Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy Note 7, OnePlus 5, Apple Iphone X, Apple iPhone 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S7 Active, Google Pixel 2 XL, Google Pixel 2, Nubia Z17S , Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom ZE553KL, Xiaomi Mi6, HTC U11+ , Apple iPhone 7, apple iphone 8, Nokia Lumia 1020, Nubia Z17 Mini S, Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, Oppo R9s, Oppo R9s Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, HTC 10, LG G5, LG G5 SE, Google Pixel XL, Sharp Aquos S2, Nubia Z17 Mini, Nubia Z17 Lite, Archos Diamond Alpha, LG V20, HTC 10 Lifestyle, Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe, LG G6, etc. Meizu is not on the list at all.

Many smartphones have sensors with a default aspect ratio of 4:3. So, OnePlus 3/3T, Xiaomi Mi5, Asus ZenFone 3, ZTE Nubia Z11, Nubia Z11 mini, Nubia Z11 Max, LeEco Le Pro 3, Huawei Mate 8, Oppo R9 Plus and others use a sensor Sony IMX 298 Exmor RS, from which by default shooting is performed in the specified 4:3 format with a size of 4640 x 3480 pixels (16.1 MP), and 16:9 frames are obtained by cropping a 4:3 frame - 4640 x 2610 (12.1 MP). The diagonal of this sensor is 6.521 mm (1/2.8 inches). The total number of pixels of the sensor is 4720 x 3600, effective - 4672 x 3520, active - 4656 x 3496. Good pictures, perhaps, only in the ZTE Nubia Z11 (f / 2.0 hole), although this model is already outdated and disappears from the shelves. The positive point is the 4-axis optical stabilization. Despite the fact that the same sensor is installed on the other smart phones listed above, the frames from them are not so acceptable.

Relatively new sensor Sony IMX 398(release - October 2016) "class 16 Mp" is installed so far only on smartphones from BBK Electronics (it owns the brands OPPO, OnePlus and Vivo; it is this company that "holds" the Chinese market, not Xiaomi or Meizu). Sensor resolution - 4608 x 3456 pixels. The default is 4:3 frames. The sensor diagonal is 6.4 mm (1/2.8″), the pixel size is 1.12 microns. Used in Oppo R9S/Oppo R9s Plus (f/1.7, no OIS), OPPO F3 Plus (f/1.7, OIS), OPPO R11s Plus (f/1.7, no OIS) and OnePlus cameras 5/5T (dual camera - main camera with Sony IMX 398, f/1.7, no optical stabilization). In addition, in June 2017, the OPPO R11 and R11 Plus smartphones were presented, on which both the selfie modules and the main module have high-resolution cameras. In particular, a dual main camera module is used - 16 MP (Sony IMX398, wide-angle lens, f / 1.7, PDAF) and 20 MP ( Sony IMX350, telephoto, f/2.6, 1/2.8″, 1 µm). The 20MP front camera is equipped with an f/2.0 lens.

On the contrary, if landscape (16:9) is adopted as the main shooting format in the phone, then the 4:3 frame format is obtained as a 16:9 frame crop. Let's say, on such smart phones as LG G5, LG G4 (H815) or ZTE Nubia Z9 /Max/mini with a sensor Sony IMX 234 Exmor RS the main frame in 16:9 format has a pixel size of 5312 x 2988 (15.9 MP), and in 4:3 it will already be cut along the wide side - 3984 x 2988 (11.9 MP). The total size of this matrix is ​​6.433 x 4.921 mm, and the diagonal of the working area is 1/2.8 inch, which is equivalent to 6.521 mm, the pixel size is 1.12 microns. In this case, the full resolution of the sensor is 4720 x 3600 pixels, i.e. - 16.99 megapixels, some of them are apparently used for electronic image stabilization, etc., so the so-called effective resolution is 4672 x 3520 (16.44 megapixels), and only 4656 x 3496 is available for shooting (the number of active pixels) or 16.28 megapixels, however, not all of them are used. Of the entire line of smartphones on this sensor, only the LG G5 and LG G4 (H815) can be considered quite good in terms of photo properties. However, the G4 is almost out of stock, and the G5 is not a super novelty either. Frames with the G5 when shooting with the main camera (f / 1.8) have good color reproduction and white balance, average dynamic range, sharpness is overestimated (by software), focusing is not always confident and fast. For some reason, LG decided to shoot wide-angle shots with a second 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.4 dark hole, although it is clear that there should be more information and more megapixels in a wide-angle shot.

