Engineering thought has reached the ceiling - further improvement of cameras is objectively impossible without a radical change in the design of the smartphone itself. All flagship models are equipped with almost ideal, from a technical point of view, modules, and to determine the winner, you will have to take an alternative route.

While smartphone users race to fill their file storages and social media accounts with photos of cats, landscapes, and their loved ones, engineers are scratching their heads over how to improve already excellent cameras. Moreover, the competition for the latter is even tougher, because the fight is not for likes, but for millions of dollars of potential profit for the company.

A few years ago, looking at the performance of cameras on flagship devices from Apple, Samsung and other A-brands, it seemed that the evolution of these modules was about to stop. High-quality, “silent” photos even in low light conditions, ultra-fast autofocus, optical stabilization when shooting video - what more? However, there is no limit to perfection; the emergence of new features and improvements depends solely on user demand.

By mid-spring, all the leading vendors had already pleased the public with announcements and releases of fresh flagship smartphone models, which means we can draw intermediate results. In this material we will look at the 10 best cameras in mobile devices as of 2020.

All the smartphones presented below take excellent photos and videos, but narrowly focused specialists can still set priorities, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of a particular model. This rating was compiled according to data from DxOMark experts and other authoritative resources.

Which smartphone has the best camera - Top 12 in 2020

12th place iPhone 11

Unlike its predecessor, the iPhone XR, which had only one lens (a standard wide-angle 12-megapixel module), received an additional ultra-wide-angle camera, which not only added the ability to “reverse” wide-angle zoom, but also significantly expanded the functional scope of the camera as a whole. Among other things, iPhone 11 has: auto-correction, improved Smart-HDR, etc.

11th place Honor P20 Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro

Huawei's sub-brand pleases customers with more affordable price tags and very good cameras, the experience in building which is clearly borrowed from its older brother. The Honor P20 Pro does not have the same zoom capabilities as the Huawei P30 Pro or the latest Samsung smartphones, but it still demonstrates excellent shooting quality, rated by DxOMark experts at 111 points. The hardware characteristics of the camera phone are as follows:

• The main lens is Sony IMX586 with a 1/2″ matrix size, 48 megapixel resolution, f/1.4 aperture, optical image stabilization and a focal length of 28 mm;
• 8-megapixel telephoto camera, matrix size 1/4.4″, aperture f/2.4, focal length 80 mm;
• 16 MP wide-angle lens with 1/3.06″ size and f/2.2 aperture;
• Macro lens with 2 MP matrix.

Like its DxOMark rated neighbor Honor P20 Pro, OnePlus' flagship smartphone has a Sony IMX586 main lens and a 48 MP 1/2″ sensor, but with a slightly less strong f/1.6 aperture and a focal length of 26 mm. Two additional modules are also practically indistinguishable: an 8 MP telephoto, f/2.4 and a 16 MP wide lens, f/2.2, however, the telephoto lens, unlike its competitor, has its own optical stabilization system. The result is a smartphone that is capable of taking photographs and shooting video at a very high level of quality by the standards of 2020, for which it deservedly receives a high place in the ranking of camera phones.

10th place Honor V30 Pro

Another top-end camera phone, developed by Huawei specialists. One of the most noticeable disadvantages of the Honor V30 Pro, in comparison with the same Mate 30 Pro, is the lack of a portrait ToF camera; in addition, the smartphone shoots video of noticeably lower quality, but at the same time wins in direct comparison with many competitors on the market. The list of characteristics is as follows:

• Main: 40 MP, matrix size 1/1.7 inches, focal length 27 mm, aperture F/1.6, optical image stabilization;
• Ultra-wide-angle: 12 MP, pixel size 1.4 μm, focal length 16 mm, aperture F/2.2;
• Telephoto lens: 8 MP, 1/4-inch matrix size, 80 mm focal length, F/2.4 aperture, optical image stabilization.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the dual front camera of the Honor V30 Pro, consisting of a wide-angle (32 MP, F/2.0 aperture) and ultra-wide-angle (8 MP, F/2.2 aperture) lenses. Another advantage of the camera phone is the combination of phase detection and laser autofocus on each of the three main cameras.

