Galaxy S9 Will Have a Camera with an Adjustable Aperture

DooKey

DooKey

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For all of you out there that take a lot of pictures with your phone and wish you could take pictures like a DSLR the new Galaxy S9 may be a step in the right direction. According to Neowin, who translated a report by VTECH, the new S9 will not only have an f/1.5 aperture, but that aperture is going to be adjustable. I'm sure many of you photographers will like this addition. It's stuff like this makes me want to go back to an android smartphone.

A larger aperture allows more light to enter the sensor, so it should provide better images in low light conditions. The ability to adjust the aperture should allow you to add different effects to your images, such as a more natural bokeh than the fake one that comes from dual-lens configurations.
 
Maybe NOW a Samsung will take a better photo under less than ideal conditions than an iPhone? They keep SAYING how much better they are, but my ancient 5S always gets better concert pictures than my gf's S8. In ideal situations, her pictures look marginally better, but in tough situations like your typical concert lighting, mine are always clearer and sharper.
 
Yeah, wherever we have a difficult picture to take, I whip out my G11. There is no contest (even versus the wife's S7). Eight years later, they still can't beat real glass.

The only reason you really want adjustable f-stop is if you have the lens range to justify it. Phone camera will never break the laws of physics.
 
I'm not so sure this is a plus. There's the old adage of 'zoom with your feet' when using primes, as a sacrifice for superior optics.
However in a smartphone, where space is already a massive constraint, I'm curious what is being sacrificed for the sake of variable aperture here.

We're not talking about a typical 24-70 f2.8 here lol.
 
If it makes a better phone camera, I'm in. I use my slr all the time but sometimes it's just not convenient to be lugging my gear around.
 
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put an aps-c sensor in the phone already.

That's what I'm waiting for. Maybe then the removal of the headjack would be acceptable.
 
I'm going to get my Nikon and glue a flip phone to it and make the first Camera which has a Phone. It'll take world-class pix, and take calls.
 
I don't expect the variable aperture to be that big of a deal size wise- this actually means that they're putting in an aperture period, though, as there currently isn't one. It's just a hole, i.e., wide open.

Examples of positives:
  • more depth of field when focusing closer, to include portraiture and macro distances, and will be good for dramatic landscapes
  • ability to physically stop light a little, which might be useful for when the electronic stops run out
  • depending on aperture shape, potentially better sunstars (an odd number of straight blades would be better here)
  • potentially better sharpness and fewer aberrations
And as long as the optics remain top notch and the added thickness, if any, is kept at a minimum.
 
I'd rather have a 150 to 200mm telephoto added. It can be done with the folded optics method.
 
Megaslug said:
Maybe NOW a Samsung will take a better photo under less than ideal conditions than an iPhone? They keep SAYING how much better they are, but my ancient 5S always gets better concert pictures than my gf's S8. In ideal situations, her pictures look marginally better, but in tough situations like your typical concert lighting, mine are always clearer and sharper.
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your GFs phone is broken. my s7 edge, and note 8 take much better low light images then my wifes 6s, both concerts and dark caves.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
Or you could..you know..Use a Proper Camera. Yes cellphones take a fine generic picture. However once you get to the point where you need to consider aperture and manual focus it is time to use a real camera.
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Yeah, but if you’re travelling and are a light packer like my wife and I, having a cell phone that can take excellent photos is key. I have found increasingly that my DSLR is too much of a pain to carry around, and would rather just use the phone I have with my anyway to do the job.
 
HockeyJon said:
Yeah, but if you’re travelling and are a light packer like my wife and I, having a cell phone that can take excellent photos is key. I have found increasingly that my DSLR is too much of a pain to carry around, and would rather just use the phone I have with my anyway to do the job.
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There are compact cameras with zooms that have 1", MFT, and even APS-C sensors now. Of course, they cost as much as DSLRs and have fixed lenses and lower battery life, but they're also pocketable...
 
hity645 said:
Agreed. I don't care if my phone can take photos or not. I'm not a photographer.
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Does it take "good enough" pictures when I need to take pictures? Hey my S8+ does I'm happy with that. If I cared about how well it took photos I'd probably just buy something that specializes in taking photos, what's it called a karma or something?
 
I'm pretty sure that anyone who calls himself a photographer is not using smartphone to take a picture.
 
cpy2 said:
I'm pretty sure that anyone who calls himself a photographer is not using smartphone to take a picture.
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Anyone who calls themselves a photographer will tell you that the best camera in the world is the one that you have, and that is why photographers place importance on the camera on their phone.
 
IdiotInCharge said:
There are compact cameras with zooms that have 1", MFT, and even APS-C sensors now. Of course, they cost as much as DSLRs and have fixed lenses and lower battery life, but they're also pocketable...
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True, but so is my phone, which is still one less thing I need to carry. I don't disagree with you, I'm just saying.
 
It's probably the same camera module that's in their "just announced" W2018 super high end flip phone for Asia:
https://www.engadget.com/2017/12/01/samsung-w2018-flip-phone-variable-aperture-china/

It's variable aperture in the least possible way to fulfill that moniker: It supports 2 aperture settings, f/1.5 and f/2.4

Better than nothing, till the aperture mechanism gets stuck and all your f/2.4 photos are over exposed or f/1.5 photos are under exposed. ;-)
 
cpy2 said:
I'm pretty sure that anyone who calls himself a photographer is not using smartphone to take a picture.
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Yeah, because the smart photographers are women that use their skill to create good photographs and if a smartphone is the only camera available to them, they'll create great photographs using the smartphone. /s ;-)

Sure, a professional won't take a smartphone out on a paid photoshoot as their primary camera (unless it's some "taken by smartphone" gimmick shoot), but that doesn't mean that great photographs can't be taken with smartphones. Remember it's the photographer's skill that matters most and a great photographer will use whatever equipment they have to create photographs better than I could do with a "professional" DSLR.
 
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