10 things we love about the Samsung Galaxy S9 camera

It’s that time again. A spanking new Samsung Galaxy is about to launch, and we can’t wait to get our hands on it. What’s the camera spec? What colours will it come in? And how will the new Samsung compare to the S9?

There are plenty of rumours doing the rounds, but while we wait for the big reveal, here’s a look at what got us all talking in 2018: the Samsung Galaxy S9 camera.

We’re used to awesome camera phones from Samsung, and both the S9 and S9 Plus were big game-changers when they launched. In fact, they’re still hitting the top spot with tech reviewers today.
Whether you’re into your photography or a complete novice, the S9 has loads to get your teeth into. Here’s a snapshot of 10 S9 camera features we love (in no particular order):

 

1. Take great pics in any light.

The techie bit.
Both the S9 and S9 Plus have a 12-megapixel main camera with the largest aperture ever used in a smartphone – which basically means it can let in plenty of light. Samsung then took things to the next level by including a dual aperture lens in both phones, which works like the iris of a human eye and can adjust depending on the amount of light coming in. If you shoot in normal or low light it uses the wider f/1.5 aperture which lets more light in; but if you’re taking a photo in bright light, it automatically chooses the narrower f/2.4 aperture. Genius.

The benefit.
From sunsets on the beach, to after dark shots in the club, the cameras on the Samsung S9 and S9 + will help let you take awesome great photos when light isn’t on your side.

 

2. Record top-quality movies.

The techie bit.
You can record in 4k Ultra High Definition with the S9 and S9 Plus, which gives you eye-popping video quality. 4K was designed for digital cinema and computer graphics and basically has a much higher resolution than the 1080P HD video you get on many smartphones. In fact, it contains almost four 4x times the number of pixels on the screen which is why you get clearer images with more detail.

The benefit.
With 4K video recording you can capture fast action, like live sport, without sacrificing the quality. And everything you film on your phone will look brilliant when you stream it on your TV.

 

3. Slow down time.

The techie bit.
Super Slow-mo on the S9 and S9 Plus will film in 720p HD resolution at a massive 960 fps (frames per second). It’s been described as ‘the camera that slows down time’ and it means you’ll never miss a second of those super-fast, extra special moments.

Whether you’re capturing a sports day win or getting up close to nature, there are 2 modes to help you slow down time perfectly. The first one is Motion Detection which means you can record in normal speed, but once movement’s detected within a specific area of the frame, the camera will automatically switch to Super Slow-mo . This means you don’t have to be well-prepared and you can capture spontaneous stuff in detail. The second is Manual mode and all you do is tap the Super Slow-mo button before you start filming. This option’ is perfect when you’re intentionally recording a moment or trying to be arty.

Samsung was one of the first manufacturers to offer Super Slow-mo and while many camera phones offer 240fps there aren’t many that go the whole hog with 960fps.

The benefit.
You get awesome advanced looking effects without needing any special photographic equipment. There are loads of ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moments in life but nowt you can capture them and relive them in brilliant detail with the S9.

 

4. Animate yourself

The techie bit.
If you’ve ever fancied seeing yourself as an animation, then Samsung’s AR Emoji is for you. The camera on the S9 and S9 Plus will use a pic of your face to create a full body cartoon character that looks, sounds and acts just like you. The best bit is the fact you can share up to 18 different emojis of yourself in chats and on social media with animated GIFs.

The benefit.
Sometimes a picture says it all. Feeling totally loved up? Need to say sorry to your mum? These personalised animations go one step further than the standard emojis you see everywhere.

 

5. Lose the blur

The techie bit.
Optical Image Stabilisation , or OIS, is a must when you’re whipping out your phone to take photos. And you can rely on it to keep pics and videos smooth. Again, Samsung take it to the next level with Smart OIS which uses an advanced combination of hardware and software processing – along with a big sensor – to give you sharp images, regardless of the light conditions.

On the S9 Plus you also get Dual OIS. This means that both the camera lenses on the rear camera have the OIS feature. So, you get steady shots for both wide-angle pics and when you’re zooming in.

