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Posts Tagged ‘Lenovo’

Lenovo unveils 21.5″ Smart Frame wall screen for displaying digital images and artwork

08 Jan

Lenovo has introduced a new product for displaying albums of digital images as art in one’s home or office. Called the Smart Frame, this new connected 21.5-inch display is designed to look like a large picture frame, blending in with one’s existing decor to showcase the user’s own images or a selection of licensed artwork stored in the cloud.

The Lenovo Smart Frame is designed for use with the company’s snap-on mounting system, which enables the user to rotate the image from portrait to landscape modes for displaying different types of images and artwork. Buyers are given the option of choosing different frame materials and colors to match their existing decor.

A built-in color tone sensor monitors the ambient lighting in the room where the Smart Frame is mounted and automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness for what Lenovo claims is ‘a more natural and aesthetic viewing experience.’ The display has an anti-glare matte finish for a realistic, viewable experience during daylight hours.

According to Lenovo, the Smart Frame uses an AI to curate the user’s own photo album, selecting the highest quality images to create digital collages that show multiple photos at once. As well, the device comes with a companion app that offers access to hundreds of pieces of artwork.

Lenovo plans to launch the Smart Frame in North America in August with a starting price of $ 400.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lenovo teases Z5 Pro smartphone with quad-camera module

10 Oct

You thought smartphone manufacturers would stop at three cameras in a device? Think again. Lenovo has been teasing its upcoming Z5 Pro high-end device with a quad-camera and just confirmed that one of the four cameras will have a 2x telephoto lens.

Four sample images from the telephoto module have been posted on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Image size has been reduced, so it’s difficult to judge image detail and noise. That said, the samples look pretty promising in terms of dynamic range and color.

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What we don’t know at this point is what specification the remaining three cameras will come with. It’s fair to assume one of them will be a regular wide angle. The other two could be a super-wide-angle, monochrome camera, a simple depth-sensor for a simulated bokeh effect or even a longer telephoto than 2x.

Looking at the teaser image above the lenses will be arranged in a square with a flash LED at the center. Non-camera specs are firmly located in high-end territory, with a large 6.5-inch QHD+ screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6/8GB of RAM, 64-256GB of internal storage and a 4,000mAh battery.

The Lenovo Z5 Pro launch date is set for October 16, so we should know everything about the new quad-camera around this time next week.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lenovo Moto G5 Plus camera first impressions review

27 Feb

Lenovo has launched the latest model of its Moto sub-brand at the Mobile World Congress. The Moto G5 Plus is the successor to last year’s Moto G4 Plus and, like its predecessor, an upper mid-range device that puts a lot of emphasis on camera performance. For the new model’s camera resolution has been reduced from 16MP to 12MP and, with a 1.4µm pixel size, on-sensor phase detection and very fast F1.7 aperture, the main camera specifications look very similar to the Samsung Galaxy S7’s minus the optical image stabilization.

On the video side of things the camera is capable of recording clips with 1080p Full-HD resolution and front camera specification remains unchanged with a 5MP sensor and F2.2 aperture. Compared to the predecessor the size of the IPS display has been reduced from 5.5″ to 5.2″, making the G5 Plus a little more compact, but the 1080p Full-HD resolution remains unchanged. The metal frame is a little more sturdy and gives the entire device more of a premium touch than its predecessor.

The fingerprint sensor at the front now also serves as a touchpad, replacing the Android function buttons. Android 7.0 is powered by a Snapdragon 625 chipset and 2GB of RAM. 32 or 64GB of onboard-storage can be expanded via a microSD slot. The non-removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery supports fast charging and, unlike Lenovo’s high-end Moto Z models, the G5 Plus still features a 3.5mm headphone-jack.

  • 12MP CMOS sensor with 1.4µm pixel size
  • F1.7 aperture
  • On-sensor phase detection
  • 1080p video
  • 5MP / F2.2 front camera
  • Manual control over shutter speed
  • 5.2″ 1080p IPS display
  • Android 7.0
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset
  • 2GB RAM
  • 32/64GB storage
  • 3000 mAh battery with fast charging

We have had the chance to use the Moto 5G Plus for a few days before launch and were impressed by the speedy general operation and how solid the new model feels in the hand. We have also shot a good number of sample images with the camera in a variety of situations. 

