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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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Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod hands-on preview

03 Sep

At IFA in Berlin, Lenovo has revealed its latest Moto Mod detachable smartphone accessory module: The Hasselblad True Zoom. It’s a camera module with a 10x zoom lens, physical shutter button, zoom lever and a Xenon flash. Like previous Moto Mods it attaches directly to a compatible phone – currently the Moto Z, Moto Z Force and also brand new Moto Z Play will work – magnetically and via a series of contacts on the back of the device. It offers the following specifications:

12MP 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor with 1.55 um pixel size
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
Available globally in September for $ 299/€299

We have had the chance to test a pre-production unit, attached to a Lenovo Moto Z Force, as well as with the new Z Play, for a few days. Read on to find out how we got on.

Operations and ergonomics

The docking process is extremely simple and quick. The Hasselblad True Zoom is literally ‘sucked’ in place on the back on the smartphone by magnetic force and usable instantly, without the need to restart the device. The process is much quicker and easier than, for example, attaching the LG G5 camera grip, which requires removal of the battery and a restart. It’s also easier than pairing the Sony QX or Kodak Wi-Fi camera modules.


Both smartphone and camera module come with electronic connection pins.	Once the two devices get close the camera clips into place by magnetic force.

The module body is made from a solid-feeling plastic material and the rubberized grip makes it comfortable to hold. In terms of overall dimensions, weight and ergonomics the Moto Z Force with the attached True Zoom module feels not too dissimilar to the Samsung Galaxy Camera models, but gives you the option to remove the module when it’s not needed. The physical shutter button supports half-pressing for locking exposure and AF and, like the zoom rocker, works just like on a compact camera. There is no noticeable lag, and overall operation is very responsive.


With its rubberized grip the True Zoom feels comfortable and secure to hold.	With an attached smartphone the combo feels similar to the Samsung Galaxy Camera series.

By default the True Zoom works with the standard Moto camera app, which makes things nice and easy for the user, as no adaption to a new user interface is required. More advanced users will appreciate the full manual control over shooting parameters in Manual Mode and the ability to save Raw files with the JPEG images. The final version of the app will come with a range of True Zoom-specific Hasselblad image modes, but those had not been implemented yet on our pre-production test device.


In the settings you select DNG Raw format.	The final version of the True Zoom will come with a range of Hasselblad image modes.

You can also use the True Zoom module for capturing images straight from Instagram and similar apps but it appears that at this point manual control and Raw capture are not available in third-party camera apps that focus on photographic control, such as Manual camera or Camera FV-5.

Image Output

The 10x optical zoom is one of the True Zoom’s most obvious advantages over a smartphone camera and covers pretty much all focal lengths needed on a typical vacation or trip. The optical image stabilization works very efficiently and keeps things steady at longer focal lengths. On our pre-production unit sharpness does vary a bit across the zoom range though – at some settings there is noticeable softness around the edges.

Wide angle, 25mm equivalent, ISO 100, 1/2000 sec

Tele, 250mm equivalent, ISO 100, 1/320 sec

In good light the True Zoom produces good exposure and consumer-friendly vibrant colors but in terms of pixel-level detail it does not offer any noticeable advantage over most built-in smartphone cameras. Images show the same smearing of finer low-contrast detail, highlight clipping and luminance noise levels at base ISO that you would expect from a smartphone camera.

ISO 100, 1/800 sec

ISO 100, 1/500 sec

In lower light the True Zoom images are again on a similar level to built-in smartphone cameras. Image detail starts suffering as you go up the ISO scale and both luminance and chroma noise are becoming more noticeable. Partly this is caused by the comparatively slower apertures of the lens, especially at the longer end of the zoom range. Thanks to the efficient OIS camera shake is hardly an issue, even at longer focal lengths, but in Auto mode slow shutter speeds in low light can lead to motion blur on moving subjects. Thankfully shutter speeds can be manually increased, as long as you’re happy to shoot at higher ISOs.

ISO 560, 1/30 sec

ISO 2500, 1/100 sec, manual exposure mode

The Xenon flash is another big advantage of the True Zoom module. It’s much more powerful than the LED flashes of smartphone cameras and allows for the illumination of subjects farther away from the lens, such as groups of people, and even some of the background. In our testing, exposure was good and we did not see any red-eye effect. In flash mode the camera also keeps the ISO low which makes for decent detail.

