Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus cameras:
We haven't had much time with the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. Not yet, at least. But Samsung has made one thing clear: the biggest new feature is the camera. The new...
15/10/2021
We haven't had much time with the
Samsung Galaxy S9
and
S9 Plus
. Not yet, at least. But Samsung has made one thing clear: the biggest novelty is the camera.
New software, hardware, and processing add up to a few key differences. We won't know what impact they really will have until we write our full review. But I can tell you the key things to keep in mind and what these cameras looked like when I tried them.
Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus: sizzling photos from all angles
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The S9 Plus has two cameras, but the S9 does not
If you want "the best camera" this cycle, get the S9 Plus. It has two 12-megapixel cameras, much like the
Galaxy Note 8
Last year. One has 2x zoom and the other 1x, both have optical image stabilization. The S9 has a single 12-megapixel camera.
It's a shame that while the S9 has most of the same goodies as the S9 Plus, it doesn't have the dual camera. This recalls the difference between
iPhone 8
and
8 More
from Apple. If you want Samsung's best phone camera, it looks like the Plus will be the answer. But that will mean buying a bigger phone. Stay tuned for how the cameras compare in a full review, as these impressions won't even scratch the surface of future real-world testing.
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The Samsung Galaxy S9's new cameras have a bunch of new tricks
2:58
The rear camera now has an adjustment aperture
Phone cameras generally don't have apertures that change to let in more or less light. DSLRs and eyes do. The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus can automatically switch from f2.4 to f1.5 as needed, which is a unique trick.
The upside is that it can let in plenty of light for low-light shots -- up to 28% more than the S8, according to Samsung. Or it could let in less light for more detailed, less noisy shots when you're out in the sun. It also means that photos shouldn't look so washed out in bright light. Test photos taken in Samsung's confined demo area looked crisp and vibrant. Everything always looked great, regardless of the lighting conditions, continuing the
Galaxy S8
low light forces.
Learn more about Mobile World Congress< /p>
Practices with the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus
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The 8-megapixel selfie camera hasn't changed much
Like the rear cameras, expect a new ISP and added DRAM to reduce noise in photos and improve speed and focus for images. But Samsung doesn't promise anything else particularly new for your selfies.
Best for extremely short surprising things you expect to do soon.
Josh Miller/CNET
Super slow motion: insane frame rate for short periods of time
The S9 and S9 Plus have a new camera mode that really, really slows down action videos. It can shoot at 960 frames per second. But there are a few caveats. The mode only records at 720p, and it only records about 0.2 seconds of super slow motion footage at a time.
The mode starts at 30 fps, then waits for a motion trigger to capture at 960 fps. After that it goes back to 30 fps. Unlike idle modes in other
telephones
, such as the
iPhone
, you cannot set super slow motion. duration of movement thereafter. But you
can
loop the moments or play them back, like Live Photos on the iPhone. Expect around 6 seconds of slowed down action. It looked great when giving a gift or spinning a fidget spinner. Will it be useful in everyday life?
You can either start recording a slow-motion video on your own, or wait for the new motion detection feature to detect motion in a frame and automatically start recording for you. You can save the file as a shareable video or GIF, or you can set it as your phone wallpaper. By comparison, an iPhone records slow motion video at 240fps (which the S9 can still do too).
Instant Rogermoji.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Samsung's response to the iPhone X animoji isn't great
AR Emoji is a new camera mode: take a photo with the front or back camera, and a
Bitmoji
-like version of yourself is generated, as well as a variety of generated GIFs that you can send to your friends. Or you can animate your new animated emoji like an Apple animoji by recording yourself blinking and talking.
The face animation was quite crude when I tried it, and I didn't recognize my smiles, but it worked. my frowns. Flashing was fine. I became bunny, crazy blue fish, and tried Snapchat-like filters that added animations and face effects such as added hats.
You can also animate cartoonish things with your face and record clips, but it's not as smooth as Apple's Animojis.
Sarah Tew/CNET
It's good and sometimes it was fun to play with. But my virtual avatar didn't look much like me (it was more flattering), and the recordings didn't reflect my emotion very much.
Samsung says it will add new partners for AR Emojis, including Disney.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Expect faster, faster-focusing shots
Samsung's new sensor with dedicated DRAM, ISP and accelerated processing promises higher detail photos. It extracts 12 images which are compressed into a higher quality image in a fraction of a second. Samsung says there's around 30% less noise than photos taken with the S8. I took a few test shots in a reasonably well-lit room and got great results, but couldn't see what it would do in low light. I took pictures quickly and without too much blur. Is it as good as what
Google Pixel2
can do, or is it better?
Samsung had an impressive demo to show: bright photos: a canister with a small house and cars inside. With the naked eye, what appeared to be a small house could be made out, but as CNET's Shara Tibken noted, she couldn't pick up the colors or details of the objects in the cartridge. When we used the Galaxy S9 camera to shoot in the canister, it captured the red roof of the little house and the cars driving around in a circle. (I took pictures of the cartridge but couldn't see inside myself and couldn't use another phone to compare it.)
There is memory on the image sensor to process photos and videos faster< /p>
The image sensor of the S9 and S9 Plus has an interesting feature: dedicated DRAM (dynamic random access memory). This means that the sensor has its own memory to store images and videos, allowing it to process them much faster.
It allows the camera to capture super slow motion video, as well as quickly taking 12 frames and then combining them into one perfect shot. The camera hardware actually captures 12 photos and then divides them into batches of four images. The software on the phone then makes the most of them and combines them into the best picture. DRAM enables the camera to process images four times faster than last year.
Just scan broccoli.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Samsung's Bixby Vision has a few new tricks, too
Bixby got off to a slow start last year, but Samsung has added smart new visual camera-driven AI modes. Bixby Vision originally identified landmarks, wine types, products, and translated text. It could also tell you what the items are and, in the US, send you to Amazon to buy them.
In the S9, the translation function is supercharged, with Bixby integration
Google Translate's Word Lens effect
to transform printed signs and text into other languages on the fly. It will be able to translate live from 54 languages and 63 currencies. Other effects replicate what other apps can do, but are integrated into a single dashboard. You can wear makeup virtually, then buy it right from your phone (Sephora and CoverGirl will support it in Bixby Vision), or you can scan food for a quick calorie count and food journaling.
Sarah Tew/ CNET
A purchase mode will analyze items and allow you to purchase them. Nordstrom and Sam's Club will be two new partners for this feature. And a new "location" feature gives you information and directions based on what you're currently seeing through your camera lens.
Google Lens, Google's camera-based AI/AR platform, performs some similar tricks using the
Pixel2
, and is now
rolling out to other Android phones
, including those from Samsung. It's unclear how good Bixby will be in comparison.
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