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LG’s G8X ThinQ Dual Screen might just be a killer feature ahead of its time

17 Nov

The LG G8X ThinQ is the South Korean brand’s latest high-end smartphone and was launched at IFA in September. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 top-of-the-line chipset and features a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with FullHD+ resolution, 6GB RAM and an under-display fingerprint reader.

On the camera side of things the new model relies on similar hardware as previous LG devices but has to make do without the dedicated tele lens that could be found on the G8 ThinQ. The X-model’s dual-camera setup combines a primary camera using a 12MP 1/2.55″ sensor and F1.8 27mm equivalent lens with an ultra-wide camera that offers a 13MP resolution, F2.4 aperture and 16mm equivalent field of view. The primary camera also features OIS and PDAF.

The device’s standout feature is an attachable dual-screen case, though. It allows you to double the overall screen size and resolution, similar to other recent dual-screen devices, such as the Huawei Mate X or Samsung Galaxy Fold.

We’ve had the chance to use the LG G8X ThinQ with Dual-Screen accessory for a few weeks now. Read on to find out what the Dual Screen has to offer for mobile photographers.

The Dual Screen accessory

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The G8X ThinQ’s dual-screen solution is different from other dual-screen devices in that the secondary screen can be removed when not needed. This means you have a very visible border between the two displays, but you can also leave the secondary display at home when not needed – which is a good thing as it adds quite a bit of bulk and weight.

The secondary display is embedded into a case that the G8X can be inserted in, and connects to via its USB-C port. This means you need an accessory dongle for connecting a USB-cable when the Dual Screen is attached. This is not a major issue but, like any small accessory item, the dongle is quite easily lost if you’re not careful. The G8X is capable of wireless charging as well, though.

There’s no need to open the case to check the time or to see if you have any new notifications

The Dual Screen case does not have its own battery and instead draws power from the phone’s. LG claims the Dual Screen increases power consumption, depending on use, by between 20 and 30 percent, which is line with our experience.

The secondary display itself is the same P-OLED type, size and resolution as the primary one and we also found the color rendering to be identical. The hinges of the case allow for 360-degree movement, and at the front there’s a 2.1″ monochrome OLED cover display that shows app notifications as well as time and date. This means there’s no need to open the case to check the time or to see if you have any new notifications.

The rear portion of the case comes with a cutout, allowing you to use the phone’s camera while it’s in the case.

Dual-Screen controls

Once the Dual Screen is connected a control button appears on the right edge of the main display. A tap opens up the controls which let you swap the content of the two screens or turn the secondary display off.

The Dual Screen has its own app drawer and you can place app shortcuts and widgets on it in exactly the same way as the main display. In the Dual Screen settings you can adjust brightness of the secondary display (or set it to be the same as the main screen), turn off the cover display and Dual Screen control button, and set an app to open when the Dual Screen is turned on among other options.

Multi-tasking

Multi-tasking is the Dual Screen’s main purpose. For example, you can watch a video on one display while writing and sending a message on the other, or use Google Maps for navigation at a holiday destination while browsing a travel app.

In terms of use for imaging purposes, the options are (still) slightly limited. You could have the camera or an image editing app on one screen while browsing Instagram or another image sharing app on the other, but overall workflow efficiency gains are fairly small. At this point the Dual Screen is mostly about convenience: you can continue your Whatsapp-chat while preparing an Instagram-upload or editing an image.

Mirror Mode in the Camera app

App support for the Dual Screen is currently still quite limited but fortunately the LG Camera is one of the few apps that makes use of the secondary screen. With the Dual Screen attached you can turn on Mirror Mode. As the name suggests, it mirrors the camera’s preview image on the secondary display.

Combined with the ability to angle the latter any way you like, this feature can be really handy when shooting overhead or at low height, just like a tilting display on a regular camera. You can also use the secondary screen like a waist-level viewfinder which is particularly helpful for holding the device in a stable fashion when recording video.

It’s worth noting though that the mirrored display only comes with a shutter/video button. For all other controls you’ll still have to go back to the main screen. You can however swap the display content using the Dual Screen controls.

Wide Mode

Wide-view expands an app across both screens, offering an overall display size of 12.8 inches. This can be great for reading websites, viewing images and watching video but in many cases, especially when consuming multi-media content, the 15mm combined bezel between the two screens somewhat limits the experience.

