Let's start with the background story
the
Galaxy S9
This range of phones was a huge hit if you wanted a flagship phone that didn't excel in any particular category. You were unfortunate enough to get sandwiched between the two
pixels2
and
iPhone XS
releases, making it very difficult for the S9 series to stand out - at least as far as the camera department goes.
At the time that
pixels2
had the best camera on any phone - at least for photos, and those
iPhone XS
was king of video and form factor with Apple's new and exciting design language (for 2017-2018). However, the S9 phones attempted to address this with a tricky camera feature that didn't make it that far into Samsung's flagship lineup
Galaxy Note 10
Series were the last phones to use it.
The S9's variable aperture was a party trick
Was the Galaxy S9's variable aperture ahead of its time?
Of course, we are referring to the variable aperture associated with the
Galaxy S9
family. The phones had two fixed aperture settings - the first was wide open at f1.5 and the other - narrow at f2.4. Samsung's goal was (allegedly) to get a better balance of exposure and sharpness for photos, since the S9 automatically switches between its two bezels.
The feature never managed to prove any practical purpose. Exposure on the S9 series was just fine compared to phones like the Pixel 2. Yes, the camera moved and that was a cool party trick, but it didn't do much more than that.
Low-light photos were an improvement over Samsung's previous flagship, but bokeh (which is said to bring some benefits due to the larger aperture) wasn't as good as when paired with a large sensor 2022 we expect will see an influx of new phones with larger sensors and large apertures .Because smartphone cameras need to let in as much light as possible for good night and mixed light photos.A large sensor is also great for achieving realistic and pleasing subject separation when you're taking pictures of something that needs to stand out - be it your friend, Pet or Avocado Toast.
New flagships - new problems: What are edge seams
Sharp Aquos and its 1-inch camera sensor can rival compact cameras... on paper, at least
But! As it turns out, larger sensors and larger apertures pose a particular challenge that has to do with bokeh, and it is
edge seams
.This phenomenon occurs when you get too close to your subject. The problem manifests itself as "too much blur" or unwanted blurring in areas of the photo that you want to be in focus.
In other words, some parts of the subject become distorted and blurry. The problem appears on several new flagship phones that use large sensors. Given the current trend, we are sure that in the near future the problem will only be exaggerated if 1 -Inch camera sensors are becoming the norm.
f2.4 versus f1.5 - Notice how on the left the edges of the flower are blurred and out of focus, while on the right we get better focus on the subject. Photo by Marques Brownlee.
We already have our first modern smartphone with a 1-inch camera sensor that aims to compete with dedicated pocket cameras
Sharp Aquos R6
takes
incredible pictures
.However, they are definitely not free from edge hemming.
In all the images below f1.5 is on the left and f2.4 on the right. Note that in the f1.5 photos the edges and often the center area that is supposed to be sharp are fuzzy and not as sharp as the f2. 4 photos. The problem will be less or more noticeable depending on how close you are to the subject and how far you zoom in after the shot.
This is where a variable aperture would come in handy. It has the potential to become a game-changing piece of camera hardware, rather than a useless gimmick. We want creamy bokeh, but we don't want our subject to remain out of focus. It's a balancing act that's over either hardware or software needs to be managed.
Switching from f1.5 to f2.4, for example, gives you more natural bokeh thanks to the better balance between the large sensor and narrower aperture, as opposed to a wide f1.5 setting, which would only contribute even more to blurred edges .
Finally...
Xiaomi's Mi 11 Ultra - former champion in the "biggest smartphone camera sensor"
Will the variable aperture get rid of the edge fringes problem? Unfortunately not. But! This makes it a lot less noticeable, especially for the average consumer who just wants a good looking picture with sharp focus. Variable aperture is a viable and straightforward solution, and we know that because it's been done before. Except in 2017, Samsung didn't have the sensors that are available today. It turns out now is the right time for this tricky Galaxy S9 feature to come back and bail out the latest flagships from this pesky camera issue. Will Samsung bring variable aperture back to the next "S" flagship or will another manufacturer quickly recognize its potential and use it first? We look forward to finding out.
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