Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018): the world's first quad-camera phone is officially unveiled. All tablets Interface and operating features

From year to year, many smartphones appear on the market with high-quality cameras. Samsung's flagships are always one of the first and allow you to take high-quality photographs in various conditions, and this can be done either in automatic mode, which even a child can do - point and shoot, or by selecting manual settings. The second, at first glance, is more difficult, but in reality you can get photos that cannot be taken on other smartphones so easily and simply. I suggest you take a closer look at how to best take photographs on the Galaxy Note 8, so that your photos will stand out for the better and your friends will be amazed at your talents. But first, a few explanations of how the main camera on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 works.

Galaxy Note 8's dual lenses – optical zoom and wide angle

Unlike previous Samsung models, the Note 8 features a dual rear camera setup for the first time. On the left is the main lens, on the right is the wide-angle lens. Both matrices are 12-megapixel, but the angle from which they look at the world differs, as well as the aperture: the first camera has f/1.7, the second f/2.4. Please note that both lenses are equipped with optical stabilization. To see what the frame field looks like in each camera, you can use the “Live Focus” option, then the phone will take two pictures at the same time, you can look at them below.

But the most important thing is that both during shooting and after, you can blur the background to get a beautiful, artistic photo. See what it looks like.

For the user, this means that you are not limited to a single lens, as on most other smartphones, you can take several photos at the same time and only then choose the one you like best. Switching to the second lens also gives you 2x optical zoom. That is, you get a picture without loss of quality, there is no picture crumbling due to noise. Look at examples of such photographs.

Of course, the main lens takes better pictures at night, since its aperture is higher (f/1.7 versus f/2.4). But if you remember that a few years ago all flagships had f/2.4 lenses, it turns out that the quality of even a second wide-angle lens is excellent and also expands your creativity.

A huge number of people believe that the most important thing in a smartphone is not the additional settings that give flexibility and the ability to customize it for any person, but the characteristics initially set by the manufacturer. In the case of a camera, this is a point-and-shoot use case. With this, everything is fine in the Galaxy Note 8, since traditionally Samsung has taken care of all user groups. You can double-press the power button on the body and the camera will start up instantly, taking less than a second. What's next? And then you just take pictures at any time, since the matrix is equipped with DualPixel technology, it instantly focuses on objects, and you can take pictures, knowing that you will get a high-quality, sharp picture. There is no need to hold the device and catch the scene, freeze, hold your breath. Everything works fine as is. However, look at a few pictures taken this way, on the go and without any preparation. I have most of these photographs, because in life scenes do not wait for you, but you just need to see them.

Photography is not difficult, but some people think that if they buy a DSLR camera, it should take mind-blowing pictures without them having to do anything other than press the shutter. It’s a pity, but this is not happening yet, and for the pictures to turn out interesting, you need to understand what you are photographing, and most importantly, how. Let me give you an example. A friend of mine is a restaurant critic, and she often takes photographs of food, which was once considered bad manners by many people, but is now widespread. Photographs of dishes in professional photography are often processed in such a way as to highlight the central part and slightly darken the plate. The shooting scenario is the same in 99% of cases. The Galaxy Note 8 has a special mode, by selecting which you will get just such vivid pictures of food.

There's also a sports mode for shooting fast-moving objects, the ability to create animated GIFs from photos, and even use the main camera for selfies - the phone itself detects that you're looking at it and takes a photo!

Selecting the desired mode is not difficult, of course, if you want to get the maximum possible, and not just a photo in automatic mode. Another tip: very often when shooting outdoors, the sun gets in the way. This is where the HDR mode comes to the rescue, when several images are combined into a final one, where the lighting difference is compensated, and you see a beautiful picture. HDR works automatically, but if you wish, you can turn it on so that it always works. You can see what bright pictures for Instagram you get with this mode.

But if when shooting on a bright sunny day you will see a difference with previous Samsung flagships, but it will not be stunning, then it’s a completely different matter at night. The camera now better processes night scenes, selects lighting sources and adjusts the image depending on them. Here you need to understand the peculiarity of the camera’s operation; it tries to make the picture as light as possible, which can lead to noise. Some people like to see everything, while others, on the contrary, want to achieve beautiful twilight. Secondly, I recommend doing exposure correction to minus one or even minus two, this will allow you to achieve this effect.

Please note that the Galaxy Note 8 takes evening and night shots with beautiful, rich colors, that is, they are not faded, like on many other devices. This is a merit not only of the matrix, but also of the objective lenses.

The Galaxy Note 8 camera is not just universal, it allows you to take pictures in any conditions. Let me give you an example. About five years ago, I didn’t even take out my phone at night or in difficult shooting conditions, because I understood that the quality of the photos would disappoint me. Then I began to try to do this, but the number of suitable photographs was not large - depending on your luck. But on the Galaxy Note 8, in difficult conditions, the camera produces most of the pictures in good quality, which means you spend less effort to ensure that everything is as it should be.