A smartphone with a sensor can be a good choice Sony IMX 318 Exmor RS on board. This sensor has a 1/2.6″ format (which is slightly smaller than the IMX 260 - 1/2.4″, used, in particular, in the Galaxy S7). This sensor model was introduced in early 2016 and was one of the first to feature fast hybrid autofocus (0.03s) and built-in 3-axis digital stabilizer for video. The pixel size is 1 µm. The basic format is 4:3, i.e. when shooting in 16:9 format, the “informativeness” of the frame in pixels will be lower (crop). Such sensors are used on Asus ZenFone 3, Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe (f/2.0, OIS), Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra (f/2.0, OIS), Nubia Z11 mini S, Nubia Z17, Xiaomi Mi Note 2 and others. Here, it is important to have high-quality lenses and well-developed software. Sample photos show that the best option on this sensor, in terms of sharpness, elaboration of details, color and dynamic range, the Nubia Z17 will be, and the worst is Asus ZenFone 3. On the Nubia Z17, the main camera in the dual module is a camera with a sensor Sony IMX 362(seemingly) at 12 MP with f / 1.8, and telephoto - Sony IMX 318 with 23 MP and f/2.0. Identical to him in cameras frameless Nubia Z17S - also Sony IMX 362 at 12 MP (f/1.8) and Sony IMX 318 at 23 MP (f/2.0) for 2x optical zoom. This approach is not entirely clear - it would be more logical to use a higher-resolution camera in wide-angle mode, for telephoto - 12 megapixels is enough. This is not an isolated case. Both devices do not have optical stabilization. On Xiaomi Mi Note 2 you can also get good shots. It uses one Sony IMX 318 sensor. The maximum resolution of the received photos in 4:3 format is 5488 × 4112, which corresponds to 22.56 megapixels. Aperture f/2.0. There is no optical stabilization. Everything would be fine, but the device itself, unfortunately, has several significant unpleasant properties (rounded screen, specific firmware, etc.).

Minus CMOS sensor Sony IMX 362 is a low resolution - only 12 megapixels. Otherwise, it is quite good in terms of color, sharpness and dynamic range. Of course, a lot depends on the luminosity and quality of the optics, as well as on the diligence of software writers. Smartphones have it on board Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2, Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom ZE553KL, Lenovo Moto G5 Plus, Lenovo Moto Z2 Play, HTC U11/HTC U11+, Sharp Aquos S2, Meizu M6 Note, Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL, Coolpad Cool M7, Nubia Z17/17S above and Archos Diamond Omega. It is HTC U11 with f / 1.7 that shows good results in the camera test (it's otherwise terrible, especially in design). Even the budget Meizu M6 Note, with not the best glass (but f / 1.9) and the absence of optical stabilization, shows acceptable results. You can take. For me, it’s just a mystery: why again they took out the microUSB connector from the dust and didn’t put USB-C. And the golden Chinese colors are unnerving ... Good daytime pictures of the Sharp Aquos S2 (according to the version). It has a dual camera: the main one with IMX 362, f / 1.8 glass (reported - f / 1.75) and optical stabilization; the second camera is 8 megapixels. But in low light - poor watercolor. In March 2018, a balanced "middle peasant" of the new Meizu E3 line was presented with a dual main camera - 12 MP (Sony IMX362 sensor, Dual Pixel, f / 1.9, no OIS) + 20 MP module ( Sony IMX350, f/2.6). A double zoom is implemented here - 1.8x (optical) and 2.5x (without loss of quality). From the pros - finally USB Type-C, screen - 5.99″ LCD IPS, stone - Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, battery - 3360 mAh, AnTuTu - 112,478. It is worth taking a closer look and waiting for the tests of this smartphone.

On relatively old Meizu MX6 bodies (f/2.0, no OIS), Meizu Pro 6s (f/2.0, OIS), Meizu Pro 6 Plus (f/2.0, OIS), Meizu M3X (f/2.0, no OIS), Huawei Honor 6X and Huawei Nova, as well as fresh Huawei Mate 10 Pro (f/ 1.6, OIS), Motorola Moto Z2 Force (f/2.0, no OIS), Meizu Pro 7 (f/2.0, no OIS), Meizu Pro 7 Plus (f/2.0, no OIS), Xiaomi Mi Max 2, Xiaomi Mi MIX 2, Xiaomi Mi6 and Xiaomi Mi Note 3 use 12 MP CMOS sensor (3968 x 2976 pixels) Sony IMX 386 Exmor RS, announced in the summer of 2016. The standard frame aspect ratio here is 4:3. None of the smartphones with this sensor can be recommended as acceptable in terms of photo properties. The lack of optical stabilization at f / 2.2 hole on the "shovel" Xiaomi Mi Max 2, presented in May 2017, gives very mediocre results in all modes. Xiaomi Mi Note 3 seems to be equipped with a light glass with f / 1.8 aperture (worse on the second camera - f / 2.6) and optical stabilization, but practically does not differ from Xiaomi Mi6: they both produce mediocre frames, both in sharpness and color, and in dynamic range. Especially in low light. Also chromatic aberrations. So, the camera from Xiaomi Mi Note 3 is praised in vain ... Meizu Pro 7 Plus shows some better photos during the day due to good glass, but with a decrease in illumination (especially in the evening or indoors), “watercolor” begins. Introduced in September 2017 Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 about equipped with the same sensor (the only rear camera on the device) with optical stabilization and f / 2.0 optics. It is no better than its “sensor brothers”. Good color and accurate exposure, but shots lack detail, over-sharpening, noise and watercolor in low light.

Only released at the beginning of 2017, the flagship smartphone LG G6 turned out to be quite a compromise. Together with the innovative FullVision 5.7″ screen (with a diagonal of 18:9 or 2:1), which occupies almost the entire surface of the front side of the smartphone, the device received far from new processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 and dual camera with 2015 sensor - Sony IMX 258 at 13 MP. This sensor has a diagonal of 5.867 mm (1 / 3.06 ″), the total number of pixels is 4224 x 3192, effective - 4224 x 3144, active - 4208 x 3120, while the real image in 4:3 format is even smaller - 4160 x 3120, and in 2:1 (18:9) - 4160 x 2080 (test frames from the LG G6 US997 version are 4160 x 2340 pixels). One camera provides wide angle shooting at 125°, the second at 71°. The optics of the main camera with f/1.8 aperture, the second with f/2.4. Photos do not shine with detail - instead of them, "watercolor" with a significant oversharp, night shots are very dull and noisy. IN budget smartphone LG Q6 /Q6/Q6+ with FullVision screen, introduced in summer 2017, has a single rear camera, apparently with the same 13 MP sensor (LG does not specify the brand, although some sources indicate the installation of LG's own sensor) and iris optics f/2.2. In 4:3 format, frames have a similar size of 4160 x 3120 pixels, and 18:9 images are also obtained by cropping a 4:3 frame (9.7 megapixels in total). The G6 has optical stabilization, the Q6 does not.

