The Leica Dual Camera
The Mate is equipped with Huawei’s second-generation Leica Dual Camera system, which combines a 12MP RGB sensor with a 20MP monochrome sensor. This is quite a novel approach to the increasingly popular dual-camera concept, and it works by compositing the results of both images. The RGB sensor captures the color, and the monochrome sensor “picks out the finer details”, according to Huawei.
Huawei lists the specifications for the camera system as follows:
Main camera
- 20MP Monochrome+12MP RGB, F2.2
- OIS (Optical image stablization)
- BSI (backside illumination) CMOS
- Dual-tone flash
- PDAF+CAF+Laser+Depth auto focus
- 2x Hybrid zoom
- 4K video recording
Front camera
- 8MP AF, F1.9
The following examples were taken one right after the other, switching from stock settings to the monochrome sensor mode. For these first two examples I provide the original, untouched photo. I was not using a tripod and the photos are framed slightly differently, as I was simply holding the phone up to take the shots.
After taking this shot with auto settings, I switched to the monochrome mode. While the color shot combines information from both sensors, monochrome only uses the 20 MP sensor.
There is a depth and detail to the monochrome photo that is beyond anything I have seen from a mobile camera to date. Here is another example from the 20 MP monochrome sensor:
B&W photos taken with the monochrome sensor look very sharp and detailed, and in general produced better results than those shot in color. I found myself shooting mostly in black and white with the Mate 9, and low-light shots indoors look especially good without the usual color noise.
I took the Mate 9, Mate 8, and an iPhone 7 to the light box for a quick comparison in a controlled setting, with the results below:
The Mate 9 is on top, the Mate 8 in the middle, and the iPhone 7 is on the bottom. The iPhone 7 took the sharpest picture of this trio, and while the colors are muted compared to the Mate phones, the color detail is higher. The Mate 9 is an improvement over the Mate 8 overall, but it does not match the leaders in color quality or sharpness.
The camera app itself is very usable, with a simple interface and a good assortment of options (including full manual control, if desired).
There are of course the increasingly popular depth-of-field (DoF) effects available with the Mate 9, as with all dual-camera systems it seems, and the functionality is excellent.
First, a standard shot using the auto setting:
And then another using the maximum DoF effect:
The effect can be adjusted retroactively, with full control over the area of focus and the simulated aperture size.
Overall the camera is of very good quality (DxOMark scores it an 85 overall), though a little behind the class leaders in color quality and sharpness. It does produce exceptional photos from the monochrome sensor, however, and also provides very good focus from close range, allowing for impressive macro photos from a phone.
It’s a sad day (and it has
It’s a sad day (and it has been for awhile) when the only company vaguely trying to innovate in the android market is Blackberry. Everyone else is content with copying Apple, but with a gimmick or two added on.
It would be nice if someone tried to make a phone with a decent interface instead of just throwing more cores, more pixels, and more cameras at it.
The Mate 9 is also one of the
The Mate 9 is also one of the first smartphones that support the Galileo satellite systems. Which in theory can do 1m for public accuracy. Do you know if the accuracy is any better then the usual 3m or 5m of the american GPS satellites?
Weird WiFi battery results,
Weird WiFi battery results, the anandtech review is complete opposite with mate 9 dominating mate 8 in all battery tests.
Still thanks for the info on the sound I didn’t notice it and I have both phones.
Battery results were
Battery results were surprising to me as well, considering both phones have the same 4000 mAh capacity, and same screen res. I measured both displays at 180 lux with my light meter before each test, and the phones were in exactly the same spot (I did the tests one at a time) so they should have had the same signal strength. However, it is possible there was some sort of issue at play, so I can revisit the tests, and help eliminate wi-fi concern by positioning them closer to the base station.
I was told my phone huawei
I was told my phone huawei was a great phone by three and i have to say its brilliant i love the camera and the storage and its sinple to use the extra apps are top . i wont be changing to any other make again . brilliant keep it up . juliette a sheeri
webrtc is not supported by
webrtc is not supported by huawei mate 9. If you want to use video conferences in browser, you must buy Samsung, Google Pixel s.o.
I think the highlight of Mate
I think the highlight of Mate 9 is Leica camera and battery, my mate 9 can be last 12 hours, the ROM is test score is only 580, from this teardown guide https://www.laptopmain.com/huawei-mate-9-teardown/, the RAM should be UFS2.0.
Huawei Mate 9 is a good
Huawei Mate 9 is a good Smartphone which I know from this article. Octa Core processor, RAM and memory size is very good for this Smartphone making it as Flagship. I like this and hopefully, purchase it soon.