Xiaomi Redmi Pro smartphone features a dual rear camera: a 13MP Sony IMX258 is combined with an unnamed 5MP Samsung sensor "to aid depth of field recording, real-time background blur:"
No. The hTC One M8 uses an asymmetric dual camera (where the second camera is much lower resolution). That means it cannot create a per-pixel depth map, so when faced with small holes in a foreground object (e.g., when shooting leaves) it will get the depth wrong for the holes.
This is more like the Huawei P9, which uses a symmetrical dual camera set up (two 12MP cameras).
What is more interesting is the real-time computation of depth for viewfinder bokeh and even apparently video bokeh. Any idea what that dedicated "CPU" is?
You can absolutely make a depth map from asymmetrical color sensors. Real-time from either symm or asymm will be very difficult and cannot be done by a CPU. It would have to be some sort of vision processor and I can assure you it won't work reliably. People will generally come to view it as a toy.
I am surprised that the author calls this a depth camera. There is no such thing, even for years in the future, as a 5MP depth cam.
What's strange to me is why not use Sony or OVT as the 5M sensor... why use Samsung.
Clone of HTC One M8 :)-
ReplyDeleteNo. The hTC One M8 uses an asymmetric dual camera (where the second camera is much lower resolution). That means it cannot create a per-pixel depth map, so when faced with small holes in a foreground object (e.g., when shooting leaves) it will get the depth wrong for the holes.
DeleteThis is more like the Huawei P9, which uses a symmetrical dual camera set up (two 12MP cameras).
no, this one is also asymmetrical, 13M + 5M.
DeleteWhat is more interesting is the real-time computation of depth for viewfinder bokeh and even apparently video bokeh. Any idea what that dedicated "CPU" is?
Someone released samples of its "bokeh" and it works extremely bad for complex scenes. Flawed depth algorithm maybe.
DeleteTheir site says that out focus effect is hardware-like realtime. I guess SW using vision processor MTK helio X20 or X25 do this.
Deletecopycats
ReplyDeleteYou can absolutely make a depth map from asymmetrical color sensors.
ReplyDeleteReal-time from either symm or asymm will be very difficult and cannot be done by a CPU.
It would have to be some sort of vision processor and I can assure you it won't work reliably.
People will generally come to view it as a toy.
I am surprised that the author calls this a depth camera. There is no such thing, even for years in the future, as a 5MP depth cam.
What's strange to me is why not use Sony or OVT as the 5M sensor... why use Samsung.