#selfieCamera

2025-01-22

Photo a Day: Front Facing Camera

Today’s photo a day thing is the first photo taken with my new iPhone’s front facing camera. You are fascinated, of course.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54281138339/in/datetaken/

144/365

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #frontFacingCamera #GibsonES335Pro #Guitar #iphoneography #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #selfieCamera

petapixel (unofficial)petapixel@ծմակուտ.հայ
2021-09-10

Samsung is Considering Integrating Cameras into its S Pen

Samsung has designed an S Pen with an integrated smartphone camera that would give its Galaxy line of phones more ways to capture photos.

According to a new patent discovered by LetsGoDigital, Samsung has created what it describes as a "portable terminal including separable camera" that shows how it would integrate a detachable camera into its popular S Pen. The design for the pen is accompanied by what is otherwise a normal-looking smartphone that does not appear to feature any kind of selfie camera.

Instead, Samsung has integrated a camera into what looks like the same form factor as its detachable S Pen, which can be removed from a sheath near the top left of the device. The patent describes a set of magnets that would prevent it from accidentally becoming detached when in this position. It also describes the ability for Samsung's nibs to be attached to one end of the detachable piece, which would make it both a camera and a usable S Pen.

The rod-shaped design is not only one that works well for writing or drawing but also one that is easy to hold -- similar to a small selfie stick. It should be noted that this particular design shows an S Pen that would be wider and thicker on one end than the current S Pens, which are more cylindrical. This design is more akin to a construction pencil and while different, are not notably less comfortable to use. Additionally, that extra flat space allowed Samsung to build-in a stand in addition to a button that makes it possible to set the camera down on a surface and operate the camera independently of the phone.

That said, the pen doesn't have to be fully removed in order to work. The patent states that the camera can also be just slightly popped up from its housing to operate as a typical selfie camera, as shown in the set of illustrations below from the patent and compiled by LetsGoDigital.

In another possible design shown in the patent, Samsung may also toy with the idea of integrating the entire rear camera array into the pen, which would make the higher-quality rear-facing cameras usable remotely as part of the removable pen.

Samsung is easily the most well-known smartphone brand to continue to offer a stylus as part of its flagship smartphone lineup, which does put it into a unique position to try different things with the pen system. Integrating a camera into the pen would allow the company to not only bypass issues with under-display cameras but also provide additional uses for photography. What's more, while modular and replaceable cameras aren't a new idea in smartphones, attaching one to a larger piece like an S Pen would probably result in fewer instances of loss.

#equipment #mobile #news #design #letsgodigital #patent #removeablecamera #samsung #samsunggalaxy #samsungspen #selfiecamera #smartphonecamera #stylus

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petapixel (unofficial)petapixel@ծմակուտ.հայ
2021-08-16

A Display ‘Window’ is Apple’s Unusual Solution to Hide its Selfie Camera

Apple has recently patented an unusual method for dealing with the much-maligned "notch" that contains its front-facing camera. Rather than use a system that places the camera under the display, Apple instead has designed a moving "window" that can open to reveal a camera behind it.

As noted by Patently Apple, the expandable display that scrolls open thanks to a motor hidden under the display is shown as hiding the camera area and notch when it is not in use. Apple describes it as a window region that overlaps on a movable portion of the display. When closed, the moving portion overlaps the window and the pixels in the moving display can act as if they were part of the complete display panel. When open, the moving portion is lifted away from the display so that the optical component can pass through without obstruction.

One image included with the patent shows a small cog located under the display that turns an arched, geared piece that is connected to a folding section of the display. When opened, the camera can peek through the opening and allow it to gain an unobstructed view.

The patent also describes a "rolling" display window that uses the same concept, but instead of relying on a hinge, the display is "rolled" back to reveal the camera.

Whether it is a hinged flap or a flexible roll, Apple seems to want to avoid having its cameras look directly through a display screen so that image quality can be its best.