And for those who are not afraid to learn a little more, there is a Pro mode. In it, you can not only adjust each of the parameters yourself (focus, choice of white balance, shutter speed and color gamut), but also achieve the best possible results. It is thanks to the Pro mode that the Galaxy Note 8 can be called a full-fledged camera that gives room for creativity.

Many manufacturers do not give their users such opportunities, since it takes a lot of time to develop, and only a few take advantage of this. I admit honestly that I only take photographs in manual mode in difficult conditions and do not do it every day. But when I need to do this, there is simply no alternative, I can only get such a photo here or on other Samsung flagships equipped with Pro mode.

I haven't said anything yet about another feature, the dynamic focus mode, where you can control the background blur and also get two shots (wide-angle and normal). This mode is interesting for shooting portraits, you highlight the person. The shooting distance in this mode is from 1.2 meters.

It would not be out of place to say that Samsung smartphones have historically implemented macro mode very well. Here it’s exactly the same, the minimum shooting distance is about 10 centimeters, the ability to even use a second camera and get pictures that are unlikely on other devices. For example, look at how the spider was photographed; I’m sure many people like such pictures.

I can also say that my children love taking photos with the Galaxy Note 8 camera, because there are various stickers and you can turn yourself into anyone.

They work with both the main and front cameras. It's entertainment, but it's great for hanging out with friends, when you're not just getting another photo from somewhere, but trying to convey an emotion. The question here, of course, is how ready you are to use such effects. But if you don’t need them, then you don’t have to touch them, no one is forcing you to do this.

Nothing is said at all about the front camera, although it is present here, has a resolution of 8 megapixels, supports a bunch of enhancements (face color, eye size, skin tone and others), which girls really like. And, of course, those same effects and drawings on top of the face. A good front camera, but in the Galaxy Note 8 you can and should use the main camera for this, fortunately the manufacturer has done everything to ensure that you have this opportunity.

The last thing worth mentioning is video recording. Of course, 4K is supported, the picture is clear and colorful, several microphones located on the body work very well. There is slow motion. Take a look at the video recording examples below.

Ten years ago, a mobile phone camera had only one advantage over a full-fledged camera: it was always with you. Today, the camera in the Galaxy Note 8 sets the standard, a level of quality that allows you to do without an additional camera, and this is a very, very good level. For most people, this quality of pictures is not just enough, but enough for the eyes. Moreover, for most users who have not had a flagship at their disposal, this camera will be the best camera they own. My experience proves that shooting with a smartphone in various conditions is easy and simple, and people like the resulting images. They constantly ask: “Are these photos taken with a smartphone?” It’s interesting that this question has been asked in recent years, but the progress in cameras is such that it remains relevant today; people can’t believe that cameras have evolved so much. And if you choose a smartphone based only on the camera, then my clear recommendation would be the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. However, there is something to praise it for in other areas, which we will talk about separately. And to finish off the camera story, here are a few more shots that give an idea of what the Galaxy Note 8 can do.

For a couple of months now, we've been hearing from insiders about an incredible new phone from Samsung - it comes with four cameras on the back! An amazing device is an iteration in the model line Galaxy A9 2018. The device can be classified as a mid-range, top-end phone. The new product carries a number of family characteristics of the Galaxy S family, but also has several distinctive features of its own. Let's take a closer look at this smartphone.

Design

Galaxy A9 is undoubtedly one of the best Samsung devices. It has an aluminum frame sandwiched between two glass panels. The back panel is curved at the edges for a more comfortable and ergonomic palm grip. Unlike the displays on earlier S9 flagships, the screen on the A9 is flat. It reminds us of the Galaxy Note 5 or, if you can imagine it, with a flat screen.

The display is, of course, a panel Samsung AMOLED. It measures 6.3 inches diagonally and has a resolution of 1080 x 2220 pixels, which means its screen aspect ratio is roughly 18.5:9, like other modern Samsung phones. There is a fingerprint scanner in the center of the back panel, and the photo module with four cameras is made in the form of a strip in the upper corner of the phone. But more on that later. You'll be glad to see a 3.5mm headphone jack next to the USB Type-C port. However, the phone does not have stereo speakers; it has a regular mono speaker. The model will be available in three different colors: black, blue and pink. The last two have a gradient color on the back cover of the case in accordance with the fashion trends of 2018.

Equipment and camera

Galaxy A9 is equipped with an octa-core processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, operating at clock speeds up to 2.2 GHz. The device will hit the market in two versions - with 6 GB [or 8 GB of RAM. But it is not yet clear which country markets this or that version of the smartphone will be supplied to. In any case, the device is equipped with 128 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded using a microSD card up to 512 GB. The battery of the Galaxy A9 2018 is also almost as powerful as the battery in the . Its capacity is 3800mAh.