ISO 200, 1/30 sec, flash

The True Zoom also shoots 1080p video at 30 frames per second. Image quality is again on smartphone level but the module’s big bonus is the zoom which, thanks to the very efficient OIS, allows for getting closer to your subject, even when recording handheld. The low light video below shot with the zoom set to approximately 150mm equivalent.

Studio test scene comparison

Below you can see how the Hasselblad True Zoom performs capturing our standard studio test scene, next to the Moto Z Play’s built-in camera for comparison.

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Conclusion

The Hasselblad True Zoom is the best smartphone camera add-on I have used so far. Attaching it to the phone is super-easy and quick. When it’s not needed, it is swiftly removed and stored away. It feels nice in the hand and the controls work well. The zoom range is very useful and offers a big advantage over the fixed wide-angle lenses in smartphone cameras. The Xenon flash is much more powerful than a smartphone LED and helps keep the ISO down.

Those looking for premium-compact or even DSLR-like image quality will be disappointed, though. Looking at the True Zoom’s sensor specification, it is no surprise that pixel-level detail and dynamic range are on very similar levels to built-in smartphone cameras. In terms of image quality, the optical zoom, robust image stabilization and Xenon flash are the module’s real advantages.

Currently, the most obvious disadvantage is the fact that you can only use the Hasselblad True Zoom with a compatible smartphone. That said, the Lenovo Moto Z models are attractive devices in their own right and make a nice package with the module. I enjoyed using the True Zoom on a recent short vacation and, as a photographer, I really hope the module will be an economic success for Lenovo and its subdivision Motorola. This would mean that we’d be likely to see more models in this series. A ‘Pro’ version with shorter zoom range but larger sensor, and maybe a physical control dial, sounds like music to our ears.

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hasselblad rumored to be working on 10x zoom camera module for Moto Z phones

05 Aug

The Lenovo Moto Z and Moto Z Force smartphones have a unique feature: they accept accessory modules, so-called Moto Mods, which attach to their back plates magnetically and via 16 connection pins. At launch, Lenovo showed the InstaShare projector, a JBL Soundboost 6 Watt speaker and a 2220 mAh battery pack, but unfortunately the previously rumored camera module did not materialize.

However, now hellomotoHK found information on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo that might indicate that Hasselblad is working on a Moto Z camera module with, a 10x zoom lens, physical shutter button and zoom lever, Xenon flash and Raw capability. Unfortunately, no information on sensor size and resolution has been provided.

With Raw capture, optical image stabilization and 13 and 21MP sensors respectively the Moto Z and Z Force are well-equipped in the camera department, but a 10x zoom lens with a potentially larger sensor than in the smartphone camera modules would definitely expand the creative potential of the devices. It’s impossible to know how much truth is in this rumor, especially given that the image is just a rendering, but we certainly hope Hasselblad and Lenovo will let us know soon.

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 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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Motorola Moto X Force / Droid Turbo 2 camera review

03 Jun

The Moto X Force is the international version of the Verizon-exclusive US model Droid Turbo 2 and the current flagship model in the Moto line. With a Sony 1/2.4-inch 21MP IMX230 sensor, F2.0 aperture, 4K video and a flash-equipped 5MP front camera, the Force’s imaging specification is very similar to the Moto X Style. However, it comes with higher-end processing components, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset and 3GB RAM.

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DPReview smartphone reviews are written with the needs of photographers in mind. We focus on camera features, performance, and image quality.

The Moto X Force’s stand-out feature is its AMOLED display. At 5.4″ it is a little smaller than the Moto X Style’s 5.7″ IPS variant but offers Motorola’s new ShatterShield protection which means it’s guaranteed not to crack or shatter. The device body is water-resistant with a solid metal frame and a back that is covered with a rubberized material, making the Moto X Force an ideal phone for use in rougher surroundings.

Key Photographic / Video Specifications

21MP 1/2.4-inch SONY IMX230 BSI CMOS sensor
F2.0 aperture
4K video
Dual-LED flash
5MP wide angle front camera with flash

Other Specifications

5.4-inch Quad-HD AMOLED display (540 ppi) with ShatterShield protection
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Processor with 2.0 GHz octa-core CPUs
3GB RAM
32/64GB of storage
MicroSD support up to 2TB
3760 mAh battery with quick and wireless charging technology (Qi and Powermat)
Water-resistant

Our 9-page review

We’ve considered every aspect of the Motorola Moto X Force with the photographer in mind. We examined the user interface of the native camera app and its special features. We experimented with the camera’s performance when taking stills and video, and had a play with the device’s many special feature modes.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Lenovo’s Moto G Plus comes with 1/2.4-inch sensor and fingerprint reader

18 May

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Motorola’s Moto G series has always been one of the best options for smartphone users looking for top performance at mid-range pricing. Now, the first new G model has been launched since Motorola became a Lenovo company. True to form, the Moto G Plus offers several features we are used to seeing on high-end devices and a promising-looking camera specification.

