Based on materials from samsung.com
Complete user satisfaction is much more difficult than what you can see from a glance at the device spec sheet. The numbers can be impressive, but only when you yourself have tried in practice, what they mean. And so Samsung has re-created the camera that was already popular in its previous iteration. The Galaxy S7's camera is improved with dual pixel technology to capture high-quality images even in low light.
The Galaxy S7 is the first smartphone to use dual pixel technology and the result is very significant for Samsung. It became easier for users to capture the exact moment when they want, and to be sure that their memories are preserved in high quality. And the improvements are real, not just put on paper.
The company's experts will talk about what was behind the Galaxy S7, what was taken to make it the best camera Samsung has ever made. В интервью участвуют Youngmin Nam, старший менеджер Global Product Planning, главный инженер Hwayoung Kang и старшие инженеры Youngsoo Bok и Beomjoon Kwon из Camera R&D.
From left to right: Chief Engineer Hwayoung Kang, Senior Engineers Beomjoon Kwon and Youngsoo Bok, and Youngmin Nam, Senior Manager Global Product Planning
Why did you apply the dual pixel technology? What are the current limitations for a typical smartphone camera?
Youngmin Nam: We have been pushing the development of dual pixel technology by the needs of customers. People say that the camera uses light. But if you think about it, it would be more correct to say that the camera uses light and time. The camera needs to have good control over the lighting to allow for clear shots, and time so the user can capture the right moment. With that in mind, Samsung went out of their way. For example, we have improved autofocus with a phase detection sensor – a first for a smartphone.
But the users wanted more. Some complained about the lack of brightness when shooting in a dark place – they turned out to be gloomy and cloudy.
Hwayoung Kang: Before turning to dual pixel technology, we did research in all the possible areas of the camera where improvements could be made, not just sensors, but tools and software. We looked at all the existing technologies related to smartphones and the camera, and came to the conclusion that the most innovative hardware solution would be the installation of a dual pixel matrix.
What processes preceded the use of the dual pixel matrix? What was the most difficult and most memorable thing?
Kang: Since there was no precedent for using dual pixel technology in a smartphone, there was a lot of risk when installing a new sensor. Since the camera was one of the greatest strengths of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, and the dual pixel technology was critical to its performance, we felt a responsibility to apply it correctly.
Youngsoo Bok: The quality of the captured image is highly dependent on the sensor and lens. In the case of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, we faced hitherto unknown issues with a dual pixel sensor and a lighter F1.7 lens. For example, we needed a new chip that could collect and process information from a dual pixel sensor, where there are two photodiodes in a pixel.
In terms of image quality, even when the user selects auto settings, the camera settings will differ depending on the conditions. And with all these varied conditions and settings, the camera should provide the best possible image quality. Since we installed a new matrix and lens, all the processes associated with them had to be rebuilt from the very beginning.
How did you have to test the dual pixel technology internally?
Kang: It was a very special product. Until the very last moment, we wondered if this solution was optimal. Before that, I had to spend years studying the single sensor and thinking about how to improve it within its capabilities. But now with the double pixel, it was a completely new technology. We've studied incredibly closely how the new sensor will perform well in practice in terms of improving image quality and meeting consumer needs.
Bok: At the beginning of this project, we thought about how to unleash two of the strengths of Dual Pixel technology – really fast autofocusing and bright and clear low-light shots. We created a demo that showed how the image quality differs compared to other latest products.
Nam: Speaking of new technology and image quality, it should be noted that dual pixel technology provides a completely different level of quality. But we were very worried about how it would be accepted by the consumer. However, when the engineers showed the clearly improved low-light performance that customers were longing for, we found it convincing.
What changes did the hardware replacement make to the development process?
Bok: In order to demonstrate the real speed of autofocus, we can measure the time it will take and represent it numerically. However, we would like to make this more understandable for the consumer. Here we have taken a comparative approach, and not just given out characteristics. We needed to show how fast the new product is compared to the existing ones.