Main camera is the module you'll use most of the time for your "regular" shots in automatic mode. It features a 24-megapixel sensor with an F1.7 lens aperture, which is quite large in terms of smartphone standards. This means that the camera will allow you to shoot with excellent quality in good light and give you the ability to use the shallow depth of field needed for, for example, bokeh effects.
Telephoto camera This module has a 10-megapixel sensor with an F2.4 lens aperture. As the name suggests, the standout feature here is the telephoto lens, which comes with 2x optical zoom and is ready to give a much more "honest" look at portrait shots without distorting the subject's face like a wide-angle camera.
Ultra wide camera joining this “company” suggests itself. With a 120-degree wide-angle lens, you get more panoramic shots without much hassle. Don't expect fine details - the sensor resolution is only 8 MP.
And finally depth camera- last on the list, but no less important and necessary. It has a 5-megapixel sensor and an F2.2 aperture lens. This camera's only job is to act as a "helper", calculating depth while the other cameras work to take the photo. Its work helps you choose the optimal focus and depth of field during subsequent image processing. Samsung tried something similar a while ago with two cameras on the , so you might be wondering: Was it worth installing a dedicated depth-sensing camera this year? We'll have to wait and see if this technical solution will be effective enough in terms of image quality.

The main camera also offers a "low light" shooting mode that groups pixels into clusters. This will give you a lower resolution photo (6MP) but will be able to gather more light and get more exposure when you're shooting at dusk or even at night. To top it all off, the A9 has active AI image analyzer, which we saw earlier on the Galaxy S9. It will warn you if you took a blurry photo or someone blinked at the most inopportune moment. So you can always take an additional shot when the main one fails for some reason.

Software

The Galaxy A9 will ship with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, which is odd considering it's a newer version of Google's OS. Of course, as with all Samsung phones, you can expect the Samsung Experience user interface to completely replace the native Android one. This means that the device will receive “home” themes, applications and services, including Samsung Pay.

Price and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A9 will be available in November, but it will only be available in select markets. The price of the device is set at € 599 in Europe and £ 549 in the UK, which is about 700 US dollars. There has not yet been a word said about the release of the device in America.

All the flagships that have been released over the past six months look wow, how cool. But there are two absolute leaders: Google Pixel 2 XL and Samsung Galaxy S9+. Today we’ll compare the quality of shooting photos and videos with these two devices. A little intrigue at the very beginning - the result was unexpected.

I suggest dividing the material into sections: daytime photography, night photography, portraits, video recording, and so on. In each section we will have our own leader and, based on the sum of points, we will determine the final winner. Let's go!

Daytime shooting - sunny weather

Almost ideal conditions for shooting with any photographic equipment. In such lighting conditions, any smartphone will light up - even a middling one from Xiaomi. Nevertheless, let's get started Samsung Galaxy S9+ camera comparison.

We'll agree right away. Frames taken on the Samsung Galaxy S9+ will always be on the left, and pictures from the Google Pixel 2 XL will always be on the right. If you log in from a mobile phone, then the photo from the Samsung comes first, the second from the pixel - everything is simple.

Let's look at the first couple of examples.

Same lighting conditions, but Samsung didn't do anything to elongate the tree on the right. Pixel 2 XL applied its HDR+, so we can see the tree in all its nuances. However, in this case this is not the main thing.

We zoom in on the pictures and get a little more detail at the pixel level.

Here are a couple more examples. At first glance, both photos were taken perfectly, no problems.

However, it’s worth zooming in and we see that the S9+ has turned the photo into a watercolor painting, and all the detail is tightly suppressed by noise reduction. Why is he even here? In bright and sunny weather!

Ultimately, the Google Pixel 2 XL performed better in daytime, bright sun. The first point goes to him.

Daytime shooting - cloudy

Spring is not always about perky streams, sunbeams and other cuteness. In our area, it’s cloudy weather, dirty roads, a bunch of all sorts of unpleasant things that were hidden under the snow all winter - in general, conditions in which no matter what you photograph, it turns out to be a complete mess.

And then Samsung showed its full potential. In a good way. He tried to brighten the dark areas, while Pixel did nothing at all. I took it off and it's okay.

One more example. It seemed like an ordinary house with bright walls, but S9+ noticed this and set the picture on fire as best it could. Google again removed it as is. But in our central Russia it’s not very good right now, not California after all, where there’s always sunshine and where the pixel was developed.

As a result, Samsung gets a well-deserved point for shooting in cloudy weather.

Indoors

We often take photographs at home or somewhere indoors. As a rule, lighting in such situations leaves much to be desired. Therefore, each camera has a choice: make the photo as detailed as possible, but leave noise throughout the entire frame, or suppress colored noise from the matrix, but say goodbye to detail. S9+ chooses the second path, which is not the right one, in my opinion.

So far the result looks like this - 1:2.

