We have just a few days to the launch of the Xiaomi Mi 9 and more details keep pouring in. This time, it is the phone’s camera specs which we are sure a lot of our readers are eager to know.

The Mi 9 will launch as Xaiomi’s first triple camera smartphone and it only makes sense that it packs a punch or three. Just like a lot of the new details we have seen in the past few days, the phone’s camera specs have been shared by the company’s own CEO, Lei Jun.

According to the Weibo post by the top executive, the Snapdragon 855-powered flagship will have a four-lens function even though it has just three cameras. The phone will be able to shoot macro, super-wide angle, portrait, and standard photos.

The primary camera is a 48MP Sony IMX586 wide-angle sensor with an f/1.75 aperture and 6P lens. This main sensor will have a large 1/2-inch photosensitive area. This sensor will be able to take high-resolution photos.

The second camera is a 12MP f/2.2 sensor with 2x optical zoom and a 6P lens. This camera will provide background blur effect for your portrait images. The third camera is a 16MP super-wide angle sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 117° viewing angle. Xiaomi’s CEO says this sensor also allows you to take macro shots.

The front camera which is housed within the waterdrop notch is a 20MP sensor with support for Xiaomi’s AI beauty mode. The beauty mode packs a handful of features so that your selfies and portrait selfies can look as good as they can be. We won’t be surprised if some of these new features are a result of Xiaomi’s access to Meitu‘s camera technology.

Along with the camera specs, Mr. Lei Jun also provided more camera samples for us to feast our eyes on.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi 8 SE receives Android Pie stable update, gets official price cut too

What do you think about the Mi 9’s camera specs? We are particularly happy about the super-wide-angle lens and feel it is a better addition than a ToF sensor. Let us know what you think in the comment box.

Update: More details about the rear cameras’ design have surfaced from Mr. Lei Jun’s Weibo page. The Mi 9’s cameras are raised and according to the post, it was inevitable. Nevertheless, the sensors’ housing is made of steel and covered with sapphire glass to make it sturdy and scratch proof. The sapphire glass is said to cover an area of 243 mm² and its addition increased the cost (of the BOM) by 37%.

(Sources: 1, 2, Via)

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APKs are known to contain information about new features and even upcoming devices which is why teardowns are very important. A version of Xiaomi‘s MIUI camera app has gotten a teardown that reveals a lot of new features that Xiaomi has been working on.

The teardown was done by the folks at XDA Developers and a member by the name franztesca, was able to develop a tool that let them activate a number of these features. Below are the new features and details found in the teardown:

Custom Watermarks

Watermarks have become very popular since dual camera phones became mainstream but it is also available on phones with single or more than two cameras. The watermark is usually a  “Shot on X device”  but as at now, the feature isn’t customizable. That may change with a future update which will let you customize what appears as the watermark.

The custom watermark will support 15 characters (English and Chinese) for the second line.

48MP Ultra Pixel Photography, second 48MP smartphone

Xiaomi has a 48MP camera smartphone coming soon and it is a Redmi phone. The camera app reveals Xiaomi has named the 48MP feature of the phone Ultra Pixel Photography. It also reveals the phone will have dual cameras with AI features as there is a string that says “48M DUAL CAMERA” and another that says “AI DUAL CAMERA”. TENAA images already showed us an upcoming Redmi phone with dual rear cameras, so this might be the smartphone.

The Redmi phone won’t be the only one with a 48MP camera. Apparently, there are at least two according to a discovery made by franztesca. One is codenamed “cepheus” and the other is codenamed “davinci”.

The former not only has a 48MP sensor but also a fingerprint scanner under its display and an Always on Display feature. These are flagship features, so it is definitely not the Redmi phone. Xiaomi Mi 9 specs leaked a few days ago and it mentioned a 48MP triple camera setup and an in-display fingerprint scanner, so there is a possibility the Mi 9 is the device codenamed “cepheus”.

Ultra Wide Angle

Most phones with dual cameras have a secondary camera that only captures the depth of field but there are manufacturers like LG that settle for an ultra wide angle camera as the secondary sensor. This is a very useful addition as it enables you to fit in more into your photo. Ultra wide angle cameras are great for taking pictures of buildings, landscapes and even the occasional selfie with lots of friends.

The MIUI camera mentions an ultra wide mode which means a future Xiaomi phone will have an ultra wide angle camera. The Mi 9 is said to be coming with three rear cameras, it would be nice if one of the sensors is an ultra wide angle sensor.

A string mentions that there will be a feature to correct “picture distortion” and another confirms there will be an option to take a portrait photo in the ultra wide angle mode.

Live Shot/Dynamic Photos

Another new feature in the camera app is Live Shot or Dynamic Photos. There isn’t much info but going by the name, it should be similar to Apple’s Live Photo which is available on iPhones or Google’s Motion Photos. However, it may be something different entirely as there is another code related to Motion Photos present in the app too.

