Latest news with #macroPhotography
Phone Arena
4 days ago
- Phone Arena
The Pixel 10's 'downgraded' camera might actually be genius
Pixel 10 It's not about specs, it's about possibilities Receive the latest editorials Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Pixel 9a Pixel 10 A surprising new strength: macro photography Pixel 10 Recommended Stories Pixel 10 Pixel 10 camera changes – downgrade or smart tradeoff? Smart move — versatility matters more than top-tier sensor Not a fan — downgrading the main sensor is a dealbreaker I'll wait and see how the photos actually look Macro and zoom sound exciting — I'm curious! Doesn't matter — I usually go for the Pro anyway Smart move — versatility matters more than top-tier sensor 0% Not a fan — downgrading the main sensor is a dealbreaker 0% I'll wait and see how the photos actually look 0% Macro and zoom sound exciting — I'm curious! 0% Doesn't matter — I usually go for the Pro anyway 0% Versatility over quality Pixel 10 This shift from Google will only make the Pixel stronger Grab Surfshark VPN now at more than 50% off and with 3 extra months for free! Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer Even a couple of months before its release, the Pixel 10 is already shaping up to be one of the most hotly discussed and potentially controversial phones of Because Google is expected to add a third, zoom camera to its base flagship for the first time ever. At first this sounds amazing, but dig in deeper in the leaks, and you'd find out that the cost of that new camera is lower-grade image sensors for the remaining two fact, the main and ultra-wide cameras are said to be the same ones that the Pixel 9a is using… Not great news considering we are talking about a $300 price difference! That would be even worse if the rumors of a $100 price hike for I'm here to argue that we shouldn't be too quick with our start with the alleged 'downgrades.' Google is moving from the Samsung GNV and Sony IMX858 — both flagship-tier sensors — to the Samsung GN8 and Sony IMX712. These newer components are smaller and less capable in terms of dynamic range and low-light performance. But we've seen what Google can do with limited hardware which uses similar camera components, is a perfect example. Despite its budget-friendly positioning, it scored 134 in our PhoneArena Camera Score, with strong marks in photo quality and impressive zoom results thanks to Google's Super Res Zoom. It wasn't perfect, but it punched far above its Google applies the same computational magic to the(now with a new Tensor G5 chip) it could extract even more from these 'inferior' parts. And that brings us to the most interesting possibility of all: macro to early rumors, themight take a smart, hybrid approach to macro photography — automatically switching between its new telephoto and ultra-wide cameras based on how close you are to the subject. This could dramatically improve detail and accuracy in close-up shots of textures, small objects, or even tiny insects — an area where most smartphones still fall macro isn't a camera feature many people ask for. It's not exactly the best one for candid family photos or capturing memories on a trip. But personally, I've always had a soft spot for it. There's something special about discovering an entire hidden world through your the leaks are accurate, this hybrid system could give thea serious edge in close-up photography — maybe even better than what the iPhone Pro can is where the's new camera layout starts to make more sense. Personally, I've found telephoto cameras far more useful than ultra-wides. A telephoto camera is useful for portraits, framing landscapes so that there are no distractions, and even for figuring out text that's far away. Most ultra-wide cameras, especially on non-Pro phones, suffer from weaker image quality and distortion prioritizing zoom and letting the ultra-wide step in only when needed, Google might be giving users a smarter, more intentional camera setup. That doesn't mean ultra-wide is useless. But it does mean we're getting a phone better suited to real-world shooting scenarios.I like what Google is doing here — there's no need to go for the best and most expensive image sensor if you can offer the user more by keeping things moderate. I see this as Google focusing on making the camera more adaptable and useful for those who don't want to pay the extra buck for a Pro could be looking at the most creatively flexible base Pixel yet. I might not be the sharpest shooter, or the most advanced one — but maybe it will be the one that makes you want to go out and take more photos. And I am willing to bet money that it once again punches above its weight despite the 'downgrades.'