The fact that the feature currently only works with websites viewed in the Chrome browser is another downside. Still, Wide Mode can be useful for viewing websites in desktop mode or on those occasions when additional real estate increases usability, for example when viewing and navigating a map.

Extended View

In Extended View mode an app is divided into two screens. Unfortunately this feature is currently only supported by two apps – the LG Gallery and the Naver Whale browser – but LG says it is expecting support to be expanded to additional apps in the future.

In the Gallery app you can tap on the Dual Screen button to expand the view. This allows you to browse thumbnails on one screen and open the full image on the other. You can zoom into the full image as well as share or delete it in this viewing mode. However, if you want to add a memo or edit, you’ll have to go back to the main screen, so the Dual Screen’s added value is somewhat limited in this instance.

LG’s Naver Whale is a web browser and allows you to view websites in Wide Mode, just like Chrome. However, it also lets you open links on the secondary screen by double-tapping them. This can be useful when browsing shopping websites for example, when you don’t have to jump back and forth between your list of search results and product pages. You simply keep the list open on one screen and open product pages on the other.

In a similar manner, when browsing Instagram or equivalent sites you can keep a user’s profile page open on the main screen and open individual posts on the secondary display. All this has to happen in the browser, though.

Virtual Game Pad and Keyboard

This Dual Screen use case is arguably the one that LG has implemented best so far. The Dual Screen can be used to display a virtual gaming pad. Android recognizes the app as connected bluetooth hardware which makes it compatible with any game that supports this kind of hardware. The pad is also customizable.

We’re no gamers but after a few trial runs on Asphalt 9 it’s fair to say the pad works quite well. A hardware pad is arguably a better option, but this virtual implementation isn’t far off.

The LG keyboard offers a very similar function. You can display a soft-keyboard on the main screen while having the app you are writing in, for example Gmail or Instagram, open on the secondary screen. The keys are larger than they’d be on a usual split-screen style keyboard and allow for more comfortable typing. We would not recommend it for writing your next novel but shorter pieces of text are absolutely manageable in this setup.

Conclusion

LG is a smartphone manufacturer who does not shy away from risky development decisions. Some years ago the company introduced a modular system with its G5 model which was very innovative but ultimately proved commercially unsuccessful. It was also among the first to introduce ultra-wide angle cameras to smartphone photography which today are pretty much ubiquitous.

The Dual Screen follows in this tradition but at the current stage it’s still too soon to say if it will go the way of the G5 modules or become a success like the ultra-wide camera. It’s fair to say that for the latter to happen more apps will probably need to support the secondary screen.

The most useful feature for photographers is Mirror Mode in the camera app which helps when shooting at awkward angles

Right now it provides the most obvious benefits to those users who like to multi-task, letting you work in two apps at the same time. The ability to consume content across two screens or separate app controls from the main screen are great but unfortunately only work with a very limited number of apps. Currently, the most useful feature for photographers is Mirror Mode in the camera app which helps when shooting at awkward angles.

For everybody else, and especially those who write a lot on their smartphones, the virtual keyboard on its own might be an argument to purchase a G8X ThinQ with Dual Screen. If that doesn’t quite convince you yet it’s probably a good idea to wait and see if the Dual Screen will get more support from app developers.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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LG launches triple-camera models V50 ThinQ 5G and G8 ThinQ

26 Feb
LG V50 ThinQ 5G

In previous years LG unveiled its G-series smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and the V-series models at IFA in Berlin. For 2019 the Korean manufacturer has decided to launch both new models at the show in the capital of Catalonia .

The biggest news on the V50 ThinQ 5G are the 5G-connectivity and the new Snapdragon 855 chipset. In most other respects the latest V-model has a lot of similarities with its predecessor V40 ThinQ.

At least on paper camera specifications are identical. The V50 ThinQ 5G features a triple-camera setup on the back, combining a 12MP primary camera with F1.5 aperture with a 12MP/F2.4 tele and 16MP/F1.9 super-wide-angle. In video mode the LG can shoot at 4K resolution and up to 60 frames per second. It also features all the manual video controls of the previous model. We quite liked the camera when shooting with the V40 ThinQ, which is still a pretty new device, so it seems LG did not see the need to overhaul the camera department for this new release.