Macro

This type of shooting is easy for almost any smartphone. You take some Chinese guy for 100 bucks, shoot a landscape with him and are blown away by the result. And I took a photo of the flower and it turned out well, you can send it to someone in messenger.

In this regard, there are even fewer questions about flagships - they capture the macro world very well.

Here are three pairs of pictures from both cameras. Who did it better in your opinion?

Personally, in terms of detail, I liked two photos from the Samsung camera and only one from Google. Two against one, which means the point goes to the Korean - 2:2.

Night photography

Lighting conditions that will bring to light any impudent person who managed to take a beautiful shot during the day.

Here I have for you four different examples taken in urban environments. We look first at the photo, and then at their crops.

I think it's obvious that the Google Pixel 2 XL takes better pictures at night. Samsung lost simply because it uses some wild algorithms that suppress all the details in the pictures along with the noise. The control pair of examples only reinforces this statement.

This time the point goes to Googlephone. The score is 2:3.

HDR - where is it better?

Pixel 2 XL is famous for its advanced HDR+, which is capable of pulling out any, even the most complex, photo. Even if you shoot directly against the sun, the sky turns out blue, and the bushes and trees do not merge into a black mess—every leaf is visible.

To my surprise, Samsung managed to give an adequate answer to this, and it even surpassed the recognized leader in terms of HDR photography. Let's see.

However, in the last example the pixel showed its best side. Again the situation is two against one. There is nothing to do - we still award the victory to Samsung.

The score is 3:3.

Blur background

Blurring the background of objects is one thing, but taking portraits is another. Therefore, we will make two subsections.

Portrait mode

Samsung can take cool portraits with the subject in front neatly separated from the background. However, it is clearly not a competitor to the pixel.

Googlephone manages not only to gracefully separate the background (with just one camera!), but also to preserve natural lighting, adequately convey skin color and, in general, make the picture lively and voluminous. The artistry of such a frame is much higher.

In addition, when switching to portrait mode, Samsung crops the frame very seriously and instead of a focal length of 26 mm, we get 52 mm. Google also narrows the focal length, but not so dramatically.

A night portrait is already extremely difficult shooting conditions for any smartphone. However, the Pixel 2 XL did at least something, while the S9+ did not know what.

In general, victory goes to the American smartphone. The score is 3:4.

Product photography + bokeh

In terms of background blur quality, Google is again ahead, but there are two big BUTs.

First, the S9+, due to its two rear cameras, is able to blur the background even in the most unobvious situations, while the Pixel does not see what needs to be blurred and which object is in the foreground, and where, in fact, the background is. Here is a striking example.

Secondly, Samsung can change the blur intensity (after shooting as well) from minimal to very deep. The pixel always lathers the same way - tightly, and this is not always appropriate.

For this reason, the score is evened out again - 4:4.

Zoom

Samsung Galaxy S9+ received two cameras with different lenses: 26 and 52 mm. In other words, the first lens is a wide lens, and the second is a telephoto lens. By switching back and forth, we either bring the subject closer or move away from it. Moreover, this whole thing works without any loss in quality.

Well, practically without losses, because the second sensor (with a 56 mm lens) is still slightly worse in quality than the first. However, this is not at all the same as the digital zoom in the Pixel 2 XL, which, of course, greatly spoils the picture when zoomed in. Here's the proof.

In the end, the Korean won 5:4.

Selfie

On the smartphone screen and on social networks, self-portraits from both flagships come out very decent. However, you just have to open the materials on a large computer screen, zoom in, and it immediately becomes clear that the detail in the photo from the S9+ is not enough, while the Pixel 2 XL captured everything as expected.

Samsung Galaxy S9+

Google Pixel 2 XL

Anyone who thinks that the details are too much can turn on retouching or edit the photo in a third-party application. However, not even the most advanced editor will be able to improve the quality of the source code, so the victory goes to the second Google Phone.

The opponents were even again - 5:5.

Selfie + bokeh

Despite the fact that each device has one camera, they both can blur the background. And, of course, the flagship from Google does this much better. That’s why he immediately goes ahead - 5:6.

Samsung Galaxy S9+

Google Pixel 2 XL

Video recording

At the beginning there is a disclaimer. Why did I mix both photo and video recordings in one test? This is because we, as a rule, choose one single smartphone to use. We don't buy one device for photography, another for video recording, and a third for something else. Although there are, of course, such characters, but based on this comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S9+ camera with its main competitor, I think they will make the right choice for themselves. And we continue.

Main cameras

Both devices can record video in 4K resolution (3840 by 2160 pixels). However, Samsung can do a little more - it records videos at a frequency of 60 fps. Pixel can only boast thirty frames, and this is already yesterday. So far Samsung has a plus.

But in terms of the quality of the content itself, 2 XL is ahead. Its image is more informative, smoother and more suitable for subsequent editing. The intermediate score is one-one.