As PetaPixel has covered in the past, multiple companies in the mobile space are working on a solution to the problem of the notch or hole-punch for a front-facing camera that will interrupt an otherwise edge-to-edge display. Under-display cameras appear to be the most popular choice, as both ZTE and Samsung have released consumer products that feature the tech.

Unfortunately, under-display cameras have their downsides. Because the camera is under a panel, the camera is physically encumbered by the pixels which can be visible in the image, especially in backlit conditions. Images also tend to be quite soft. Samsung's recently announced Galaxy Z Fold 3 does exhibit this issue, but it is strongly mitigated by heavy post-processing that seems to help fix the problem in several possible use cases, though it's still noticeable.

Both Xiaomi and Oppo have introduced solutions to this problem as well, and each claims to have solved the main issues with under-display technology. Xiaomi recently announced the Mix 4 which will feature the tech, and Oppo showed off its prototype solution as well. Both promise to be hugely improved over what Samsung and ZTE both have attempted.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 | Screen Capture via MKBHD

Another issue with under-display cameras is that the pixels over the camera itself appear imperfect. Google has attempted its own design that will use a second OLED screen under the main screen along with a prism that it believes will help alleviate this issue.

Even though all these other companies have different methods for addressing the same situation, they all have one thing in common: few to no moving parts. Apple appears to be willing to risk the implementation of physical moving gear that directly bends the display, which is notable. Not only do moving parts mean more places that could break, but it also means that the device will take at least a bit of time to prepare itself to take a photo or video.

If Apple does ever use this patent, it likely won't be for some time. The Silicon Valley giant is known for playing the long game and being the last to add new technology into its devices. Under-display tech is still so new that Apple is unlikely to take a risk on anything unless it is far more proven, unlike Samsung, Xiaomi, or Oppo who enjoy positions as testers of bleeding-edge technology.

Apple's full patent can be viewed on the U.S. Patent Office's website.

Image credits: Aspects of header photo licensed via Depositphotos.

#mobile #news #technology #apple #appledesign #appleiphone #applepatent #cameratech #cameraunderdisplay #frontfacingcamera #iphone #patent #selfie #selfiecamera #underdisplay #unusual

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petapixel (unofficial)petapixel@ծմակուտ.հայ
2021-08-12

Samsung’s First Under Display Camera Appears to be a Mixed Bag

As part of its Unpacked event yesterday, Samsung announced two new folding smartphones. While there was a lot to "unpack" about each, one feature in the company's new flagship Galaxy Z Fold 3 doesn't appear to have flagship performance: its under-display camera.

Under-display cameras, or camera under-display (CUP) as they are sometimes called, are seen as the natural evolution of front-facing cameras in smartphones, as they eliminate the need for a notch or "hole punch" that breaks up a seamless display. The idea of hiding the camera under the display isn't new, but multiple companies have shown different design approaches to trying to solve a consistent problem with under-display cameras: the fact that there is a display in between the image sensor and the object that it is trying to image.

The first consumer smartphone to feature an under-display camera was the ZTE Axon 20 5G. As shown below by Marques Brownlee in January, while the camera is indeed mostly hidden under the display, it is still visible if you are looking for it and the image quality suffers mightily because of its position under the display.

Photos and videos taken with the ZTE's under-display camera are not only notably soft, but the pixels of the display are clearly visible in shots. So while the device was first to market, it was obviously first-generation.

Both Oppo and Xiaomi have recently announced under-display cameras that look worlds better than what the ZTE offers. While Oppo's is still a prototype, Xiaomi's a full-fledged finished product. There is clearly a new bar, which is what makes Samsung's integration of its first under-display camera a bit of a letdown.

In early testing from Linus Tech Tips , results from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 look very much like what was expected out of the ZTE smartphone, especially in backlit conditions.

However, Samsung seems to have implemented some serious software-based corrections into its device that makes it much more usable when lighting conditions are more favorable. In side-by-side comparisons, Linus found that the Z Fold 3 was heavily sharpening footage in real-time, which was visible when he moved slightly in frame. This does help fix the issue of softness with the under-display camera, and as long as no light is directly visible in the frame, appears to make it much more usable than what the ZTE offers.

