Photographic camera: 12-Megapixels... Downscaled?

The master camera found on the Samsung Galaxy Alpha is a 12-megapixel CMOS with ISOCELL engineering science, paired with an f/ii.2 lens with a 35mm-equivalent focal length of around 31mm. Bated from the resolution, the camera is similar to the ane plant in the Milky way Note 4 and Galaxy S5 (both xvi-megapixel shooters) equally it as well features a native 16:9 aspect ratio.

Oddly, Samsung has gone to quite an try to obscure the photographic camera sensor model found in the Alpha, making it hard to discern any actress specifications. Both the S5 and Alpha have the same focal length (4.8mm) and same field of view, indicating both sensors are the aforementioned size. This ways one of two things: either the pixel size has increased from 1.12µm to around 1.3µm; or the sensors are literally the same, with Samsung downscaling each 16-megapixel native capture to 12-megapixels in pre-processing.

While I'grand non completely convinced, I believe the latter is more probable. The Alpha almost e'er uses the same ISO and shutter speed as the Milky way S5 when capturing a detail scene, and as the photos from both phones look very like, in that location is no indication of improve low-low-cal performance from the Alpha due to larger pixels. Furthermore, downscaling a photo taken with the Galaxy S5 to 12 megapixels looks strikingly similar to the same photograph captured with an Alpha, as you lot can run into below. Notation that the Alpha besides appears to apply an extra sharpening filter, producing tell-tale post processing artefacts.

This hypothesis is backed up by two other pieces of data. One is that neither Samsung nor Sony (the usual sources for flagship Galaxy cameras) produce 12-megapixel smartphone sensors as far as I can ascertain. The other is that when I was digging around in the Alpha's camera firmware diagnostic tool, it indicated the sensor was the same S5K2P2 model as found in the S5. The diagnostic tool isn't always the nearly reliable source, simply it does give some insight to the camera hardware.

So at this phase I'm tentatively saying that the Galaxy Alpha packs a sixteen-megapixel 1/two.6" S5K2P2XX CMOS sensor with a pixel size of 1.12 µm, downscaled to 12-megapixels in the camera firmware. This 25% reduction in image size improves sharpness when looking at total-resolution crops, which could be Samsung's intention with the odd choice of downscaling (if I am correct).

As for image quality, the Galaxy Alpha produces images that are very similar to the Galaxy S5 (surprise, surprise). Metering isn't always identical, but you can usually rely on the Alpha to produce counterbalanced images with good dynamic range and fantastic color accurateness, peculiarly in strong sunlight. Fifty-fifty though photos are 12 MP rather than 16 MP, there's however room to manipulate them, and overall sharpness is marginally better compared to the S5.

The f/2.2 lens on the Alpha is optically quite decent, delivering acceptable bokeh for a smartphone. Like other high-end Galaxy devices, the Alpha comes with a selective focus mode that can introduce simulated background blur, though its implementation is however far from perfect.

While you lot'll typically get fantastic photos in good lighting, the lack of an OIS module means that in less than ideal conditions images won't be as amazing. Comparison images from the Alpha and the Annotation 4, the latter of which comes with OIS, shows that the Alpha's images aren't equally bright or as crisp. Occasionally you'll go photos that are slightly blurry due to shaking hands, although color quality is still quite skilful.

Keeping the moving-picture show stabilization feature activated allows yous to take some acceptable images in depression light. The Alpha is certainly non as capable equally a competing smartphone with OIS like the Note iv or LG G3, but many photos taken at night tin be usable. For times where it'southward only besides dark, the LED wink can help to illuminate the surrounds, although like most smartphone flashes it'southward limited in range and brightness.

As the Galaxy Alpha has largely the aforementioned software as the Galaxy S5, you lot likewise get notwithstanding camera features. This includes a very proficient HDR mode, a handy corporeality of camera settings, several burst shot modes, and live effects. Combined with zero shutter lag and extremely fast autofocus, and the Galaxy Alpha comes with a very capable shooter.

The front camera, which is a two.1-megapixel S5K8B1 1/7.3" CMOS sensor with 1.12µm pixels paired with an f/2.iv lens, is skilful enough for the occasional selfie and some 1080p video recording. Information technology's certainly non the best selfie camera I've seen, lacking low-light friendly hardware and a wide-bending lens, but it gets the job washed most of the fourth dimension.

The Milky way Blastoff comes with however video recording features as the Galaxy S5. This ways 4K Ultra HD video recording at 30 frames per second, shine motion 1080p at 60 FPS, and even ho-hum motion 720p at 120 FPS. Bitrates are identical, pushing upward to 48 Mbps for 4K using high-profile H.264, a sample of which tin be found below.

Quality when recording at 4K, particularly when downscaled to fit a 1080p or 720p display, is excellent. Each frame looks similar to a however image, with great color quality and fast metering, while audio recording is besides very good. The reduction to 12-megapixels for nonetheless images does not announced to have affected video recording in any significant manner.