The S9+ does not slow down and takes the lead due to its sound - the recording quality of the latter is clearly higher than that of its competitor. We turn on the video below, set the maximum resolution and evaluate everything at once.

It seems that the winner has already been determined, but that was not the case. Pixel has a final answer - stabilization, which works head and shoulders above it. Comparison video? Please.

Ultimately, we don't have a winner when it comes to videos. Both smartphones receive one point. The score is 6:7.

Slow Motion

Despite the limitations of the Slo-Mo mode (resolution is only 720p, recording a segment of only 2 seconds) - this is still a cool feature that the pixel does not have at all.

Even if we compare only standard slow motion modes, at 240 frames per second the Samsung shoots in 1080p resolution, and the Pixel 2 XL only in 720p.

In general, the well-deserved point goes to the galaxy - 7:7.

From the front camera

The S9+ has a clear advantage, or more precisely, three:

autofocus in the front camera
shooting resolution 2560 x 1440 pixels (2 XL only has 1920 x 1080)
advanced audio recording

Googlephone simply has nothing to offer in response, so the Korean becomes our leader with a one-point lead - 8:7. Comparison video.

Bottom line

That's all. You saw it all yourself - the winner, Samsung Galaxy S9+, was chosen based on the results of an objective test.

Frankly speaking, I did not expect such a result. I didn't expect the S9+ to outperform the Pixel 2 XL in terms of photography. After all, Samsung’s selfies are so-so; it does not always produce a natural, three-dimensional and lively picture from the camera. And yet, he managed to outshine the arrogant overseas upstart - Google Pixel 2 XL.

However, I still note that the pixel should not be written off. He took and continues to take stunningly beautiful and excellent photographs. By purchasing the Pixel 2 XL, you definitely won’t go wrong with your choice; you’ll definitely get today’s top device for photo and video shooting. It’s just that, as often happens in life, nothing is black or white, there are many shades in between.

Pixel takes more artistic portraits and takes photos with great detail. The Galaxy S9+ pleases with its gorgeous zoom without loss of quality and excellent HDR mode. The American offers top picture quality during video recording (at the level), while the Korean slows down the video, like a time machine, and records the most amazing sound without third-party accessories.

We just have to decide which modes are important specifically for us, and based on this, make our own, the only right choice for ourselves.

Small tablet with big zoom

Manufacturers continue to try to bring smartphones and compacts closer together. Almost two years ago, Samsung decided to create a camera that runs Android. In terms of functionality, the Galaxy Camera resembled a small tablet with a large lens. Looking back, this solution can be called very original and interesting. Nowadays, it’s hard to surprise with similar characteristics: the only original solutions left are the zoom ratio - touch screens have long been adopted in cameras, and 1/2.3-inch sensors are already used in smartphones. And Android in a camera is not that valuable, since many cameras can communicate with a smartphone via Wi-Fi. We need to come up with something new. However, Samsung decided to leave everything as it is, getting away with only minor improvements that practically did not affect the photo capabilities. In addition, contrary to our wildest expectations, Galaxy Camera 2 never learned how to make calls. But this doesn’t matter to us, since we are interested in his photography abilities.

Characteristics

Basic
Matrix	BSI CMOS, 1/2.3 inch
Permission	16.3 million effective pixels, maximum resolution 4608×3456
Image Stabilizer	There is
Photosensitivity	ISO 100-3200
Lens	f/2.8-5.9; 23-483 in 35mm equivalent; 21x zoom
Shutter speed modes	16 - 1/2000 second
Shooting modes	Auto, PASM, Smart, Video
File Format	JPEG, MP4
Video	AVCHD version 2.0; 1920×1080 30 fps, 17 Mbps; 1280×720 60fps; 768×512 120fps; MP4
Memory	Memory cards microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC
Connectors	Micro-USB (USB charging supported), Micro-HDMI, 4-pin stereo headphone jack
Min. focusing distance	Approx. 5 cm (in wide-angle zoom position), tele - from 80 cm
Power supply	Lithium-ion battery 2000 mAh
Dimensions, weight	71×133×19 mm; 283 g (including battery and memory card weight)
Additional
operating system	Android 4.3 (Jellybean)
WiFi	802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4/5.0 GHz
NFC	Eat
Bluetooth	Eat
Display	Touchscreen ultra-bright HD LCD (TFT), 4.8″, 1280×720

Appearance

	The front of the camera is trimmed with classic Samsung leather-like plastic. The coverage is pleasant and practical. Even in white, it hardly gets dirty (owners of Samsung gadgets probably know this). The lens traditionally reports its main parameters: EGF 23-483 mm, aperture f/2.8-f/5.9
	At the back there is only a touch display.
	On the right are headphone jacks and Micro-USB for charging and data transfer. There is also an eyelet for a hand strap.
	On the left you can see the speaker and NFC module. The flash pops out when you press a mechanical button.
	At the top are the flash, power, shutter buttons, as well as the zoom lever.
	At the bottom there is a tripod socket and a battery compartment cover.
	In addition to the battery, under the battery compartment cover there is a microSD card slot and a Micro-HDMI connector.