An Omnivsion OV16860 1/2.4-inch 16MP sensor with a large pixel size of 1.34um is paired with a fast F2.0 aperture, on-sensor phase detection and laser-assisted AF. There is also a dual-LED flash and a 5MP front camera with F2.2 aperture. On the software side of things a new Pro mode allows for manual control over shutter speed and other essential shooting parameters.

Like all recent Moto devices, the Moto G Plus comes with a ‘pure’ version of Android 6.0, without any manufacturer-specific add-ons, to keep things as responsive and smooth as possible. Google Photos is the default photos app and includes two years of free storage at original image quality for Moto G buyers.

The OS and other software is powered by a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chipset with octa-core CPU and 550 MHz Adreno 405 GPU. There are 2GB of RAM and microSD-expandable storage options ranging from 16 to 64GB. Images can be viewed and composed on a 5.5-inch 1080p display that is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection.

The 3000 mAh battery features Motorola’s TurboPower charging which can provide approximately 6 hours worth of power in 15 minutes of charging. A fingerprint reader at the front increases security and provides a convenient way of unlocking the device. The Lenovo Moto G Plus has first been launched in India where it will be exclusive to Amazon.in and start at approximately $ 200 for the base 16GB version. Pricing for other regions has not been revealed yet. With the Moto G Plus Lenovo has also launched the 4th generation of the standard Moto G model which comes with identical processor specifications but has to make do without the fingerprint reader and, with a 13MP Sony IMX214 image sensor, offers a very similar camera specification to last year’s Moto G.

Key specifications:

Omnivsion OV16860 1/2.4-inch 16MP sensor
F2.0 aperture
On-sensor phase detection and laser-assisted AF
1080p video
520p slow-motion video
Dual-LED flash
Manual control over shutter speed
5MP / F2.2 front camera
Android 6.0
5.5-inch 1080p display (401 ppi)
1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chipset with octa-core CPU
2GB RAM / 16, 32 or 64GB storage
MicroSD support up to 128GB
3000 mAh battery with quick charging
Fingerprint reader

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DxOMark Mobile Report: Lenovo Moto G Plus

17 May

DxOMark Mobile Report: Lenovo Moto G Plus

Summary

The Moto G Plus is the newest arrival in the Moto G series of mid-range smartphones. With a 1/2.4-inch Omnivsion OV16860 16MP sensor with a large pixel size of 1.34um, F2.0 aperture, on-sensor phase detection and laser-assisted AF the camera specification would look right at home on a high-end device. You can read our first impressions review of the Moto G Plus here.

In its DxOMark test the Moto G Plus scores 84 points, which puts it on the same level as current flagship phones, such as the Apple iPhone 6s Plus, Google Nexus 6P or Motorola/Lenovo’s own Droid Turbo 2/Moto X Force. When shooting still images the testers liked the “very good detail preservation” in bright light, the “fast and accurate autofocus” and “good noise reduction in outdoor conditions”. They also noted the colors, which are “vivid and pleasant” in daylight and the good white balance in low and artificial light. On the downside, outdoor images show “some loss of detail in the shadow areas”, a “slightly bluish cast is sometimes visible in outdoor scenes” and “some irregularities in HDR activation and white balance are visible”. Some outdoor images also showed a “cyan shift close to sky saturation”.

In video mode the DxOMark team liked the “good stabilization both in bright light and indoor conditions, good color rendering and white balance, fast autofocus convergence and good noise reduction in outdoor conditions”. However, they also found that “from macro to infinity, some steps during the autofocus convergence are visible” and saw “occasional autofocus inaccuracies in low light”. “In low light some detail is lost and luminance noise is visible” and there are “visible steps in exposure adaptation”.

Still Photography

Color, Exposure and Contrast

The DxOMark team found the Lenovo Moto G Plus images to show “vivid and pleasant color”, with good white balance and without any color shading. Target exposure is generally good. However, in difficult light situations highlights are occasionally clipped, “some irregularities in HDR activation are visible” and a “slightly bluish cast” sometimes appears in daylight images. In low light “very slight color shading is visible.”

