Saturday, October 31, 2020

HUAWEI P40Pro+ 5G SERIES – THE NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC MIRACLE

 



By Heinz Richter

Conventional wisdom dictates that sensor size and individual pixel size are primarily responsible for the quality of digital photographs.  Yet high end mobile phone cameras regularly achieve results that rival many digital cameras.  The following article by German photography magazine PROFIFOTO offers an excellent explanation of this enigma.

PROFIFOTO writes that the HUAWEI P40Pro+ 5G is Huawei’s new flagship and the very first smartphone with two telephoto cameras, which, in conjunction with SuperZoom technology, break the laws of physics through the use of artificial intelligence and a variety of recording modules.


Just as the first Leica changed photography around 100 years ago, in recent years smart photography has influenced the way we deal with images today.

While cameras in Oskar Barnack's time were usually big and heavy, Leica emphasized in the advertisement for its "Lilliput" camera that you could always have it with you so that you could take a photo immediately and without much ado. In a large number of cases, the same now speaks in favor of using a smartphone to take pictures, although it is surely a coincidence that the dimensions of the original Leica do not differ too far from those of its smart great-grandchildren.

Leica I from 1925, the first Leica on the market

In the 100 years or so that lay between the development of Oskar Barnack and smartphones, apart from these basic similarities, a lot has changed radically in the way photographic recording devices work.

While conventional photo cameras take a single exposure when the shutter button is pressed around 100 years after Barnack, smartphone cameras work according to a different principle, which is only partially comparable with classic cameras. The developers of smartphones had to go completely new ways in order to be able to implement the functions of conventional cameras in miniaturized form.

Instead of just taking one exposure per photo, when you press the shutter release, smartphones with their various recording modules create a whole series of images in parallel from separate lens-sensor units. The smartphone processor then compiles the final image from this data.

Smartphone cameras follow a completely different functional principle, the complexity of which is based on far more components than on a more or less high-resolution sensor and lens. Among other things, the processor for processing the diverse image information generated by a motif in the processor of the smartphone and, above all, the firmware or software used for this are decisive. This is one of the reasons why smartphone photography is called computational photography, i.e. computer-aided image creation.

As with conventional cameras, this process begins with the light, which, as is usual with photo cameras, is directed in a purely physical manner via lenses onto the image sensors. Lenses like that of the new Huawei P40 Pro + show how complex the structure of these smartphone lenses can be, the beam path of which is deflected several times, similar to a periscope, so that the construction of the 10x optical zoom fits flush into the narrow smartphone housing. Its development alone took around two years, which shows how important lens design is, especially for smartphones.

The Huawei P40 Pro + has a 10x optical zoom with a periscope-like five-way folded beam path

The more compact the lens construction has to be, and the larger the zoom factor, the less light the construction can transport in order, among other things, to provide the autofocus with corresponding information. Instead of plastic lenses, Huawei uses glass elements for the P40 Pro + in order to ensure the best possible physical conditions for an optimal photo.

Huawei profits from the cooperation with Leica Camera in Wetzlar, especially in optical design. Since the Huawei P9, Leica has been helping with its know-how to create the optical prerequisites for the so-called metadata that is compiled for the final image to be of the best possible quality.

The physical resolution of the sensor plays a slightly different role here than with conventional cameras. While Samsung, for example, advertises its current smartphone top models with a record-breaking resolution of over 100 megapixels, the sensor of the P40 Pro and Pro + has less than half, namely 50 megapixels. However, it has the currently largest format of 1 / 1.28 inch and consequently the largest pixels of all currently available smartphone sensors of 1.22 μm, which it combines to a pixel size of 2.44 μm through pixel binning. For comparison: The current generation of Samsung smartphones uses pixels with a size of 0.8 μm. In relation to the pixel size of current photo camera sensors, both sounds very little, but even benefit from the comparatively small lead in the pixel size of the Huawei sensor, among other things, its noise behavior, dynamic range, white balance and detail reproduction.

Due to the objectively tiny dimensions of the smartphone sensors, the light intensity of the lens does not play a decisive role in defining the focus area as a design element. In contrast, the amount of light available is of greater importance for the speed and precision of the autofocus.

As with system camera sensors, the physical resolution does not necessarily say anything about the actual image quality, which is why numerous camera models deliver excellent image quality with less than half the resolution provided by the P40 Pro models. In contrast to conventional photo cameras, however, as already described, smartphones not only use the data from the sensor with the highest resolution, but often in combination with image information from the other recording modules, which are analyzed in the smartphone processor and then compiled into the finished image. Their resolution is often significantly lower; in the case of Huawei and Samsung, only 12-megapixel modules are sometimes used.