It was a disgrace to put such a sensor on the flagship G6, of course, the footage from it does not cause any enthusiasm. By the way, on a very successful but budgetary Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X, the same Sony IMX 258 sensor looks more logical and quite sufficient, so users rate the quality of photos from its camera much higher than LG G6 owners.

The same sensor is also used in smartphones Sony Xperia XA, Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus, ZTE Nubia z17 mini (f/2.2), ZTE Nubia z17 miniS (f/2.2, OIS), UMIDIGI S2 (dual - 13 MP on Sony IMX 258, the second at 5 megapixels) and, apparently, in Nokia 8.

Sony IMX 351 Exmor RS. The sensor has a resolution of 16 megapixels, a diagonal of 5.822 mm (1 / 3.09 ″), the total number of pixels is 4688 x 3648 (about 17.1 megapixels), effective - 4688 x 3512 (16.46 megapixels), active - 4656 x 3496 (16.28 MP), grain - 1 micron. Installed on Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro (one main camera, f/2.0, no OIS) and LG V30/V30+. In the new LG V30 and LG V30+, the dual main camera module has the following composition: a standard camera based on Sony IMX351 with a coverage of 71 ° (f / 1.6, OIS), a second camera of 13 MP with a Samsung S5K3M3 sensor (size 1/2 .9″, 120° wide angle camera, f/1.9). By the way, Samsung S5K3M3 is also used in the Xiaomi Mi6 photomodule (together with the main camera with a Sony IMX 362 sensor). Frames from the LG V30/V30+ leave a strange impression: it feels like widescreen photos (the S5K3M3 is involved here) were taken on a 12-megapixel sensor, and then “bloated” up to 13 megapixels by interpolation - watercolor everywhere and soap around the edges. It's a pity that LG is moving along with a volatile and obsessive market, like many other smartphone manufacturers with "good" cameras, in the wrong direction. The last one was quite decent LG G4, and subsequent LG G5, LG G6 and LG V30 / V30 + became by and large a failure and disappointing in terms of photo properties. The same Sony IMX351 Exmor RS sensor is used on other variations of the family - LG V30S and LG V30S Plus (f / 1.6, OIS, announced in February 2018).

Sensor Sony IMX 378. It has large grains. Introduced in September 2016. Size — 7.81 mm (1/2.3″), pixel — 1.55 microns. The aspect ratio is 4:3, it allows you to take frames of 4048 x 3036 (4056 x 3040) pixels, and this is about 12.3 megapixels. In general, the sensor is one of the most acceptable in the Sony lineup, but only 12 megapixels, which is not enough! It is installed on pathetically expensive Google Pixel and Pixel XL (with OIS), as well as on Xiaomi Mi5S (without OIS), BlackBerry KEYone, Huawei P10, Huawei Honor 9 and HTC U Ultra (f/1.8, OIS). The HTC U Ultra delivers photos that fall short of the quality of the Google Pixel. The colors are normal, there is little noise, the sharpness is good, you can shoot with manual settings in RAW. Night shots are not so good, but acceptable. Xiaomi Mi5S: color, dynamic range and sharpness are on top. Good alternative overpriced Google Pixel. A significant minus is that there is no optical stabilization, so when shooting in low light conditions, the automatic lifts the ISO to reduce shutter speed, from which we get strong noise and watercolor. Frame resolution is exactly 4000 x 3000 pixels. Huawei Honor 9 has a dual camera - 20 megapixels in b/w mode (monochrome) + 12 megapixels color (with IMX378 sensor, f/2.2, OIS, frame size for some reason 3968 x 2976 pixels - apparently "eats" the stabilizer) . Phase + laser autofocus. Similar tricks are traditional for Huawei, similar to Huawei P10 and P10 Plus. Two sensors are used for color shooting with a final resolution of 20 megapixels (a "synthetic" image using the technology of combining data from a black and white sensor and data obtained from a color sensor), as well as for zoom and "portrait". Evaluation of images shows that "chemistry" with color and resolution does not give a positive result.

Sony IMX 380— the next Google-sensor. Worth only on Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL (frames are 4032 x 3024 pixels). Sensor resolution - 4096 x 3040 pixels (12.4 MP), size - 7.81 mm (1/2.3″), pixel - 1.55 microns. Announced in October 2017. I won’t talk about the pictures in detail - they seem to be quite good, f / 1.8 hole, but their resolution of the “12 MP class”, as already noted above, does not opportunities for post-processing, which often involves straightening and cropping, which further reduces the frame size. Well, the price tag is unfriendly (XL - almost 60,000 rubles at the end of 2017 and will not get cheaper), Google phones are such “apples” in the camp of Android devices ...