Screen

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, there is an effective anti-glare filter, which in terms of reducing the brightness of the reflection is slightly worse than that of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Samsung Galaxy Camera 2, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 is a little brighter (brightness according to photographs is 95 versus 88 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Camera 2 screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass-air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.

With manual brightness control and when the white field was displayed in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 375 cd/m², the minimum was 11 cd/m². The maximum brightness is not very high, but given the effective anti-glare filter, even on a sunny day outside, you can see something on the screen. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. There is no automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor. At any brightness level, there is virtually no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

This device uses an IPS type matrix. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

(For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.)

As you can see in the photomicrograph above, which shows a fragment of four pixels, the two blue subpixels have been replaced with white subpixels. This solution allows you to increase the brightness of the white field without increasing the cost of backlighting. Of course, there are also side effects - the brightness of a color image may be disproportionately lower than the brightness of the white areas, in addition there is small text, thin lines, etc. look more jagged than with a conventional combination of subpixels and the same resolution.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift with reasonable viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which identical images are displayed on the screens of the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 and Nexus 7, with the screen brightness initially set to approximately 200 cd/m². There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field (when photographing, the color balance is forced to 6500 K). And a test picture:

Color reproduction is good and colors are rich on both screens, although there are differences in color balance. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens, but in the case of Camera 2 the contrast was noticeably reduced due to a significant increase in black levels. And a white field:

The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (at least five times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of Camera 2 the drop in brightness is slightly less. When deviated diagonally, the black field brightens greatly and acquires a purple tint or remains almost neutral gray. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same for the screens!):

And from a different angle

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is excellent:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is normal - about 840:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 16 ms (10 ms on + 6 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 26 ms. If one of the three fixed profiles is selected, except the profile Dynamic, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals according to the numerical value of the shade of gray, the gamma curve did not reveal any blockage in either highlights or shadows, and the index of the approximating power function is 2.14-2.15, which is slightly lower than the standard value of 2.2 , while the real gamma curve slightly deviates from the power-law dependence:

For profile Dynamic The gamma curve has a slight S-shape, which increases the apparent contrast of the image. This profile also increases color contrast, which increases visible saturation and reduces the visibility of gradations in saturated areas of the image:

Color gamut is close to sRGB:

The spectra show that the matrix filters moderately mix the components with each other:

As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation. The spectra also show a slight overestimation of the brightness of white relative to the brightness of the colored components. Balance of shades on the gray scale when selecting a profile Movie can be considered good, since the color temperature is slightly higher than the standard 6500 K and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the color temperature changes little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

To summarize: the screen does not have a very high maximum brightness, but a fairly effective anti-glare filter should ensure at least some readability outdoors on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. The advantages of the screen include a very high-quality oleophobic coating, the absence of flicker and air gaps in the layers of the screen, excellent uniformity of the black field, a color gamut close to sRGB and good color balance. The main disadvantage is the low stability of black to gaze deviation from perpendicular to the screen plane. A controversial solution seems to be the use of a matrix with a white pixel, which at a minimum leads to some unevenness in the small details of the image. At the same time, the final screen brightness was far from record-breaking. It would be better if they slightly increased the battery capacity (the device is already heavy, there is no need to save much weight), but the device would be equipped with a really bright screen with a classic combination of subpixels. However, even in this version the screen quality is high.

Interface and operating features

The first unpleasant moment that the user may encounter is the long startup time. If the device was turned off in tablet mode, then “revitalizing” it again will not be difficult. If it was turned off in camera mode, then you can wait a long time for combat readiness, and sometimes you even need to press the power button for a long time. The shutter button does not turn on the camera, but starts from tablet mode.

As already noted, the camera has virtually no physical controls, although this does not create any significant inconvenience when shooting even in manual mode. However, the interface has hardly changed, which is not surprising: for such a camera and touch screen it is very convenient.

Focusing is done by pressing the screen. A long press allows you to lock the focus point - in this case, the frame of the focus area is indicated by a white corner. After another long press, the frame bifurcates, and you can separate the focus and metering points.

The minimum focusing distance is about 10 cm in the wide position, which is certainly quite a lot for such a lens and a focal length of 23 mm. In the telephoto position, the minimum focusing distance is slightly less than a meter, which also does not allow for detailed macro photography.

The device we tested had an unpleasant glitch: when a social media app receives a message accompanied by a vibration signal, it sometimes freezes and buzzes continuously until the device is turned on. This creates some inconvenience when the camera is in the bag and suddenly starts buzzing.

