Smartphone camera technology still has some room for improvement when it comes to achieving photography similar to a DSLR camera. Lately, we looked at phone periscope architecture that allows for flat lens movement using an L-shaped tunnel design. This brings hyper-zoom levels to smartphone cameras that have limitations in lens movement. zoom. Huawei brought this innovative camera technology to the P30 Pro last year, and then other manufacturers like Samsung followed suit with their flagship Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Now in 2020, another innovative smartphone camera technology embraces us in the form of the Vivo X50 Pro. The smartphone overcomes the constraints of space and lens movement to deliver physical stabilization of the gimbal that dwarfs current stabilization technology of optical imaging (OIS), promising super stable photo and video output, even during excessive phone movement. For example, while running, going down the stairs or recording a video exploring the rugged terrain of the mountains.
Like the periscope lens, the gimbal lens of the smartphone camera is the first for any mobile device. Vivo unveiled this technology earlier this year in the form of the Apex 2020 concept phone. The Chinese company claims the gimbal system has a 300 percent performance boost over current optical image stabilization.
Vivo X50 Pro 48MP Gimbal Stabilized Camera
The phone’s rear camera module houses four lenses: a primary 48MP sensor (f 1.6 large aperture) which is the one with gimbal mount, an 8MP wide-angle sensor with 120-degree field of view, 13MP bokeh and an 8MP telescopic sensor with 5x optical zoom. The highlight of all is the 48MP lens which has a dual ball structure to achieve triple axis rotation which basically makes the lens float inside the camera housing. It not only moves in two dimensions, but also in the third dimension. Thus, it also compensates for tilt movement, which has never been seen before on a phone camera.
Combined with optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization, the camera is virtually invincible when it comes to shooting in unstable conditions. The phone begins to display its dexterity in shaking hands or while running on rocky terrain as the lens moves in the opposite direction of movement to neutralize movement.
As you can tell from the teardown of the X50 Pro in the video (search until 01:30), you can actually see what this camera lens is doing at the hardware level. Movement is powered by a dedicated chip and stabilizer motor along with magnets and coils.
Having a gimbal built into your phone for the main lens has many advantages. First, it saves you from wearing physical gimbals that are sometimes impractical, and second, a less shaky lens means more stabilization while shooting in zoom mode. The more zoom levels there are, the more the movement of the phone will be amplified. Therefore, a gimbal-equipped camera lens ensures that the resulting photos and videos are sharper and have accurate color reproduction.
OIS and EIS embarrassed
Until now, advanced optical image stabilization was one thing smartphone cameras were marketed for. Along with optical image stabilization, electronic image stabilization also provides some stability, but it is a software solution that uses the smartphone’s accelerometer to detect motion and then align the frames.
On the other hand, optical image stabilization is a hardware solution that uses the Microelectromechanical System Gyroscope (MEMS) for motion detection. Then the camera system adjusts to the movement of the lens to compensate for physical jerks. For example, while taking a photo if your hand moves slightly to the left, the lens moves to the right to negate the effect.
The Vivo X50 Pro gimbal camera setup takes motion correction to the next level as the entire camera housing moves for a better three-axis counterattack effect. Combined with in-camera lens movement for OIS (when needed), the phone can take stunning photos or ultra-smooth video in low light. This takes the X50 Pro’s camera well ahead of flagship devices like Huawei P40 Pro, Galaxy S20 Ultra, or iPhone 11 Pro. It is especially evident when phones are tested side by side in low light conditions with a shaky hand.
Bold move that is second nature to Vivo
Now that Vivo has set the standard for ultra-stable shooting technology, it won’t be surprising for other OEMs to follow suit and start developing similar technology. Since Vivo has always offered the best camera technology alongside its parent brand OPPO, the gimbal stabilization feature will hit more phones in the next year or so. The brand has set a new trend in which other smartphones will definitely benefit in the near future.
However, whether it will be a huge hit with buyers is another dimension of the story. A sizable chunk of the $ 650 price for the X50 Pro has been invested only in gimbal camera technology and there are a few compromises along the way. For example, it comes with the Snapdragon 765G SoC, while most of the iconic killer devices are included with the Snapdragon 865 SoC. Internal storage is UFS 2.1, while UFS 3.0 has been the standard for almost a year and some OEMs they are even opting for high-end UFS 3.1 solutions.
Clearly, the phone is targeting a niche segment of buyers who want the next-generation camera in their pocket and don’t mind the other hardware compromises. Since Vivo has been brave enough to introduce this camera technology along with other perks like glossy design and display, X50 Pro could stand out in the smartphone arena when it comes to people who base their purchasing decision on the prowess of the phone camera.