Live Music

Xiaomi announced it has signed a partnership with TikTok, a platform for creating and sharing short videos with tons of music to choose from. Both platforms are to announce a new product in a few days and it seems that the product is called Live Music.

We presume Live Music will let you create short music videos right from the camera app that can be shared to the platform. More details on this should surface when the launch takes place on January 10.

New Portrait Mode Effects and Adjustable Bokeh

Portrait mode is about to get more interesting as there are four new effects found in the camera app. The effects are Tea, Lilt, Sephia, and Dusk.

Another new feature is adjustable bokeh which will let you change the intensity of the background blur effect by adjusting the f-stop number.

New Color Effects for Video

You may soon get new color effects when recording a video. New color filters listed in the app that are not yet available are Orchid, Xpro, Black and White, Pale, Bauhinia, Sly Blue, and Sephia.

Beauty Mode for Bodies

Before the end of 2018, Xiaomi and Meitu announced an agreement that would see Xiaomi manufacture products with the Meitu brand name. The devices will be designed, manufactured, marketed and sold by Xiaomi while Meitu will provide its widely-acclaimed imaging technology.

That imaging technology may be making its way to Xiaomi’s own phones as there will now be a beauty mode for bodies. Currently, Meitu phones have a feature that adjusts your body proportions. Think of beauty mode extending beyond your face and now including the whole body.

Motion Photos

Motion photos is another feature which appears to be different from Live Shot/Dynamic photos. Motion Photos should let you add a few seconds of video and audio to your photo.

READ MORE: Xiaomi and TCL enter strategic cooperation for smart products

Do note that even though some of these features are already present within the app’s code, they may be removed and not make it to future versions of the app.

(Source)

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The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is a really hard device to like. The flagship doesn’t offer much that a $500 phone can’t provide and Sony is charging a whopping $900 for it. A new update has started to roll out to the phone but we doubt that it will do much to steer buyers towards it.

The interesting features the update brings are new camera modes. First is a bokeh mode that surprisingly didn’t come with it right out of the box seeing as this is Sony’s first phone with dual rear cameras. With the new bokeh mode, users will be able to take pictures with the background blurred while the main subject is in focus.

Another new camera feature is the Monochrome mode. This allows users to take photos and record videos in black and white. This is a feature available on the Essential PH-1 as well.

To access this new features on your Xperia XZ2 Premium, just tap the function key below the shutter button in the camera app.

The update also comes with August’s security patch but the Android version number is still Android 8.0.0. The update started rolling out a few days ago and those who have received it say the camera performance is amazing but still $999 is a lot to shell out.

The Xperia XZ2 packs a 5.8-inch 4K display, a Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 64GB of expandable storage. Its dual cameras are a 19MP f/1.8 1/2.3” sensor and a 12MP monochrome f/1.6 1/2.3” sensor. It also has a 13MP f/2.0 sensor above the display.

READ MORE: Alleged Sony Xperia XZ3 specifications sheet leaked

There is no 3.5mm audio jack but there is Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and a USB 3.1 type-C connector. It also has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and support for wireless charging. Its battery capacity is 3540mAh and it supports Quick Charge 3.0.

(Source, Via)

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With the emergence of dual camera phones came portrait mode. However, some manufacturers like Google have proved that you do not need an extra camera to take portrait photos. Xiaomi seems to have also figured out how to achieve portrait mode with only one camera and has announced the feature will roll out along with MIUI 10.

If you own a Xiaomi phone with a single camera, then you should check out the list of supported devices below to know if you will get the feature:

• Xiaomi Mi MIX 2
• Xiaomi Mi 5s
• Mi 5S Plus (has dual cameras but no portrait mode)
• Xiaomi Mi 5
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
• Xiaomi Mi Max
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
• Redmi Note 4 (India)
• Redmi Note 4X
• Redmi Note 3
• Redmi 5
• Redmi 4
• Redmi 4X

Do note that the above devices will only support portrait mode on the rear camera. However, Xiaomi says the Mi 6 and the Redmi Note 5 (India) will get front camera portrait mode.

Xiaomi says other devices will be supported soon but there is no time frame yet. So if your device is not on the above list, there is a chance it may get the feature later.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi Gaming Mouse Launched In China For 249 Yuan ($39)

MIUI 10 will also bring some major UI changes when it launches. The new OS is already available as a beta for supported devices.

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Only a few phones can measure up to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL‘ s camera performance. And even at that most of them need two sensors to do that. Google showed us with its new phones that one sensor can still do a lot of work when combined with the right software.

One of the key camera features of the 2nd gen Pixel phones is the portrait mode which is unrivaled. Following the release of the Pixel 2 and its siblings, XDA developers have been hard at work to port the features to other devices.