This applies not only to autofocus, but also shooting in low light conditions and even zero illumination at 0 lux. The entire camera development team even carried DSLRs and the Galaxy S7 prototype with them in search of the conditions in which the user would actually shoot with the camera.
Beomjoon Kwon: Since we installed a dual pixel sensor and faster autofocus, the continuous shooting mode is faster. This led to the need to process more data when using this mode. Therefore, we needed to improve the software that could handle this without increasing the load on the hardware.
What difficulties did you have to overcome by introducing camera technology into your mobile device?
Kang: Despite the fact that a double pixel sensor has already been used in cameras, putting it into a mobile device has become a separate task. It's all about the size of the matrix itself. In previous years, Samsung had the technology to increase the number of pixels while keeping the sensor size almost unchanged, and also had partners with whom it worked together to implement it. And we tried using smaller pixels. We were confident that we would succeed if we could further reduce the size of the existing pixels a bit based on the existing workflow by combining them.
How is the introduction of dual pixel technology changing the smartphone camera development process?
Kang: We planned to focus on further improving the dual pixel technology, bringing it to perfection could give smartphones the best camera features that were simply not possible before. In other words, it can be thought of as creating the infrastructure for the further development of cameras in smartphones.
Nam: Using dual pixel technology is a practical example of innovation. We tried to do what people really needed, and not impress them with new features. We found a way to meet practical needs and create a camera that allows the user to comfortably capture anything, anytime, thanks to dual pixel technology.
What made you create the 'Motion Panorama'? What advice would you give to those who use it?
Nam: We've made it so that the Galaxy S7 and S7 are able to instantly capture the highest quality pictures with dual pixel technology and a bright lens based on Samsung's best experience. And after putting so much effort into bringing this to the consumer, we've found a new way to blur the lines between photo and video. In fact, we wanted to create a new experience that allows the user to keep a vivid memory of the moment in which they take the photo. 'Motion Panorama' and 'Motion Snapshot' are examples of this.
We wanted to breathe life into the existing panorama mode so that people can enjoy a more vibrant and dynamic view.
'Motion Snapshot' is a function that records a short three-second video before taking a picture. As if you were filming what you are doing before taking a photo. Imagine shooting fireworks on your Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, but you missed the best moment. Using 'Motion Snapshot' you can rewind time, select and view the moment you want, and even take a photo and save it.
'Motion Snapshot' and 'Motion Panorama' bring a new level of enjoyment to your footage, not just the moment you shoot it. With these two modes, while looking at the frame in motion, you can touch the scene you want, change the tilt of the screen and generally have fun exploring the possibilities of capturing frames from the captured video.
What difficulties did you experience creating the 'Motion Panorama'? How does her recording work?
Kwon: The biggest challenge in developing the software was making sure that the new features did not overlap with the existing ones, as the settings were very different in different cameras. We seriously thought about how to effectively make the user feel the difference between a particular feature and others.
When you turn on 'Motion Snapshot', the camera starts taking pictures even if you don't press the shutter button. In this case, the user may be worried about power consumption or data processing. And for this reason, we always care about how to make the device work more efficiently. Moreover, there was a long discussion between different departments about how many seconds a motion picture should be recorded.
What about 'Hyperlapse'? What do you say to those who will use this mode?
Nam: People often use timelaps when they need to shoot a long video and watch it in a short space of time. 'Hyperlapse' is a feature that adapted the idea of such a recording to mobile photography. Hyperlapse doesn't just pick and compress time, it analyzes the video and writes it in such a way that recording is faster with less movement, and slower with more. In addition, the effects of camera shake are reduced when shooting.
Imagine that you are in a museum or a famous attraction. You cannot write down everything, and it is not very convenient to write down when you want to see everything with your own eyes. In this case, you just need to turn on Hyperlapse and carry your S7 or S7 edge with you. With Hyperlapse, you can even view a recording of your entire amusement park experience in one minute. And of course, we also left the existing timelaps feature.
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