Overall DxOMark awarded the Lenovo Moto G Plus scores of:

4.4 out of 5 for Exposure
4.5 out of 5 for White Balance accuracy
3.9 out of 5 for Color shading in low light*
4.5 out of 5 for Color shading in bright light*
3.0 out of 5 for Color Rendering in low light
4.5 out of 5 for Color Rendering in bright light

*Color Shading is the nasty habit cellphone cameras have of rendering different areas of the frame with different color shifts, resulting in pictures with, for example, pinkish centers and greenish corners.

Noise and Details

DxOMark’s engineers reported that the Lenovo Moto G Plus images show “very good detail and good noise reduction in outdoor conditions”. However, there is also “some luminance noise and some loss of detail in low light”.

Texture Acutance

Texture acutance is a way of measuring the ability of a camera to capture images that preserve fine details, particularly the kind of low contrast detail (such as fine foliage, hair or fur) that can be blurred away by noise reduction or obliterated by excessive sharpening.

Sharpness is an important part of the quality of an image, but while it’s easy to look at an image and decide visually whether it’s sharp or not, the objective measurement of sharpness is less straightforward.

An image can be defined as ‘sharp’ if edges are sharp and if fine details are visible. In-camera processing means that it’s possible to have one of these (sharp edges) but not the other (fine details). Conventional MTF measurements tell us how sharp an edge is, but have drawbacks when it comes to measuring fine detail preservation. Image processing algorithms can detect edges and enhance their sharpness, but they can also find homogeneous areas and smooth them out to reduce noise.

Texture acutance, on the other hand, can qualify sharpness in terms of preservation of fine details, without being fooled by edge enhancement algorithms.

	A dead leaf pattern is designed to measure texture acutance. It’s obtained by drawing random shapes that occlude each other in the plane, like dead leaves falling from a tree. The statistics of this model follow the distribution statistics in natural images.
	In this example from a DSLR without edge enhancement, sharpness seems equal on edge and on texture. Many details are visible in the texture.
	In this second example, edges have been digitally enhanced, and the edge looks over sharp, with visible processing halos (‘ringing’). On the texture part, many details have disappeared.

At first sight, the images from these two cameras may appear equally sharp. A sharpness measurement on edges will indeed confirm this impression, and will even show that the second camera is sharper. But a closer examination of low contrasted textures shows that the first camera has better preservation of fine details than the second. The purpose of the texture acutance measurement is to qualify this difference.

Note: Acutance is a single value metric calculated from a MTF result. Acutance is used to assess the sharpness of an image as viewed by the human visual system, and is dependent on the viewing conditions (size of image, size of screen or print, viewing distance). Only the values of texture acutance are given here. The measurements are expressed as a percentage of the theoretical maximum for the chosen viewing condition. The higher the score, the more details can be seen in an image.

For all DxOMark Mobile data presented on connect.dpreview.com we’re only showing 8MP equivalent values, which gives us a level playing field for comparison between smartphone cameras with different megapixel values by normalizing all to 8MP (suitable for fairly large prints). DxOMark also offers this data for lower resolution use-cases (web and onscreen). For more information on DxOMark’s testing methodology and acutance measurements please visit the website at www.dxomark.com.

Texture acutance is a touch higher under daylight than tungsten light.

In bright light the Moto G Plus is up with the best but drops off a little at lower light levels.

Edge Acutance

Edge acutance is a measure of edge sharpness in images captured by the phone’s camera. Again we’re only looking at the most demanding of the three viewing conditions that DxOMark reports on – the 8MP equivalent.

In terms of edge acutance the Moto G Plus is performing on flagship level.

Edge acutance is very consistent across all light levels.

Visual Noise

Visual noise is a value designed to assess the noise in an image as perceived by the human visual system, depending on the viewing condition (size of image, size of screen or print, viewing distance). The measurements have no units and can be simply viewed as the weighted average of noise standard deviation for each channel in the CIE L*a*b* color space. The lower the measurement, the less noise in the image.

The Moto G Plus noise levels compare well to the competition at all light levels

Measured noise levels only increase moderately in lower light.

