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Posts Tagged ‘dualcamera’

Lawsuit claims Apple’s dual-camera setup in recent iPhones infringes on 2003 patent

12 Oct

A lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday claims the cameras in Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus and newer dual-camera models infringe on a patent that was granted in 2003 and is based on an invention from 1999.

Plaintiffs Yanbin Yu and Zhongxuan Zhang allege Apple’s dual-cameras are in infringement of U.S. Patent No. 6,611,289 for “Digital cameras using multiple sensors with multiple lenses”.

The patent describes methods for capturing multiple images using multiple lens and sensor arrays. The patent focuses on a four-camera setup that captures images on monochrome sensors and merges them into a single color image. According to the lawsuit Apple was aware of the existing patent as early as 2011.

The complaint also alleges that Apple’s own multi-sensor camera patent No. 8,115,825, “Electronic device with two image sensors.” which was filed for in 2008 and granted in 2012, claimed “many of the same features” as the patent from Yu and Zhang.

The plaintiffs note that Apple made significant investments into its dual-camera technology, acquiring 3D sensor specialist PrimeSense in 2013 and camera technology company LinX Imaging in 2015 but did not seek to license Yu and Zhang’s patent, launching several iPhone models knowing they were infringing on somebody else’s patent.

This is not the first time Apple has camera-related legal problems. Earlier this year Israel-based company CorePhotonics also files a lawsuit against the US company. We’ll continue to keep an eye on both cases.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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HTC unveils the U12+: Brings back the dual-camera and adds 4K 60p video

25 May

With the release of the HTC One M8 in 2014, HTC was a true dual-camera pioneer; unfortunately, that phone was also slightly ahead of its time. The One M8’s camera only had a lukewarm reception, and overall the device did not prove to be particularly popular. As a consequence, HTC dropped the dual-camera concept after the M8… until now. HTC has finally rejoined the ranks of dual-camera proponents with the launch of the brand new HTC U12+.

Building on the camera performance of last year’s U11+, the new model appears to have a lot to offer mobile photographers.

The main camera features a 1/2.55? 12MP sensor with stabilized F1.75 aperture lens and 27mm-equivalent focal length. The secondary 2x optical zoom camera features a 16MP pixel count and 54mm equivalent focal length. The aperture is F2.6. The autofocus combines PDAF and laser technology and there are also a “Pro” photography mode for manual control and RAW-support, as well as a background-blurring portrait mode.

On the video side of things, the HTC U12+ is capable of capturing movies at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second which is still quite an unusual feature on a smartphone. 240 fps slow-motion is available at 1080p Full-HD resolution. The front camera also comes with a dual-camera setup. However, unlike the main shooter it is not optimized for zooming but instead designed for creating a natural-looking bokeh effect in portrait mode.

Here’s a quick video into to the new smartphone and all its “bigger, bolder and edgier” features:

Other specifications include Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB of RAM and a 18:9 6-inch Super LCD6 display that supports HDR10 and DCI-P3 and comes with a 1,440 x 2,280 pixel resolution. The phone comes with 64GB or 128GB of storage that can be expanded via microSD card, and all components are housed in an IP68 certified body.

With the addition of the secondary tele-camera, on paper the new HTC looks like a very solid upgrade over its predecessor. We’ll have to wait and see what the camera is capable of in real-life shooting situations.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Apple patent describes dual-live-view for dual-camera smartphones

12 May

A new patent application from Apple describes an interesting, alternative approach to displaying live view images from dual-camera-equipped smartphones when you’re trying to frame a shot.

On Apple’s current dual-camera phones—the iPhones 7 Plus, 8 Plus and X—the image data from both sensors is merged computationally to provide a seamless zoom experience. The end user can’t tell if they’re looking at a live-view image captured by the main camera, by the tele-camera, or a combination of both. The concept is the same for tele-camera phones from most other manufacturers.

The system described in the patent works differently. It shows the images from both cameras simultaneously, side-by-side. This would allow users to compare the field-of-view of both lenses, and pick the one they prefer.