Sony IMX 377- another "coarse-grain" sensor of the "class 12 MP". Its resolution is about 12.35 megapixels, the sensor size and pixel size are the same - 1 / 2.3 ″ and 1.55 microns. It was put on expensive LG Nexus 5X, HTC 10 and Huawei Nexus 6P. They produce frames with a size of 4032 x 3024 pixels. The quality of the photos is not bad for its time, but the devices are already obsolete and there are only used ones ...

More pixels, better!

There are few offers in the segment of smartphones with high-resolution sensors. But in vain. Previously, "multi-pixel" sensors were used more widely - this applies to Sony IMX 318 Exmor RS (23 MP), which was discussed above, and to the Sony IMX 230. However, their time is running out. More or less modern Sony IMX 300 and Sony IMX 400 sensors are installed only on Sony devices. This is bad.

An interesting, high-quality and inexpensive device at one time was LeEco LeMax 2 (X820), presented in April 2016. It is equipped with a 5.7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 820, 4 or 6 GB random access memory, 32, 64 or 128 GB of internal memory, 3100 mAh battery with support fast charging Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0, USB-C, 21.5MP main camera with sensor-based OIS Sony IMX 230 Exmor RS(hole f/2.0). The sensor is not new at all - the release was in April 2015. It has the following parameters - CMOS, diagonal 7.487 mm (1/2.4″). The total number of pixels is 5408 x 4112 (about 22.24 MP), effective pixels are 5360 x 4032 (21.61 MP), active pixels are 5344 x 4016 (21.46 MP). Pictures of LeEco LeMax 2 (X820) have a size of 5312 x 3984 pixels (21.16 MP) in 4:3 format and 5312 x 2988 in 16:9 format (crop, almost 15.9 MP). Good color and detail, quite acceptable shots at ISO values ​​up to 800. There is HDR and a 2512-pixel panorama in height. 4K video at 30 fps with a stream of only 41 megabits (from experience I can say for sure that this is not enough; you need at least 51 megabits!). The downside is that there are no optical and digital stabilization when recording video (in standard application). Unfortunately, the LeEco company has burst and the smartphone is not updated. Many other smartphones were released with the same "ancient" sensor: Sony Xperia Z3+, Huawei Honor 7, Sony Xperia XA Ultra, Sony Xperia M5, Meizu Pro 6, Meizu Pro 5, Lenovo Vibe X3, Lenovo Moto Z Force, BlackBerry Priv, BlackBerry DTEK60, Blackview P6000, Motorola Droid Turbo 2, Motorola Moto X Play, Motorola Moto X Force, Motorola Moto X Style, LeEco (LeTV) Le 2 Pro, LeEco (LeTV) Le Max X900, LeEco (LeTV) Le Max Pro X910, LeEco (LeTV) Le S3, as well as a lot of "Chinese" little-known on the Russian market.

Unfortunately the sensor Sony IMX300(5984 x 4144 pixels, ~25 MP, diagonal 7.87 mm - 1/2.3″, pixel size - 1.08 μm), which was released in September 2015, is only available on smartphones of the same company - peculiar and expensive Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, Sony Xperia Z5, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact, Sony Xperia X Performance, Sony Xperia X, Sony Xperia X Compact, Sony Xperia XZ, Sony Xperia XA1, Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra, Sony Xperia XA1 Plus. The sensor is interesting in that it is multidimensional, similar to the sensors in the cameras of the Lumia 1520 and 950/950XL smartphones. Neither when shooting in 4:3 format, nor in 16:9 format, the dimensions of the sides of the frames in pixels are repeated (they are not obtained by cropping). For example, on the Sony Xperia XA1, the frame sizes are as follows: 5520 x 4144 pixels (22.9 MP) in 4:3 format, 5984 x 3376 pixels (20.2 MP) in wide format. The glass is quite dark - f / 2.0, while there is also no optical stabilization. Lots of fluff. The screen is only 5″ (1280 x 720): Sony probably thinks that it’s convenient to look at high-res on this. Color: not enough warm shades. Detailing is on top due to the resolution of the sensor. With poor lighting, as always with Sony - watercolor and soap. Processor - MediaTek. Battery - 2300. This is a masterpiece of February 2017, and not some junk! The price tag is infuriating. Compared to it, the “old man” Sony Xperia Z5 with the same sensor still looks better, however, it also lacks optical stabilization and a “darkish” f / 2.0 hole. The price tag infuriates even more ... Sony Xperia XZ shows the same parameters as the XA1; no optical stabilization and only f / 2.0.

Sony IMX 350. 20 MP sensor. Diagonal - 6.475 mm (1 / 2.78 "). Pixel size - 1.0 μm, 4: 3 format, active pixels - 5184 x 3880. Smart OnePlus 5 is equipped with a dual main camera, consisting of a wide-angle module with a 16-megapixel Sony IMX 398 matrix and a telephoto module with Sony IMX 350. the camera is 16 megapixels with a Sony IMX 371 sensor. According to rumors, Xiaomi Mi 7 could get a dual camera with 19 megapixel sensors (f / 1.7), it was further reported that a 12-megapixel Sony IMX 380 sensor will be installed in the main camera and a 20-megapixel Sony IMX350. One module with a Sony IMX 350 sensor (f/1.8, no OIS) was planned for the ZTE Axon M. OPPO R11 and R11 Plus smartphones have a dual main camera module - 16 MP (Sony IMX398, wide-angle lens, f / 1.7, PDAF) and 20 MP (Sony IMX350, telephoto lens, f / 2.6, 1 / 2.8 " , 1 µm). Introduced in March 2018, the smart Meizu E3 is equipped with a dual main camera - 12 MP (Sony IMX362 sensor, Dual Pixel, f/1.9, no OIS) + 20 MP module (Sony IMX350, f/2.6), implemented zoom 1.8x (optical) and 2.5x (lossless).