Image Quality

In our brief test we found the Moto G5 Plus to capture good detail, especially in lower light, good exposures and pleasant colors across the ISO range. In the ISO 50 image below some slight smearing of fine detail is noticeable at a 100% view but overall fine textures are rendered nicely and luminance noise in the blue sky is very well under control. Some highlight clipping is visible in bright areas of the frame but it’s well within acceptable limits for this class of device.  

 ISO 50, 1/1622 sec

In sunlight colors are pleasant with a slightly warm touch. At close subject distance, like in the image below, the combination of a 1/2.5″ sensor with a very fast F1.7 aperture allows for some blurring of the background.  

 ISO 50, 1/2240 sec

Thanks to its fast aperture the Moto G5 Plus can keep the ISO low in indoor scenes like the one below. That said, in low light the camera is slightly more prone to camera shake than models equipped with optical image stabilization.

 ISO 160, 1/30 sec

The camera’s white balance system deals well with artificial indoor lighting. In the ISO 250 image below fine detail is starting to suffer a little bit but both luminance and chroma noise are very well under control. 

 ISO 250, 1/30 sec

The indoor portrait below shows good detail and natural skin tones. The 1/30 sec shutter speed usually still gets you shake-free images.

 ISO 400, 1/30 sec

For low-light shots like the one below, shutter speed is reduced to 1/15 sec and the camera engages a multi-frame night mode. There is now noticeably more noise in the image, especially the shadow areas, but the overall tonality is very pleasant and edge detail is still very well defined. The Moto G5 Plus is performing well in these light conditions.

 ISO 500, 1/15 sec

The night shot below shows very good exposure, color and detail, considering the low light levels. Edges are very well defined and fine textures are still visible as well. Noise is noticeable when the image is viewed at a 100% magnification but finely grained and overall very well controlled. 

 ISO 640, 1/15 sec

Special modes

Panorama mode remains a bit of a weakness in the Moto camera app. The images tend to show good exposure and color but, compared to some competitors, are pretty small. In scenes with several moving subjects ghosting artifacts are almost unavoidable.

Panorama 2704 x 920 pixels

As you can see in the samples below, HDR mode is capable of maintaining better highlight detail than standard exposures. It also slightly lifts the shadows, making for a more balanced overall exposure in high-contrast scenes.

 ISO 50, 1/3763 sec, HDR off
  ISO 50, 1/3618 sec, HDR on

First impressions

We are hoping to spend more time with the Moto G5 Plus soon, but after our first brief test the new model looks, like its predecessor, like a great option for mobile photographers who don’t want to spend iPhone or Galaxy S money. The Moto G5 Plus offers responsive operation in all situations and very decent image quality across the ISO range. We especially liked the textures and low noise levels in low light scenes. 

In terms of build quality the new model is a step up from last years G4 Plus as well and the touchpad-style fingerprint reader is an interesting touch. At its retail price point of $ 299 the Lenovo Moto G5 Plus looks like a great package for mobile photographers and general users alike. 

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lenovo pushing Moto Mod development through design contest and hackathon

05 Nov

Lenovo’s Moto Z series, which was introduced earlier this year, is compatible with a range of accessory modules called Moto Mods. So far the Moto Mod line includes a speaker, a projector, a battery pack and the Hasselblad True Zoom camera module. When we tested the latter we found the Moto Mod concept to be the by far best modular smartphone system we have seen so far. The modules attach magnetically to the phone and work instantly, without a need to reboot the device, configure wireless connections or adjust any settings.

Nevertheless, since the Hasselblad True Zoom we have not seen any new Moto Mods and in the long run the system can only be a commercial success if customers have a large Moto Mod ecosystem to choose from. Lenovo is aware of this and has launched several initiatives to encourage third party hardware and software developers to work on new Moto Mod modules. The Moto Mods Developer Kit (MDK) has been available since the launch of the first modules, but from now until the end of January 2017 hardware developers can design a Moto Mod and enter a competition to win a Moto Z smartphone. Additionally, Lenovo will be hosting a couple of Moto Mod hackathons, one in New York City in December and another in January in San Francisco.

Winners of both the design contest and the hackathons will have the opportunity to meet the Moto Mod development team at Lenovo’s subdivision Motorola in Chicago and potentially receive investment to turn their idea into a product. Developers who design prototypes will also have the chance to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. Experts from Indiegogo will help run the campaign and Moto and Verizon will help promote the best projects with current Moto Z owners.