A senior member at XDA, Charles_1 was able to get portrait mode to work on the first-gen Pixel phones, the Nexus 6P, and Nexus 5X. A few days ago, another senior member Arnova8G2 who helped port the Google camera app from the first gen Pixel to Snapdragon devices was able to bring the feature to non-Google devices.

If you own the OnePlus 3/3T (OxygenOS 5), Xiaomi Mi 5/5s (LineageOS 15), Moto G5s Plus, Galaxy S8/S8+, and Galaxy Note 8 (leaked Oreo beta ROM), you can now get portrait mode on your phone(s)……without rooting.

When it was first released, the portrait mode feature only worked with the rear camera, but an updated version has been released that also works with the front camera.

READ MORE: Unconfirmed Schematics Show The Huawei P20 Series With Triple Cameras

We already gave it a spin and the results are nothing short of amazing! Head to the source page and grab the download link for the apk. We sure would like to see your pictures.

(Source)

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When the Essential Phone was released, the camera was the one feature that people complained about. Essential promised to fix it via software updates and it did.

The camera app has received multiple updates since the phone launched which have greatly improved its performance. However, Essential is not done with it yet as it has released yet another update which brings a number of new features and fixes.

The key feature in the new camera update is Portrait Mode. Yes, the Essential PH-1 can now take images with the bokeh effect. The photo below is a sample taken with the phone after the update.

Other new features the update brings are exposure compensation for all regular camera modes and a reduction in JPEG compression to improve image quality.

If you own an Essential Phone, just head to the Play Store and update your camera app under the “My Apps” tab.

READ MORE: LG Patents Phone Design With Similar Display To Essential Phone

The Essential Phone packs dual 13MP rear cameras in the monochrome + RGB format. Essential says this allows it to capture up to 200% more light than regular smartphone cameras.

(Source)

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OPPO continues its advert drive aimed at projecting its camera flagship phone, the R11 even when the device is yet to be launched. OPPO’s ads have been everywhere, from the train station, airport, popular landmarks in China to TV commercials. If you must know, the Chinese innovative tech giant has contracted a whopping eight different music superstars in China who will endorse the R11 and their popularity will hopeful help the sales drive.

The interesting aspect in all that is happening is the R11 itself. OPPO isn’t hoping to sell us just another smartphone but the R11 is super packed with features. The OPPO R11 features Qualcomm’s latest mid-range Snapdragon 660 processor which is specifically suitable for the camera setup the R11 is coming with. As for the camera, there is a 20MP selfie camera while the rear camera is a dual camera affair which is a 20MP wide-angle + 16MP Telephoto lens. The camera is touted as coming with a professional portrait mood which would enable the camera capture portrait photos with top notch quality and a blurred out background.

Read Also: OPPO R11 Promo Ad Reveals Dual Cameras, Front View & Curvier Design

OPPO has now released sample photos captured by the R11’s dual cameras in Portrait mode. The images are clearly portraited shots captured in the portrait mode but at different locations. The clothing of the subject is also different on each shot, perhaps to show how the camera pans out when the exposure in on a subject putting on a dull or bright-colored dress. It is particularly thrilling to notice how the bright yellow coloured dress worn by one of the subjects comes out distinctly without any trace of fading out. So too, the skin colours were rendered very well. All the facial features on the subjects were captured accurately and clearly too. You can check out a few more sample photos from down below.

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Apple is expected to release its flagship iPhone 8 later this year but the device has repeatedly been dogged by rumours that the launch could be delayed as a result of some technical hitch. While that is yet to be clarified, a fresh rumor has emerged that the iPhone 8 would come with a dual camera setup up front which is capable of shooting 3D images. The dual cameras are also detailed to feature a special selfie portrait mode. This rumor emerged from Twitter tipster @VenyaGeskin1.

The front dual camera setup is in addition to the rear dual cameras the device is equally said to feature which would be similar to that of the dual camera-packing iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone 7 Plus also came with a portrait mode on its rear camera but this tie around it is said to be at the front with the same algorithm and landscaping. This no doubt would make the selfie camera output more beautiful and could see some selfie fans getting on the Apple train. The front camera is also said to have a 3D facial recognition technology developed by LG/Innotek which would make i the first smartphone in the world to have such.

Read More: iPhone 8 Renders Reveal Vertically Designed Dual Rear Cameras, No Touch ID Sensor

If the piling features which would be on the iPhone 8 should elicit your interest in the flagship, just know you’ll have  huge price tag to contend with on this one. Well, that’s if the latest rumor about the price is anything to go by. According to UBS analyst Steven Milunovich, the iPhone 8 could be priced at $870 for the base model while the top-end 256GB version would go up for as much as $1,070. We are not sure about that but since it is Apple, they can set the price so high and still there’ll be scarcity of the device.

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