According to the patent, the dual-view mode would allow for independent zooming and panning of each camera view. In theory, the photographer could take two photos simultaneously, each with different zoom factor and framing. The system would work in the same way in video mode, letting the shooter focus on a particular detail of a scene while simultaneously recording the wider context.

As usual, there is no way of knowing if this idea will ever make it into a production device, especially since the current way of dealing with dual-camera live images is arguably easier and clearer to most users. But as a user-selectable alternative mode, the system described in the patent application actually makes a lot of sense.

Let us know what you think of this idea in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Xiaomi unveils Mi 6X with dual-camera and AI-powered scene detection

25 Apr

Dual-camera equipped devices have really been taking off this year, and with the Mi 6X, Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has just thrown its hat into the dual-cam ring as well. As has been the norm with virtually all recent device launches, Xiaomi is putting a lot of emphasis on the Mi 6X camera capabilities: claiming the new model competes with rivals such as the iPhone X or OPPO R15 in the imaging department.

We’ll have to get hands on a test unit to confirm if that’s true, but the camera specs do look promising. The main camera uses a 1/2.9″12 MP Sony IMX486 sensor and F1.75 aperture lens. The secondary camera comes with a 1/2.78″ 20MP sensor and the same lens specifications as the main camera. Xiaomi says the secondary camera uses a 4-to-1 pixel binning mode for reduced noise levels. It is also deployed to generate a fake-bokeh portrait mode.

The front camera uses the same Sony IMX376 sensor as the secondary unit, which should ensure image quality that is a cut above your average small-sensor front camera.

It’s not all about hardware, though. Like some other recent high-end devices, the Mi 6X uses artificial intelligence to detect more than 200 scene types and adjust camera settings automatically—including 12 different portrait scenes. According to Xiaomi, the AI algorithms are capable of learning, providing better detail and subject separation in portrait mode the longer you use it.

Non-camera specifications include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset, 4/64 GB, 6/64 GB, and 6/128 GB memory combinations and a 5.99-inch LCD display with Full HD+ resolution. Security is covered with a fingerprint reader on the back and Face Unlock support.

Pricing is in line with Xiaomi’s tagline: “the same specifications, at half the price.” In China, prices start from CNY 1,599 (approximately $ 250 USD) which, considering the specifications, makes the Mi 6X an enticing option. The global version of the device will likely be called Mi A2 but no international pricing information has been provided yet.

More information, including some camera samples, is available on the Xiaomi website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony is working on high-sensitivity dual-camera setup

26 Feb

If you were hoping for the new Sony Xperia XZ2 models to feature a dual-camera setup, you were disappointed. Sony is by far the largest maker of image sensors but the Japanese manufacturer’s own smartphone models still have to make do without the dual-cam technology that has almost become a standard on high-end devices.

That said, there is a good chance the wait for a Sony-branded dual-camera smartphone might be worth it. Sony executives told us the company was working on a dual-camera solution that would allow for low light shooting with ultra-high sensitivities – ISO 51200 in stills mode and ISO 12800 for video.

A test scene with extremely low illumination inside a black box is used to demonstrate the performance of the the dual-cam prototype (top) compared to a current model (bottom).

No further technical detail was provided at this point but given the camera module will be powered by a new “Fusion” Image Signal Processor, it’s fair to assume the high sensitivities will be achieved by some kind of computational imaging process, merging image data captured simultaneously on the two sensors of the dual-camera.

This is not a totally new concept – for example Huawei is merging image data from an RGB and a monochrome sensor on some of its dual-camera models – but given Sony’s bold high ISO claims there is a good chance its engineers have found another secret ingredient to boost performance to new levels.

Sony claims the new system is pushing smartphone low light performance into ILC territory.