The main difference between smartphones and conventional photo cameras is the way in which the metadata provided by the recording modules are processed to create the finished photo. Like other manufacturers, Huawei uses artificial intelligence for computational photography. The comparatively young technology is still in its infancy, but is already unfolding its potential when it comes to simulating the physically generated image quality of conventional photo cameras.

The metadata provided by the various recording modules of current smartphones from a motif is analyzed, processed and compiled by the XD Fusion Engine using Artificial Intelligence (AI) so that the image effect is as attractive as possible. A single exposure with a single sensor would not be sufficient for this. Huawei is currently using up to five recording modules in its smartphones in order to be able to offer the system a maximum amount of data for the so-called image fusion.

Because every single image contributes different information, be it about the colors in the subject, the appropriate depth of field depending on the subject, or the focus. The more different data sources contribute, the more complex Image Fusion can make optimizations for the final photo.

Huawei used AI for the first time in its P10 smartphone series. Since then, the capabilities of artificial intelligence have been continuously improved. After all, it not only has to recognize what kind of motif it is in each case, but also decide how the image data should be prepared in the best possible way in accordance with the motif. In the beginning it was about differentiating a dog from a cat, for example, or distinguishing between blue skies and green grass, but AI is now able to come to far more complex conclusions. For example, if the AI ​​recognizes a cat as a motif, it can make partial modifications to match the motif detail. The system sharpens the eyes while the fur is rendered a little softer, and all in a fraction of a second. The ability to differentiate between necessary and / or desired processing steps has meanwhile gone so far that, for example, skin in portraits is not simply “ironed smooth”, but certain image details are retained. AI can even take into account different cultural preferences for the look of a photo.

Artificial intelligence can also help to filter the crucial moment out of a whole frequency of images, such as video sequences. The computing power required for this requires the seamless integration of the firmware or software with the hardware in order to be able to further outwit the limits of physics.

For more information go to www.huawei.com


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November 14, 2020 

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Friday, October 30, 2020

COMPOSITION

 



By Heinz Richter

Many camera owners take advantage of social media to show off their photographic endeavors, unfortunately often with rather questionable results.  Too many people fool themselves in believing that today’s auto everything cameras are foolproof and therefore don’t require any nominal knowledge of photography.  Nothing could be further from the truth, and the result is that far too often we see pictures with the wrong color balance, with total lack of tonality, wrong exposure settings and poor composition.

Volumes have been written about the topic of composition and probably without exception, it is always mentioned that there are really no rules that are carved in stone.  What we do have is a number of guidelines, all designed to help us create better pictures.  However, these should not be looked upon as a replacement for visually evaluating whatever we try to photograph.  What we see in the viewfinder of our cameras remains as important as ever.  One piece of advice that I always give is “if it looks good, shoot it.”

Some individuals intuitively use good composition and end up with good pictures.  For them the guidelines of composition will turn into an explanation of why their pictures look good.  For the majority, however, these guidelines will help to create better pictures by simply evaluating what is seen in the viewfinder, applying some of these guidelines and thus end up with better pictures than what otherwise might have been the case.

It is not the purpose of this article to touch on each and every one of these rules.  Instead I will concentrate on just the most important ones in order to keep this from getting too tedious.

Of all these guidelines, without question the most useful one is the rule of thirds.  Here we divide the image seen in the viewfinder by two evenly spaced vertical and horizontal lines.  This will help composition in a variety of ways.  Not only does it lead to better placement of the main subject of the picture, it also suggests better placement of the horizon as well as placement of other important aspects of the picture.

 

 

 

    

    

In these four examples I used the rule of thirds by placing the main subject onto one of the four areas where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect.  Especial with cameras where the autofocus sensor is in the center of the viewfinder, it is almost intuitive to place the main subject in the center.  That usually has the result of the picture looking somewhat static.  Applying the rule of thirds usually will lead to a noticeable improvement of the picture.

Of course, this brings up the question which of the four intersection point to place the subject on.  In the first example, the upper left intersection point is most advantageous in order to emphasize the height of the flying bird.  In addition, it is usually better to place a moving subject such that it appears to be moving into the picture, with space in front to move towards.

For the second example there is no clear advantage of one over the other.  Here it is simply a matter of what one feels looks best.

The third example is similar to the first one, again leaving room in front of the bird to move towards.  I chose the lower right intersection point since the bird just took off, flying low across the surface of the water.

The fourth example was taken from a low vantage point, leading to an upward camera angle.  Therefore the picture looks better with the bird up high in the picture with space in front of the bird.  The upper right intersecting point is the best choice in this case.