The benefit.
Even if you’re in a rush or your hands are shaky, your photos will stay sharp and be totally share-worthy. There’s no excuse for amateur looking pics on Insta now.

 

6. A meaty number of megapixels.

The techie bit.
A lot has been made of the need for megapixels over the years and we’ve been led to believe that the more the merrier. But here’s the thing: it isn’t all about the megapixels. You also need to pay attention to the micron/um pixel figure too.

OK, so it works like this: a pixel is a receptor for light, and the size of each pixel can be measured in microns. The larger the size of a pixel, the more microns there are, and the more light it can sense. When extra light’ is detected it means that the ‘signal’ from the pixel doesn’t need to be amplified as much, which in turn produces less ‘noise’ and sharper, clearer images. When it comes to the S9 and S9 Plus, you get 1.4um pixels which are pretty large for a camera phone.

The benefit
Because you get sharper, less pixelated images they look top quality and work better when they’re being reproduced or blown up onto a canvas.

 

7. Smashing selfies

The techie bit.
Whether you plaster selfies all over social media, or you just like to snap yourself at random, the front-facing camera is now a big selling point when it comes to phones. The selfie cameras on the S9 and S9 Plus feature an 8-megapixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture, which means you can take great shots when light isn’t on your side. And there’s a Selfie Focus mode on the S9 Plus which means you can take selfies that highlight your face by blurring the background and adjusting your skin tone before you take the shot.

It also comes with Auto HDR (High Dynamic Range) which means that the ratio of light to dark is automatically adjusted so that your mug shots looks more natural.

The benefit.
If you love social media and sharing what you’re up to, you need a phone that can take great selfies. And it doesn’t matter if you’re at a party or on the beach – simply pose and snap and you’ll get fab pics in all light conditions.

 

8. Gesture and voice control.

The techie bit.
This is another handy feature on the S9 and S9 Plus that helps you take a slick selfie. You can choose from 3 different ways to take the shot: the usual button method, a voice control option or with gesture control. It makes it super simple to capture your best side because you ‘re not always straining to touch the shutter button while thinking about your pose or the faces your mates are pulling.

The benefit.
With a word or a wave you can take a fab shot – what’s not to love?

 

9. Quick and easy menu

The techie bit.
Although we’ve gone into detail about some of the more techie parts of the S9 camera, one of the best bits is much more obvious from the minute you pick up the phone.

It doesn’t matter how many pictures you take, the ability to swipe between camera modes without having to go into the camera menu is simple and effective. All you need to do is open the camera app and swipe across to choose from: Food (for those Rate My Plate specials), Hyperlapse (for motion shots), AR Emoji (selfie emojis), Super Slow-Mo (slow motion movies), Auto (a simple snap), Pro (with loads of options) and Panorama (creates a single wide image by scanning the landscape).

The benefit.
It makes it easy to optimise your pic before you even take it and you don’t need to spend too long thinking about it either. You’re basically set up for a good pic as soon as you open the camera app.

 

10. Stunning portraits

The techie bit.
We’ve already mentioned that you get a Live Focus option on the S9 Plus front camera but you can also use it on the rear camera too. It’s portrait mode that uses the 2 rear cameras (wide-angle and telephoto) to capture your subject and background separately. So you end up with photos that have a clear focus on the subject and a slightly blurred background. It’s a popular, arty ‘bokeh’ effect which can be hard to create on most phones. You can also add filters afterwards which play on the bokeh effect and add sparkles and even butterflies to background lights.

The benefit.
In a nutshell, you can take professional-looking portrait shots without having to actually do a thing. The camera does all the work for you.

 

The S9 and S9 Plus allow anyone and everyone to channel their inner photographer, and if you bag yourself one you’ll probably find it’s all the camera you’ll ever need. It’s hard to imagine how the S9 spec is going to be vamped up with the new edition, but we can’t wait to find out.

In the meantime, if you want to be one of the first to get your hands on the new Samsung it launches, simply register your interest in the Galaxy S10 right now. We’ll let you know as soon as it comes to Three and then you can get stuck in with all our extra perks, like Go Binge and wuntu.

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Source: Three Mobile Hub