Lenses
The number of individual lenses provided in the module of the main (rear) camera of the device. Specified only if there are several lenses. At the same time, each «eye» has its own sensor and, in fact, is a separate camera; however, they can be used in conjunction, forming one image from data from several lenses, or mutually complementing each other's capabilities. As an illustration of the second case, the following example can be given: when using the zoom, the smartphone can automatically switch from the main optics to the telephoto lens when the magnification selected by the user exceeds a certain threshold.
The simplest version of the main module with several lenses is a
dual camera, however, devices with
3 or more rear cameras are becoming more common (in some models, the number of lenses can reach six). Anyway, these cameras usually differ in specifications and perform different functions. So, an ordinary colour camera can be supplemented with a lens for black-and-white shooting, which improves contrast; in some models, lenses with different focal lengths allow you to choose the optimal viewing angle for certain conditions; information from an auxiliary lens (see below) is usually used to adjust the depth of focus on an already finished shot, etc. These details should be clarified separately, but anyway, several lenses mean more shooting options.
Main lens
Specifications of the main lens of the rear camera installed in the phone. In models with several lenses (see “Number of lenses”), the main one is responsible for basic shooting capabilities and does not have a pronounced specialization (wide-angle, telephoto, etc.). Four main parameters can be indicated here: resolution, aperture (
high aperture optics are quite common), focal length, additional sensor data.
Resolution(in megapixels, MP)
Resolution of the sensor used for the main lens. Budget options are equipped with a module
8 MP and
below, many models have
12 MP camera /
13 MP, also recently a trend towards increasing megapixels has been popular. Often in smartphones you can find the main photomodule at
48 MP,
50 MP< /a>, 64 MP and even
108 MP .
The maximum resolution of the resulting image directly depends on the resolution of the sensor; and the high resolution of the "picture", in turn, allows you to better display fine details. On the other hand, an increase in the number of megapixels in itself can lead to a deterioration in the overall image quality - due to the smaller size of each individual pixel, the noise level increases. As a result,
...the direct resolution of the camera has little effect on the quality of the shooting - more depends on the physical size of the matrix, the features of the optics and various design tricks used by the manufacturer.
Aperture
Aperture describes the ability of a lens to transmit light. It is written as a fractional number, for example f/1.9. Moreover, the larger the number in the denominator, the lower the aperture ratio, the less light passes through the optics, all other things being equal. For example, an f/2.6 lens will be “darker” than f/1.9.
High aperture gives the camera a number of advantages. First, it improves the quality of shooting in low light. Secondly, it's possible to shoot at low shutter speeds, minimizing the effect of "stirring" and blurring of moving objects in the frame. Thirdly, with fast optics it is easier to achieve a beautiful background blur ("bokeh") — for example, when shooting portraits.
Focal length(in millimetres)
The focal length is a distance between the sensor and the centre of the lens (focused to infinity), at which the most clear image is obtained on the matrix. However, for smartphones, the specifications indicate not the actual, but the so-called equivalent focal length — a conditional indicator recalculated using special formulas. This indicator can be used to evaluate and compare cameras with different sensor sizes (the actual focal length cannot be used for this, since with a different sensor size the same real focal length will correspond to different viewing angles). (It is also worth saying that the equivalent focal length can be noticeably larger than the thickness of the case — there is nothing unusual in this, since this is a conditional, and not a real indicator).
Anyway, the field of view and the degree of magnification directly depend on the equivalent focal length: a larger focal length gives a smaller field of view and a larger size of individual objects that fall into the frame, and a decrease in this distance, in turn, allows you to cover more space. In most modern smartphones, the focal length of the main camera ranges from 13 to 35 mm; if compared with the optics of traditional cameras, then lenses with equivalent focal length up to 25 mm can be attributed to wide-angle lenses, more than 25 mm — to universal models “with a bias towards wide-angle shooting”. Such values are chosen due the fact that smartphones are often used for shooting in cramped conditions, when a fairly large space needs to fit into the frame at a small distance. Enlargement of the picture, if necessary, is most often carried out digitally — due to the reserve of megapixels on the sensor; but there are also models with optical zoom (see below) — for them, not one value is given, but the entire working range of the equivalent focal length (recall, optical zoom is carried out by changing the focal length).
Field of view(in degrees). It characterizes the size of the area covered by the lens, as well as the size of individual objects "seen" by the camera. The larger this field, the more of the scene gets into the frame, but the smaller the individual objects in the image are. The field of view is directly related to the focal length (see above): increasing this distance narrows the field of view of the lens, and vice versa.
Note that this parameter is generally considered important for professional use of the camera rather than for amateur photography. Therefore, viewing angle data is given mainly for smartphones equipped with advanced cameras — including in order to emphasize the high class of cameras. As for specific values, for the main lens they usually are in the range from 70° to 82° — this corresponds to the general specifics of such optics (universal shooting with an emphasis on general scenes and extensive coverage at short distances).