9th place Samsung Galaxy S20

The new flagship was positioned, in particular, as the best camera phone in the world, and therefore should stand out not only from its competitors, but also from its peers in the line. At the same time, even the difference between the models was deliberately emphasized - the most budget smartphone did not receive a module Depth sensor, the cost of which is not so high, but in practice many Galaxy S20 users will feel its absence. This camera is designed to improve the now very popular portrait shots with background blur. Otherwise, the technical characteristics of the Galaxy S20 cameras are identical to the S20+ model.

• Ultra-wide-angle: 12 MP, dot size 1.4 microns, aperture F/2.2;
• Wide-angle: 12 MP, size 1.8 microns, aperture F/1.8, optical image stabilization;
• Telephoto lens: 64 MP, 0.8 micron, F/2.0 aperture, optical image stabilization;

8th place Galaxy Note 10, Samsung Galaxy S10, Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S10 and Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

At the very beginning of 2019, they set a high standard for the quality of photo and video shooting for other manufacturers - both gadgets received a triple camera with an additional ultra-wide lens.

• 16 MP (Ultra-wide angle / F2.2), FF;
• Dual Pixel 12 MP OIS (Wide Angle / F1.5 / F2.4), AF;
• 12 MP OIS (Telephoto / F2.4), AF.

In addition, the Galaxy S10+ model received a dual front camera:

• Dual Pixel 10 MP AF (F1.9);
• 8 MP AF (variable depth of field / F2.2).

DxOMark experts rated the efforts of Samsung engineers at 109 points, and this is a repetition of the high result of the Huawei Mate P20 Pro. Experts consider the main advantage of Korean cameras to be excellent detail and clarity of images even in low light conditions. In addition, the software functionality has been significantly improved, including: expanded capabilities of the “Live Focus” mode, added new Animoji, real-time shooting tips for beginners and specific options for professionals in the Pro section.

In turn, presented in August 2019, the Galaxy Note 10 received a main camera that traditionally does not have any fundamental differences from the Galaxy S10, which was older by six months. However, some minor nuances and software improvements allowed the Galaxy Note 10 to take a high place in the DxOMark camera phone rating, beating the Galaxy S10 due to the quality of video shooting (experts noted a wide dynamic range and autofocus accuracy when observing an object).

7th place Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition

Perhaps the most anticipated camera phone of 2019, which is rated by DxOMark experts as equal in shooting capabilities to the rating leader Huawei Mate 30 Pro, but at the same time costs significantly less than its competitor.

In the description, the 5-module camera Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition looks very impressive:

• Main lens: 108 MP, 25 mm focal length, f/1.69 aperture, optical image stabilization;
• Small telephoto lens: 12.19 MP, 50 mm focal length, f/2.0 aperture;
• Large telephoto lens: 7.99 MP, 94 mm focal length, f/2 aperture, optical image stabilization;
• Ultra-wide-angle lens: 20.11 MP, 16 mm focal length, f/2.2 aperture;
• Macro lens: 2 MP, f/2.4 aperture

Add here two dual LED flashes and you get a camera phone that has no equal on the market in terms of the listed characteristics. However, in fact, the impressive technical description gives a result comparable to more modest, but more carefully designed and high-quality systems, for example, in the same Huawei Mate 30 Pro.

6th place Huawei P30 Pro

Chinese flagship shown at the presentation on March 28, 2019 Huawei P30 Pro expectedly raised a new quality bar for premium-segment camera phones. Successfully continuing the tradition of its predecessors (Huawei P20 Pro and Mate 20 Pro).

To create photos and videos use:

• Base lens with 40 MP resolution and f1.6 aperture;
• Wide-angle lens with 20 MP resolution and f/2.2 aperture;
• Telephoto lens with 8 MP resolution and f/3.4 aperture;
• ToF camera;
• Front camera with a resolution of 32 MP and f/2.0 aperture.

However, this is that rare case when the advantages of a device are not very noticeable “on paper”, but leave no chance for competitors in practice. The main feature Huawei P30 Pro- this is the ability to shoot in any lighting conditions and even complete darkness:

Such miracles are possible thanks to an innovative spectral sensor with an unusual RYB (red, yellow, blue) structure instead of RGB (red, green, blue), which captures 40% more light.

Another trump card of the camera phone is the possibility of 5x optical, 10x hybrid and 50x digital zoom. The gadget uses a periscopic lens with 5 lenses as a “spyglass”, providing a 125 mm focal length.