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Forbes
Android Circuit: Galaxy Z Fold7 Details, Honor Magic V5 Previewed, OnePlus Nord 5 Arrives
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Taking a look back at this week's news and headlines across the Android world, including Galaxy Z Fold7 specs, Pixel 10 Pro features leak, Galaxy S26 benchmarking, OnePlus Nord 5 released, Poco F7 debuts, Honor promises record-breaking Magic V5, and Google Photos' upgrade. Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Android in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Apple news here on Forbes. Galaxy Z Fold's Practical Upgrade Samsung has revealed details of the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold7 on three occasions in the last three weeks, and it may not be done yet. Nevertheless, new details on the specs are coming out alongside the official teasers. One of those regards the cover screen of the foldable and how practical the Fold 7 will be when closed: "This is good news and precisely what Fold users, myself included, have been calling for since rivals OnePlus and Google launched their wider-screened foldable phones. As exciting as that design shift will be, it was expected. I thought Samsung would make this change immediately after the Fold 6 launched last summer." (Forbes). Pixel 10's New Camera Feature Google looks set to make a switch with its macro photography option for the Pixel 10 family by moving the feature from the ultrawide hardware into the telephoto hardware. It's an approach used by other manufacturers, leading to improved close-up images: "Telephoto sensors are typically better, optics-wise, than the ultrawide sensor. Providing a better quality image on macro. Additionally, using the telephoto sensor means you can be further away from the subject, which is great for capturing insects. But it also means that you and the camera won't be blocking the light. Keep in mind that macro photography does need a good bit of light to produce a good image." (Android Headlines). Galaxy S26 Ready To Challenge The iPhone 17 Looking further ahead to next year's Galaxy S26 family, new details have leaked on the potential performance of the Snapdragon Elite 2 chipset earmarked for the South Korean flagship. The numbers match the single-core numbers of Apple's upcoming A19 Pro, and show a significant lead in multi-core performance: "The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip is rumored to be fabricated on TSMC's third-generation 3nm process node. Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS) has posted the chip's preliminary CPU performance results on Weibo. The chip's octa-core CPU reportedly scores over 11,000 points in Geekbench 6's multi-core CPU performance test and over 4,000 points in the single-core CPU performance test." (SamMobile). OnePlus Nord 5 Revealed OnePlus has confirmed a launch date of July 8 for the latest Nord phone, the OnePlus Nord 5. Alongside it, OnePlus also revealed the OnePlus CE5 OnePlus Pad Lite, OnePlus Watch 3, and OnePlus Buds 4. As the Nord 5 is squarely in the flagship-killer category, OnePlus will be balancing performance with price, none more so than in the choice of processor. It has stepped back to last year's flagship Snapdragon, which should offer capability while keeping the cost relatively low: "The Nord 5 is the latest in the company's mid-range smartphone line, and is the first Nord to feature a flagship Qualcomm chip — in this case the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3, which was designed for cheaper flagship phones — along with an upgraded cooling system and support for LPDDR5X RAM. That's all we know about the phone's specs, but from the picture we can glean that it'll come in a pale blue finish (officially dubbed 'Dry Ice') and features a dual rear camera." (The Verge). Poco F7 Debuts Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 We already knew that the F7 would ship with 12 GB of memory, presumably backed up by various storage levels and a 6,000 mAh battery. As well as confirming a release date of June 24, Poco has announced the F7 will ship with the leading Snapdragon 8 chipset: "Poco has been drip-feeding us with information about the Poco F7, which will be unveiled on June 24. The brand previously revealed its battery size (7,550 mAh) and charging speed (90W), and yesterday, it gave us our first official look at the smartphone. Today, Poco confirmed that the F7 will be powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC." (GSM Arena). Honor Teases Record Breaking Foldable Honor has confirmed that its next foldable will launch on July 2nd in the Chinese market. Previous Magic V handsets have had an international launch a few months after China, and we'd expect the same to happen here. We're also expecting the push for innovation and records to continue in the V5: "Honor has suggested that its new foldable will depart from the current Magic V3 with a more powerful chipset, PC-level productivity and a design that is thinner than the Oppo Find N5 while also being lighter than the Vivo X Fold5." (Notebook Check). And Finally... Following hints at the new features in Google Photos, a deep dive into the pre-release APKs by the Android Authority team has revealed more about the features. No tools have been removed; they are laid out in a more logical fashion, many of the AI tools are now under Auto, and several new additions are included: "The 'Filters' section is also getting some love. A new 'Sky styles' option lets you choose from dramatic skyline effects like Luminous, Radiant, Vivid, Ember, and more. Google has also made a minor visual tweak to the filter selection tray, making it more intuitive to adjust filter strength." (Android Authority). Android Circuit rounds up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any coverage in the future, and of course, read the sister column in Apple Loop! Last week's Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have any news and links you'd like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!