Additional Sensor Data
Additional information regarding the sensor installed in the main lens. This item can specify both the size (in inches) and the sensor model, and sometimes both parameters at once. Anyway, such data is provided only if the device is equipped with a high-end sensor. With the model, everything is quite simple: knowing the name of the sensor, you can find detailed data on it. The size is worth considering a little more.
The size of the sensor is traditionally indicated in fractional parts of an inch — accordingly, for example, a 1/2.3" sensor will be larger than 1/2.6". Larger sensors are considered more advanced, as they provide better image quality at the same resolution. The logic here is simple - due to the large sensor area, each individual pixel is also larger and gets more light, which improves sensitivity and reduces noise. Of course, the actual image quality will also depend on a number of other parameters, but in general, a larger sensor size usually means a more advanced camera. In advanced photo flagships, you can find matrices with a physical size of 1”, which is comparable to image sensors used in top compact cameras with fixed lenses.Ultra wide lens
Specs of the
ultra wide-angle lens of the main camera installed in the phone.
These details are relevant only for cameras with several lenses (see "Number of lenses") — and not all, but only those where there is a lens with a small focal length (much less than in the main lens) and, accordingly, wider viewing angles. It is called ultra-wide. In the same paragraph, four main parameters can be indicated: resolution, aperture ratio, focal length and additional sensor data.
Resolution(in megapixels, MP)
The resolution of the sensor used for the ultra-wide lens.
The maximum resolution of the resulting image directly depends on the resolution of the sensor; and the high resolution of the "picture" allows you to capture small details better. On the other hand, an increase in the number of megapixels in itself can lead to a deterioration in the overall image quality — due to the smaller size of each individual pixel, the noise level increases. As a result, the direct resolution of the camera has little effect on the quality of photos and videos — a lot also depends on the size of the sensor, the features of the optics and various design tricks used by the manufacturer. At the same time, we note that the more megapixels a camera has, the more likely it is to implement various additional solutions aimed at improving image quality.
As for the specific resolution of ultra-wide optics, it can co
...rrespond to the number of megapixels in the main lens (see "Main lens") or be lower, sometimes quite noticeable (for example, 8 MP with the main optics at 48 MP). This is due to the fact that an ultra-wide-angle lens often plays a secondary role, for which a small resolution is more than enough.
Aperture
Aperture describes the ability of a lens to transmit light. It is written as a fractional number, for example f/1.9. Moreover, the larger the number in the denominator, the lower the aperture ratio, that is, for example, an f/2.6 lens will transmit less light than f/1.9.
High aperture gives the camera a number of advantages: it allows you to shoot at low shutter speeds, minimizing the likelihood of “shake”, and also makes it easier to shoot in low light and shoot with artistic background blur (bokeh). However, for an ultra-wide lens, such features are not as important as for the main camera — such lenses usually have a specific purpose, and their small aperture is often more desirable, which allows you to increase the depth of field. So in general, this parameter is more of a reference than practically significant when choosing.
Focal length
The focal length is a distance between the sensor and the centre of the lens (focused to infinity), at which the most clear image is obtained on the sensor. However, for smartphones, the specifications indicate not the actual, but the so-called equivalent focal length — a conditional indicator recalculated using special formulas. This indicator can be used to evaluate and compare cameras with different sensor sizes (the actual focal length cannot be used for this, since with a different sensor size the same real focal length will correspond to different viewing angles).
Anyway, the viewing angle and the degree of magnification directly depend on the equivalent focal length: a larger focal length gives a smaller viewing angle and a larger size of individual objects that fall into the frame, and a decrease in this distance, in turn, allows you to cover more space. Ultra-wide optics, by definition, must have very short focal lengths — smaller than the corresponding main optics. However, "ultra-wide" focal lengths typically range from 13 mm to 26 mm; such values are not rare among the main lenses. At the same time, there is nothing illogical here — the point is the ratio of focal lengths in each individual smartphone. For example, a camera with a 25mm primary lens can carry a 16mm or 17mm ultra-wide lens; and models with a primary lens less than 24mm usually do not have additional ultra-wide optics at all, since the existing lens perfectly plays this role just fine. Also note that the difference between these types of optics is not as significant as one might imagine; and in some devices, both focal lengths are generally the same, while the difference in specialization is achieved due to the features of image processing in each lens.
Field of view(in degrees) It is the size of the area covered by the lens, as well as the size of individual objects "seen" by the camera. The larger this angle, the more of the scene gets into the frame, but the smaller the individual objects in the image are. The field of view is directly related to the focal length (see above): increasing this distance narrows the field of view of the lens, and vice versa.