5th place Samsung Galaxy S20+

The middle brother of the updated Samsung Galaxy line is significantly inferior to the flagship, but at the same time looks quite decent compared to most competitors. Installed here:

• Ultra-wide-angle camera: 12 MP, pixel size 1.4 microns, aperture F/2.2;
• Wide-angle: 12 MP, size 1.8 microns, aperture F1.8, optical image stabilization;
• Telephoto lens: 64 MP, size 0.8 microns, aperture F/2.0, optical image stabilization;
• DepthVision for portrait photography;
• Hybrid optical zoom 3x, digital zoom 30x;
• Front: 10 MP, size 1.22 microns, aperture F/2.2.

As can be seen from a dry comparison of numbers, the lag behind the flagship is noticeable to the naked eye, however, there are a number of advantages over last year’s models.

In particular, the Samsung Galaxy S20+ is also equipped with a “space zoom”, albeit not as sharp as the Ultra models - it is possible to enlarge the image 4 times through optical zoom and up to 30 times through digital zoom.

The Nonacell mode was not implemented for the S20+ model, but the device received a number of other flagship functions. For example, the Single Take mode, in which all cameras are shot for 10 seconds, and the result is short videos and several of the best shots selected by artificial intelligence.

4th place Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

Xiaomi's new flagship, dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the company's presence on the market, was equipped with cameras based on the most advanced example of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, only slightly inferior to the Korean manufacturer in detail. The technical characteristics of the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro cameras are as follows:

• Wide-angle: 108 MP, F/1.7 aperture, laser autofocus, optical image stabilization;
• Telephoto lens: 8 MP, F/2.0 aperture, 1.0 μm pixel size, PDAF, laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, 10x hybrid optical zoom;
• Portrait: 12 MP, aperture F/2.0, size 1.4 microns, 2x optical zoom;
• Ultra-wide-angle: 20 MP, F/2.2 aperture.

Experts note that the main achievement of Xiaomi specialists was the improvement of algorithms for processing data from smartphone cameras, which made it possible not only to make the process of shooting and saving the result instantaneous (not least thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip), but also to implement a whole list of new functions for users, which will certainly be widely used in practice. For example, during the presentation it was shown how, in a couple of clicks, you can add an effect to a photo that creates the illusion of a photo from behind glass, along which “live” drops of water flow. In addition, a lot of work has been done to introduce new video shooting modes, among which support for recording videos in 8K quality stands out.

3rd place iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max

In the DxOMark rating, the cameras outperformed South Korean smartphones Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, while the overall rating of iPhones was significantly reduced for video shooting capabilities - only 117 points, 124 for photos and 102 for video. However, company experts noted that Apple managed to introduce the technologies necessary to directly compete with the best camera phones on the market within a year.

Following trends, Apple has equipped its flagship smartphones with a triple camera with the following characteristics:

• 12 MP main wide-angle lens with ƒ/1.8 aperture;
• 12 MP telephoto lens with ƒ/2.0 aperture;
• Ultrawide 12 MP lens with ƒ/2.4 aperture and 120-degree viewing angle.

In addition, in 2019 smartphones, Apple has implemented , which improves the quality of photos and videos taken in conditions of extremely low ambient lighting, which is important for all lovers of mobile photography without exception.

2nd place Huawei Mate 30 Pro

If we look at the technical characteristics of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro cameras, there are not so many differences with its predecessor P30 Pro and they relate primarily to the ultra-wide-angle camera:

• Main: 40 MP, 1/1.7-inch matrix size, 27 mm equivalent focal length, F/1.6 aperture, PDAF autofocus, optical image stabilization;
• Ultra-wide-angle: 40MP, matrix size 1/1.54 inches, 18 mm focal length, F/1.8 aperture, PDAF;
• Telephoto lens: 8 MP 1/4-inch matrix size, 80 mm focal length, F/2.4 aperture, PDAF, optical image stabilization;
• ToF 3D portrait camera.

So, for shooting photos and videos, roughly speaking, two separate modules of 40 MP resolution each are responsible, and the first has optical stabilization, while the second noticeably reduces the quality of videos when using digital camera motion correction.

In fact, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro camera can offer a higher level of detail in the corners of the photo when shooting during the day and slightly less noticeable noise in low-light conditions; other differences are almost impossible to notice with the naked eye.

