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Posts Tagged ‘Phone’

The Motorola One Hyper tosses a 64MP main cam, 32MP selfie cam inside a $400 phone

06 Dec

Smartphone manufacturer Motorola has launched a new model that features a 64MP rear camera and a pop-up selfie camera with a 32MP sensor. The Motorola One Hyper comes with 128GB of internal storage, can accept microSD cards of up to 1TB to boost storage and has 4GB of RAM.

The device will run Android 10 and uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 platform with its 2GHz Kryo 460 octa-core CPU, and is powered by a 4000mAh battery that Motorola claims provides up to 38 hours of use. The phone’s screen measures 6.5in, all of which can be used to display images as the selfie camera pops up out of the top of the phone instead of shooting through the main screen as happens in smartphones with ‘teardrop’ or ‘punch hole’ selfie cameras. The 19:9-screen has a resolution of 1080×2340 pixels, which equates to 395 pixels per inch.

The main camera offers users a choice of the 64MP sensor or a secondary 16MP sensor, both of which use a F1.9 aperture. A further 8MP rear-facing camera is fitted with a wide angle lens that has an angle of view of 118° — about 13mm on a full frame camera — and an aperture of F2.2.

The rear camera can shoot RAW files as well as JPEGs, and offers auto modes that shoot when a smile or a wave is detected and will also suggest modes according to what its AI thinks the subject is. Video can be recorded in 4K at 30p and FHD at up to 60p, while slow-motion modes are also available.

The Motorola One Hyper has both a USB-C port and a 3.5mm audio port, features NFC and Bluetooth 5.0, and can take on a full day’s charge in ten minutes using the optional 45W charger. It costs $ 399 in the US and will cost £269.99 in the UK later this month.
For more information see the Motorola website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Security firm warns Android camera vulnerability lets hackers spy on phone owners

21 Nov

Security analyst firm Checkmarx has detailed the discovery of an Android security issue that enables hackers to access a smartphone’s camera app, existing videos and images, audio from the microphone and location information pulled from EXIF data. Though the issue has been fixed on Google and Samsung phones, it remains in many camera apps from other vendors

The security researchers first analyzed the Google Camera app included on the Pixel smartphones. Upon discovering the security vulnerability, which involves ‘manipulating specific actions and intents,’ they found the same issue could be exploited in the Samsung Camera app included in its various smartphone models.

The vulnerability is extensive, according to the researchers. Hackers can access the camera app, use it to capture videos and photos even if the display is turned off or a call is in progress and access content saved to the phone. In addition to accessing the images, hackers could pull the location information from image metadata and use that to locate the handset’s owner.

The exploit introduces a number of privacy issues for users; attackers could use the video recording functionality to record a phone call, for example, and could retrieve sensitive images from the user’s phone for blackmail purposes.

According to Checkmarx, Google confirmed that the issue isn’t limited to the Pixel phones and that it is working with its Android partners ‘to coordinate disclosure.’ Both Google and Samsung released fixes for the security issue in their respective camera apps before Checkmarx published its report. It’s unclear how many phones from other vendors may still be vulnerable to the exploit, however.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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RED founder Jim Jannard announces retirement, shuts down Hydrogen phone project

26 Oct

RED founder Jim Jannard, who just celebrated his 70th birthday, has announced that he is retiring, citing health issues simply saying that “it is now time.” He also announced that with his departure from the company the Hydrogen phone project will be shut down:

I have spent the past 45 years building “inventions wrapped in art”.

Just now turning 70 and having a few health issues, it is now time for me to retire.

I will be shutting down the HYDROGEN project, ending a career that has included Oakley, RED Digital Cinema and HYDROGEN. I am very proud to have worked with many great people over the years who have signed on to the vision.

RED Digital Cinema will continue stronger than ever with Jarred, Tommy and Jamin at the controls. Komodo is about to be launched… and the HYDROGEN One will continue to be supported in the future.

I want to thank everyone for the support I have felt over the years…

Jim Jannard, RED Founder

So the Hydrogen One remains the first and only model ever launched in RED’s Hydrogen smartphone line. When it arrived last year, after several delays, it came with innovative technologies including a ‘4V’ holographic display, but received lukewarm reviews and ultimate could not convince customers to pay a $ 1,295 premium price.

Film makers and photographers had also been looking forward to the launch of an attachable camera module for the device but, like several other planned modules, it never got to see the light of day.

