5 reasons I really like the Duo Ultrapixel camera on the HTC One for Windows

The HTC One M8, previously loaded with Android and at present with Windows Telephone 8.1 Update ane, is considered the flagship Windows Phone device for the autumn. Although it is currently but available on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are both on target to get the phone, likely in the coming weeks. Although no international plans accept been announced, I have to believe that the Ane will go global as well. As a result, many of you may want to consider this phone as your side by side.

Before I jump into a full review, I want to touch upon what is likely the most controversial aspect of the HTC I: its Duo Ultrapixel camera. Lumia users are used to owning the imaging marketplace when it comes to Windows Phone, and as a issue, I have seen a reflexive negative reaction to the HTC One's camera, often without bear witness.

Is the HTC Ane for Windows improve than a Lumia 930 or a Lumia 1520? In many ways, it is an unfair question equally it depends on what aspects of photography you are because. The Lumia 1520/Lumia 930 have excellent cameras, but there are cons to it as well, likewise with the HTC One. Here is my feel then far and why I like using the Duo Camera on the HTC Ane.

HTC Duo Ultrapixel camera – What is it?

In that location is little doubt that HTC likes to pepper its engineering with some buzzwords, hence 'ultrapixel' and 'duo photographic camera,' although the latter is a literal description. HTC is likely picking this up from the rex of fad lingo Apple, and although some of yous may cringe, fifty-fifty Nokia never shied away from adopting the aforementioned strategy due east.m. ClearBlack, PureView, Super-Sensitive Impact, etc.

At its middle, the HTC One'south camera is a somewhat radical departure from the trend in mobile imaging. I think it is an interesting approach, although it is not all pure gains either. Here is what the camera features:

• Duo Photographic camera – The HTC One features two camera on the rear, ane iv MP one and ane 1 MP one. The 2d, smaller photographic camera and a separate sensor are used for depth data
• Ultrapixel – HTC is opting for larger pixels (two microns) versus the smaller ones found in similar phones (unremarkably effectually 1.1 microns). In imaging, larger pixels are better because they can pick up more light. The downside is either you demand a larger sensor to keep up the megapixel count or you cut back on the amount of megapixels. HTC chose the latter, likely because of cost and spacing problems when building the phone. Is it a gimmick? No, but at that place are downsides going this road as well, more on that below.
• BSI sensor – Backside illuminated (BSI) sensors are standard and preferred these days. This setup puts the wiring behind the sensor and gives better lowlight functioning.
• f/2.0 – The aperture determines how much low-cal enters the lens and sensor. The lower the f-finish, the more light let in. Withal, at that place is a tradeoff, as lower f-stops tend to be less sharp, with shallower depth-of-field aka the background blur in images. College f-stops tend to exist sharper, merely do not practise well indoors. The HTC Ane falls in on the lower range on devices available today. By comparison, a Lumia 1520 and a Lumia 930 have a f/2.four aperture, whereas the upcoming Lumia 730 has a very low f/ane.ix.
• 28mm lens – Nokia oftentimes favor 26mm lenses, then in this example, the Lumia 1520 takes slightly wider photos
• HTC ImageChip 2 – Non but does the HTC One characteristic the newer Snapdragon 801 chipset, simply HTC have besides put in their own proprietary secondary chip dedicated to the camera. Dubbed ImageChip 2, HTC has been doing this for a while, going back to early 2022 with the HTC Titan 2 and its sixteen MP camera, and carrying over to the HTC 8X. The purpose of the chip is to assistance render photos more than quickly and offload processing from the chief CPU. The upshot is a faster photographic camera experience.

With the technical details out of the way, here are 5 reasons why I really like this camera.

i. Speed

Clocking in a ii.three GHz and featuring that aforementioned HTC ImageChip2, the Ane'southward camera is super-fast for snapping photos. This speed bump applies to launching the camera, focusing, and processing, all of which making taking photos experience more natural. However, non having a dedicated camera push ironically slows things downwardly a bit. The One also has built in burst mode: agree downwardly the on-screen shutter button and accept an avalanche of photos. The all-time image can later exist picked automatically for quick saving.

2. HDR and Panorama

I have never cared for the Lumia panorama experience and it something the imaging squad has ignored for a long fourth dimension at present. Like the iPhone, the HTC One does some amazing panoramas with its built in app (selected through the bill of fare). Users get-go the photograph from one end and just slowly movement the phone across the horizon while keeping it level. There are no buttons to push as the telephone does all the work. You tin can also do almost a 360-degree pano as there are no limitations to the size. The photographic camera, using that ImageChip2, and then processes the picture without much delay.