As for video, the main feature here is the slow motion mode with a frequency of 7680 frames per second. In the video below you can compare this SlowMo with a frequency of 960 fps.

1st place Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Of course, the best camera phone on the market at the time of its release, which fully met and even exceeded the expectations of fans of Samsung products. From a technical point of view, the device is equipped with the following main modules:

• Ultra-wide-angle camera: 12 MP resolution, 1.4 µm pixel size, F/2.2 aperture;
• Wide-angle: 108 MP, pixel size 0.8 μm and 2.4 μm in Nonacell dot merging mode, F/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilization;
• Telephoto lens: 48 MP, size 0.8 μm (1.6 μm in Nonacell mode), aperture F/3.5, optical image stabilization;
• Depth Sensor: Portrait camera;
• Hybrid optical zoom 10x, digital zoom 100x;
• Front camera: 40 MP, pixel size 0.7 μm (1.4 μm in Nonacell mode), aperture F/2.2.

As can be seen from the description, the front camera of the flagship has been significantly improved compared to both previous models in the line and the younger versions of the Galaxy S20 / S20+ with last year’s 10-megapixel lens installed.

However, the main innovations concerned, of course, the main camera, which has the latest 108-megapixel module of Samsung's own production, which takes pictures with the highest level of detail and can combine pixels using Nonacell technology to obtain the optimal image in terms of quality and energy consumption. In practice, this means that the user can, for example, enlarge the resulting image several times, cut out the scene from the background and get a picture that is almost as detailed as the original image.

Another interesting new feature is support for shooting video in 8K resolution. Actually, such functionality is not in great demand on the market, because monitors with such a high resolution are still very rare, but owners of new Samsung 8K TVs may well be interested in purchasing a flagship smartphone.

In addition, we cannot fail to mention the 4x optical, 10x hybrid and 100x digital zoom, which allows, with the proper skill, to shoot objects at a very long distance in quite acceptable quality.

Camera test: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and iPhone 11 Max Pro

What do you know about modern flagships? Can you name the exact screen diagonal or say how many gigabytes of RAM the manufacturer installed in the new product? Unless you are a mobile market expert or a geek, the answer is unlikely to be easy for you. However, today almost everyone knows how many cameras are in the new iPhone and what incredible night shooting mode was installed in the device from Huawei.

Cameras are what every smartphone manufacturer lives by today. Companies are paying attention to the photo and video characteristics of their flagships: more and more lenses are appearing on the back of smartphones, the detail and resolution of images are growing, and the video mode is already quite capable of replacing a movie camera - in a word, manufacturers are confidently moving into the professional industry segment.

Over the past few years, smartphones have received many cool features that have made it possible to seriously talk about replacing a large and heavy camera with a compact and discreet phone. The development of artificial intelligence has made it possible to introduce portrait mode, which today works perfectly on all flagships and blurs the background no worse than expensive high-aperture optics. In addition, hardware production technologies have significantly improved - the sensors have received high resolution and a developed focusing system. The synthesis of hardware and software functions made it possible to obtain good photos in low light. Covers of popular magazines and Hollywood films are shot on phones.

Today a phone with a good camera can be purchased for 15–20 thousand rubles, but the best smartphones for photographers remain in the premium segment. We take a look into the world of flagship camera phones and see which smartphones are used to shoot photo and video masterpieces in 2019.

iPhone Xs and iPhone 11 Pro - what has changed in a year?

Last year's iPhone Xs and Xs Max are still excellent devices for photography, but the 11th iPhone introduced in September received the Pro prefix, and it refers to the updated camera system. The new iPhones received a third, wide-angle camera and an advanced night shooting mode, as well as 4K video on the front camera with the ability to record slow motion videos.

Many people accuse Apple of introducing innovations that already exist in the market. Indeed, three cameras are no longer news. The same Samsung Galaxy A70, not the most expensive smartphone, already in March shone with a triple module. We have already seen night mode in Huawei and Google Pixel long before the iPhone, and the front camera in the new Apples is not ahead of the competition. However, Apple engineers and marketers look at what other companies are doing, refine and bring “test” technologies into trends. Remember how much noise the triple camera module of the iPhone 11 Pro generated on the Internet: a flurry of memes, analytical articles, reviews. Apple is a recognized trendsetter in the industry. For example, it seems that there were wireless headphones before, but before AirPods came to the market they were not in great demand. Apple knows how to make a feature accessible and popular. By accessibility, we mean the ease of interaction with technology and how complex algorithms work quietly.