The good news is that existing Hydrogen One users will continue to receive support, at least for the time being, and RED Digital Cinema is still operating with Jarred Land as its president and will hopefully soon release the Komodo camera system which was teased earlier this year.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Xiaomi might be developing a phone that can shoot 8K30p video

26 Sep
Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha

The team at XDA Developers has dug deep into the source code of the camera app that comes with the latest Xiaomi MIUI 11 update and found an interesting detail: a string in the code indicates the app will support devices that are capable of recording 8K (7680×4320) video at 30 frames per second.

No current Xiaomi model can record video at such a high resolution which suggest the Chinese manufacturer could be working on a new 8K-enabled device. The recently announced Mi Mix Alpha concept phone, which comes with Samsung’s 108MP Bright HMX sensor, is limited to 6K at 30 fps. and the only currently available device that can record 8K footage, the Nubia Red Magic 3, is limited to 15 fps.

Battery drain and overheating could be potential problems for any phone recording such high-resolution footage. We’re looking forward to seeing how Xiaomi will be managing these issues in the finalized device if it ends up coming to market.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DPReview TV: Jordan buys a phone

29 Jun

It’s time for Jordan to buy a new phone, so he compares the cameras on the iPhone X, iPhone XR, and the Google Pixel 3a with the help of fellow photographer and filmmaker Tyler Stalman. Is the Google phone good enough to draw Jordan out of Apple’s walled garden? Tune in to find out.

For more great content visit Tyler Stalman’s YouTube channel, where you can watch his videos about photography, cinematography and tech, or watch his podcast.

Get new episodes of DPReview TV every week by subscribing to our YouTube channel!

  • Introduction
  • Jordan's options
  • Displays
  • iPhone exposure preview
  • Depth of field simulation
  • iPhone X minimum focus
  • Video test
  • Pixel 3a exposure preview
  • Pixel 3a HDR modes
  • Pixel 3a Nigth Sight
  • Video conclusions
  • Image quality comparisons
  • Buying a phone
  • Wrap-up

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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OPPO patents foldable phone with pop-up camera

12 Jun

Back in February at the 2019 Mobile World Congress, we saw the launch of a new form factor for smartphones: several manufacturers showed phones with folding displays, including Samsung with the Galaxy Fold and Huawei with the Mate X.

OPPO’s foldable prototype got less media coverage but the company had already filed for a foldable-phone-patent with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) back in October 2018. Now the patent has been published, including several design sketches and full color renders.

The new design’s stand-out feature is the pop-up camera that allows for reduced bezel sizes and means that pictures and videos can be recorded in both in the phone’s folded and unfolded states. Additionally, the camera hardware could be used for selfie-shooting although camera control and image processing would likely have to be modified for front camera use.

As this is a design patent no specs are available but, like with the MWC prototype, the screen folds outwards and there’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Samsung’s foldable phone has been delayed indefinitely due to technical issues and the Mate X has not made it into shops yet. This said, it’s likely a temporary delay and it’s only question of time before consumers will hold foldable phones in their hands. We are looking forward to seeing how other manufacturers will design camera implementations for the new form factor and how the design can help take mobile photography to the next step.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Samsung patents wraparound phone display with unique photography features

30 Apr

Dutch website Let’s Go Digital has uncovered a Samsung patent that details a wraparound mobile phone display. Unlike the company’s folding phone, this recently approved patent shows a flexible display that wraps from the front of the phone up over the top and down partially across the back. Among other uses, the rear display could be used to provide an image preview to the photo’s subjects.

An illustration from the patent showing how the secondary display can be used to help the subject see themself in the frame.

The patent describes multiple potential uses for the rear display, including as a camera preview. A translation of the section describing this potential use reads:

For example, at operation 1620, the electronic device may confirm to the user that he wants to selfie. When the self-portrait mode is selected, the control unit of the electronic device can activate the rear display provided in the same direction as the direction in which the camera is mounted. The preview image generated in operation 1660 may be displayed through the activated rear display.

Who needs a high-resolution front-facing camera when a secondary display can turn the main camera unit into a selfie cam?

Though the idea of a dual-display smartphone isn’t new, Samsung’s method — using a flexible OLED panel for a seamless wraparound screen — is unique. Of note, this arrangement could enable users to capture selfies using the device’s superior rear camera in lieu of the front-facing camera.