The new model also comes with the same 6.4-inch 3120 x 1440 pixel OLED FullVision display as the previous generation and a dual-front camera with super-wide-angle and 8/5MP resolution. At 4,000mAh the battery is 20 percent larger, though, and audiophiles will appreciate the stereo speakers and 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, all built into a MIL-STD 810G compliant body.

LG G8 ThinQ

The G8 ThinQ features the same Snapdragon 855 chipset, 6GB of RAM and camera specs as the V50 but has to make do without a 5G modem and a smaller 6.1-inch 3120 x 1440 pixel OLED display and 3,500mAh battery.

There is also a G8s ThinQ with a slightly larger 6.2-inch OLED display with lower 2248 x 1080px resolution. In the camera module it swaps the 16MP super-wide-angle for a 13MP variant but otherwise specs are pretty similar to the regular G8. Both G8 models come with an 8MP front camera and a secondary time-of-flight 3D camera for face unlocking. No pricing information for the new models has been released yet.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Three is the magic number: LG V40 ThinQ sample gallery

16 Dec

When the V40 ThinQ was launched back in October it wasn’t the first triple-camera phone (that honor goes to the Huawei P20 Pro which combines a main camera with a tele and monochrome sensor), but it was the first to offer three different focal lengths.

Since then more triple-focal-length phones have arrived on the scene, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Huawei’s 2018 flagship, the Mate 20 Pro, but you’re still looking at a pretty exclusive list if you’re after focal length flexibility.

LG V40 ThinQ sample gallery

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The V40 ThinQ’s camera combines a primary 27mm equiv. module, a super-wide-angle with 16mm equivalent focal length and a ‘tele’ lens that offers a 52mm equivalent focal length.

So does the triple-cam really offer a noticeable advantage over a phone with one or two lenses? In my experience using the phone on a week-long hiking trip and a few other occasions, I indeed found the added flexibility in terms of focal length to be a real benefit.

Key specifications:

  • Triple camera
  • 16MP Super Wide (1/3.1″-type, F1.9 / 16mm equiv, no AF)
  • 12MP Standard (1/2.6″-type F1.5 / 27mm equiv, OIS, dual-pixal PDAF)
  • 12MP Telephoto (1/3.4″-type F2.4 / 52mm equiv, OIS, PDAF)
  • Dual front-camera with 8MP Standard (1/4″-type F1.9 / 26mm equiv) and
    5MP Wide (1/5″-type F2.2 / 22mm equiv)
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset
  • 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED display (3120 x 1440 pixels)
  • 6GB RAM / 64GB or 128GB internal memory / microSD slot
  • 3300mAh battery

Using the V40 ThinQ is not to dissimilar to shooting with a DSLR and three prime lenses, but without the bulk. It is possible to zoom to intermediate positions between the native focal lengths but image quality suffers as digital zoom is applied and it’s simply more convenient to tap on the zoom icon of your choice than worry about pinch-zooming or using the zoom slider.

But even if you stick with the native equivalent focal lengths – 16, 27 and 52mm – they offer a higher level of creative freedom than we’ve ever seen on smartphones. At the press of a button you now have the ability to completely modify the way a scene is captured.

The three images below were captured from the same location, but the change in angle of view makes for very different image results between the three available focal lengths.

Landscape shot, 16mm equivalent
Landscape shot, 27mm equivalent
Landscape shot, 52mm equivalent

The ability to choose between focal lengths is also very useful when shooting portraits. In the past mobile photographers had to get used to being limited to wide-angle portraits when shooting people pictures.

With devices like the V40 ThinQ you now have the option to go super-wide and capture even more of the background and the subject-surrounding scenery, or use the phone’s tele-lens and produce something more similar to a ‘traditional’ portrait.

Unfortunately even at the LG’s longest focal length and relatively short subject distances there isn’t much bokeh to speak of, though, and the background is still almost entirely in focus.

The background-blurring Portrait Mode can produce nice results with very good background-segmentation but it uses the main camera’s 27mm equivalent focal length, so you can’t combine the DSLR-like background blur with the camera’s longest focal length. That’s a shame, since it would arguably be the lens most suited to portrait photography.

