Samsung Galaxy S10 cameras: Why three lenses and what can they do

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(Pocket-lint) - Samsung has unveiled its flagship Galaxy S phones for 2019, and with them comes an intriguing triple-camera setup. While the long rectangular casing is unusual to look at, the three cameras inside combine to form one of the most versatile camera systems ever seen on a smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy S10+ review: Perfect 10?

This does not mean that it is new in itself. Many other phone manufacturers have already launched

triple and quadruple camera systems

- and Nokia even offers a

penta system

. Not all are the same, but the type implemented in the S10 and S10+, as well as the

Huawei's Mate 20 Pro

, are undoubtedly the most justified in their existence.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Camera Specifications

Primary: 12MP normal/wide, dual pixel, dual aperture f/1.5 + f/2.4, OIS

Secondary: 16MP ultra-wide, f/2.2, OIS

Tertiary: 12MP telephoto, f/2.4

Samsung's latest phone has a triple camera installed on the back, each with its own very useful lens. With the addition of the ultra-wide camera, as well as the telephoto lens from the previous two generations, Samsung gives you the ability to take all kinds of photos without losing detail.

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The ultra-wide means it can take up more of the scene you're capturing. So if your usual mode cuts out parts of the scene you'd like to see, switch to ultra-wide and it will expand the scene. It adds some distortion, although this can be used for creative effect - it doesn't look bad unless you're shooting something full of straight lines.

As far as the telephoto lens goes, it does what it's always done: lets you zoom in on the scene without losing sharpness, but it has a narrower aperture, so it's less able to let in light, which which means it's only really good for bright conditions. In dull conditions the S10 will switch to digital zoom rather than using that lens, but it happens seamlessly and you won't notice it.

•

Best Samsung Galaxy S10 Deals p>

Samsung Galaxy S10 camera: switch between zoom, wide and ultra-wide

Switching between the three modes couldn't be easier. On the main camera's viewfinder screen, there are small leaf/tree icons on the right that show three different settings.

Tap the single leaf at the top to zoom in using the telephoto camera. In this mode you can get close shots of objects that can be quite far away and difficult to photograph normally. Except, unlike previous digital zoom technologies on phones, you don't lose any detail.

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: ZoomZoom

Tap the icon with the two little trees and you're in the default normal view, or "wide" view as Samsung calls it. It's just the normal view/shoot mode you're used to. It's versatile and useful in a number of situations, which is why this particular camera of the three is the best quality, with the best aperture range (more on that later). It's also the best camera of the lot - so if you want the best shot, it's best to use the "regular" camera.

Finally, the ultra-wide mode is selected by tapping on the icon of the three small trees. Three trees = more in the scene. This mode means being able to capture a wider shot in a tricky situation. You'll often find them in areas with tight space that makes shooting difficult, or near tall buildings.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Camera: Best Shot and Scene Optimizer p>

The AI ​​used in cameras is not particularly new. We've seen many smartphone makers implement it in recent years. Essentially, the camera can recognize the type of scene or subject you're pointing it at, then adjust the settings to get the most out of it.

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In Samsung's case with the S10 and S10+, the list of automatically recognized scenes has grown to 30, and includes "dog" and "landscape" among many others. This is called Scene Optimizer and can be activated by tapping the swirl icon in the corner of the viewfinder.

The results aren't as drastic as LG's, for example, and sometimes it's hard to see if it's a huge amount. However, Scene Optimizer allows you to take slightly longer handheld shots in low light conditions. Again, it's not the best in low light, but it's better than not turning it on.

What's new and interesting here, however, is the Best Shot feature. Using its AI power again, it can recognize what's in the scene and then tell you how to frame it better.

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A ring appears on screen, along with a round dot on what he thinks is the primary target. Now all you have to do is move the phone around until the circular dot is inside the ring.

To determine the best position, Samsung's AI uses the basic rule of thirds. So in many ways it essentially replaces the need to have the 3x3 grid on your screen.

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In addition to the ring/target sighting system, there's a line down the middle of the screen to help make sure you're keeping things level. It's an absolute must if you want to capture a stunning landscape, or any scene with any type of horizon.