As with any patent, it’s possible Samsung may never bring a device featuring this technology to market.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Samsung Galaxy A80 phone unveiled with sliding, rotating triple-camera array

12 Apr

Samsung has unveiled one of its most unique smartphones to date: the Galaxy A80. This model features a sliding pop-up camera array that contains a 48MP F2.0 main camera, an 8MP F2.2 ultrawide camera and a time-of-flight sensor. A rotation mechanism enables the cameras to flip from facing the rear to the front of the phone when appropriate, eliminating the need for a ‘notch’ or ‘hole punch’ in the display.

The camera mechanism is the Galaxy A80’s most notable feature, making the higher-quality rear cameras available for activities that would ordinarily involve a lower-quality front-facing camera, such as snapping selfies and livestreaming. According to Samsung, the sliding mechanism is activated and the cameras are rotated when the user selects the A80’s ‘selfie mode.’

The main 48MP camera is able to capture ‘vivid images’ at night, Samsung claims, and the technology enables Live Focus videos by gathering depth and measurement data on objects visible in the scene. Other camera features include Super Steady video for ‘pro-level action’ shots, a Scene Optimizer feature that can recognize up to 30 scenes, and Flaw Detection for automatically identifying ‘glitches’ before the image is taken.

Cameras aside, the Galaxy A80 features a 6.7″ Full HD+ 1080 x 2400 Super AMOLED display alongside 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 3700mAh battery. The model supports fast charging and has a fingerprint sensor embedded in the display.

According to The Verge, the Galaxy A80 will be available in Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, China and Hong Kong starting on May 29 in gold, white, and black color options. Samsung hasn’t revealed the price at this time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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ZTE’s next flagship phone might come with a sideways-sliding camera

18 Mar
Image: Notebook Italia

Last year we witnessed the appearance of upwards-sliding mechanisms and hole-punch displays on smartphones, both technologies designed to conceal the front camera and maximize the screen-to-body ratio.

Now it looks like Chinese manufacturer ZTE has come up with a modified version of the sliding mechanism. If the images posted by Italian publication Notebook Italia are genuine, the company’s upcoming high-end model Axon S will feature a sideways-sliding mechanism that hides both front and rear cameras.

Image: Notebook Italia

The advantages of the latter aren’t quite clear (as no additional display surface is freed up) but the feature definitely results in a design that makes the Axon S stand out from the crowd.

Labels on the device indicate the three cameras on the rear will include a 48MP primary unit and a 19MP secondary tele lens with 5x optical zoom. The primary camera will have an adjustable (F1.7-2.4) aperture and the tele camera module comes with an F3.8 aperture. The specifications of the third camera aren’t quite clear.

Image: Notebook Italia

We don’t know if or when the Axon S will be released or how much it will cost, but the device could be something to look forward to, both from a design and camera specification point of view.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Xperia 1 is Sony’s first triple-cam phone and comes with a 21:9 display

26 Feb

Sony has unveiled the Xperia 1 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and the new flagship is the Japanese manufacturer’s first device to offer a triple-camera setup. The rear camera comes with three 12MP modules. The primary camera uses a 1/2.6” image sensor and fast F1.6 lens with OIS and Dual-Pixel autofocus. There are also a tele-module with 1/3.4″ sensor, F2.4 aperture and 52mm equivalent focal length, and a 16mm ultra-wide with 1/3.4″ sensor and F2.4 aperture.

Eye autofocus, which tracks the eyes of a human subject in the frame, has been ported from Sony’s stand-alone cameras and the 1 is also capable of recording Raw image files.

In video mode the camera records 4K HDR footage in a 21:9 cinema aspect ratio. The new Cinema Pro App, which is based on technologies from Sony’s pro video division, allows manual control over some video parameters, such as color depth, aperture and focus. 24 fps recording for a more cinema-like look is on board as well.

In line with the new video mode the 6.5-inch CinemaWide display comes with a 21:9 aspect ration and offers a 3,840 x 1,644 pixel resolution as well as HDR support. Stereo speakers are coupled with Dolby Atmos sound.

The Android OS is powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 855 chipset and 6GB of RAM. Either 64 or 128GB of built-in storage are expandable by up to 512GB via microSD card. The 3,330mAh battery and all other components are built into a IP68 waterproof body with Gorilla Glass 6 at front and back. No pricing information has been revealed yet.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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