Tag Archives: Samsung vs Apple

iPhone 13 is years behind in Slow Motion!

Apple has finally announced the iPhone 13 which may be one of the most underwhelming refreshes of the handset in many years. While there is a lot of new stuff, nothing added is really groundbreaking in the way previous phones have awed when it comes to features in imaging. It is certainly a clear refinement of nearly every aspect of the hardware and software with better low light gathering and a first for a phone the addition of ProRes recording at 1080p and 4k 30p depending on the phone storage spec.

There are neat features like rack focusing which allows for AI-assisted machine learning depth of field selection based on people’s faces whenever their eyes are visible and or enter or exit the frame.  It is kind of gimmicky as it seems to do away with precise manual control of the feature but this is yet to be explored fully by reviewers. When it comes to Slow Motion capture, we have essentially no change for the 4th year in a row! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Samsung ISOCELL GN2 does 480fps!

The hegemony of phone sensors has been the purview of Sony with their Exmor sensors for many years but now Samsung has started making inroads in the space with their ISOCELL chips. The latest is currently mass-produced and shipping in handsets already which is not a paper launch, but a real thing. The chip is capable of massive low light improvement compared to other sensors because it is essentially a near 1″ sensor with 1/1.12-inch measurements. This is close to what Sony RX cameras use as a main sensor, and a first for a phone.

As to how they are able to fit this sensor on phones, it is a dance between a protruding camera bump that is a little larger than usual and also a lens system that creates a full imaging circle from a minute distance. The GN2 is capable of recording 480fps in HD 720p, 4k 120fps, 30fps in 12.5MP windowed size and 10fps in 100MP mode which uses a clever algorithm and three RGB exposures to derive a 100MP image from the 50MP source. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Galaxy S20 Slow Motion Samples Revisited!

Galaxy S20 Slow Motion Samples

Due to reader demand, we are posting new slow motion samples for the Galaxy S20 line.  We see just slight improvements over the Galaxy S10 in terms of detail and color but since the phones are the new flagship for the defacto Android international brand, there is a lot of weight in what it can do when it comes to the video mode.  There is no secret that Samsung has stagnated in slow motion since the Galaxy S8 and the S20 is an evolutionary step with better reproduction and more intelligent capture but not really groundbreaking.

There is no increase in frame rates above 960fps at 720p and the resolution is not even true 720p as it is jagged and stair-stepped in detailed shots. We kind of see it as a 480p mode upsized to 720p.  We do gain a 1 full second record time instead of 0.4sec on the S10 which is a big improvement even when the resolution is still kind of identical.  It would have been great if Samsung could have done a solid and created a true 960fps 1080p Full HD Mode.  We will have to wait for another crack at it on a future phone.

Galaxy S20 Slow Motion Samples Revisited!

Before you start looking at the samples it is important to revisit the S20 line slow motion specs. Below is the breakdown:
Super Slow-mo only supports HD resolution. On Galaxy S20 and S20+ 5G, users can record approximately 1 second of video captured at up to 960 fps with approximately 32 seconds of playback. On Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, users can record approximately 1 second of video captured at 480 fps and digitally enhance the video to 960 fps with approximately 32 seconds of playback. Playback time can be edited in Super Slow-mo player.

So to break it down:

  • Galaxy S20 5G – 960fps 720p with 1 second recording time.
  • Galaxy S20+ 5G – 960fps 720p with 1 second recording time.
  • Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G – 480fps 720p with 1 second recording time then it can be interpolated to 960fps 720p for 2x the frame rate.

The good news is we gain recording time from the earlier generation of 0.4 seconds to 1 full second or close to it “We will have to see when the phone ships”. That is a lot to like.  There is however no mention of the quality of the video and if it is improved with less pixelation and aliasing.

So if you want better slow motion the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G top of the line is not for you as the true real highest frame rate is 480fps. The other cheaper models make more sense here. Time for the samples now…

Slow Mo Video samples below from the S20:

 

Galaxy S20 plus Super slow motion – Dragonfly Dance by JemSpot:

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Cinematic Footage Slowmotion by rocket raccoon: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Galaxy S20 Slow Motion will improve 960fps !