Portrait, 16mm equivalent
Portrait, 52mm equivalent
Portrait, 27mm equivalent, Portrait Mode

In low light the usefulness of the triple-cam is unfortunately a little more limited than in bright conditions. In low light both the super-wide-angle and wide-angle show noise increases and the levels of detail are reduced. That’s only really noticeable when zooming in to a 100% view, however. Color and exposure remain solid down to very low light levels. The 27mm equiv camera, with its bigger sensor and brighter aperture is the stronger option as the light levels drop.

The tele-lens on the other hand is completely deactivated in dim conditions. Instead, the camera uses the main sensor to capture the image and applies digital zoom to keep the exposure bright enough and control noise to some degree. The resulting images show very low levels of detail.

The LG is not the only device doing this – we’ve seen the same behavior on the first iPhones with tele-lens and some other Android devices. It means however that low-light tele shots are best avoided if you are planning to view or display them at larger sizes.

Night Shot, 16mm equivalent
Night shot, 27mm equivalent
Night shot, tele setting (shot with 27mm equivalent camera and with digital zoom)

The different image output sizes (16MP for the super-wide-angle, 12MP for the other two cameras) are slightly unusual but not really a problem. The same can be said for the fixed focus of the super-wide-angle camera. With virtually unlimited depth-of-field there isn’t really a need for an autofocus system.

On all three cameras image detail capture is only average and many images show pretty strong chromatic aberration but again, these flaws are only visible at larger magnifications and most smartphone images are never viewed at full size. Other than that there isn’t much to criticize about the V40 ThinQ’s triple-cam general image quality. Color and exposure tend to be very good in most shooting conditions.

Conclusion

Did I like shooting with the LG V40 ThinQ triple-cam then? The answer is a resounding yes! The iPhone 7 Plus was my first tele-cam-equipped smartphone and I remember how incredibly useful I found that longer lens while shooting on a tourist trip to New York, despite its shortcomings in low light.

The LG V40 ThinQ takes things one step further by adding a super-wide-angle to the mix. Gone are the days of difficult decisions between longer reach or a wider angle of view when buying a new smartphone. Now you can have it all in one device that easily fits into your pocket, and also gives you the ability to instantly edit and share.

Triple-cam-smartphones really are the final nail in the compact camera’s coffin

Is there still room for improvement? Of course there is. The tele-lens could perform better in low light and an even longer focal length would be nice (the Huawei Mate 20 Pro already offers a 3x optical zoom) but the additional creative freedom offered by the V40 ThinQ and similar devices is already a huge leap forward when compared to conventional single-lens smartphones.

If we still needed one, triple-cam-smartphones really are the final nail in the compact camera’s coffin, and we can be pretty certain device manufacturers won’t stop here. New hardware developments in combination with computational imaging techniques are likely to lead to even longer focal lengths and wider zoom ranges on smartphones in the very near future.

Gallery

There are 52 images in our LG V40 ThinQ sample gallery. Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter / magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review), we do so in good faith, please don’t abuse it.

Unless otherwise noted images taken with no particular settings at full resolution.

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The LG V40 ThinQ is the first smartphone with wide, standard, and telephoto cameras

04 Oct

We’ve already had a sneak peek at some of the LG V40 ThinQ’s triple-camera specifications but now the device has been officially announced and comes with a total of five cameras.

Three of those can be found on the phone’s back. The 12MP “standard” camera features an equivalent focal length of 27mm, a fast F1.5 aperture and a 1.4?m pixel size. Next to it you’ll find a 16MP super-wide-angle with 16mm equivalent focal length, F1.9 aperture and 1.0?m pixels. The 12MP tele-camera features a 52mm equivalent focal length, a F2.4 aperture and a 1.0?m pixel size.

There’s no tele option at the front but you can choose between a 5MP 21mm equivalent wide-angle (F2.2/1.12?m) and an 8MP 26mm “standard” camera (F1.9/1.12?m)

40 percent larger (compared to the V30) pixels on the main camera and the fast aperture should make for decent low light capabilities and LG says the PDAF system is 50 percent faster than before. An “advanced HDR” feature analyzes the scene in order to maximize dynamic range.

There is also a new AI Composition feature that recommends alternative framing to the shot taken by the user, presumably using a crop. The white balance and exposure systems are also AI-powered and can adjust color temperature across different lighting situations or automatically adjust shutter speeds for fast moving scenes.