We really liked the Moto Mod concept when we tested the Hasselblad True Zoom. However, with the latter targeted at a consumer audience, we would like to see somebody design an enthusiast or even pro level camera Moto Mod. What would your ideal camera mod look like? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lenovo announces Moto Z Play Android smartphone

04 Sep

Lenovo has announced the Moto Z Play smartphone at IFA in Berlin. The new model slots in below the Moto Z Force and Moto Z in Lenovo’s current smartphone lineup and, like its sister models, is compatible with the Moto Mod range of detachable accessory modules, including the also newly announced Hasselblad True Zoom camera module.

With a 16MP CMOS sensor, F2.0 aperture, on-sensor phase detection, laser-assisted AF and dual-LED flash the rear camera specification sounds very similar to the Moto G Plus that was announced back in May but, unlike the G Plus, the Moto Z Play is capable of recording 4K video. At the front the new device features a 5MP camera with a 85 degree angle of view and LED-flash.

Android 6.01 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset with  a 2 GHz Octa-Core CPU. The device comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 2TB via a microSD slot. Images can be viewed on a 5.5″ 1080p Full-HD Super AMOLED display and a fingerprint reader below the screen provides extra security.

The device body comes with a water repellent nano-coating and a USB Type-C port is used for charging and connection to other devices. Lenovo claims the 3510 mAh battery is good for 50 hours of mixed use, and it also features the company’s TurboPower quick-charging which can give you up to 10 hours of usage in only 15 minutes of charging. 

The Moto Z Play will be available worldwide in September for €499/$ 408.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lenovo announces Hasselblad True Zoom camera module for Moto Z smartphones

04 Sep

Lenovo offers a range of detachable smartphone accessory modules, called Moto Mods, for its Moto Z series smartphones. So far a power pack, a speaker and a mini-projector have been available. Now the company has launched a new addition at IFA in Berlin that is especially interesting to mobile photographers: the Hasselblad True Zoom.

As its name suggests the True Zoom camera module was developed in cooperation with Swedish camera maker Hasselblad, and with its 10x zoom lens and Xenon flash it converts any Moto Z device into a connected travel zoom camera. Like the other Moto Mods, the True Zoom is attached to the smartphone via magnetic force and can be used instantly – no need to restart the device or pair the phone. Communication between the devices takes place via a range of electronic contact pins.

The True Zoom’s body is made from a plastic material. Inside, images are captured on a 12MP 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor with a 1.55 um pixel size. The zoom lens offers an equivalent range of 25-250mm and a F3.5-6.5 aperture. Optical image stabilization is on board as well, and the module can record 1080p Full-HD video.

Currently compatible smartphone models are the Lenovo Moto Z, Moto Z Force and the just-announced Moto Z Play mid-range phone that comes with a 16MP camera, 5.5″ 1080p AMOLED display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor. We have had the chance to test the Hasselblad True Zoom on a Moto Z Force for a few days – you can read about our experience with the module in our hands-on review.

The Hasselblad True Zoom will ship globally in September and will cost $ 299/€299, or $ 249.99 from Verizon in the US.

Lenovo’s Moto Mod range includes a power pack, a speaker, a projector and now the new Hasselblad True Zoom camera module.

Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod key specifications:

  • 12MP 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor with 
  • 25-250mm equivalent 10x zoom lens
  • 12MP
  • F3.5-6.5 aperture
  • ISO 100 to 3200
  • 1080p video
  • 2 built-in microphones
  • Physical two-stage shutter button and zoom lever
  • Xenon flash
  • 145g

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lenovo Yoga Book features unique ‘on-demand’ keyboard

02 Sep

The Lenovo Yoga book is a thin and light 2-in-1 laptop with a metal body, watchband-style hinge, 10.1″ IPS display, Intel Atom X5 processor, 4GB of memory, 64GB of storage space and Dolby Atmos surround sound. It is available with Windows or running Google’s Android mobile OS.

What’s really unusual about it though, is its Halo ‘on-demand’ keyboard. The Halo keyboard does not have any physical keys but is a touchscreen on which keys appear with a solid white outline when they are activated or needed. Lenovo says the halo keyboard constantly adapts to the typing habits of its user and that the typing experience is comparable with that of a physical keyboard.