Galaxy S20 Slow Motion

The recently announced Galaxy S20 phone line has been making some waves with impressive specs especially related to the camera modules.  As always we are only interested here in the high speed video specs here at HSC “not even the new 8k video spec” and the new phones are an improvement over the S10 and Note 10 lines.  However, it is important to note that not all S20s will share the same slow motion specs and that is what this post is about.

You may think that the S20 Ultra 5G will be the easy choice here but it is hardly as straight forward as that.  The amount of technology packed in the Ultra phone along with four camera modules and one of them at over 100MP means they prioritized photo resolution over video shooting in their sensor selection. The Ultra will not natively support the 960fps spec but default to only 480fps.

Galaxy S20 Slow Motion Specs:

We go directly to Samsung’s take from this information provided in the official website:
Super Slow-mo only supports HD resolution. On Galaxy S20 and S20+ 5G, users can record approximately 1 second of video captured at up to 960 fps with approximately 32 seconds of playback. On Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, users can record approximately 1 second of video captured at 480 fps and digitally enhance the video to 960 fps with approximately 32 seconds of playback. Playback time can be edited in Super Slow-mo player.

So to break it down:

  • Galaxy S20 5G – 960fps 720p with 1 second recording time.
  • Galaxy S20+ 5G – 960fps 720p with 1 second recording time.
  • Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G 480fps 720p with 1 second recording time then it can be interpolated to 960fps 720p for 2x the frame rate.

The good news is we gain recording time from the earlier generation of 0.4 seconds to 1 full second or close to it “We will have to see when the phone ships”. That is a lot to like.  There is however no mention of the quality of the video and if it is improved with less pixelation and aliasing.

S20 Ultra 5G Samples?

The following samples by MKP Captain are not authenticated by HSC but seem to be real, in any case, do not bank on the quality shown here until more samples are available.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Slow Motion by MKP Captain:

Samsung Galaxy S20 Slow Motion 2 by MKP Captain:

If the videos above are real then we have seen a mild improvement in slow motion quality but remember that this is the Ultra phone on the top which is shooting at 720p 480fps and not at 960fps even when there is interpolation happening, the frames are half made by the processing unit and not captured live.   At HSC we are no fans of interpolation so we can safely avoid the S20 Ultra 5G as a slow motion contender unless you are fine with 480p.

The second video is of the regular S20 which shows no interpolation artifacts but the quality still leaves a lot to be desired. Samsung seems to have added time recording but hardly improved the quality from earlier phones that offered 960p.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus Slow Motion by MKP Captain: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

iPhone Xs Slow Motion Official Apple Sample!

Apple has released a preview video showing the video capabilities of the iPhone Xs in 4k 30, 4k 60 and slow motion 1080p 240fps.  You can see in the liquid and sound part of the demo the quality delivered by the full HD slow motion but it is hard to judge per pixel sharpness and or artifacts from such a short high shutter video. We will need more real-world samples in order to see if there has been an improvement from the iPhone X of 2017.

We have isolated a part of the footage to see the slow-motion compression and we could detect aliasing in the edges, softness and compression artifacts which are typical of mobile phone high frame rates. The iPhone Xs seems to still have them to some degree. Color and motion on the codec seem to be excellent especially in 4k which looks extremely detailed and with more than acceptable dynamic range.

iPhone Xs First Shot On Footage Sample:

Shot on iPhone XS – Experiments in 4K, Slo-mo, and Time-lapse by Apple:

As you can appreciate from Apple’s cool demo movie the iPhone Xs is capable of excellent results in controlled situations and should easily achieve the best color and resolution in 4k and the rest of the video modes compared to previous iPhone releases.  4k 60p footage seems to be a clear step up from earlier attempts by Apple and the increased memory and processing along with a better codec implementation seem to be taking it one step above last year’s iPhone X and iPhone 8.

In the Frame Grab below you can see the typical softness and aliasing associated with higher frame rates on mobile devices. The iPhone Xs seems to be skipping lines and throwing away some information at the 240fps slow motion frame rate.