Note that this parameter is generally considered important for professional use of the camera rather than for amateur photography. Therefore, the field of view data is given mainly for smartphones equipped with advanced cameras — including in order to emphasize the high class of cameras in this way. As for specific values, ultra-wide-angle optics, by definition, have very wide angles — from 107° and above; in some models, this figure reaches 125°.
Additional Sensor Data
Additional information regarding the sensor installed in the ultra-wide lens. This item can specify both the size (in inches) and the sensor model, and sometimes both parameters at once. Anyway, such data is provided only if the device is equipped with a high-class sensor. With the model, everything is quite simple: knowing the name of the sensor, you can find detailed data on it. The size is worth considering a little more.
The size of the sensor is traditionally indicated in fractional parts of an inch — accordingly, for example, a 1/3.1" sensor will be larger than 1/4". Larger sensors are considered more advanced, as they provide a better image at the same resolution. This is due to the fact that due to the larger sensor area, each individual pixel is also larger and receives more light, which improves sensitivity and reduces noise. Of course, the actual image quality will also depend on a number of other parameters, but in general, a larger sensor size usually means a more advanced camera. However, in ultra-wide lenses, the sensors are generally noticeably smaller than in the main ones — for example, the mentioned 1/3.1" and 1/4" are quite common options. This is primarily due to the secondary role of such cameras.Auxiliary lens
The presence of an
auxiliary lens in the module of the main (rear) camera of the smartphone. Common to all auxiliary lenses is that they themselves do not shoot, but only supply the main camera with some useful additional data. But the types of this data and, accordingly, the methods of using auxiliary cameras can be different.
So, in some smartphones, an additional lens of a very small resolution is installed, which is used to obtain special information about the depth of field in some shooting modes (primarily in portrait mode). This format of work gives a number of interesting features — in particular, it allows you to change the depth of focus on an already finished image, moving the focus to a particular subject. Another interesting option is the so-called ToF (time of flight) cameras, which work on the principle of rangefinders and are capable of creating 3D models of various objects (including reading facial expressions from the user's face). There are other options, such as a black-and-white secondary camera for greater dynamic range and a fast aperture for better low-light performance.
Macro lens
The presence of a
macro lens in a smartphone. In some models, this feature is performed by a separate specialized lens, in others — by the lens of the main camera, which operates in a special mode.
Macro photography, for which such lenses are used, is a special mode that allows you to get very large and detailed images of miniature objects (for example, dew drops or a small insect). This mode is most often used as an artistic tool, but it can also be useful for other purposes, such as scientific ones. And the presence of a full-fledged macro lens means that the smartphone has quite advanced capabilities for such shooting. At the same time, the main camera is considered a macro lens only if it is capable of performing macro photography from a distance of 3 cm or less.
Microscope lens
A microscope lens is a rare feature on modern smartphones. In fact, this is an additional module for macro photography, but with a huge zoom ratio (20x-30x, or even 50x-60x). With it, you can shoot tiny objects and textures, looking at the pictures of the details never seen before. To get a photo, you need to keep your smartphone motionless and ideally measure the distance for focusing — there is no autofocus function in the microscope camera. But such a lens is often supplemented with a ring flash with a constant glow mode — to achieve a high-quality result, the microscope camera needs to “see” the subject well and get enough light.
Thermal imager
The thermal imager allows you to get a thermal map of the area, which is superimposed on the image from the main camera. That is, the thermal imager and the smartphone camera work in conjunction. The scope of the thermal imager is very wide. Thanks to the thermal sensor, it is possible to detect: places of heat leakage from the building; heating wiring; the presence of animals in the area when it is already dark, etc. To use a mobile thermal imager, special software is provided, similar to the smartphone camera programme. Of course, the capabilities of a mobile thermal imager are much inferior to the potential of individual thermal sighting equipment. In particular, a thermal imager on a mobile phone gives a picture with a minimum resolution, within about 80x60 pixels. It can be used in phones for construction workers and in some cases can replace
a professional thermal imager.
SIM slots
The quantity and types of removable cards (SIM, memory cards) that can be installed in the phone. On E-Catalog this parameter is specified only for devices that allow the installation of more than one SIM card — most often that means
2 SIM cards, however, you can find devices with
three or even four corresponding slots.
Initially several slots mean that several phone numbers can be used on one device. Thus it is possible to combine personal and work numbers, separate plans for calls and the Internet, etc. in one device. However modern devices (especially smartphones) often provide the combined design
“SIM + SIM / memory card " : one of the slots is intended only for SIM, the second can be used both for a SIM card or for a memory card such as microSD or Nano Memory (see "Memory card slot"). At the same time, there is no separate slot for a memory card in the device, so the user has to choose between the second number and additional storage. Therefore, if you want to use 2 SIM cards and a memory card at the same time, you should pay attention to models where this
is directly stated.