Playing video

Note that the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 is equipped with a Micro-HDMI connector, which allows you to output images to an external device. This connector is miniature (narrower than Micro-USB), but has 19 pins. HDMI cables for such a connector are usually quite rigid, which during operation often causes the plug to become distorted in the socket and cause a failure in image transmission. After some time, this connector becomes loose and its use becomes impossible. In general, the performance characteristics of this method of connecting to an external screen are extremely low. However, in this case, the use of the Micro-HDMI connector is justified due to the small size of the device itself.

Output via HDMI was carried out in a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels at a frequency of 60 frames/s but in interlaced mode, which may lead to some problems. In particular, vertical clarity may be reduced due to incorrect signal transmission or incorrect progressive image restoration. When the Camera 2 screen is in portrait orientation, the image is displayed on the monitor screen in portrait orientation, while the image on the monitor is inscribed within the height of the screen, and wide black fields are displayed on the right and left. When the Camera 2 screen is in landscape orientation, the image is displayed on the monitor screen in landscape orientation, and the image on the monitor fits within the boundaries of the screen and exactly matches the image on the device screen. Sound is output via HDMI (in this case, the sounds were heard through headphones connected to the monitor, since there are no speakers in the monitor itself) and is of good quality. In this case, sounds are not output through the Camera 2 speaker, and the volume is adjusted using buttons on the device body.

To test the output of video files on the screen of the device itself, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames/ With). In this test, we used the MX Player video player in Hardware mode. The results of this test (the block entitled “Screen”) are summarized in the table:

File	Uniformity	Passes
Screen
1080/60p	not playable
1080/50p	Fine	No
1080/30p	Great	No
1080/25p	Fine	No
1080/24p	Fine	No
720/60p	Great	No
720/50p	Fine	No
720/30p	Great	No
720/25p	Fine	No
720/24p	Fine	No
HDMI (monitor output)
1080/60p	not playable
1080/50p	Fine	No
1080/30p	Great	No
1080/25p	Fine	No
1080/24p	Fine	No
720/60p	Great	No
720/50p	Fine	No
720/30p	Great	No
720/25p	Fine	No
720/24p	Fine	No

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with playback of the corresponding files.

According to the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the device itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames, with the exception of files with 1080p at 60 fps. When playing video files with a resolution of 1280 by 720 (720p), the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one by pixel, that is, in the original resolution (adjusted for some features due to the presence of a white subpixel). The brightness range displayed on the screen actually corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - in the shadows only a couple of shades merge with black, but in the highlights all gradations of shades are displayed.

With a monitor connected via HDMI, when playing a video with a standard player, the image of the video file is displayed only in landscape orientation, while only the image of the video file is displayed on the monitor, and only information elements and virtual controls are displayed on the tablet screen.

The results of the monitor output tests are shown in the table above in the “HDMI (monitor output)” block. The output quality is good and exactly matches the output on the device's own screen. When playing video files with Full HD resolution (1920 by 1080 pixels) on the monitor screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the edge of the screen while maintaining true proportions, while the horizontal resolution corresponds to Full HD resolution, but vertically it is halved due to discarding even (or odd) lines. The brightness range displayed on the monitor is equal to the standard range of 16-235, that is, all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights.

Image quality

To begin with, we decided to evaluate the camera using the mobile method and find out its place among smartphones in order to understand whether the game was worth the candle. The far from small size of the device, due to the large zoom (and only by it), must be justified by the quality of the shooting. At least no worse than smartphones.

The conclusions are disappointing: the camera is inferior in average to all modern flagships presented in comparison. The behavior of the camera when lighting deteriorates cannot be called good: the difference in resolution of almost one tenth between 3200 lux and 130 lux is large even for some smartphones.

The performance of the flash also cannot be assessed well, since it is inferior to some diodes: in the dark it does not allow achieving the original resolution.

ISO 100
ISO 125
ISO 250
ISO 500
ISO 1250
ISO 2500

The dependence of resolution on photosensitivity characterizes the camera even worse. It's far from ideal. For a good compact, this dependence should look constant at least in the area up to ISO 500, or at least gradually decrease. In our case, a sharp decline is immediately noticeable, and the initial value is also quite low, so after such a decline everything becomes quite sad.

Well, the camera clearly takes pictures no better than a smartphone. As can be seen from the optics tests, zoom is also not the camera's strong point.

Center of frame
Focal length	f/2.8	f/4.5	f/8.0
23 mm
	f/4.0	f/5.7	f/8.0
113 mm
	f/4.8	f/6.0	f/8.5
216 mm
Frame edge
Focal length	f/2.8	f/4.5	f/8.0
23 mm
	f/4.0	f/5.7	f/8.0
113 mm
	f/4.8	f/6.0	f/8.5
216 mm

As already mentioned, the maximum focal length of the lens is 483 mm. Unfortunately, the modest size of our photo room, even with the addition of a corridor, allowed us to test only 216 mm. However, as can be seen from the graphs, this is quite enough to draw conclusions about this lens.