Noise and Detail Perceptual scoring

DxOMark engineers don’t just point camera phones at charts, they also take and analyze plenty of real-world shots and score them accordingly. Their findings for the Lenovo Moto G Plus are:

Natural scene

Texture (bright light): 4.8 out of 5
Texture (low light): 3.7 out of 5
Noise (bright light): 4.1 out of 5
Noise (low light) 3.9 out of 5

Bright light sample shot


100% crop: good noise reduction	100% crop: good detail preservation

Low light (20 Lux) studio shot


100% crop: some luminance noise in areas of plain color	100% crop: some very fine detail is being lost

Artifacts

Phone cameras, like entry-level compact cameras, tend to suffer from artifacts such as sharpening halos, color fringing, vignetting (shading) and distortion, which can have an impact on the visual appeal of the end result. DxOMark engineers measure and analyze a range of artifacts. Their findings after testing the Lenovo Moto G Plus are shown below:

Cyan shift close to sky saturation visible in outdoor shots
Some color fringing noticeable in backlit scenes
Moiré is occasionally visible

Perceptual Scores

Sharpness 4.5 out of 5
Color fringing 3.6 out of 5

Measured findings

Ringing center 7.6%
Ringing corner 4.9%
Max geometric distortion -0.4%
Luminance shading 9.4%

Distortion and Chromatic Aberrations

The graph shows the magnification from center to edge (with the center normalized to 1). The Lenovo Moto G Plus shows a very slight pincushion distortion, which you are not going to notice in normal photography.

Chromatic aberrations are well under control.

Autofocus

DxOMark also tests autofocus accuracy and reliability by measuring how much the acutance – or sharpness – varies with each shot over a series of 30 exposures (defocusing then using the autofocus for each one). As with other tests these results are dependent on the viewing conditions (a little bit out of focus matters a lot less with a small web image than a full 8MP shot viewed at 100%). Using the 8MP equivalent setting, the Lenovo Moto G Plus performs very well in all light conditions. The overall score is 95/100 in bright light and 87/100 in low light.

Pros:

Accurate and repeatable autofocus in all conditions

Cons:

Strong instabilities and overshoots in preview mode, particularly in low light
Slow convergence, particularly in low light

Autofocus repeatability – average acutance difference with best focus: low light 3.26%, bright light 1.63%

Flash

The Lenovo Moto G Plus offers a dual-LED flash for illumination in very low light. DxOMark scored the camera a 77/100 overall for its flash performance.

Pros:

Good exposure and vivid colors
Pleasant colors when flash is mixed with tungsten light

Cons:

Some focus and exposure irregularities
Noticeable hue non-uniformity in the field
Noise and attenuation visible in the corners

Overall DxOMark Mobile Score for Photo: 84 / 100

Video Capture

DxOMark engineers put phone cameras through a similarly grueling set of video tests, and you can read their full findings on the DxOMark website here. Overall, DxOMark found the Lenovo Moto G Plus video mode to perform very well, with fast autofocus, good stabilization and good color. On the downside, some stepping can be visible when the AF is adjusting and luminance noise is visible in low light footage.

Pros:

Good stabilization
Good color rendering and white balance
Fast autofocus convergence
Good noise reduction in outdoor conditions

Cons:

Some steps are visible during autofocus convergence in bright light
Occasional autofocus inaccuracies in low light
In low light some detail is lost and luminance noise is visible
Visible steps in exposure adaptation

Overall DxOMark Mobile Score for Video: 81 / 100

DXOMark Mobile Score

DXOMark Image Quality Assessment

With a DxOMark Mobile score of 84 the Lenovo Moto G Plus performs on the same level as flagship models, such as the Apple iPhone 6s Plus, Google Nexus 6P or Motorola’s own Moto X Force / Droid Turbo 2, in the DxOMark smartphone rankings. The test team liked the good detail in bright light, good color, low noise levels and reliable AF in bright light. However, they also found some loss of detail in the shadows and an occasional slightly cool color cast.

In video mode the Moto G Plus has efficient stabilization, good color and very decent noise reduction in bright light. However, testers also found some AF inaccuracies and luminance noise in low light. For a more detailed analysis, visit www.dxomark.com.

Photo Mobile Score	85	Video Mobile Score	81
Exposure and Contrast	84	Exposure and Contrast	84
Color	85	Color	81
Autofocus	91	Autofocus	75
Texture	85	Texture	83
Noise	86	Noise	85
Photo Artifacts	85	Video Artifacts	80
Flash	77	Stabilization	81

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Above and beyond: Lenovo Moto G Plus first impressions review

17 May

The Moto G Plus is a brand new model in Motorola’s Moto G mid-range series, but its camera specification looks pretty much top-notch. A 1/2.4-inch Omnivsion OV16860 16MP sensor with a large pixel size of 1.34um is paired with a fast F2.0 aperture. Its contrast detect autofocus is supported by on-sensor phase detection and a laser to measure subject distance. A dual-LED flash is on board for shooting in very dark conditions, and in the camera app a new Professional mode allows for manual control over the most important shooting parameters like shutter speed and ISO.

