AXON has a 13-megapixel camera on the back and a secondary 2-megapixel camera that sits above it to help capture 3D depth for a refocusable photo. To get a better idea of the story behind the challenging work, Mobile World talked with two engineers from ZTE’s camera lab.
Interviewee: Zhu Yufei, responsible for the North American camera team and camera solution planning
Why did you decide to introduce a dual lens camera into AXON? How will the smartphone camera develop in the future?
Dual-lens camera technology is prospective. Photos taken by a single-lens camera are some kind of object simulation, while photos taken by a dual lens camera are more vivid because dual lens cameras capture more information. ...In terms of intelligence, we improve image stabilization and low-light photography through better algorithms and relevant technologies on AXON.
Are there any differences between ZTE’s dual-lens camera and other similar products?
The distance between the two lenses of AXON is wider. AXON outperforms other dual-lens smartphones in the large aperture effect, depth calculation accuracy, and distance of objects from the camera.
What are the trends for future smartphone cameras?
Both single-lens cameras and dual-lens cameras will coexist. Single-lens cameras will dominate in the near future, and dual lens cameras will continue to improve.
Interviewee: Xiao Longan, responsible for the camera software development
What are the tough nuts to crack in introducing the dual-lens camera to AXON? How did you overcome these difficulties?
...No smartphone project at ZTE has required so many human resources on the R&D of the camera app, and no camera app has received so much attention.
Which camera feature do you like most?
Background blur and refocus...
Can you explain more about how the refocus feature works?
The dual-lens camera captures and adds depth data to each object in the image. These data allows you to refocus a picture and add a blur effect to select parts of the image.
I think its a bit dull double camera solution (like the HTC One M8). I hope someone will have two (or more) high quality cameras that can offer more then just software blurring. I want 3D and I want one of the cameras to be monochrome with fewer larger pixels to improve low light performance.
ReplyDeleteWhy need dual camera? Taking a few quick shots can achieve the same thing at much lower cost.
ReplyDeleteWhy would anyone need 1" sensor? Taking a few quick shots with a 1/3" sensor can achieve the same thing at much lower cost.
DeleteWhy would anyone need 1/3" sensor? Taking a few quick shots with a 1/6" sensor can achieve the same thing at much lower cost.
Recursive argument!
Besides the area advantage of two versus one sensor, two can also be used for parallax 3D.