Why are the cameras in the new firmware so good? Apple engineers managed to make “seamless” switching between each module. The time lag is almost unnoticeable, and the difference between the contrast and color rendition of images from different cameras is minimized. In addition, you can record video from three cameras simultaneously: the Filmic Pro application displays the image from each module on the screen and allows you to switch between images. Imagine: to record an interview, you will soon no longer need a setup of three cameras at different points: close-up, medium and long shots are recorded immediately in one device. Yura Dud, we are waiting for new episodes filmed on iPhone 11 Pro! Of course, professional videographers will only laugh when reading these lines, but it’s all about trends! In the 2010s, for example, no one believed that a video camera could be replaced by a camera.

Portrait mode, introduced in 2016 with the iPhone 7 Plus, has been greatly improved, comes with a ton of AI algorithms, and is still one of the best on the market. Night photography was introduced to the iPhone camera system for the first time this year. One of the disadvantages of the chip was the inability to turn the mode on and off independently. The phone itself understands the lighting conditions in which you are shooting, and makes a choice for you whether you need to turn on the night mode. Controversial decision. However, the output images are natural and not noisy. In the future, most likely, Apple will give us the opportunity to choose independently. They made access to manual camera settings several generations ago in iOS. The good news is that the phone sees the plot the way we see it. Smartphones from other manufacturers often try to make day out of night or simply raise the ISO. You can read more about Apple's September presentation in our review.

Camera cheat sheet

Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note10 - learning to count!

While the hype around the controversial Galaxy Fold excites the minds of Internet users, I propose to guess the riddle: how many cameras do all modifications of the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Note10 have in total? The answer will surprise you - as many as 22! And this is not a typo. There are three models of the Galaxy S10 alone: ​​the Galaxy S10+ is equipped with five cameras. The regular “ten” has three rear cameras and one front camera, and the Galaxy S10e is equipped with two rear cameras and one front camera. In the Note line, everything is a little simpler - both modifications of the Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ are equipped with five cameras (four on the back + one front).

The Korean company has designed smartphones with truly powerful photo potential. The rear module is a “classic of 2019” - wide-angle lens, main module and telephoto. The ultra-wide camera has a higher resolution sensor to compensate for distortion and distortion. Samsung has been working with this format for several years, so wide-angle shots in the 10th generation Galaxy can be called the best to date.

Night shooting mode is implemented using a dual aperture f/1.5-f/2.4. The sensor records data even before the shutter button is pressed, and automatic algorithms select optimal exposure parameters and combine several frames into one. The result is good shadow detail and good dynamic range. The dual front camera module in the S10+ deserves special attention. The two sensors work in tandem to take selfies in portrait mode and feature a Live Focus feature that allows you to change the depth of field in post-processing. All five cameras record 4K UHD video, and there is a 960 fps super slow motion mode. In Full HD resolution, a super stabilization option is available, which allows you to get video that is comparable in smoothness to electronic gimbals.

The Galaxy Note10+ has a triple photo module. The characteristics of all cameras are similar to the Galaxy S10+. On the body you can see another small peephole - a 3D camera with a depth sensor. The device allows you to measure the parameters of physical objects using augmented reality, as well as create three-dimensional 360-degree photos of objects. Impressive? In addition, the “basic” versions of the new Galaxy are much cheaper than Apple’s competitors.

Camera cheat sheet

Galaxy S10+
	Wide angle camera	Main camera	Telephoto camera	Front camera (dual module)
Viewing angle
Diaphragm
Permission				10 MP + 8 MP
Optical stabilization			no, only software

Huawei P30 Pro and HONOR 20 Pro - price and functionality ratio

In light of the latest stories with Android and the American market, Huawei is having a hard time right now. Despite this, the manufacturer represents an important niche in the photo smartphone market - the buyer acquires extensive functionality at a price significantly lower than that of competitors. In addition, this is not the first camera phone released by Huawei in collaboration with Leica - Huawei P30 Pro.

