What to look for when choosing a smartphone camera

Why is the number of megapixels - not important

The term "megapixel" can be decoded as one million pixels. That is a 12-megapixel camera takes pictures, which consist of 12 million tiny dots. The more of these points (pixels) in the image, the sharper it looks, the higher its resolution.

From this we can conclude that the camera with more megapixels takes better than the one in which they are less. But it is not so.

The problem is that in our time smartphone camera have more megapixels than you need. Let's recall the screens: FullHD-TV has a resolution of 2.1 megapixels and the latest 4K-TV - 8.3 megapixels. Given that the camera almost every modern smartphone can count more than 10 megapixels, displays simply can not display such a high resolution fully.

It is unlikely that you will notice the difference between photos of modern cameras with different number of megapixels, because even the newest screens do not support such permits.

In fact, overcoming the mark of 8.3 megapixels can be useful if you intend to frame pictures. In other words, making a photo with the help of a 12-megapixel camera, you can cut away a significant fragment. In this case, the picture size may still remain higher than 4K-TV.

Council. Do not try to buy the cameras, which account for more than 12 megapixels. This amount will be enough with a stock unless you are not going to cut images into fragments or edit them for professional purposes.

The pixel size is more important

A figure that more accurately characterizes the smartphone camera - a pixel size. In general, the list of characteristics of its numerical value indicated in micrometers before cutting μm. Smartphone camera with a pixel size of 1,4μm almost always shoots better than the other with the size of 1,0μm.

If you bring enough picture, individual pixels can be seen on it. The colors of these small dots are determined by microscopic light sensors within the smart phone camera.

These sensors are also referred to as pixels, as each of them captures light for the respective pixel in the image. Thus, if in your camera 12 megapixels, it has 12 millionov photosensitive pixels.

Each sensor captures light particles, known as photons, and determines from them using color and brightness of a pixel in a picture. But photons are very active, and grab them is not easy. For example, the sensor can catch red instead of blue particles. As a result, instead of pixels of the same color in the image will be another point.

To avoid such discrepancies, the light-sensitive pixel catches a few photons at once, and special software calculates on the basis of their correct color and brightness of a point on the final photo. The more the pixel area, the more photons it can capture, the more accurate the final color image.

Council. Stay on cameras that do not have more than 12 megapixels. A larger number of products forcing sacrifice pixel size to accommodate everything in a limited space. Comparing chamber with an equal number of megapixels, select the size in which pixels higher.

Aperture

Another important characteristic of the camera, which should not be neglected - this aperture. It indicates by the symbol f, divided by the numerical value. For example: f / 2,0. Since f is divided by the number, the smaller it is, the better the aperture.

To understand the meaning of the aperture, think about the size of a pixel. The larger it is, the more particles of light captured by the camera, the more accurate color rendition. Now imagine that the pixel - this bucket, and photons - a drop of rain. It turns out that the wider the bucket (pixel), the more drops (photons) enters into it.

Aperture resembles a funnel for this bucket. Its lower part of the same diameter with a bucket, but the top - is much wider, which helps to raise further drops. As follows from the analogy, wide aperture allows the sensor to capture more light particles.

Of course, in reality there is no funnel. This effect is achieved due to the lens through which the camera captures more light than able to catch its pixels.

The main advantage of the wide aperture is that through her camera shoots better in low light conditions.

When too little light, the photosensitive pixels can not capture a sufficient amount of photons. But wide aperture solves this problem by providing access to a larger number of particles.

Council. Do not forget the smaller number means a wider aperture. So do opt chambers with a value of f / 2,2 and below, particularly if often photographing at night or indoors.

Image Stabilization: EIS and OIS

Among other features, you can find the camera image stabilization two types: optical - OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), and e - EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization).

When the camera sensor moves due to hand-shake, OIS stabilizes the image physically. If you, for example, go during video shooting, each step is usually changes the position of the camera. But OIS sensor remains relatively stable, even if you are shaking your smartphone. As a result, the technology minimizes the tremors in the videos and the blur in the pictures.

The presence of optical stabilization greatly increases the cost of the device and requires a lot of space for additional details. Therefore, instead of it in smartphones often incorporate electronic stability, which creates a similar effect.

EIS cuts, stretches the image and changes the perspective of the individual frames that make up the video. This happens programmatically and have footage, so the electronic stability even to the rollers can be used, recorded on camera-area OIS, to make them more smooth.

By and large, have a camera with optical stabilization better. After electronic processing frames can reduce the quality and create jelly effect Video. In addition, the EIS is almost does not reduce the amount of blur in the pictures. But it is worth noting, electronic stability does not cease to grow, confirming the quality of videos shot on cell phones google Pixel.

Council. If you can, choose devices with optical stabilization - if not stop at e. Ignore devices that do not support-area OIS, or EIS.