Other specifications are in line with current Android flagship devices. The Android OS is powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset and 6GB of RAM. Users can choose between 64GB or 128GB of internal memory and can also make use of a microSD card slot. Images can be composed, edited and viewed on a 6.4-inch OLED display with HDD+ resolution (3120 x 1440 pixels).

The V40 ThinQ isn’t the first triple-camera phone, but it is the first to offer three different focal length and, at least on paper, looks like a real contender in the high-end bracket of the market. We are hoping to get a test unit into our hands sometime soon. It’s worth mentioning that Samsung’s next flagship phone is expected to come with a similar camera setup but you’ll have to wait until next year to buy one.

Key specifications:

  • Triple camera
  • 16MP Super Wide (F1.9 / 1.0?m / 107°)
  • 12MP Standard (F1.5 / 1.4?m / 78°)
  • 12MP Telephoto (F2.4 / 1.0?m / 45°)
  • Dual front-camera with 8MP Standard (F1.9 / 1.12?m / 80°) and
    5MP Wide (F2.2 / 1.12?m / 90°)
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset
  • 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED display (3120 x 1440 pixels)
  • 6GB RAM / 64GB or 128GB internal memory / microSD slot
  • 3300mAh battery

LG DELIVERS ULTIMATE FIVE CAMERA SMARTPHONE WITH LG V40 THINQ

A Truly All-Encompassing Smartphone Camera Experience to Capture Every Perspective

SEOUL, Oct. 4, 2018 — LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled its newest premium smartphone featuring a total of five cameras to redefine the standard of smartphone photography. The latest iteration of the company’s acclaimed V series, the LG V40 ThinQ is an uncompromising multimedia powerhouse device designed for today’s generation of storytellers that prefer to communicate with visuals and videos, especially on social media.

The LG V40 ThinQ retains the V series design philosophy with an improved 6.4-inch FullVision OLED display and even slimmer bezels than before. Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 845 Mobile Platform paired with 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, the LG V40 ThinQ again delivers the innovations that has made the LG V series a favorite among power users.

Seeing the Light with Five Cameras

In order to deliver a standout smartphone for today’s content-creating social generation, LG designed the LG V40 ThinQ from the ground up to deliver a truly all-encompassing smartphone camera experience. The LG V40 ThinQ features a rear camera module with three different lenses: 16MP super wide-angle, 12MP standard angle and 12MP telephoto. The three lenses allow for shutterbugs to frame different shots without changing position relative to the subject. The 107-degree super wide-angle lens captures subjects with more of the background with ease, while the telephoto with 2x optical zoom (or 3.2x the zoom of the wide-angle lens) takes clear shots from distance without a loss in image quality. The Triple Shot feature stitches together the images captured with each of the three lenses into a short video file for easy sharing.

The front camera module features a 5MP wide-angle lens and 8MP standard angle that work in tandem to create the perfect bokeh effect with an on-screen slider to adjust the amount of background blur. Other features allow selfie lovers to personalize their photos even more with unique lighting and special effects.

The pixel size of the main rear camera sensor has been improved by about 40 percent compared to the LG V30, increasing from 1?m to 1.4?m, while the image sensor is more than 18 percent larger than in the LG V30. In additdion to delivering the sharpest and brightest images of any LG smartphone camera, the F1.5 aperture of the main camera delivers greater depth of field, half the shutter lag and significantly faster burst mode compared to the LG V30.

What’s more, Dual PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus) delivers automatic focusing that is 50 percent faster, about twice as fast as the industry average. The advanced HDR feature analyzes and determines the right exposure settings to create perfectly lit shots, eliminating overexposed backgrounds or underexposed subjects. Subjects are always in perfect focus because the camera checks sharpness continuously until the shutter button is depressed.

LG upgraded the camera in the LG V40 ThinQ to be even more powerful and intuitive than ever to deliver the best color, composition, white balance and shutter speed. The AI CAM’s new AI Composition feature taps into the phone’s intelligence to frame, capture and recommend an alternative shot to the one taken by the user. AI Auto White Balance (AI AWB) automatically adjusts the color temperature across different lighting situations while AI Shutter selects the right shutter speed, especially useful when trying to capture fast-moving subjects.

