The Negative Effect of Large Camera Sensors on New Smartphones: The Solution Could Be in the Galaxy...S9

Let's start with the backstory

The

Galaxy S9

series of phones were a big hit if you wanted a flagship phone that didn't excel in any particular category. They were unlucky enough to be sandwiched between the

Pixel2

and

iPhone XS

outputs, making it very difficult for the S9 series to stand out - at least when it comes to the camera department.

At the time, the

Pixel2

had the best camera on any phone - at least for photos, and the

iPhone XS

was king of video and form factor with Apple's exciting new design language (for 2017-2018). However, the S9 phones tried to tackle this with a gimmicky camera feature that didn't go that far in Samsung's flagship lineup.

Galaxy Note 10

series were the last phones that used it.

The S9's variable aperture was a party trick

Was the Galaxy S9's variable aperture ahead of its time?

Of course, we're talking about the variable aperture that debuted with the

Galaxy S9

family. The phones had two fixed aperture settings - the first was with the aperture wide open at f1.5 and the other - narrow at f2.4. Samsung's goal was (supposedly) to get a better balance between exposure and sharpness for photos, as the S9 automatically switched between its two apertures.

The feature never managed to prove a practical lens. Exposure on the S9 series was just okay, compared to phones like the Pixel 2. Yes, the camera did shake, and that was a party trick nice, but it didn't do much else.

Low-light photos were an improvement over Samsung's previous flagship, but bokeh (which is supposed to see gains due to the wider aperture) wasn't as good as it would have been in combination with a large sensor. 2022, we expect to see an influx of new phones with larger sensors and large apertures. That's because smartphone cameras need to let in as much light as possible for good night and mixed-light photos. .A large sensor is also great for creating nice, realistic subject separation when shooting something that needs to stand out - whether it's your friend, your pet, or an avocado toast.

New flagships - new issues: what is edge bangs

Sharp Aquos and its 1-inch camera sensor rival compact cameras...at least on paper

But! Ultimately, larger sensors and wider apertures introduce a particular challenge that has to do exactly with bokeh, and that is

edge fringes

.This phenomenon appears when you get too close to your subject.The problem results in "too much blurring" or rather unwanted blurring in areas of the photo that are supposed to be sharp.

In other words, some parts of the subject end up distorted and blurred. The problem is present in several new flagship phones that use large sensors. Considering the current trend, we are sure that the problem will only get worse. exaggerate in the near future when 1-inch camera sensors become the norm.

f2.4 versus f1.5 - notice how on the left the edges of the flower are blurred and out of focus, while on the right we get the subject in better focus. Photo by Marques Brownlee.

We already have our first modern smartphone with a 1-inch camera sensor meant to rival dedicated pocket cameras.

Sharp Aquos R6

take

amazing pictures

.However, they are certainly not free from fringe.

In all the images below, f1.5 is on the left and f2.4 is on the right. Notice how in f1.5 photos the edges, and often the central area which is supposed to be sharp, are blurry and not as sharp than in f2.4 photos. The problem will be more or less noticeable depending on how close you are to the subject and how far you zoom in after taking the photo.

This is where a variable aperture would come in handy. It has the potential to become a game-changing camera instead of a useless gimmick. We want creamy bokeh, but we don't want our subject to be out of focus. It's a balancing act that must be solved through hardware or software.

For example, going from f1.5 to f2.4, the phone will give you more natural bokeh thanks to the better balance between the large sensor and a narrower aperture, as opposed to a wide f1.5 setting, which would only contribute more to the blurry edges.

At the end...

Xiaomi's Mi 11 Ultra - former champion of the “largest smartphone camera sensor”

Will variable aperture eliminate the edge fringing problem? Unfortunately not. Variable aperture is a viable and simple solution, and we know that because it's been done before. Except in 2017, Samsung didn't have the sensors available today. Turns out now might be the time for this gimmicky feature of the Galaxy S9 to make a comeback and save the latest flagships from that pesky camera glitch. Will Samsung bring back variable aperture to the next "S" flagship, or will another manufacturer quickly realize its potential and use it first? We can't wait to find out.

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