HDR (high-dynamic range) is coming to the Lumia Denim update, only HTC take information technology congenital in right now. Just chose HDR instead of Auto and have a photo, processing fourth dimension is about 1.25 seconds. HDR is a personal taste issue, though I discover HTCs implementation in the middle and non also extreme. Unfortunately, there are no controls for HDR, equally information technology is an all-or-zip upshot.

3. Furnishings

When set to Auto, the HTC One's camera takes photos with the full-depth data already on board. There is goose egg to think almost; instead, you just have a motion picture. Later, you tin can edit the image to bring up selective focus, colour the groundwork, or add together filters.

On-screen live filters consist of grayscale, sepia, negative, and solarized.

Modes of shooting include automobile, night, HDR, anti-milk shake, portrait, landscape, backlight, text, and macro.

Transmission controls comprise of ISO (auto – 1600), Exposure Value (-2 to +ii in half steps), White rest (incandescent, fluorescent, daylight, cloudy or auto)

For the above photo, I used the backlight way, which is why instead of blownout highlights in the window, y'all can really see the street.

Although the manual controls are not as powerful equally those in Nokia Photographic camera, they are actually substantial enough to continue me busy and enjoying the experience. I do wish though that you could do long exposures, something the PureView cameras tin can exercise.

4. Paradigm quality

I think the HTC One takes slap-up photos. At that place, I said it. In depression-light situations, it is not always as good as a Lumia merely generally, it surprises me with the results. Likewise, for metering, every bit the tap-to-meter (and focus) function is very sensitive, letting you control the exposure and lighting of the epitome with precision. Even the colors fall in line with what I consider impressive (and you tin can adjust default contrast, sharpness, and saturation in settings).

However, where epitome quality fails is details for far away objects and the inability to 'crop to zoom' as constitute on the high-end Lumias, especially the 41 MP Lumia 1020 and to a bottom extent on the Lumia 930 and Lumia 1520 with 20 MP. This limitation with the HTC Ane is the big trade off. Instead, you become the speed, accuracy, fantabulous settings, and solid IQ, only you lot sacrifice detail and cropping. You tin can, of course, crop the image, and for primary crops, information technology is fine, but for 'zoom to crop' on details, you certainly lose information with only 5 MP.

5. The original 'selfie' phone

Finally, although I am not a habitual front-facing camera user, especially for and so-called selfies, the HTC 1 sports an impressive 5MP front-facing camera with a BSI sensor, 1080p full Hard disk drive video, and wide angle lens. You tin even use HDR mode though I am not sure why (human subjects look odd in HDR).

Like I said, I am not a regular selfie person, but fifty-fifty I have to acknowledge I could run into using this camera more often for that purpose because the quality, in comparison to other phones, is top notch. Fifty-fifty for Skype video telephone call users information technology impressive.

Microsoft is boasting that the Lumia 730 is the selfie phone, and due to its lower cost point, it is more than likely to end up in the hands of younger people, versus the high-cease HTC 1. Yet, while the Lumia 730 does exercise some practiced selfies, the HTC One is likely better.

Conclusion

If you follow me on Twitter ( @daniel_rubino), or Instagram, many of the photos I have been posting lately come from the HTC One. This observation reveals two bits of data: I like using this camera, and I similar using this phone.

To become back to the question is it improve than my Lumia 1520? It is a nuanced answer. Yes, for some things, information technology is better, like speed, HDR, panos, refocus effects, and more. For others, the Lumia 1520 is meliorate such every bit 'zoom to crop,' RAW prototype support, etc. For a video, the Lumia 1520 is the clear winner with its HAAC mics and Dolby Digital 5.1 recording (see my earlier article discussing those features).

Practice not let the critics deter yous. The HTC I's camera is very capable and in the right hands, you can take some stunning photos with it. I think generally people have smudges on the I's lens, which is easy to get from touching, but also easy to wipe, and information technology results in some of those poor pictures seen online. Other times, I think it is but reviewers not knowing how to make the virtually out of the camera.

Regardless, fifty-fifty an gorging shutterbug like myself finds value in the One's camera, and that is non me giving it a 'laissez passer', just more of 'I really like taking photos with this matter' outcome.

Related:

• "Switching from a Lumia to the HTC One for Windows? Here are the apps you may (or may not) miss"

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/5-reasons-i-like-htc-one-duo-ultrapixel-camera

Posted by: lantiguatosible.blogspot.com

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