Other new features such as Cine Shot, 3D Light Effect, Makeup Pro, Custom Backdrop, My Avatar and AR Emoji make photography on the LG V40 ThinQ a whole new experience. Cine Shot makes creating cinemagraphs – images with animation – incredibly easy and fun. Simply shoot a short video with any of the phone’s three rear cameras and “paint” the area to be animated with a finger and the result will be sure to amaze. 3D Light Effect changes the tone of a photo with professional-looking lighting, touch up any selfie with different looks using Makeup Pro or entirely change the background of a selfie with Custom Backdrop. For those who love all things augmented reality, create and share personalized emojis with My Avatar and AR Emoji using one’s own face or one of the provided characters.

Immersive Sight and Sound

The LG V40 ThinQ sports a new and improved 6.4-inch QHD+ (3120 x 1440) OLED FullVision display and a bottom bezel that is 1.6mm thinner than its predecessor. The new plastic OLED display is designed to deliver more accurate colors and better luminance consistency. The 4.5 million pixels delivered by the OLED display is the most of any QHD+ smartphone on the market today and allows for the enjoyment of immersive, vivid and vibrant content that only an LG OLED display can deliver.

LG has always prioritized high fidelity audio in its smartphones and the LG V40 ThinQ is no exception, being the first LG phone to carry the Audio Tuned by Meridian label. The 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC produces a balanced sound signature that comes extremely close to the quality of an original recording. And Boombox Speaker, originally introduced on the LG G7 ThinQ, doubles the bass of conventional smartphone speakers by utilizing the internal space of the device as a resonance chamber. When placed on a solid surface or hollow box, the LG V40 ThinQ acts like a woofer to amplify the bass even more.

Minimalist Design Built to Last

The clean lines and sophisticated colors emphasizes the three main design elements of the LG V40 ThinQ: smooth touch, unique color and seamless form. With the objective to create a design that will stand the test of time, the simple yet beautiful exterior is the perfect complement to the wealth of innovative technologies found on the LG V40 ThinQ.

LG’s proprietary Silky BlastTM process etches the tempered glass back with microscopic pits to create a smoother matte finish which feels extremely comfortable in the hand without being slippery. In addition to its more premium appearance, the matte glass is more practical due to its higher resistance to fingerprints and stains. The phone will be available in the charming colors of New Aurora Black, New Platinum Gray, New Moroccan Blue and eye-catching Carmine Red.

The LG V40 ThinQ retains the slim and light design heritage of the V series, weighing only 169g and measuring a svelte 7.7mm in thickness. Like its predecessor, the LG V40 ThinQ meets the U.S. Department of Defense requirements for durability, passing 14 MIL-STD 810G Transit Drop Test categories for suitability in military operations and is IP68 rated.

“The LG V40 ThinQ was designed with the main goal to deliver an uncompromised experience for users to create, consume and share high quality content,” said Hwang Jeong-hwan, president of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The versatility of the camera and the proven V series platform makes the LG V40 ThinQ a serious option for customers looking for a premium smartphone that does it all.”

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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LG V40 ThinQ first smartphone to offer super-wide-angle and tele cameras

28 Sep

Multi-camera setups with a variation of focal lengths are pretty much the norm on high-end smartphones these days. However, thus far you’ve had to decide if you want a super-wide-angle module (like on most recent LG models) or a tele-camera (like on the iPhone X, Huawei P20 Pro or Galaxy Note 9) next to the camera’s “standard” wide-angle lens.

Pretty soon you’ll be able to have both. LG just “pre-announced” its new LG V40 ThinQ on its Korean website and confirmed the triple-camera setup that reportedly comes with a super-wide angle and tele next to the main camera. The latter will feature a very fast F1.5 aperture.

The official announcement of the device is scheduled for October 3rd, and unfortunately information on other specifications is rather sparse at this point. All we know is that the display will measure 6.4 inches and, looking at the teaser video, will feature some kind of soft-touch surface for increased grip.

We will let you know as soon as more information on the LG V40 ThinQ camera specs and features becomes available.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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LG G7 ThinQ review

31 Jul

83%
Overall score
Jump to conclusion

The G7 ThinQ is the latest incarnation of LG’s high-end G-series smartphone and comes with many of the latest must-have specs, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset, plenty of RAM and a high-resolution display.