When the keyboard is not in use you can use the surface for writing or drawing with the real-pen stylus accessory. The real-pen can use real ink tips to write or draw onto a piece of paper covering the multi-use keyboard panel. It also works as a stylus when used straight on the panel. All writing or drawing is instantly digitized and saved in the note-saving app. The real-pen is powered by Wacom technology and offers 2,048 pressure levels and 100-degree angle detection.

Thanks to its unusual keyboard/graphics tablet combination the Yoga Book could be an interesting new option for image editing on the go. That said, its limited processor power does not make it look like an ideal solution for batch processing and other power-hungry tasks. In Europe the Yoga Book will be available this month. The Android version will cost €499 (approximately $ 560), the Windows version is €100 more. In the US, the Yoga Book will be sold online by the end of October but no pricing information has been released yet.

Press release:

LENOVO REVEALS THE YOGA™ BOOK – THE 2-IN-1 TABLET FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND CREATIVITY

YOGA BOOK RE-EXAMINES HOW A TABLET SHOULD LOOK AND ACT, WITH NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FEATURES SUCH AS AN INSTANT HALO KEYBOARD AND A DUAL-USE STYLUS THAT WRITES ON PAPER AND SCREEN

  • THE YOGA BOOK HARNESSES THE BEST OF THE TABLET WHILE INTRODUCING NEW PRODUCTIVITY AND CREATIVE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, WITH HALO KEYBOARD FEATURE, REAL-PEN ACCESSORY AND BOOK UI.
  • THE YOGA BOOK’S HALO KEYBOARD FEATURE WEAVES SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE INTO ONE INTERFACE, ALLOWING FOR A TYPING EXPERIENCE THAT FAR SURPASSES CONVENTIONAL TABLETS AND MATCHES THAT OF PHYSICAL KEYBOARDS.
  • DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM THE ELEGANCE AND SIMPLICITY OF NOTEBOOKS, THE YOGA BOOK’S REAL-PEN ACCESSORY ALLOWS USERS TO WRITE AND DRAW WITH PEN AND PAPER WHILE INSTANTLY DIGITIZING THEIR NOTES AND SKETCHES.
  • THE YOGA BOOK’S THIN AND LIGHT DESIGN, 15-HOUR BATTERY LIFE AND 360-DEGREE WATCHBAND HINGE GIVES ON-THE-GO TABLET USERS THE FREEDOM TO WRITE AND DRAW ANYWHERE, MATCHING THE MOBILITY OF A SMARTPHONE WITHOUT HAVING TO CARRY A LAPTOP OR DETACHABLE.
  • THE YOGA BOOK, AVAILABLE ON BOTH ANDROID AND WINDOWS, IS THE WORLD’S THINNEST AND LIGHTEST 2-IN-1 TABLET, AND A DIRECT RESPONSE TO USER DEMANDS FOR A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR PRODUCTIVITY ON TABLETS.

BERLIN, Germany – Aug. 31, 2016 – Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today launched the Yoga Book, the world’s thinnest and lightest 2-in-11 tablet, designed for unmatched productivity while on-the-go. Built for mobility and to solve the most common challenge among tablet users – how to achieve productivity and entertainment in one device – the Yoga Book is a tablet that looks and acts like no other. Up until now, we’ve been using tablets in ways we weren’t meant to: for productivity, for example, which becomes painful when typing or applying a stylus onto a touch screen that you’re using on-the-go. The Yoga Book removes that difficulty by taking the fundamental building blocks from the DNA of what makes a great tablet – namely portability, long battery life and a rich app ecosystem – and entwines it into a strand of creativity and productivity through a suite of powerful new hardware and software features, including:

  • The instant halo keyboard
  • The dual-use stylus that writes on paper and screen
  • The productivity-driven Book UI

Quote
“We set out to redefine the tablet category conundrum, namely that consumers no longer separate their activities into productivity and entertainment – it all blends together, and so should the device they use,” said Jeff Meredith, vice president and general manager, Android and Chrome Computing, Lenovo. “The Yoga Book introduces keyboard and handwriting input capability in an elegantly simple, unconventionally slender tablet design. We believe our unique design will offer tablet, 2-in-1 and traditional notebook buyers a first-of-its-kind option for evolving usage trends.”