 

Another aspect of good composition is lines and diagonals.  They help to lead the eye toward the subject and into the picture.  The path in this photograph shows strong lines.  The main subject was best placed on the lower left intersection point because this way the lines lead to the impression of the bikers moving forward and into the picture.

 

Even though placing the subject into the center of the picture usually will lead to a static looking image, there are times when this is actually advantageous, as in this case.  The picture contains some very strong lines which all lead the eye toward the main subject.  Utilizing these lines actually made for a better picture by placing the subject into the center.

Another aspect of the composition of this picture is the cropping.  Some photographs simply look better when cropped from the typical format of the camera.  The horizontal emphasis of this picture by cropping the top and the bottom further enhance the subject position within the picture.

 

The horizontal and vertical lines of the rule of thirds also give an indication of proper placement of strong verticals or horizontals within the picture, like the horizon in this case.  The lower horizontal is advantageous because it not only eliminated empty grass space in front of the buffaloes it also allowed to take advantage of the marvelous clouds and blue sky.

 

This example combines several aspects of good composition.  The strong diagonal lines of the background lead to the main subject, the statue, in the center.  In addition, the columns create a strong pattern which is another element of composition.  Finally, the lady viewing the statue creates a second important viewpoint of the picture.  The placement on the lower left intersecting point very much adds to the composition, as do the strong colors in the otherwise subdued colors of the picture, especially the bright, red hair.

 

This is another example of strong subject placement, in this case on the right vertical line.  The picture would have had a lot less impact had the subject been placed in the center.  In addition the picture is further enhanced by the cropping and the pattern of the seats in both the foreground and especially the background.

 

Placing the subject on the lower left intersecting point emphasized the upward camera angle without allowing it to appear distant as it would have been the case had it been placed on the upper left intersection point.  In addition, the mostly black background creates a lot of so called dead space.  This is often preferable over background detail which would be distracting.  Finally, the violin bow is a strong diagonal line, leading to the main subject of the picture.

 

Color can be another important element of a photograph as in this example.  While the colors are not an element of composition on their own, they have a great impact in this example by being placed prominently in the center, surrounded by the muted colors of the shadows and by creating a very strong diagonal.


Diagonals are especially effective when they combine to triangles as in this photograph.  But it is important that these remain natural.  Trying too hard to create diagonals and even more so triangles can easily lead to contrived looking pictures.

   

   

Framing can be used to emphasize the main subject of a photograph.  In the first example, the dark arch draws the eye immediately to the main subject, the street scene.  Similarly, the trees in the second example achieve the same result.

 

In portraits it is generally preferable to have more space in front of the face than in back.  Choosing to place the subject in the left vertical of the rule of thirds assured proper subject placement in this case.

   

There are, however, times when the rule of thirds does not apply, as in this case.  The strong face of the person in this picture was emphasized by the close up of it.  Since it fills the entire frame, there was no other choice than to center it.  Anything else would have been distracting.

 

Another element of good composition is curves or s-lines.  As in this example, they are an interesting element of the picture that helps to lead the eye into the picture.

    

Of course, these elements of good composition don’t apply just to photography.  They have been applied by the great masters for years, just as in this case of the painting “The Bridge at Argenteuil” by Claude Monet.  It contains numerous elements of good composition.   The bridge shows several strong lines, including a pattern created by the upright pillars and it also leads the eye toward the background.    The sailboat in the foreground is placed in the lower left intersection point of the rule of thirds.  The mast, the boom and the bowsprit of the boat also form very strong lines.  The white sail of the boat in the background form a strong triangle and the invisible connecting line between the two boats form a clear diagonal. The combination of all these elements of good composition ultimately make for a very interesting picture.

There are certainly additional rules of composition.  As mentioned above, to keep this article from becoming too long and possibly too confusing, I tried to concentrate on the most useful ones here.  Applying these when possible or warranted will lead to better pictures and over time, photographers will get used to it to the extent that these rules and their application will become second nature.  At that point, we have bridged the difference between just taking pictures and creating photographs.


For other articles on this blog please click on Blog Archive in the column to the right

To comment or to read comments please scroll past the ads below.

All ads present items of interest to Leica owners.

_______________________________________________________________________

Woman wears brown elk-leather camera strap around her shoulders.
      www.eddycam.com        

      



The next Tamarkin Camera auction is
November 14, 2020 

Buy vintage Leica cameras from 
America's premier Leica specialist 
www.tamarkin.com

 http://www.tamarkin.com/leicagallery/upcoming-show



Click on image to enlar
Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

Click on image to enlarge
Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography
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