The rear camera has four lenses. Shirik and telephoto work together with a super-sensitive 40 MP lens and a special TOF lens. The hybrid zoom of the telephoto gives 10x zoom. Maximum light sensitivity is ISO 409,600. It sounds like a marketing gimmick, but the device takes really good pictures in low light conditions. The TOF camera mentioned above analyzes the depth of the frame and helps with background blur or frame stabilization. All this is under the strict guidance of artificial intelligence. It turns out that Huawei has the most “intelligent” camera, predicting shooting scenarios and finalizing the shot for you. Of course, you can turn this off if you wish. However, intelligent modes cope with their professional duties quite adequately. Similar to the iPhone, the P30 Pro has the ability to record video from multiple cameras simultaneously, without even needing third-party software. The device attracts with its price - for 60 thousand rubles we get a modern smartphone with the latest developments in software and hardware and 256 GB of memory on board. Huawei captivates with numbers in price and matrix resolution: 40 + 20 + 8 MP rear module and 32 MP front camera. But not just megapixels - the picture quality can be decent even at 12 megapixels. From the point of view of hardware, everything in the P30 Pro is also very vigorous: the device is built on the basis of its own Kirin 980 chip, which you can read about on our website.

Under the Honor brand, which Huawei positions as a product for creative youth, the flagship 20 Pro is presented, which has a complete creative toolkit. For just over 30 thousand rubles, the buyer will receive 256 gigabytes of memory and the same four rear cameras. There will even be more megapixels here - 48 megapixel main camera and 32 megapixel front camera. The phone can easily live a full working day under heavy load thanks to the 4000 mAh battery. 20 Pro is built on the same Kirin 980, which is installed in the “older” P30 Pro. The variety of functions and modern trends bring the Honor 20 Pro into the flagship line, and the image quality is much inferior to phones from a more expensive price segment. Hybrid superzoom (30 megapixels) and night photography are here, but they were added rather to meet trends. Honor 20 Pro is a camera phone balanced in price and characteristics, clearly outperforming competitors in the price range up to 40 thousand. On our website you can read a report from the presentation and a first look at the Honor 20 Pro.

Camera cheat sheet

Huawei P30 Pro
		Wide angle camera		Main camera		Telephoto camera
Focal length		16 millimeters (120 degrees)		27 millimeters		125 millimeters
Diaphragm
Permission
Optical stabilization
Hhonor20Pro
	Wide angle camera		Main camera		Telephoto camera		Macro camera
Focal length	18 millimeters (120 degrees)		28 millimeters		80 millimeters
Diaphragm
Permission
Optical stabilization

Google Pixel 3 is a no-frills classic

Smartphones from the Android manufacturer have long established themselves as reliable devices at an attractive price. “Pixels” are not so popular in Russia, but the model will gain enough fans. The smartphone is loved for its stock Android and wide customization options.

Surprisingly, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL only have one rear camera. Compared to previous competitors, it’s even somehow awkward. Nevertheless, the 12.2 megapixel camera pleases with good pictures in low light conditions and Dual Pixel phase detection autofocus. The maximum open aperture - f/1.8 - produces natural bokeh that is quite good for a smartphone, which is combined with the work of artificial intelligence algorithms. 4K video recording is available using optical and software stabilization.

The single rear camera is compensated by a dual front camera. There are two cameras installed here - an 8 MP wide-angle and a telephoto with f/1.8 aperture. Don't forget about the Google Photo service, which will help you save space on your phone - Pixel users have unlimited storage for photos and videos. The camera also integrates the Google Lens application, which works in augmented reality and helps you recognize and find real-life objects on the Internet.

In addition, on October 15, the company will present a new generation of Pixel, where it is expected that the rear camera module will be similar, at least externally, to the iPhone 11 Pro. We will follow the presentation of the new product.

Slow motion is becoming increasingly popular, so it's no surprise that manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, Huawei and others are improving this feature and offering more features and better quality.

In this article, we will share some tips and tricks for shooting slow motion videos using your Android smartphone.

What is slow motion mode

This mode is also called "Slow motion". This feature allows you to record video at a high number of frames per second to play it back in slow motion. This can be used, for example, to highlight something funny or beautiful, or to show in detail some fast and complex process.

More and more manufacturers are offering this feature on their devices. Image quality and recording speed are gradually improving, and shooting at up to 960 frames per second is now possible.

This technology appeared on the Sony Xperia XZ Premium with the Motion Eye sensor. You can see video examples from this device below.