A low-light demo setup behind the scenes at the Sony booth shows that the new system is capable of capturing good exposures in extremely dim lighting. Given Sony’s typical announcement cycles, we’ll probably have to wait around 6 months (i.e. until IFA in September) to see how the system performs in a production device but it’s definitely something to look forward to.

The Fusion ISP is an essential component in Sony’s upcoming low-light dual-camera setup.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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OnePlus 5T unveiled: edge-to-edge display and a dual-camera optimized for low light

17 Nov

OnePlus has just launched its latest smartphone, the OnePlus 5T. The 5T carries over most of the internal components, including the Snapdragon 835 chipset, from its predecessor the OnePlus 5, but comes with a very obvious change on the exterior: The AMOLED screen now features an 18:9 aspect ratio and covers almost the entire front of the device, as it is en vogue this year.

Another important change can be found in the camera department: The 5T comes with the same 16MP main camera as the OnePlus 5, but instead of a telephoto module the secondary camera slot now houses a 20MP sensor that has been optimized for low-light performance.

Like on the main camera, the sensor is coupled with a fast F1.7 aperture, but is using what OnePlus calls ‘Intelligent Pixel Technology’ to merge four pixels into one, reducing image noise and improving sharpness. The system kicks in at light levels lower than 10 Lux… which is pretty dim.

Of course, a background-blurring portrait mode is on board as well, and a new multi-frame algorithm helps improve image quality when using the function in low light. OnePlus also says the new camera setup offers a similar zoom performance to the OnePlus 5’s camera.

Most other components, including the unibody metal shell, remain unchanged from the OnePlus 5. The 5T will be available from November 21st at $ 500 for the 64GB model with 6GB or RAM, and $ 560 for the 128GB version with 8GB of RAM. This makes the smartphone, like its predecessors, a real bargain when compared to most competitors.

We have our hands on a test device, and are eager to check the performance of the new dual-camera over the coming days.

Key specifications:

  • Dual-camera
  • Main camera: Sony IMX 398 1/2.8″ 16MP sensor, F1.7,
  • Secondary camera: Sony IMX 376K 1/2.78″ 20MP sensor, F1.7
  • 27.22mm equivalent focal length
  • Dual-LED flash
  • 4K video at 30 fps
  • 720p slow-motion at 120 fps
  • Manual mode and Raw capture
  • 16MP / F2.0 front camera
  • 6″ 1080p AMOLED display, 18:9 aspect ratio
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset
  • 64/128GB storage, 6/8GB RAM
  • 3,300 mAh battery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Corephotonics sues Apple over dual-camera zoom patents

08 Nov

Israel-based company Corephotonics—which is best known for its smartphone dual-camera systems—has filed a patent infringement case against Apple in federal court. The company claims that has used Corephotonics’ dual-camera zoom technology in the iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus without authorization.

According to the complaint, Corephotonics Chief Executive David Mendlovic had attempted to negotiate a partnership with Apple. However, while Corephotonics received positive feedback on their technology from Apple, the iPhone makers refused a licensing deal, suggesting Corephotonics patents could be infringed with little consequence.

From the lawsuit:

As one of its first acts as a company, Corephotonics reached out to Apple in the hopes of establishing a strategic partnership. Corephotonics received many encouraging reports and positive feedback from Apple about its technology, but the parties never concluded a license to the Corephotonics technology.

In fact, after one failed effort to negotiate a license, Apple’s lead negotiator expressed contempt for Corephotonics’ patents, telling Dr. Mendlovic and others that even if Apple infringed, it would take years and millions of dollars in litigation before Apple might have to pay something.

Corephotonics investors include Foxconn and chipmaker MediaTek, which are both suppliers to Apple. In the lawsuit the company is represented by legal firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, which also advised Samsung Electronics on its patent litigation with Apple.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Galaxy Note 8 to feature 3x zoom dual-camera

02 Aug

After the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, the upcoming Note 8 launch will be crucial to Samsung for recapturing consumer trust and confidence. And judging by a new leak, mobile photographers should have a lot to look forward to on the new model.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, the division of Samsung that develops smartphone camera modules, has posted a document that explains in detail how dual-cameras and related features and special modes work. The Note 8 is widely rumored to be Samsung’s first dual-camera device, which makes it a safe bet to assume the online guide is referring to the upcoming model.