Phone Arena
17-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Pixel 10 will use two camera sensors to improve macro photography
If you like to take close up photos of insects going about their daily business, macro photography sounds like something you'd be interested in. Google hopes to improve the quality of these close-up photographs taken by Pixel users by improving their ability to shoot macro photographs with the upcoming Pixel 10 series. Currently, Pixel devices that support macro photography use the device's ultrawide sensor for these photographs. A new report says that the Pixel 10 will use the phone's telephoto sensor in addition to the ultrawide sensor when shooting macro photographs. The telephoto sensor would be used up until a certain point at which time the ultrawide sensor will take over as it gets closer to the subject of the photo while remaining in focus. Typically the telephoto sensor gets out of focus the closer it gets to the subject. The process of using a telephoto sensor for macro photography instead of the ultrawide sensor is called tele-macro and it was employed all the way back in 2022 by Samsung with the Galaxy Z Fold 4. While Sammy did try it out for that one year, the next year the Galaxy Z Fold 5 went back to using the ultrawide sensor for the extreme close-up shots. When it has been employed in recent times, the phone manufacturers have been quiet about using tele-macro. For example, this feature was used on last year's OnePlus 13. The Oppo Find N5 was released earlier this year with tele-macro capabilities. Of course, using the telephoto sensor for macro shots means that you can be further away from your subject. If insect photography is your thing, you'll be able to take close-ups of the bugs without being too close and scaring them. Pixel 10 Pro XL render. | Image credit-Android Headline While the Pixel 10 will allow the 5x telephoto sensor to shoot macro closeups, it will not remove the macro capability from the phone's ultrawide camera. That's because the minimum focusing distance on the telephoto sensor is further than the ultrawide sensor. The Pixel 10 will determine which sensor to use based on the user's distance from the subject. We should also point out that using the telephoto sensor for a macro photo creates a blurry bokeh background that helps make the subject pop. We could see the Pixel 10 series introduced on August 20th with an August 28th release date. Keep in mind that the upcoming series will be powered by the first Tensor chip designed by Google from the ground up, the 3nm Tensor G5 application processor (AP). This should allow Google to add some tasty, exclusive features to the Pixel 10 line. It will be the first Tensor AP built by TSMC instead of Samsung Foundry. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
16-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Close-up photography could be getting a major upgrade with the Google Pixel 10
Referential image of a Google Pixel 9 Pro . | Image credit — PhoneArena The Google Pixel 10 is rumored to be getting a new feature aimed at improving macro photography. According to a new report, Google may use the phone's telephoto camera to take close-up shots, instead of relying only on the ultra-wide lens like in previous models. This technique is called tele-macro photography. It allows the phone to use the telephoto sensor to focus on close subjects, such as flowers or insects. The idea isn't entirely new, as Samsung used it briefly on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but more smartphone makers have been returning to the idea in recent months. OPPO introduced it on the Find N5, and OnePlus has something similar on the upcoming OnePlus 13, even though it hasn't highlighted the feature. Google's approach appears to combine both the telephoto and ultrawide cameras for macro. Depending on how far you are from the subject, the Pixel 10 might automatically pick the better option. This could help avoid common issues in macro photography, such as shadows or blocked lighting when the camera is too close. The Google Pixel 9 Pro used the 48MP Ultrawide for Macro focus. | Image credit — Google Using the telephoto lens for macro also has another advantage. Telephoto sensors usually have better optics, which can result in clearer and more detailed images. Being able to stand a little farther away from the subject can make it easier to capture things like insects, without disturbing them or getting in the way of light. This new camera setup is one of several changes expected for the Pixel 10 . Although unconfirmed, it has been previously rumored that Google is planning to announce the Pixel 10 lineup on August 20, with full availability starting August 28. That's a week later than last year's Pixel 9 reveal, but the delay may allow all four Pixel 10 models to ship at the same time. The Pixel 10 will also reportedly bring a refreshed set of color options. The standard model may come in Ultra Blue, Limoncello, Iris, and Midnight. The Pro and Pro XL versions will offer Sterling Gray, Light Porcelain, Midnight, and Smoky Green. The Pro Fold may come in Sterling Gray and Smoky Green only. If this feature does arrive, it would give the Pixel 10 a useful tool without adding more sensors or raising the price. That makes it a smart move, helping the phone stand out with better image quality in everyday use.