The duration of a slow motion recording is usually a couple of seconds. When playing in slow motion, the duration, of course, increases, but sometimes it is difficult to catch exactly the moment when you need to turn on the slow motion mode. Samsung smartphones have a feature that automatically detects when it would be ideal to start recording in slow motion.

How to Shoot a Video in Slow Motion

The main difficulty is to capture the scene at the right moment. In a spontaneous situation, this is almost impossible, so be prepared to shoot only pre-planned videos. If you have everything prepared in advance and you know when to activate the Slow motion mode, you can achieve good results.

First, make sure the scene itself is set up (distance, light, etc.). It's also important to know if there's a delay between when you turn on slow motion mode and when it actually activates. If so, perhaps you should practice turning on the mode in advance.

Already familiar with slow-motion, are you filming or just planning? It seems that this type is already in the past: the era of super slow motion is coming. Super Slow-Motion videos.

Everything you've forgotten about the Samsung Galaxy S9+ camera

I've been testing the Samsung S9+ camera for a month now. Although tests DxO OnePlus is also put in first place; real tests in automatic mode show the complete superiority of Korean developers.

Should we be surprised?

The smartphone itself selects the appropriate aperture value and regulates the flow of light entering the sensor, instantly sending the image to the camera’s own memory, and processing it with the built-in DSP processor.

At this time, the central processor is free from processing, so all its resources are directed to the camera application: focusing, zooming, automatically selecting appropriate camera settings and adjusting color/white balance.

Thanks to the incredible speed of all components, the developers have realized ultra-high-speed shooting at 960 fps, previously available only in professional slow-motion cameras for shooting special effects or fast-moving processes.

We can say that testing the super slow-motion mode of the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (the S9 also has it) called Super Slow-Motion became for me a kind of symbol of the superiority of its camera: the capabilities of professionals in a small, grippy flagship.

It's time to figure out how Super Slow-Motion works and what it can do.

Super Slo-mo against competitors

Super Slow-Motion- several unique slow motion modes with a frequency of 960 frames per second. An incredibly cool feature.

What's unique about 960 frames per second? This is exactly 4 times higher than the capabilities of the iPhone X camera module, which shoots basic images for smartphones. 240 frames! Other photo flagships from Huawei, Google (Pixel), ZTE and even action video cameras lag behind just as much.

During normal playback, 1 second of slow motion turns into 4. Too little to keep a bullet flying🔫 or a drop of water💧 falling.

As a rule, cameras offer to shoot short slow-mo video at one speed. If you need more than just a storyboard of movements, you have to either reduce the number of frames per minute using a video editor, or use a second camera.

Lifehack. With the Galaxy S9+, you can shoot without interruption: increasing the shooting speed to the limit only for the necessary scenes while recording video at normal speed.

Shooting is possible in two modes: either only until the end of recording the Slow-mo section ( "One Shot"), or repeatedly within one regular video ( "A few shots"). In manual or automatic mode, your choice.

A small nuance: competitors like the iPhone X and Huawei P20 shoot videos at 240 frames per second at FullHD resolution (1920x1080), while Samsung's Super Slow-Motion video resolution is always HD (1240x720).

In fact, the difference is almost unnoticeable: even professionals today shoot special effects with this resolution, performing software processing in the final part of the editing.

How to use Super Slow-mo

ATTENTION. The recording time for 960fps video is limited to 0.2 seconds. When shooting several Slow-Motion scenes in one video, the maximum time is no more 6.4 seconds.

Step 1. Selecting a mode and setting up the capture area

1.1. Launch the stock camera application. At the top, swipe to select a mode Super Slow-Motion.

1.2. Displayed in the center bright yellow frame– Super Slow-Motion motion capture area.

Note. To move the frame of the capture area, you need to touch the center and drag it to the desired location. To change the size of the zone, you need to drag the corner of the selected area.

Step 2: Select a Shooting Mode

2.1. In the settings, select the super slow-mo video recording mode (auto or manual), the shooting type (single Slow-mo or series).

Note. On “automatic”, the smartphone monitors the zone indicated on the smartphone screen and switches to shooting 960 frames per second as soon as movement begins in it. In manual mode, you need to press the key next to the shutter button.