Samsung Galaxy S10 camera: dual aperture

Samsung was the first big-name manufacturer to include a mechanical dual-aperture system on its smartphone camera last year, and it's making a comeback for 2019. It allows the camera to switch between f/1 .5 and f/2.4 when conditions require.

Alternatively, in manual or "pro" mode, you can activate it manually by adjusting the aperture yourself in the on-screen settings. You'll find this makes a significant difference to the amount of light and detail in the scene, especially if you're shooting in a dim or dim location.

It's worth noting that since this is a physical mechanism built into the main 12MP camera, you can't use it when shooting with the telephoto or ultra-wide lenses.

Samsung Galaxy S10 camera: OIS and ultra stable video p>

Two of the Samsung Galaxy S10's cameras have OIS (optical image stabilization) built in, which means that when shooting handheld, you're less likely to experience motion blur. The cameras physically move, very slightly, to counter small movements or tremors of your hands.

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It's not as much of an issue when shooting. photograph in good light. In these cases, the shutter is open for such a short time, you will rarely have a blur problem.

However, in low light conditions (especially with the dual aperture camera on board) you'll find that you take much better photos.

As for video, Samsung has introduced Super Steady Video, which automatically smooths your scenes, similar to the HyperSmooth feature on the latest GoPro Hero6 action camera. Again, that means much smoother video, without having to buy an expensive or bulky gimbal.

It works great, meaning you can walk around without any stuttering appearing in your videos.

Video can be captured at up to 4K 60fps, but once you go beyond the 1080/30p standard you'll find that you start to lose those more advanced features.

Another of these advanced features is the ability to capture in HDR10+. This is marked as a beta feature, but what it does is capture metadata to set the balance between highs and lows in your video for better results in harsh conditions. Unfortunately, you can only view this video on an HDR10+ compatible display. The Galaxy S10 will, but no other phone will. So use this mode with caution.

Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10+ selfie camera

Galaxy S10: 10MP, f/1.9< /p>

Galaxy S10+: 10MP, f/1.9 main, 8MP RGB depth, f/2.2

There is a difference in the selfie experience on the two different models of the S10. The standard Galaxy S10 has a single front camera; the Galaxy S10+ gets two, adding a second depth lens on the front to improve the bokeh experience. Otherwise, both have the same main camera.

We've only tested the S10+ camera so far, so there may be differences between these two models in terms of performance. Overall, the Galaxy S10+ offers an excellent selfie experience. There's the Instagram mode - which we talk about below - but it's the bokeh that most people will be interested in.

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There are four different styles of background effect you can apply, to make your selfies a bit more distinct. It can be a zoom effect or swirls.

The confusing thing about the S10+ is that it claims to offer different angles with the ability to switch from a wide view to a narrower view, but it's not a wide angle like the p>

Google Pixel3

. Instead, it's just a minor difference. The image above shows what the four main bokeh options offer.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Instagram Mode

Samsung has partnered with Instagram to integrate the social network directly into the camera experience. It appears as a camera mode, which means you can swipe to the Instagram camera and take a photo with a great full-screen experience. You can then add that image or video directly to your Instagram story. You also have direct sharing options from the gallery.

The big difference is that it lets you use the different cameras - wide - regular - zoom - that you can't from the Instagram app, using the full processing power of the S10.

That said, it's better to use the normal camera app on the phone, capture and edit your photo, and then just share it on Instagram. Ultimately, this gives you the most control over your image and will give you better results.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Camera Performance

As we have described in full

, the Galaxy S10's camera is awesome. It offers plenty of shooting options, although you have to dig around to find a few.

The results are great too and overall this camera will rival others when it comes to standard shooting in good conditions. Where the Galaxy S10 falls a little short is in low light. It doesn't have the kind of skills you get on the Pixel 3 when it comes to low-light photography and it all comes down to processing - applying to both the front and rear cameras.

But, having these three cameras provides plenty of opportunities to take some interesting photos, the wide-angle camera is a great addition - once LG's signature, it gives you an option you can't recreate via software, which adds real versatility.

Written by Cam Bunton. Originally published on

February 20, 2019

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