It is also worth considering that individual slots may differ in the type of compatible SIM cards; see below for details.
Fast charging
Fast charging technology supported by the device.
By itself,
fast charging, as the name suggests, reduces the charging time compared to the standard procedure. For this, increased voltage and/or current strength is used, as well as a special "smart" process control. But the possibilities and features of such charging may be different, depending on the specific technology used in the device. The same technology must be supported by the charger — this is the only way to guarantee the proper operation. However some types of fast charging are mutually compatible — but this point should be clarified separately, and compatibility is not always complete.
Here is a brief description of the most popular technologies nowadays:
— Quick Charge (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0). Technology created by Qualcomm and used in smartphones with Qualcomm processors. The later the version, the more advanced the technology: for example, Quick Charge 2.0 provides 3 fixed voltage options, and version 3.0 has a smooth adjustment in the range from 3.6 to 20 V. Most often, devices with a newer version of Quick Charge are also compatible with older chargers, but for full use, an exact match in versions is desirable.
Also note that certain versions of Quick Charge have become the basis for some other technologies, such as Asus BoostMaster and Meizu mCharge. However, again, the mutual compatibility of devices supporting these technologies
...needs to be clarified separately.
— Pump Express. Own development of MediaTek, used in smartphones with processors of this brand. Also available in several versions, with improvements and additions as it develops.
— Samsung Charge (Samsung Fast Charge, Adaptive Fast Charging). Samsung's proprietary fast charging technology. It has been used without any changes since 2015, so it looks quite modest against the newer standards. Nevertheless, it is able to provide good speed, especially for the first 50% of the charge.
— Power Delivery (Power Delivery 2.0). "Native" fast charging technology for the USB-C connector; can be used in smartphones of different brands equipped with such a connector. Also note that Power Delivery is supported not only by chargers and power banks, but also by separate USB ports of computers and laptops.
— Asus BoostMaster. Proprietary technology used in Asus smartphones. The specs are similar to Quick Charge 2.0; noticeably inferior to many more modern formats, but generally quite effective.
—Meizu mCharge. Meizu proprietary technology. It is interesting, in particular, because it combines Quick Charge from Qualcomm and Pump Express Plus from MediaTek; compatibility with these technologies needs to be specified separately, however, problems in this regard do not occur so often.
— Huawei PowerUp. One of Huawei's proprietary technologies. Formally similar to Quick Charge 2.0, but used with both Qualcomm and other brands of mobile CPUs, so compatibility is not guaranteed. In general, it is considered obsolete, gradually being replaced by more advanced standards like the SuperCharge Protocol.
— Huawei SuperCharge Protocol. Another proprietary technology from Huawei introduced in 2016; for 2021 is available in several versions. In some devices, the power of such charging exceeds 60 V — not a record, but a very solid indicator.
— Honor SuperCharge. A technology used mainly in advanced Honor smartphones. Until 2020, this brand belonged to Huawei, so Honor SuperCharge is, in fact, the same Huawei SuperCharge Protocol, only with improvements (at least in devices released after 2020).
— OnePlus Dash Charge. A relatively old proprietary standard from OnePlus. An interesting feature is that in some devices the effectiveness of Dash Charge is practically independent of the use of the screen: when the display is on, the battery charges at almost the same rate as when it is off. Technically a licensed version of OPPO's VOOC, however, these technologies are not compatible. Since 2018, Dash Charge has been gradually superseded by Warp Charge.
— OnePlus Warp Charge. OnePlus proprietary standard, released in 2018, including to replace Dash Charge. It is positioned as a technology that can function effectively even with intensive use of the smartphone — in particular, during games.
— Oppo VOOC. OPPO technology, used both in branded smartphones and in equipment from other brands. Available in several versions; The latest (for 2021) version of SuperVOOC is for 2-cell batteries and is sometimes listed as a separate technology called Oppo SuperVOOC Flash Charge.
— Oppo Super Flash Charge (SuperVOOC Flash Charge). Development of Oppo VOOC technology. One of the fastest (for 2021) charging technologies, it allows you to charge a 4000 mAh battery in just over half an hour. Provides for the use of special two-cell batteries.
— Vivo Flash Charge. Proprietary technology from Vivo. It features high power and speed: the process of charging a 4000 mAh battery takes only 13 minutes.
— Realme Dart Charge. Proprietary Realme brand technology. It has average, by modern standards, indicators of power and speed.
— Motorola Turbo Power. Motorola proprietary technology, found in almost all modern smartphones and tablets of this brand, as well as in separate devices from Lenovo. Available in several versions. It 's not super fast, but in general it has quite decent specs; in addition, devices with Turbo Power are also fully compatible with chargers that support Quick Charge (version 2.0 and higher).
