Photos of a Mobile with 8 Rear Cameras: What are They for?

It was in 2002, when we could see for the first time a mobile with a camera, thanks to Nokia and its model 7650. It took no less than 12 years, until HTC launched the One M8, and we saw for the first time a configuration of dual camera, where in addition to taking photos as before, we could play with depth of field . Now, it is very easy to find triple camera setups in the entry range, with four or five cameras in the mid and high range. However, the big question is where the limit is and what remains to be seen in 2021 and years to come.

We are already used to seeing various sensors on the back of our phones. Now, different manufacturers can exploit other ways to take advantage of mobile photography , thanks to ultra wide angle, telephoto, ToF or macro lenses. The average user usually delegates the work of these sensors to the automatic shooting mode, but those who love photography can get to take advantage of these possibilities.

A mobile with 8 cameras

Now, a patent from the Chinese lens maker Lens Technology has registered the idea of a smartphone with no less than eight rear cameras. According to the patent image, the sensors are positioned at each corner of the device, with a flash in the middle of each one. This Chinese company based in Hunan province was founded in 2003 by Zhou Qunfei, who is currently the richest woman in the world with her own capital.

Although it is likely that this company is not in charge of giving this device a commercial form, it is very possible that the patent is part of an internal investigation that seeks to encourage different manufacturers to integrate more and more sensors into their terminals. This manufacturer supplies components to giants such as Apple, Huawei or Samsung. In this sense, the patent does not reveal what added value having 8 rear cameras can have, and even more so in the layout shown by the design that accompanies the patent.

Do you need so much sensor?

As we say, it is the manufacturers who must convince us of this and make us see the added value of having so many sensors. We have seen many examples that having many sensors is not synonymous with higher quality in a photo. Recall that the Nokia 9 PureView and its five rear cameras did not achieve the expected results, causing many of its users to despair. However, examples such as the Pixel 3 showed that a single lens can achieve better results than other terminals with three or four lenses.

It must be borne in mind that the bet of several sensors must have an optimization process to match. This means that the software resources must be greater, so not all manufacturers take advantage equally, to have three or four cameras. Complying with the procedure is not enough, if you want to show that having more sensors is really better. We are sure that 2021 will bring us some surprise in this regard.