In the camera department the Korean manufacturer sticks to its strategy of offering an alternative to the tele-zoom systems of the competition by installing a super-wide-angle next to main camera in the device’s dual-cam setup.

For the most part, the LG G7 ThinQ produces images with balanced exposures, and even tackles low lighting conditions relatively well – though pixel-level detail suffers from overly aggressive noise reduction. Still, its super-wide lens is still relatively uncommon among high-end phones and like previous LG devices offers a surprising level of control over video settings.

Behind both lenses you’ll find a 16MP 1/3.1″ sensor. According to the spec sheet the super-wide-angle offers an angle of view of 107 degrees (approximately 16mm equivalent) and an F1.9 aperture. The main camera comes with a 71-degree angle of view (approximately 30mm equivalent), an F1.6 aperture and optical image stabilization. The autofocus system uses both phase detection and laser assist.

Key specifications:

  • Dual-camera
  • Main camera: 1/3.1″ 16MP sensor, F1.6, OIS, 71-degree FoV
  • Secondary camera: 1/3.1″ 16MP sensor, F1.9, 107-degree FoV
  • Laser and PDAF
  • LED flash
  • 4K video at 30 fps
  • 720p slow-motion at 240 fps
  • 8MP / F1.9 front camera
  • 6.1″ IPS LCD display, 1440 x 3120 resolution
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset
  • 64/128GB storage, 4/6GB RAM
  • 3000 mAh battery

The LG G7 ThinQ in use

We’ve had the chance to use the LG G7 ThinQ for a few weeks. In general use, the LG feels just like most recent high-end Android phones: swift and responsive. The screen is bright and clear and nice to view even in bright light. It’s also worth mentioning that the LG still features a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD slot.

Battery life appears to be a bit of a weak point, however. The 3000 mAh battery doesn’t last as long as the beefier units in some of the competitors we’ve recently tested. Under heavy use, you’ll likely have to recharge at some point in the evening.

LG G7 ThinQ AI Cam

Like on the V30S, the G7 ThinQ’s camera operation is enhanced by LG’s artificial intelligence technology that can detect objects and scenes and auto-adjust camera settings accordingly. In practice the new mode is more of a gimmick than anything else. It often detects objects correctly but has also been wrong quite frequently during our testing. The impact on image output isn’t really noticeable either.

For now, we recommend that you just keep shooting in standard auto mode but LG should be applauded for being among the first to implement such a feature, and we’re looking forward to future iterations.

But now let’s have a look at the all-important image output.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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LG unveils G7 ThinQ smartphone with super-wide-angle lens

03 May

After a few months’ delay (the reasons of which are not entirely clear) LG is the last of the big mobile manufacturers to finally unveil its new 2018 top-end smartphone. The new model is called the G7 ThinQ, and comes with most of the photography features and characteristics you would expect from a current flagship device.

An almost bezel-less 6.1-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels is combined with Qualcomm’s latest top-end Snapdragon 845 chipset, and embedded into an IP68 dust- and water-resistant body. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack with a quad DAC and a microSD slot for memory expansion. The device is available with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage or 4GB RAM and 64GB storage.

In the camera department, LG is sticking to its strategy of differentiating itself from most competitors by offering a super-wide-angle lens in the dual-camera setup. Both sensors now offer a higher 16MP pixel count, compared to the G6’s 13MP, with the main camera boasting a 71-degree field of view, fast F1.6 lens, optical image stabilization, and an autofocus system that uses both phase detection and laser.

The super-wide-angle has to make do with a slower F1.9 aperture and without OIS. It also only comes with a fixed focus. Like on the V30S, camera operation is enhanced by LG’s artificial intelligence technology that can detect objects and scenes and auto-adjust camera settings accordingly. Additionally, there is a “smart pixel-binning” mode for lower noise and better exposure in low-light shots.

Finally, we also get a “fake-bokeh” portrait mode on an LG flagship, which can artificially blur the background in portrait shots taken with both main camera and super-wide-angle.

LG is late to the game for 2018, and we’ll have to see if consumers are interested in the brand’s super-wide-angle camera concept when most other manufacturers bet on telephoto lenses in their dual-cam setups. In any case, it’s good to have one more option in the high-end bracket of the Android smartphone market.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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