Sony IMX 376- a rare sensor with a resolution of 20 megapixels (4: 3 format, 5120 x 3840 pixels). It is installed mainly in self-modules such Chinese smartphones, like Vivo V5, Vivo V5 Plus and Vivo V5S (f 2.0), Vivo X9 and Vivo X9 Plus (there are dual front cameras, one of which is with Sony IMX 376, f / 2.0). The sensor is included OnePlus 5T- here is a dual main camera: 16 MP (Sony IMX398, 1.12 microns, f / 1.7) + 20 MP ( Sony IMX376K, 1 µm, f/1.7, low-light monochrome module). Without OIS!

Relatively new sensor Sony IMX400 also received a high resolution in pixels. It is multi-aspect and also applies only to Sony Xperia XZs, Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Sony Xperia XZ1 and Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact. In particular, the best of the worst in this series - the Sony Xperia XZ Premium - has a “glass” with optical stabilization and an f / 2.0 hole. Frames taken under standard conditions seem good at first glance, but due to insufficient resolution optics and / or unfinished software, the image quality is very poor - watercolor with sharpening. The dynamic range is narrow. In low light - strong noise. The maximum resolution in 4:3 mode is 5056 x 3792 (19.2 MP), and in 16:9 mode it is 5504 x 3096 (about 17 MP), while the IMX 400 itself contains 5504 x 3792 pixels (20.9 MP). The Sony Xperia XZ1 and Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact also lack optical stabilization. In general, as follows from the statements of Sony's offices, doing wrong is their credo, which they are proud of and promise to follow further: do not install OIS, make terrible remnant plastic cases and on-screen control buttons with just a huge beard on the bottom of the case.

Omnivision

The not-so-famous company Omnivision also produces sensors. high resolution. They do not have a significant distribution.

A year ago, the company introduced new 20-megapixel and 16-megapixel sensors - OV20880 And OV20880-4C (5184 x 3888 pixels) and OV16885 And OV16885-4C (4672 x 3504 pixels) with second-generation PureCel Plus-S technology for less noise, low-light performance and HDR support. So far, there is no information about the use of these sensors in smartphones. previous version OV16880 was used in LeEco (LeTV) Le S3, Xiaomi Mi Mix, LeEco (LeTV) Le 2 X620, LeEco (LeTV) Le 2 X520, Xiaomi Mi Max, Oukitel K6000 Plus and the new Vivo V7+ (f/2.0, no OIS). Judging by the available pictures taken with Xiaomi Mi Mix and Xiaomi Mi Max, the “masterpieces” are very average in all respects.

Previously, the company offered an Omnivision sensor OV23850. It was announced at the end of 2014. Its resolution is about 23.8 megapixels (when shooting video - 5632 x 4224, and working resolution when taking a photo - 5648 x 4232 pixels or cropped 5648 x 3184 pixels, i.e. 17.9 MP). Captures images in 4:3 aspect ratio, 1/2.3″ size. The only smartphone with it on board is the unknown “Chinese” Gionee Elife E8 (released in May 2015), which has OIS and an aperture of f / 2.0.

Another 21.4 megapixel sensor OV21840, was intended for smartphones of the top segment. The release states that "the sensor implements its own PureCel-S technology, which allows you to register photos and videos with quality comparable to DSLR cameras." However, to date there is no evidence that it has been installed on at least one smartphone. The sensor uses its own technology, thanks to which the sensitive and processing elements are located separately one after the other. The sensor supports phase detection autofocus, photo and video recording in HDR mode. Sensor size 1/2.4″. The number of active pixels is 5344 x 4016. The sensor is capable of recording video with a resolution not higher than QHD at 30 frames per second in HDR mode.

OmniVision announced in early 2017 two sensor models - OV12A10(color) and OV12A1B(monochrome). True, "class 12 megapixels." These 1/2.8-inch sensors with a resolution of 4096 x 3072 pixels and a pixel size of 1.25 µm are designed for use in dual cameras. Omnivision sensor OV12A10 found application in the newfangled Xiaomi Mi A1, released in September 2017, and in its "twin" - Xiaomi Mi5x. They have a dual camera - the main one with f / 2.2 aperture and a focal length of 26 mm, the second with f / 2.6 and 50 mm. Thus, a 2x optical zoom is realized. There is HDR. No optical stabilization. Daytime photos are of surprisingly acceptable quality, considering what was shot on OmniVision. Good dynamic range. You can take. The Omnivision OV12A10 sensor is also on those presented in December 2017. Xiaomi smartphones Redmi 5 and Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (both with f/2.2 and no OIS), also possibly Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 (announced February 2018). Examples of photos from them are also quite good in daylight conditions, in poor lighting - porridge and shake (because there is no stub and a dark hole).