Ultra-Thin and Light
With two panels that open up like an ultrathin notebook, the Yoga Book is unconventionally slender and light years removed from the tablet that you’re accustomed to using on the go or while sitting in your home. As the world’s thinnest 2-in-1, the Yoga Book is 9.6mm closed, tapering to 4.05mm at its slimmest edge – a thickness of just under three pennies. And because it’s also the lightest 2-in-1 in the world at 690 grams (1.52 pounds), the Yoga Book is made to match the mobility of a smartphone, so you can easily hold and carry, just like a book. Users who take the Yoga Book with them on day trips have the option to work anywhere – on a busy commute, in a packed waiting room or on a crowded countertop – if and when they feel like it, thanks to the thin and light design, 15-hour2 battery life and a watchband hinge that folds 360 degrees. And if users don’t feel like working, they’ll have a top-of-the-line entertainment tablet to keep them company, with a 10.1-inch IPS FHD screen, high-quality sound enhanced with Dolby Atmos® and 64GB of memory.

Instant Halo Keyboard
The Yoga Book’s first productivity feature is also what makes the thin and light design possible: the halo keyboard, a full touch screen backlit keyboard that weaves software and hardware into one fluid interface. The touch screen is made with glass that was meticulously chosen to give a rough, matte feel and finish, along with anti-glare coating to ensure the best possible touch-typing experience. The keyboard lacks any physical keys, showing up as a solid white outline on the Yoga Book’s second panel only when it’s needed. The halo keyboard constantly ‘learns about and adapts to’ the typing habits of its user, with built-in prediction and artificial learning software. This software also allows for continuous optimization. Along with built-in, sensitive haptic technology, which enables touch feedback to guide typing and reduce mistakes, the halo keyboard far surpasses the typing experience and speed of a normal tablet, and is comparable with that of a physical keyboard.

Real-Pen Accessory – Dual Use Stylus
The flush surface of the halo keyboard feature also allows for a few additional uses when paired with the Yoga Book’s standard real-pen accessory, a dual-use stylus. Inspired by the elegance and simplicity of real notebooks, Yoga Book is an acknowledgement that we all still love to write and draw on paper. Users can now write with the real-pen accessory that holds real ink tips onto a piece of paper or notepad covering the multi-use keyboard panel, or as a stylus when applied straight onto the panel. Everything they create, from doodles and drawings to notes, is instantly digitized and saved with the Lenovo note-saving app.3 Roughly the size of a conventional ink pen, the real-pen accessory is powered by Wacom feel™ IT technologies to work with the state-of-the-art electro-magnetic resonance (EMR) film housed within the multi-use keyboard, which enables this real-time digitization.

The multi-use keyboard and real-pen accessory recreate the natural feel of drawing flat on a paper surface instead of directly onto a computer screen, without having to block parts of the art work with the hand or stylus. Or you can draw directly on the screen as well, depending on preference. The real-pen accessory can draw with the precision of a pencil or paintbrush, with 2,048 pressure levels and 100-degree angle detection. In addition, you’ll never have to charge or replace it – the real-pen accessory doesn’t require batteries and its ink can be replaced with standard ink tips, just like that of a conventional pen.

Book UI and Hinge
As a 2-in-1 that weaves together both hardware and software, Yoga Book truly brings work and play into one tablet through the Book UI, the Yoga Book’s specially adapted Android 6.0 operating system that draws from the best UI features of laptops and tablets. The Book UI allows several apps to run at once through multiple windows that can be pinned, maximized or minimized, as well as a taskbar that keeps track of your apps and common Windows keyboard shortcuts and action keys. This additional new workload is easily handled by the Yoga Book’s powerful Intel® Atom™ X5 processor and 4GB of memory. And Windows users also have the option to work on that platform, as the Yoga Book is available on Windows 10.

Constructed from a combination of magnesium and aluminium alloys, the Yoga Book is robust in build and guaranteed to turn heads. As with all Yoga products, it has the distinctive watchband-style hinge. This time, the hinge is engineered to be smaller and features a custom-made three-axis hinge, with 130 different mechanical pieces comprising five different materials. Lab tested more than 25,000 times, the Yoga Book form offers a smooth, seamless transition between the four modes – Browse, Watch, Create and Type. The Yoga Book with Android is available in Gold or Gunmetal, while the Yoga Book with Windows comes in Carbon Black.