We will have more samples from the iPhone Xs as soon as they become available. From what we have seen so far it seems that if you are an iPhone user, you simply can’t go wrong with an iPhone Xs or Xs Max for images and video capture.

Marques Brownlee has added his initial honest review of the iPhone Xs Max which shows that the phones are just refinements and not really a big step up.

Apple iPhone Xs Review: A (S)mall Step Up! by Marques Brownlee: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

iPhone Xs Slow Motion Lacks Improvement!

iPhone Xs Slow Motion

Apple just released 3 new iPhones and a 4th generation watch.  These are all about the screen and speed and not really big new capabilities. It is all refinement and flawless execution but video fans will look at these phones as a continuation of last year’s specs with a better codec and possibly better bit rates and image quality but not much else. The iPhone X and 8 still remain relevant which is expected in an “s” upgrade cycle.

Gone are the big leaps of frame rates and Apple is capping at 1080p 240fps while completely ignoring rivals like the Galaxy S9, OnePlus 6 and Sony Xperia XZ series when it comes to super slow motion video. Apple was at the forefront of these technologies with the iPhone 6 but now have really rested on their laurels while the competition leapfrogs in video capabilities when it comes to frame rates. Others will point out that even when the high speed is restricted you will now get better quality footage in all modes which is certainly an upgrade.

iPhone Xs Video Recording:

  • 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
  • 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
  • Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps
  • Optical image stabilization for video
  • 2x optical zoom; digital zoom up to 6x
  • Quad-LED True Tone flash
  • Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
  • Time‑lapse video with stabilization
  • Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p)
  • Continuous autofocus video
  • Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
  • Playback zoom
  • Video geotagging
  • Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
  • Stereo recording
  • A12 Bionic chip
  • Next-generation Neural Engine

Introducing iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR — by Apple:

iPhone Xs Camera Specs:

  • Dual 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras
  • Wide-angle: ƒ/1.8 aperture
  • Telephoto: ƒ/2.4 aperture
  • 2x optical zoom; digital zoom up to 10x
  • Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
  • Portrait Lighting with five effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono)
  • Dual optical image stabilization
  • Six‑element lens
  • Quad-LED True Tone flash with Slow Sync
  • Panorama (up to 63MP)
  • Sapphire crystal lens cover
  • Backside illumination sensor
  • Hybrid IR filter
  • Autofocus with Focus Pixels
  • Tap to focus with Focus Pixels
  • Smart HDR for photos
  • Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
  • Local tone mapping
  • Advanced red-eye correction
  • Exposure control
  • Auto image stabilization
  • Burst mode
  • Timer mode
  • Photo geotagging
  • Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG

iPhone Xs TrueDepth Camera:

  • 7MP camera
  • ƒ/2.2 aperture
  • Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
  • Portrait Lighting with five effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono)
  • Animoji and Memoji
  • 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
  • Smart HDR for photos
  • Extended dynamic range for video at 30 fps
  • Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p)
  • Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
  • Retina Flash
  • Backside illumination sensor
  • Auto image stabilization
  • Burst mode
  • Exposure control
  • Timer mode

The cameras on all three phones share the same frame rates which go from 120fps 1080p to 240fps at the same resolution. 4k footage still shoots at a maximum of 60fps but now has the ability to shoot in extended dynamic range mode at 30p which is similar to what the Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ3 series of phones do. We may see the iPhone as the go-to phone for the best quality 4k footage on a handset with Sony being similar or a close second.

iPhone Xs 2018 Pricing:

  • iPhone Xs from $999
  • iPhone Xs Max from $1,099
  • iPhone XR from $749

The OLED panels on the Xs and the Xs Max are similar to what we see on the Sony XZ3  but with a much more expensive entry point. There is no denying that these are the best iPhones released by the company as they are refined super-fast systems with an excellent design but they are not a reason to upgrade even from the still very capable iPhone 8 plus.

5 things that are smaller than the screen on Apple’s new iPhone Xs Max by Washington Post: → Continue Reading Full Post ←