2.2. Let's go, we can shoot!

Step 3: Edit Video

3.1. Finish recording.

3.2. Go to the “Gallery”, where you can proceed to editing using advanced built-in editor.

3.3. Conduct video editing. The editor provides operations for trimming, adding music, converting Slow-Motion to standard speed (30 fps), converting video to GIF (played at 30 fps).

Note. There are 3 playback options available for GIF animation: infinite, inverse, or variable (back and forth).

An example of a GIF animation created using the Galaxy S9+

Example of Super Slow-Motion on Galaxy S9+. Automatic capture mode

Example video with several Super-Slow Motion elements. Automatic capture mode

Example of a single Super Slow-Motion. Manual capture mode

Example of Super Slow-Motion. A luminous object in complete darkness. Manual capture mode

Features of slow motion on Samsung Galaxy S9+

The compact dimensions of the optical system of a smartphone also impose restrictions on shooting super slow-motion video. There are few of them, but it is better to prepare in advance.

During high-speed shooting, much less light reaches the camera sensor than for regular photography, so Super Slow-Motion mode requires good lighting. The ideal option would be daylighting and incandescent lamps.

Any LED and halogen lamps flicker in time with the pulses of their circuit (transformer or capacitor). During high-speed shooting their flicker is captured, which appears in the video as strobe effect.

We must remember that the Super Slow-Motion recording area is limited 0.2 seconds. This is less than a human reaction time to trigger, so in order not to miss the right moment, it is worth combining automatic motion capture and recording several super slow-motion moments in one video.

Shooting Super Slow-mo without a tripod is not a pleasant experience. Camera stabilizer for super slow motion recording does not work, and the trembling of hands in the recording is more noticeable than ever.

Also because of this automatic capture is triggered, since when the smartphone shakes, objects begin to move in relation to it.

Why Super Slow-Motion is a new breakthrough?

Evaluating new technologies is always difficult: in comparison with ideas worked out in the past, there are a lot of shortcomings. However, Super Slow-Motion leaves a pleasant impression of a refined technology suitable for amateur and professional applications.

The new recording mode allows you to abandon semi-professional equipment for special effects shooting, sporting events or important moments in life - any dynamic scenes that you want to capture in one frame.

Exactly 960 fps You need a video camera to have time to save the torn tape at the finish line, to capture the moment of hooking a large fish, to keep up with the movements of animals in the wild.

The usual 240 frames are only enough for ordinary human movements, which are quite slow compared to the events described.

Super Slow-Motion on the Galaxy S9+ becomes more difficult to use in low light, but a tripod and auto mode make it possible to shoot great slow-motion videos.

Who doesn't love taking photos? Everyone loves photography! Well, with the rare exception of the owners of the Taiwanese company HTC One M8. Be that as it may, even the owner of the best camera phone will eventually want more from it. It doesn’t matter at all what it will be: a more convenient interface, time-lapse photography or the ability to create panoramas. The main thing is that there is no need to change your smartphone to one with the appropriate capabilities. Special applications from will help expand the basic functionality of the camera, the best of which we will now get acquainted with.

If you are a fan, then your journey into the world of photo masterpieces is worth starting with this program. It has more than enough advantages.

Firstly, the ability to add blur effects to already created frames, and secondly, the creation of the so-called photosphere and 360-degree panorama. And, of course, an intuitive interface, which is characteristic of almost every product of the search giant.

Camera Zoom FX

According to our colleagues from phonearena, this application is a wonderful tool not only for capturing frames, but also for their subsequent processing. The first category includes a timer, voice activation, slow motion and many other features. The second is a decent number of preinstalled filters, bokeh and even collages. Impressive, right?

The main goal of Perfectly Clear is not to add an endless number of different filters. This application is designed to edit image imperfections created by your camera.

Here, a single click is enough for 12 automatic corrections, after which it will not be so easy to distinguish your shots from professional ones.

Camera FV-5

Tired of boring interfaces and simple settings? Do you miss manual settings of almost every parameter? Pay attention to Camera FV-5. Its creators set the task of recreating the interface and, accordingly, the settings of digital SLR cameras. It is worth noting that they did it very successfully.

The number of filters on the most popular social network for publishing photos of your lunch does not exceed 20 copies. For some, of course, this will not seem enough. It is for such users that Vignette was created - an application that contains more than 70 customizable filters and 50 frames.

Perhaps this is enough even for the most notorious amateurs.

What aids do you use to create masterpieces? Share your answers below.