From the line of high-resolution sensors of this company, which would be installed on "non-Samsung" smartphones and would be worthy of attention, I know only one type - S5K2T8. He stands (it seems to be he) only on ZTE Axon 7. Officially, this is not advertised. Resolution - 20 MP, size - 1/2.6″. The aperture on the ZTE Axon 7 is f / 1.8, there is OIS. The frames have a resolution of 19.9 megapixels (5952 x 3348 pixels), although the resolution of the sensor itself is 5976 x 3368 pixels. For some reason, the smartphone was positioned as a musical flagship. For me, he is more like a photo flagship among other "androids"! Good detail, color and white balance. In normal lighting conditions, the frames are of quite acceptable quality - without nasty soap, noise or shabby watercolors. In poor lighting - no longer a masterpiece. There is blurring at the edges of frames due to the presence of a wide-angle lens and a bright hole (= shallow depth of field). In my opinion, the standard aspect ratio for this sensor is 16:9. This ratio is more suitable for landscape photography. The installed sensor is not multi-aspect and 4:3 shots will be cropped from 16:9: photo examples show that they have a size of 4352 x 3264 pixels, about 14.2 megapixels (it’s strange why it was necessary to “crop” both on the narrow and on the wide sides ?!)…

The S5K2T8 sensor does not appear anywhere in the "Samsung" lists and is possibly a version of the S5K2T7 sensor, which, however, has an aspect ratio of 4: 3 and a resolution of 5184 x 3880 - 20 megapixels.

A weak non-removable battery can greatly limit the duration of the "field" use of a smartphone for filming - you definitely need a power bank.

It is a pity that the smartphone was quite expensive "in its lifetime" (released in May 2016); now it’s somewhat outdated, although it’s still on sale - as of December 2017, it cost from 23 rubles for the 4 / 64GB version. I can recommend to purchase for lack of something radically better on androids! The purchase and use of this smart showed that the phenomenon of significant soap / blur on the left side of the pictures, which was repeatedly complained about in the ZTE Axon 7 branch on w3bsit3-dns.com, is apparently endemic; was present in the purchased copy. Perhaps this is due to incorrect factory installation of the camera module - the same thing happened earlier on other smartphones, including some MS Lumia 950XL (single SIM version).

Sony is renowned for producing quality sensors for smartphone cameras and is one of the world's leading suppliers of these components. Even in Samsung flagships or LG, Sony modules are used, but there is nothing to say about Chinese companies. The release of the new flagship Xiaomi Mi 5S, as well as its enlarged variant Mi 5S Plus, introduced the world to a new Sony product aimed at top-end devices. Smartphones were the first devices with this sensor. To understand what is new, our material will help.

Specifications Sony Exmor IMX378

Judging by Sony specifications IMX378, this camera is a modified and improved version of the IMX377 module released last year. In general, the practice of using identical sensors, adapted to the specifics of specific devices, as well as differing in body and optics, is quite common with Sony. Successful camera models go through several "reincarnations", as was the case with the IMX145 (aka IMX175, IMX164 and IMX179) or IMX258/278.

The actual resolution of the IMX378 sensor is 4120x3036 or 12.5 MP. However, in 3:4 proportions, the maximum resolution reaches 4024x3036 pixels, in widescreen - 4120x2168. Thus, the size of the involved matrix in widescreen mode is reduced to 1 / 2.5", and the image resolution is reduced to almost 9 MP.

The Sony IMX378 uses a 1/2.3" sensor (one of the largest among smartphones), with 1.55 µm pixels. The actual sensor diagonal is 7.8 mm. Due to twice the area (2.4 µm2 versus 1 .2 µm2), each pixel is capable of capturing twice as much light as standard 1.12 µm elements. this advantage manifests itself in the form of improved light sensitivity (and, as a result, detail) in low light.

In the version used in Xiaomi flagships, the optics consist of 6 lenses, and its aperture ratio opens up to f / 2. At the same time, the actual focal length is 4.75 mm - almost 1.5 times more than most modern smartphones (3.5 mm). Due to the increased thickness of the module, the lens is able to capture much more light.

Among other features of the IMX378 camera sensor, video shooting is announced in 4K 4000x3000 at 30 FPS, 3840x2160 - 60 FPS, FullHD - 120 FPS and HD - 300 FPS. Auto focus mechanism - phase, but without technology "Dual Pixel".

Smartphones with Sony IMX378 camera

The Sony IMX378 sensor has not yet gained distribution. The first smartphones to use this camera are Xiaomi Mi 5S and Mi 5S Plus styles. On this moment it is difficult to judge all the possibilities and quality of the photos that the module takes, but Xiaomi representatives have published a selection of photos demonstrating the capabilities of smartphones. The frames look very cool, but we must not forget about the tricks of marketers. To fully appreciate the IMX378 sensor in real conditions, you need to wait for the Mi 5S to go on sale.

The second and third smartphones to receive this camera model should be the Google Pixel and Pixel XL. The successors of the Nexus series are equipped with the Sony IMX378. DxOMark gave the camera in Pixel smartphones with Sony IMX 378 sensor the highest score at the time of writing this review - 89 points. The Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones have good software from the software giant and beat even the acclaimed flagship in mobile photography, the Galaxy S7, with a maximum DxOMark score of 88.

At the moment get general impression You can learn about the capabilities of the new camera by analyzing images from HTC 10, Huawei Nexus 6P or LG Nexus 5X. These devices, as mentioned at the beginning, are equipped with a Sony IMX377 camera sensor, so they should provide similar frame quality. However, completely projecting an opinion about this matrix onto a newer model is not the right decision. Also, do not forget about software camera, which each manufacturer has its own and plays an important role in the final result.

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Kensuke Mashita: "I'd love to put a one-inch sensor and G Master lens in a smartphone."

