Today, the camera is an element that incorporates the vast majority of mobiles. The camera is usually one of the benefits that we pay the most attention when buying a phone. It is an application that we all know how to use if we are not big fans of photography, since its use as an amateur is quite simple. However, if we look closely at the specifications of our device, there are numbers and letters on the camera that not everyone knows what they mean.
When we look at the features of the camera, the first thing we look at is the megapixels , which tells us the resolution it has. However, there are other parameters that we do not take into account and they tell us a lot about the performance of the camera. These settings can be modified in the Professional Mode of the camera, although most users do not use them.
What does each parameter mean
Megapixels
A very widespread error is to say that the higher the number of megapixels, the better photos the mobile will take. To begin with, a megapixel is one million pixels. A pixel is the smallest unit of color that is part of an image. Logically, the greater the number of pixels, the greater the number of color points and therefore, the better sharpness the photos we take will have. But you also have to take into account the size of each pixel, which is measured in microns (µm). This means that we do have two cameras with different amounts of megapixels but in one of the cameras the pixels are larger, it will take better photos.
Focal aperture
The focal aperture , also known as the f number, defines the amount of light that the camera lens from the outside admits through the diaphragm. The quality of this parameter is measured on the contrary, since the lower the number, the more light the sensor will receive. For example, a camera with f2.4 will take worse photos than one with f2.0. Therefore, the more luminosity the sensor receives, the better results and quality will be obtained. It should also be borne in mind that if it receives more light, the shutter (or shooting) speed will be higher, and we will be able to take more shots.
Focal distance
The distance or focal length is one of the elements to which we must pay the most attention when we want to have a good camera. It indicates the distance between the optical center of the lens and the sensor responsible for taking a picture. This is measured in millimeters and the larger it is, the tighter the viewing angle will be, so both parameters are directly related. For example, a focal length of 15mm would give us a 100º horizontal angle of view.
OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer)
The optical image stabilizer is one of the most important elements of a camera. It consists of a gyroscope that ensures that when taking a photo, we avoid blurring or take blurry images. Unless we have a tripod or a support element for the phone, it is very common for the device to move slightly when taking a photo, either due to not having a good pulse or suffering a sudden movement. It is expensive to manufacture, so you can raise the price of the device a bit if you have it.
Autofocus
It comes with the acronym AF . This function makes the camera automatically focus on the subject. When taking a photo, it is important to know what elements and in what way we are going to capture them. To do this, we find different types of autofocus for the mobile:
- PDAF (phase detection autofocus), most recommended for moving images and videos. We will explain it further below, as it is usually mentioned separately from general autofocus.
- CDAF (Contrast Detection Autofocus), for still images
- Laser autofocus , it is the fastest and is ideal for face detection methods or selfies, although it suffers at long distances.
FOV (field of view)
The field of view is basically the area represented in the detector (in the image we see from the mobile) when we take a photo. It is an attribute of the objective that shows us what can be captured from left to right and from top to bottom. This attribute is directly related to the focal length, since lenses with smaller focal lengths make the same object appear smaller when we take a photo and, therefore, the field of view is reduced.
Vision angle
This term is often confused with field of vision, but they have nothing to do with it. The angle of view is the result of the lens and the camera when taking a photo. This is measured in degrees and shows us what the camera lens is capable of seeing. Here the different types of lenses come into play (for mobiles): the ultra wide angle , which covers 180º, the wide angle , which covers between 100º and 60º, the telephoto lens , which covers between 15º and 10º and the super telephoto lenses .
Zoom
The zoom allows us to increase or reduce the image without modifying the position of the plane or image. There are two types of zoom: digital and optical . The optical zoom is what we use to enlarge the images and it gives us that feeling of enlarging the image, but what is increased are the frames of the image. The digital zoom, on the other hand, we achieve it through the software that the device has incorporated. What it actually does is fill the pixels with information from other pixels it collects, which can lead to pixelated or distorted images.
Zoom measurements are usually measured with numbers followed by an X. At a higher number, you can shoot at a much greater distance than with a small zoom lens, allowing us to take objects that are further away.
PDAF (phase detection autofocus)
The PDAF is a type of autofocus that detects light transitions in the captured scene itself, either by the edges of the objects contained in it, if they are in the foreground or in the background … Its function is to take better photographs in bright conditions. low light. This approach, along with others that include cameras, lets the mobile know in which direction to focus exactly and measure the time until the image is taken. That is why there are times when we press the button to take a photo, it takes a few tenths to take it.
FPS (frames or images per second)
This has more to do with videos. A frame is each image that is taken when we are recording a video, so FPS measures the frequency at which a device displays images called frames or frames, or in other words, the number of images that are taken during a recording. . Therefore, the higher this frequency, the better results we will have, especially when taking captures directly from the video.