The new Professional mode allows for manual control over shutter speed and other shooting parameters via a range of virtual dials. It’s also possible to display just one dial at a time.

We have had the chance to use the Moto G Plus for a couple of days before launch and shot a good number of samples in a variety of situations. Read on for our first impressions of the new smartphone and its camera.

Image Quality

In bright light the Moto G Plus 16MP camera module does a very good job at resolving detail. Thanks to very well balanced sharpening and noise reduction, fine textures and low contrast detail, such as the trees in the distance in the left sample below, are rendered very nicely. The lens in our test unit is sharp, with only some minor softness toward the edges. Skin tones look natural and color is overall pleasantly neutral, without any white balance issues in natural light.


ISO 64, 1/1236 sec	ISO 64, 1/137 sec

100% crop	100% crop

Some luminance noise is visible in blue skies but it is finely grained and not too intrusive. In the shadow areas some smearing of detail is noticeable, but again this is well within acceptable limits. Shadow noise is very well controlled as well.


ISO 64, 1/2836 sec	ISO 64, 1/450 sec

100% crop	100% crop

The well-balanced approach toward noise reduction is maintained throughout the ISO range and while noise and the effects of noise reduction inevitably become more evident in lower light the Moto G Plus performs very well in dimmer conditions.


ISO 160, 1/33 sec	ISO 400, 1/30 sec

100% crop	100% crop

In lower light shutter speeds are reduced down to 1/15 sec which, without optical image stabilization, can result in the occasional shaky image. However, as long as you keep your hands steady the Moto captures very good detail, color and exposures in lower light. Both images below were shot in fairly dim conditions. In the one on the right the camera deals particularly well with the mix of artificial and very low natural light.


ISO 640, 1/20 sec	ISO 800, 1/15 sec

100% crop	100% crop

Like on the higher-end Moto models, the Moto G Plus offers a multi-frame Night Mode that kicks in when things get too dark. This allows for decent exposures of even very dark scenes, such as the image on the left below which was captured in a museum in very low light. We also liked the Moto G Plus flash performance which delivered well-exposed images with good color and detail during our brief test.


ISO 1250 1/15 sec	ISO 2000, 1/15 sec, flash on

100% crop	100% crop

Special modes

The Moto G Plus comes with the same panorama mode as previous Moto devices and image output is very similar. Stitching is generally very good but panorama mode does not deal well with moving subjects in the scene. At under 3000 pixels the output size is very small.

Vertical panorama, 2472 x 704 pixels

HDR mode works in the conventional way and combines several exposures into one. On the Moto G Plus the effect is much more pronounced in shadow areas, which are noticeably lifted while highlights are only recovered minimally.


ISO 64, 1/1196 sec, HDR off	ISO 64, 1/1158 sec, HDR on

In video mode the Moto G Plus can capture 1080p footage at 30 frames per second that is digitally stabilized. Detail is good, the autofocus tends to be stable and the stabilization works efficiently, making for smooth panning and stable hand-held recording.

First impressions

During our testing we were impressed with the image output produced by the Moto G Plus. The large pixels in combination with very well-balanced image processing result in image quality that we would typically expect from devices in a higher price category. Images show good detail and well-controlled noise levels across the ISO range. Colors are pleasantly natural, even in difficult light situations, and thanks to its night mode the Moto is capable of capturing decent exposures even at very low light levels. On the downside, in dim conditions camera shake can lead to some image blur, though it is typically only noticeable at a 100% view.

The new Professional mode is good news for those mobile photographers who want maximum control over the capture process, and the large 1080p display is nice for viewing and composing images. The fingerprint sensor performs very swiftly and increases the security of your image and video files that are stored on the device. The plastic back is in line with a mid-ranger but overall the Moto G Plus looks like a great option for consumers who want excellent camera performance without spending money on a flagship device.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Motorola Moto X Style / Pure Edition camera review

02 Oct

Replacing the 2014 Moto X, Motorola’s flagship Moto X Style has received a complete overhaul in the camera department. It comes with a Sony IMX 230 1/2.4-inch 21MP BSI CMOS sensor and a dual-LED flash, while an F2.0 aperture and 4K video recording remain unchanged from the predecessor. We put its camera through our range of studio and field tests for this full review. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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