According to the document the camera module will feature a Super Night Shot mode that combines image data from both sensors for better low light performance, and a 3D Depth feature that uses depth data to blur the background of an image and lets you refocus after capture. There’ll also be improved HDR processing and and a couple of depth-related special modes.

However, the most interesting part of the document compares image output from a 3x optical zoom to a digital zoom. Samsung calls the feature Smart Zoom, which could indicate that optical zoom is combined with some sort of intelligent digital zoom to achieve a 3x zoom factor, but we’ll have to wait for the launch on the 23rd of August to get more detail.

In the meantime you can have a look at dual-camera guide on the Samsung Electro-Mechanics website for more information.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Android creator Andy Rubin reveals modular Essential phone with dual-camera

30 May

After a prolonged period of teasers and speculation, Android creator Andy Rubin’s new company Essential has released its first smartphone. The new brand’s debut model is an uncompromising high-end device, with premium components and materials all around. The Essential’s body is made of titanium and ceramic and the front is almost entirely covered by a 5.71″  QHD edge-to-edge display with a 19:10 aspect ratio. 

The built-in camera uses a concept similar as Huawei’s latest flagships Mate 9 and P10, combining a 13MP RGB sensor with a 13MP monochrome chip. Image data from both sensors is merged for optimal image quality. Both lenses come with fast F1.85 apertures but there is no talk of optical stabilization. A hybrid autofocus system combines contrast, phase detect and IR laser assist methods. The front camera is capable of capturing 8MP still images or 4K video clips.

Other components include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, 4GB of RAM, a 3040mAh battery and 128GB of internal storage. Unfortunately there are no microSD-slot or 3.5mm headphone jack. One of the Essential’s most interesting features are two connectors at the back, though. They allow for the attachment of accessory modules, similar to what we’ve seen on the Motorola Moto Z line of devices. The first available module is a tiny 360-degree camera, which can shoot spherical UHD (3840×1920) video at 30 fps. 

The Essential Phone will be available in four colors, Black Moon, Stellar Grey, Pure White and Ocean Depths and cost you $ 699 on its own or $ 749 when bundled with the 360-degree camera. You can pre-order from today but there’s no information on shipping dates yet. 

Key specifications:

  • Dual 13MP camera (RGB/Monochrome sensors)
  • F1.85 aperture
  • Hybrid AF with contrast, phase detect and IR laser assist methods
  • 4K video
  • 8MP/4K front camera
  • Android 7.1.1
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
  • 4GB RAM / 128GB storage
  • 5.71″ QHD edge-to-edge display with a 19:10 aspect ratio

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Samsung patent shows dual-camera tracking feature

04 Jan

2016 was a breakthrough-year for the dual-camera concept on smartphones, with several models being launched. Notably the largest manufacturer of Android smartphones, Samsung, has so far not participated in the dual-camera game. This appears to be changing however, as a patent application has been filed with the South Korean Patent Office suggests that the tech giant is at least considering smartphone models with dual-cameras. The patent suggests that the phone would feature two different focal lengths, similar to what we have already seen on the LG G5 or Apple iPhone 7 Plus.

The patent application is for a specific dual-camera feature that allows for tracking a moving subject with the preview-image of the wide-angle lens and then capturing it larger in the frame with the tele-lens. In the images included in the patent application the frame lines of the tele-image are superimposed onto the wide-angle image, which should make it easier to follow a fast moving subject. 

As usual, there is no way of knowing if the concept will ever make it into a final product but the system certainly looks possible to implement with current technologies. We probably should not expect a dual-cam in Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S8 flagship but after the Galaxy Note 7 disaster the Korean manufacturer could certainly do with a stand-out feature in one of its next models to recover lost market share.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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