Since 2015, the editors of the site began to talk seriously about smartphones, because the camera in these gadgets has become not just a tool in the hands of a photographer. Today we can state that yesterday's smartphone users with a good camera are gradually switching to amateur and professional cameras.

Sony Mobile offered us an exclusive interview with Kensuke Mashita, Senior Manager of the Sony Mobile team. Mashita-san is responsible for the technologies used in the Sony Xperia smartphone camera unit.

We tried to ask him the most important questions about Sony Xperia cameras, smartphone cameras in general and where mobile photography is going to go next.

- Has the compact camera segment died with the rise in smartphone sales?

The market for compact digital cameras is falling. Our colleagues at Sony Digital Imaging are now focusing on compact cameras high end class. On the other hand, smartphones occupy the position of low-end and mid-range compacts. And I think this trend will continue.

- What are the prospects for smartphones in the photo market?

Smartphones today have achieved quite High Quality image comparable to compact cameras that were released a few years ago. But a smartphone is more than just a camera: it has connectivity, advanced graphics and processing power more powerful than cameras, a DSP, a large display and a simple interface. Therefore, smartphones are completely different, they give us a new experience. For example, if it were not for the development of this market, there would be no selfie. We have to search and find new scenarios that are available not so much to the camera, but to the smartphone as a camera and mobile device with connectivity to mobile and wireless networks.

- To what extent is the smartphone camera today the reason for buying a new device or replacing an old one?

According to our research, the most motivating factors for purchasing a new smartphone are device design, camera, and battery life. These three factors are central to the buyer and they work in tandem. The Russian market is especially focused on smartphone design. This is called show off, when the main goal is not to enjoy the appearance of the gadget, but some kind of boasting. This is where self-expression comes into play through device design.

The camera is just as important because it allows you to show yourself in at its best, their achievements and surroundings.

It's no secret that Sony Semiconductors is a major supplier of sensors for mobile cameras. How is Sony Mobile related to this company?

Yes, all major manufacturers use Sony sensors in their smartphones. But each of them installs sensors with different characteristics. Of course, in mobile photography, the sensor is important, but so is the optics. Because all the restrictions apply to it, including the thickness of the smartphone.

In most Sony smartphones, the camera does not protrude from the body, but in iPhone and other devices, the camera protrudes by a millimeter or more. Our designers strive to ensure that nothing protrudes and that the functions and capabilities of the smartphone do not suffer. For the buyer, design is extremely important, and we try to find a balance. But believe me, it's very difficult.

I can't say which Sony sensor is the best today. Sony Mobile's strategy has previously focused on a high resolution of 23 megapixels. But today, most manufacturers put sensors with a resolution of 12 megapixels, including Samsung and Apple. This is the difference in approaches, because Sony used a high resolution because of the greater image stabilization capabilities, better picture quality when it is zoomed in. Of course, in such scenarios, our camera outperforms 12-megapixel sensors. But on the other hand, the physical size of the pixel is very important.

With the development of dual cameras in smartphones, many different solutions have appeared on the market. For example, thanks to zoom lenses, the quality of the approximation has become an order of magnitude higher. We can say that a new era of mobile photography has begun, and in the next generation we will show our vision. Unfortunately, I cannot share the details of our new strategy, but we will change something in the near future.

The relationship between Sony Mobile and Sony Semiconductors has traditionally developed in such a way that we received a top-end sensor on exclusive terms. IMX300 got to us, with the IMX400 the same situation. This interaction will continue in the future. We act as a leader who tests new technologies.

G8142 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/500 s

G8142 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/500 s

G8142 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/500 s

How popular are the new features of the Motion Eye camera unit (predictive shooting, super slow motion video shooting and tracking autofocus during continuous shooting), built on the basis of the Sony Exmor IMX400, with smartphone buyers?

The Sony Exmor IMX400 processor has a sensor with a stack memory of 128 megabytes, and thanks to this it is possible to record video in super slow motion mode, to carry out predictive shooting. With our camera you can see what the human eye cannot see.

Unfortunately, not much time has passed since the release of the first smartphone with Motion Eye (- ed. note). Not enough data has been collected yet. We have an idea how many people take photos on a smartphone, and how many videos. Now we are trying to find out how many people use super slow motion. We found that at the time of getting to know a smartphone, many people try to evaluate the recording at a speed of 960 frames per second. Our goal is to make interest in know-how permanent. I think Sony's Super Slow Motion is beyond expectations. Some would say that this was done only to attract the attention of buyers, but we really wanted to create something new.

The most common argument of those who do not like Sony Xperia is: “All smartphones have a Sony sensor (Samsung, Huawei, iPhone and others), but they all shoot much better than Sony Xperia smartphones.” Do you have an understanding why this is happening?

Unfortunately, in mobile photography it is impossible to achieve the best quality in different conditions. Quality may vary depending on shooting conditions, functions used. Cameras with a 12-megapixel sensor and a larger pixel size do better in low light conditions, but if you shoot a daytime landscape, you can achieve more detail due to the higher resolution of the sensor. In my opinion, if you shoot landscape, Sony Xperia will win, but in some scenarios we can lose to competitors. The question of approach is also important here. With our smartphone, you can take a good picture in the dark, and its resolution will be one and a half times higher. We focus on high resolution as it provides better image stabilization.

If we made the same camera as other brands, perhaps there would be haters of a different order who would get to the bottom of the truth and find the difference in the performance of our camera compared to competitors.