An almost linear drop in resolution with decreasing relative aperture suggests that the camera uses a set of neutral density filters instead of a diaphragm, and not very good ones at that. So, whenever possible, you need to shoot with open apertures. The edge of the frame behaves quite naturally and is generally worse than the center. In some photos you can also notice an unpleasant blur at the edges.

Focal length	f/2.8	f/4.5	f/8.0
23 mm
	f/4.0	f/5.7	f/8.0
113 mm
	f/4.8	f/6.0	f/8.5
216 mm

At all focal lengths studied, without exception, geometric distortions are present. In telephoto positions, chromatic aberrations begin to appear, which intensify with increasing focal length.

Unfortunately, the camera cannot boast of either a sensor or optics. The image is completed by a very archaic clumsy software processing. You can notice traces of erratic or overzealous sharpening and no less clumsy noise reduction, inherent in smartphone cameras, and far from flagship ones.

Video

When shooting video, physical controls do not work - all operations are performed using the touch display. Focusing is slow even in good lighting. However, the camera has no other significant drawbacks, with the exception of a small rolling shutter. In low light, the camera copes very poorly: it often loses focus, and refocusing takes a lot of time.

	Video	Sound
Download	1920×1080, 29.7 fps, MPEG4 AVC [email protected], 16.8 Mbit/s	AAC LC, 192 Kbps, stereo

	Video	Sound
Download	1920×1080, 29.97 fps, MPEG4 AVC [email protected], 17 Mbit/s	AAC LC, 188 Kbps, stereo

In the “multi-motion” mode, nothing has changed compared to the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom, so we will not describe it. Unfortunately, no icons appeared indicating that the mode was enabled. Therefore, during normal video shooting, you have to first make sure that it is turned off, otherwise an unpleasant problem with sound may arise - its absence (and, of course, incorrect video frequencies).

Bottom line

The result is completely disappointing. It’s difficult to call the camera’s performance good. The pictures are not that bad, but they are far from being at the level of a flagship smartphone. Oddly enough, the Samsung Galaxy S5 definitely takes better pictures. Although we should not forget that it has a fixed focal length. It is not clear what has changed so significantly in the camera, other than the design, so that a year and a half after the announcement of the Galaxy Camera, they release almost the same device. Of course, there is an updated OS and a new processor, but first and foremost this is a camera, not a tablet.

As for the price, the 17,000 rubles that the manufacturer is asking for the device at the moment is perhaps a bit much for a massive tablet with a tiny display and a completely ordinary compact camera. In good lighting, the camera can barely shoot at the level of point-and-shoot cameras costing 5,000 rubles, and sometimes even worse. This means that the buyer pays the rest for the tablet: a 4.8-inch touchscreen display, a quad-core processor (which, by the way, is shared between the camera and the tablet) and Android 4.3. Here it’s much easier to figure out the cost, and it’s quite obvious that 12,000 rubles for such a tablet is, to put it mildly, a bit much. These arguments do not lose their relevance, even if we take into account the minimum cost of the camera on the Market at the time of writing.

The buyer should be concerned about the question: is he ready to sacrifice the quality of shooting for the sake of such a zoom and ease of working with social networks? If the camera is intended for creating and posting pictures on web pages, for which the quality of its optics and software processing is quite sufficient, then it is unclear why it was necessary to “shove” 17 megapixels onto the matrix - 10 megapixels would have been enough, or even less. Perhaps the manufacturer should have focused on quality rather than zoom ratio. However, for the sake of zoom, in fact, all this was started. Probably, this camera is not designed for quality connoisseurs at all.

Let's summarize all our reasoning. For 17,000 rubles (at the time of writing), we have not the worst camera, shooting at the level of a good, but far from flagship smartphone, with 21x zoom, and a 4.8-inch tablet with a good screen. The device is designed primarily to make it as easy as possible to share your photos with others. The quality of the images in this context fades into the background (not even in the background). So the device fulfills its task, but at what cost is another question. But one thought haunts me: it would be much more convenient to take a point-and-shoot device with Wi-Fi and a good 7-inch tablet for almost the same money. However, this is a personal matter for everyone.

Gallery

Extra options

Modern devices, regardless of the price category, provide useful additional functions that significantly expand the functionality of the device, making it easy to find a suitable model and buy an inexpensive but good tablet. The design of the gadgets includes front and rear cameras for taking photos and videos. Large internal memory and support for microSD cards make it possible to load many applications and store data. Powerful speakers create a stereo effect while watching movies and provide realistic sound.

Before you buy a tablet, you need to consider the model's configuration. Some devices are equipped with a keyboard for comfortable text entry and editing and can be used as a laptop. The category also includes devices with different screen diagonals and body colors.

Where to buy a tablet inexpensively

The Eldorado online store provides a wide selection of devices. In the catalog, you can filter models with the desired characteristics and buy a suitable tablet. Delivery is available in Moscow and other Russian cities.

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