The Leica Phone

[Rob MacKillop]

It's out. I had one in my hands today. Very impressive!

http://consumer.huawei.com/uk/mobile-phones/p9/index.html

Comparative camera review with iPhone 6:

https://petapixel.com/2016/05/31/review-huawei-p9-phone-camera/

 

[Pete Askew]

Thanks, Rob. Interesting but I still can't get any enthusiasm up for a Smartphone. Nowt wrong with GSM!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Although I'm a Mac Man - iPhone, iMac, iPad - I really cannot afford the new iPhone 7s, which when rigged out with the highest storage value is over a thousand pounds - FOR A PHONE! Come, on Apple, seriously?

So, as my iPhone 4 was way past its sell-by date, I took a plunge on this android phone with the Leica-licenesed lens technology. I have it on 14-day approval. I haven't started to plumb the depths that the camera offers - two lenses, one b&w, one colour, which it merges, or you can just use the b&w lens for mono shots. So, the following are straight out of the camera, no editing, just auto. I had to reduce the size in Elements 11.

They were mostly taken from a train between Dundee and Edinburgh, with the phone up against the window.

What do you think? Potential? It's not a replacement for a camera, but can be useful in some circumstances. The jpegs are 2.5 MB.

 

[Pete Askew]

The look perfectly fine to me, Rob. Nice colours etc especially considering that the were through the window.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

An example of b&w in low light:

 

[Pete Askew]

And there's certainly nothing wrong with that. And it must be quiet, he didn't even notice!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Absorbed in his lute studies. I call him Tyro.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

BTW, the little case on the left contains my binoculars for star gazing. They are really for bird watching, but the stars interest me more. It's amazing how much more you can see with a simple pair of binocs.

 

[John Holland]

Looks like a keeper, Rob.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Cheers, John.

 

[Dave Farnes]

They look just fine to me.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Cheers, Dave. Yes, they're OK. I'll probably keep it. You can change many things on it before the shot, but also afterwards, even the focus point, which is a new thing to me.

 

[Matt Byrne]

I have been keeping a keen eye on this one as I'm no longer satisfied with Sony's camera app. How is it in regards to shutter lag?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I haven't noticed. I just took a photo to check, and there is a bit, maybe a quarter of a second, but that's more than fast enough for my uses. Not fast enough for sport or birds, maybe.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

 

[Rob MacKillop]

 

[Rob MacKillop]

A couple of new shots. Waterstones' cafe, and Susan at work.

 

[Pete Askew]

And who said it couldn't do action?!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Haha. She's the fastest two-finger typist in the West! A challenge for any phone.

 

[Matt Byrne]

It sure does contrast in Black and White. I'm certainly tempted. Luckily I have until July to make my mind up, but I always get heavily involved researching something functional, especially as we're tied in to 24 months on contract.