Below are two similar shots using a front-facing camera. One uses the Z Fold2's hole-punch camera while the other uses the new Z Fold3 under-display camera. The difference appears minimal in this ideal use case.

Sammobile reports that in its opinion, Samsung did a valiant effort here, but it is undoubtedly a first generation result.

"At the end of the day, it’s the first generation Under-Display Camera from Samsung, and so far, it looks like a very promising and viable, albeit imperfect, technology," the publication writes.

As I said before, we need to face reality. In terms of the display of the under-screen camera, Fold3 is indeed the worst. But I believe the effect of taking pictures will be better. pic.twitter.com/UqTfRY3KST

-- Ice universe (@UniverseIce) August 11, 2021

The Verge also notes that it is quite obvious that there is a camera hidden in that spot, but it happens to be more noticeable in photos than in real life. Still, it's an imperfect solution. While certainly better than what came out just a few months ago, it's still not quite the replacement for the notch or hole punch many are after.

Image credits: Header image is a screenshot from Marques Brownlee's Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Impressions.

#equipment #mobile #news #cameraunderdisplay #cup #frontfacingcamera #samsung #samsunggalaxy #samsunggalaxyzfold3 #samsungunpacked #selfiecamera #smartphones #underdisplaycamera #zfold3

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petapixel (unofficial)petapixel@ծմակուտ.հայ
2021-08-04

Oppo’s Next-Gen Under-Display Selfie Camera Appears Near Perfect

Several companies have been grappling with the physical issues that come with hiding a selfie camera behind a display, but Oppo seems to have cracked the code. Its next-generation under-display camera appears to have no distinguishable downsides when compared to one in a notch or hole-punch.

Oppo says that its new under-screen camera solution solves many of the technical and manufacturing-related challenges that have plagued manufacturers attempting for years. The company says that breakthroughs it has made have resolved issues like inconsistent display quality in the area above the under-display camera as well as the poor image quality that is caused by forcing a camera to shoot through a layer of display pixels.

Innovative pixel geometry of OPPO’s next-generation under-screen camera

The new technology uses several new innovations in structure design and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Firstly, it uses what Oppo calls "innovative pixel geometry" to shrink the size of each pixel without decreasing the number of pixels to ensure a 400 pixel per inch (PPI) high-quality display even in the area right above the front-facing camera. It also uses transparent wiring in lieu of the traditional screen wiring with what Oppo calls an "innovative" new material. The company has also reduced the width of the wiring by 50%.

Oppo also claims it has improved the control of the screen's color and brightness:

"In contrast to the current industry standard of using 1-pixel circuit to drive 2 pixels (“1-to-2”) in the screen area above the camera, OPPO has introduced a new solution using proprietary screen technology, with each pixel circuit driving only 1 pixel (“1-to-1”)," the company says. "When combined with OPPO’s precise algorithmic compensation technology, this allows the chromaticity and brightness of the entire screen to be precisely controlled with a deviation of about 2%."

Oppo says that this improved control also improves the reliability and lifespan of the display, improving its expected life by up to 50%.

The camera itself was developed in tandem with a series of imaging AI algorithms including diffraction reduction, HDR and auto white balance to reduce the negative effects that are usually found with under-display cameras. The AI has also been trained to reduce diffraction and the result looks as though there is no screen in front of the camera at all.

A Selfie Photo taken with OPPO USC prototype | OPPO

For now, the technology is only part of prototype designs. While other companies have already implemented under-display cameras with lackluster results, Oppo appears to be the first to claim it has developed a camera that exists under a display that has no discernable, visual downsides from those that are housed in a notch or a "hole punch" that are ubiquitous in smartphone displays today.

#mobile #news #technology #frontfacingcamera #oppo #selfiecamera #smartphone #smartphonecamera #underdisplay #underdisplaycamera

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