Unfortunately, most pay attention to "laboratory" camera tests, but it's better to look at real photos. Sometimes one conflicts with the other. Of course, our priority is user experience.

At the same time, we listen to feedback our users. For example, in the Sony IMX400, the resolution was reduced from 23 to 19 megapixels, thereby slightly increasing the pixel size. We tried to find a compromise and improved the situation with shooting in low light conditions. At the same time, super slow motion and stack memory appeared. Thanks to the latter, the situation with video recording, including HDR, has improved. This is only possible with memory. Soon we will have another improvement, which is kept secret for now.

All Sony Xperia cameras are tested in over 100 different scenarios. Lighting conditions at the same time differ in different points peace. In Russia, daylight tends to zero, so high-quality shooting in low light conditions is extremely important for us. At the same time, there are different shades of light: people want to look good in photographs, so that the skin looks not only natural, but also beautiful. Across the planet, similar feedback is being accumulated from the regional offices of Sony Mobile. It's impossible to standardize, but work is underway. The camera functions according to some average algorithm, a compromise is reached.

G8342 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/2000 s, 4.4mm equiv.

Why does Sony Mobile ignore the optical image stabilization in the main camera and continue to use their electronic SteadyShot system?

If we installed optical stabilization in a smartphone, there would be many photos in which moving objects are very blurred due to the increase in shutter speed. This does not happen with SteadyShot. Yes, it might look spectacular, but I'm not sure that everyone will like it. SteadyShot gives us the ability to shoot at fast shutter speeds and avoid most blur. Automation itself understands what to do: if there is a dynamic plot in the frame, then the shutter speed will be minimal; if the picture is more static, the shutter speed increases. Of course, in normal conditions and in the absence of moving objects in the frame, smartphones with optical image stabilization shoot better than Sony, but here again we are talking about different scenarios.

- In what proportions and what affects mobile photography: sensor, optics, post-processing algorithms?

Sensor - 30%, optics - 30%, image processor (ISP) - 30% and post-processing algorithms - 10%. It all depends on the type of processor. For example, there is almost no post-processing in SLR cameras. Smartphones have technical limitations, so processing and post-processing is very important.

Any module developed in Sony Mobile is shown in the Digital Imaging division. They test our functions and issue some kind of certificate of conformity.

Sony Mobile is the only brand on the market, except for Google smartphone Pixel 2 that completely ignores the trend dual camera. Why is this happening? When to expect a dual camera from Sony?

We monitor various trends. There are ideas for creating triple, quadruple cameras, combinations of different cameras. We introduced the stacked camera to the world. In our opinion, it gives a better experience than the dual camera. Technology in processors and graphics is evolving, as is the camera. In the near future, it will be time to show the dual camera. Perhaps Sony will surprise you.

G8142 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/5000 s

- When will the Camera app on Sony Mobile devices become more convenient?

We work not only for professionals, but also for a general audience that is not so well versed in various settings.

If speak about manual settings, then for most users, parameters such as shutter speed, ISO, focus, white balance and exposure are enough. All this is in our application. But there are more advanced and demanding users. I can't go into details, but there will be changes to the app in the near future.

At this point, Mashita-san asked us what we would like to see in Sony smartphones. Our answer was simple: RAW format.

- I would like to know your attitude to testing DxOMark. At the moment, Sony smartphones are not even in the top ten.

We are always looking at the scoreboard and feedback from this site. Some of their comments help us a lot. But I'm not sure if their tests can be 100% useful for most people in their use cases. Your colleagues at DxOMark have been giving us a lot of feedback while developing the testing policy, and it has been really helpful in many ways. However, in September, the benchmark changed, it included estimates for optical zoom and background blur, and, of course, new system focused on the dual camera. We have always taken and continue to take this platform seriously, but we want to look at a new method for distributing ratings, to understand the logic and trends. Time needs to pass.

In fact, we are talking not only about DxOMark, but also about other laboratory tests and methods that are used on the market. In my opinion, real shots show the camera performance better than any tests. We will continue to observe the methodology, look at the results, and perhaps turn to them again for feedback.

G8342 SETTINGS: ISO 40, F2, 1/1600s, 4.4mm equiv.

What are the technical limitations in mobile phone cameras today? Is it possible to see some kind of major breakthrough? For example, a one-inch matrix (as they did in the Panasonic CM-1) or a real telephoto lens. If you fantasize, what would you like to see in mobile camera? And what can actually happen?

In my opinion, a one-inch sensor in a smartphone camera is a great solution. But for sure, because of this, the thickness of the case and the weight of the gadget will increase. An optical telephoto lens also requires more space. And today the market offers us a solution in the form of a dual camera. But this is not enough for us. Most likely, in the near future the size of the sensors will not change. Perhaps the problems will somehow be solved by double, triple and “smart” cameras with artificial intelligence and machine learning.

I think that increasing the camera module is the next step in smartphone building. But if you dream up, then a one-inch sensor is great, but it is very difficult to insert it into a smartphone case. It may make sense to separate the smartphone and the camera, but Sony had it in the QX series. Maybe something will change in optics: G Master will be used instead of G Lens optics. The cost of such a smartphone will be very beneficial for us, but people will most likely not appreciate it. Technically, such an implementation is possible.

Still, the restrictions in SLR and mirrorless cameras are much less than in smartphones. But computing power is on the side of smartphones. Cameras have their own development path, smartphones have their own. Cameras should be comfortable and ergonomic, and they usually cost more than smartphones.