Pricing and Availability4
Pricing for the Yoga Book will start at €499 for the Android version and €599 for the Windows version. Pricing and availability may vary from country to country. All will be globally available beginning in September. In the US, the Yoga Book will be sold online by the end of October.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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First impressions review: Lenovo Moto Z Force shows promise

26 Jul

The Moto Z Force is Lenovo’s brand new, top-of-the-line smartphone. Currently exclusive to the Verizon network in the US as the Moto Z Force Droid Edition, we expect an international launch of the device in the near future. 

The device packs a 21MP image sensor with a 1.12 µm pixel size, an F1.8 aperture, on-sensor phase detection, laser-assisted AF and an optical image stabilization system into its camera module. The camera app offers full manual control and the Moto Z Force can save DNG Raw files with third party apps, such as Manual Camera.

The metal and glass body is just under 7mm thin and comes with a shatterproof 5.5″ Quad-HD AMOLED display and a beefy 3,500 mAh battery. The Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset and 4GB of RAM. Mobile photographers will also appreciate the microSD-slot for easy storage expansion. 

In addition, Moto Z Force users can select from several Moto Mods accessory modules which connect to the back of the device magnetically and via 16 connection points. So far there are the InstaShare projector, a JBL Soundboost 6 Watt speaker and a 2220 mAh battery pack. The Moto team has promised more Moto Mods for the future and according to rumors, one of them could be a camera grip. For now we’ll have to make do without the latter, but that hasn’t stopped us from shooting with the brand new Moto device. Read on for our first impressions. 


Image Quality

In bright light conditions the Moto’s 21MP sensor resolves a good deal of detail. Under close inspection some smearing of fine detail and textures is noticeable, but on the other hand luminance noise is very well controlled. During our brief testing, exposure was reliable but in very bright scenes, such as the one below, the image processing’s strong contrast can results in some clipped highlights. That said, overall the Moto Z Force does well in these conditions.

 ISO 50, 1/760 sec

Color tends to be quite saturated, but neutral and without any notable casts. This includes bright red tones which many smartphone cameras struggle with, especially under strong illumination.

 ISO 50, 1/452 sec

At higher ISOs the camera finds a good compromise between noise reduction and detail retention. The ISO 320 shot below was captured in a fairly well-lit interior space and shows very good edge detail. 

 ISO 320, 1/33 sec

The ISO 500 shot below shows some more luminance noise in the mid-tone areas of the frame but the noise pattern has a fairly fine grain and is not too intrusive. Chroma noise is well under control and the image still shows a very good amount of fine textures and detail.

 ISO 500, 1/25 sec

The Moto Z Force maintains good exposure and color down to very low light levels. The challenging lighting conditions in the shot below lead to some channel clipping in the illuminated stage area, but overall the scene is captured very nicely. The slow shutter speed of 1/10sec results in some blur on moving subjects but the optical image stabilization does a very good job at counteracting camera shake. 

 ISO 1250, 1/10 sec

Special modes

The Moto Z Force comes with Motorola’s usual HDR mode which does an efficient job of protecting the highlights in high-contrast scenes, such as the one below. Using the standard auto exposure mode, some clipping occurs on the light colored elements in the frame. Using HDR mode, image clipping is noticeably reduced. Shadows are lifted very slightly but overall the image still looks pleasantly natural.

 ISO 50, 1/1468 sec, standard exposure
 HDR exposure

Night mode is not a new feature for Moto devices but the latest incarnation works in a slightly different way than before. In low light scenes the camera automatically triggers multi-frame capture which produces clean images but struggles with moving subjects, which often show pronounced motion blur. On the new device, night mode now saves a standard exposure in addition to the night mode image, allowing the user to pick the version which best suits their purposes.

The sample images below both report ISO 1000 and a shutter speed of 1/10sec in the EXIF data. However, as you can see at close-up view they look very different. The multi-frame night mode image on the left is cleaner but shows motion blur, even on slow-moving subjects. The accompanying standard exposure shows better edge definition on moving subjects but noticeably higher levels of luminance noise. 

Night mode Standard exposure
100% crop 100% crop

In video mode the Moto Z Force is capable of recording both 1080p Full HD and 4K footage. The combination of digital and optical stabilization keeps things steady and allows for smooth panning. The 1080p video below shows similar tonal characteristics to the still images and decent detail but very occasionally we found the lens refocusing for no obvious reason.

The 4K video mode offers noticeably better detail for those who need it. It also allows users to grab 8MP video stills for those occasions when the full 21MP still resolution is not needed.

First impressions 

With its solid build, large high-resolution screen and metal frame the Moto Z Force looks and feels like a premium device. The Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood ensures the performance of the Android operating system matches the device’s high-end exterior and the 3,500 mAh battery lets you shoot, edit and share images for a long time away from a power outlet.

The camera module’s 21MP captures a good level of detail and offers plenty of scope for cropping. There are the usual signs of smearing of fine textures at base ISO, but in low light the camera finds a good balance between noise reduction and detail retention. In addition, night mode lets you pick between a clean multi-frame image that works best for static scenes, and a standard exposure that shows more noise but is capable of freezing at least some motion. 

Colors are mostly quite saturated and contrast is strong which can lead to some highlight-clipping in high-contrast scenes. However, HDR mode does a very efficient job of protecting highlight detail, and in addition the Moto Z Force allows for the capture of DNG Raw files with third party camera apps, such as Manual Camera. This allows you to apply your very own mix of contrast, saturation, noise reduction and other image parameters in post processing. Add the camera app’s full manual control into the mix, plus the potential of a camera-grip add-on module in the nearer future, and the Moto Z Force is one of the year’s most interesting mobile photography products thus far.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lenovo Phab2 Pro is the first Project Tango phone

10 Jun

At its TechWorld conference Lenovo has not only announced the modular Moto Z and Moto Z Force smartphones but also the first Google Project Tango enabled device, the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro. The phone provides an Augmented Reality (AR) experience, thanks to its ability to sense 3D-motion and geometry. It can capture 3D-scans of its surroundings and use the data to create 3D-maps, recognize places or track objects. The technology can project virtual effects in real-world spaces, help navigate indoor areas or provide information about objects it has recognized. 

To achieve this the Phab2 Pro has a total of four cameras. In addition to the 8MP front module and the 16MP rear camera there are a depth and a motion tracking camera, both also located on the back. Underneath the 6.4″ Quad-HD IPS display there is a Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 652 chipset running Android 6.0. 4GB RAM and 64GB of microSD-expandable storage are on board as well, along with a fingerprint reader and Dolby Atmos surround sound technology. Energy is provided by a 4,050 mAh battery. All the high-end technology is nicely wrapped up in metal unibody that is available in gold or silver. 

The Lenovo Phab2 Pro will be available to purchase online in August and one month later in stores globally. In the US it will cost $ 499. Lenovo promises that by the time of shipping a special Tango App Store will contain around 25 apps and is planning to expand this number to 100 by the end of the year. The new technology certainly looks promising, and it will be interesting to see how it catches on with consumers and developers. Additional information on how Tango works on the Phab2 Pro can be found in the Lenovo promotional video below.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lenovo unveils Moto Z, Moto Z Force and Moto Mods attachments

10 Jun

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At its annual TechWorld conference today, Lenovo announced two new Motorola smartphones, the Moto Z and Moto Z Force. The two models are very similar but differ in some key ways – including the camera specifications. The Moto Z is only 5.2mm thin and comes with a 2,600 mAh battery and a 13MP rear camera with fast F1.8 aperture, optical image stabilization, laser-AF and a dual-tone LED flash. The 5MP wide-angle front camera has an F2.2 aperture. 

At 6.99mm the Force is a little thicker and can fit a 21MP camera with F1.8 aperture, on-sensor phase detection, laser-AF and OIS into its body. It also comes with a shatterproof display and a larger 3,500 mAh battery. 

The remaining device specifications are pretty much identical. Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset and 4GB of RAM. 32 or 64GB of storage are expandable via microSD card. The 5.5″ AMOLED displays offer a Quad-HD resolution and both devices come with fingerprint scanner and water-repellent coating. There is no 3.5mm headset jack but a USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter is included.

While the devices look very sleek and elegant, their unique selling proposition are the Moto Mods attachable accessory modules. They connect to the back of the phones via 16 connection points on the rear plate. So far there are the InstaShare projector which can project a 480p image up to size of 70″, the JBL Soundboost 6 Watt speaker and a 2220 mAh battery pack. Unfortunately the rumored camera grip has not materialized yet, but hopefully that is something to look forward to in the future. 

The Moto Z Force will, at least initially, be exclusive to Verizon in the US and be marketed as the Moto Z Force Droid edition. Verizon will also sell the Moto Z Droid Edition but consumers can buy an unlocked version directly from Motorola. Both models will be available in the US this summer; in other regions the Moto Z will become available in September.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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