Connect with us

Android

HTC Explains the HTC One Ultrapixel Camera

Published

on

One of the more interesting HTC One features is its new Ultrapixel camera, a stark difference from the 8MP shooter on its previous flagship devices, the HTC One X and the HTC One X+ and different from the Samsung Galaxy S4 13MP camera. In an effort to clear up any misconceptions about its choice to use a 4MP camera, HTC has explained the HTC One camera in great detail.

Read: HTC One U.S. Release: What We Know So Far.

Prior to the launch of the HTC One, rumors suggested that HTC was going to be including a new camera that would be different than the megapixel focused cameras of yesteryear. As we saw in February, the HTC One was announced with a new camera that HTC calls an Ultrapixel camera. Since launch, the company has been touting the camera technology in face of the opposition which includes stiff competition from the Galaxy S4’s 13MP camera.

A 100% crop of an HTC One photo sample.

A 100% crop of an HTC One photo sample.

We’ve already seen HTC talk about the benefits of the camera in noisy environments like concerts and we’ve see it show off just how powerful the Ultrapixel camera can be, even if it is a 4MP camera.

Now, the company has gone a little more in-depth about the HTC One Ultrapixel camera in a conversation with ComputerWorld wherein the company discusses why it chose the camera that it did for the new, upcoming flagship.

Read: HTC One Photo Samples Show Ultrapixel Capabilities.

The HTC One release date is on track for early to mid April.

The HTC One features a 4MP Ultrapixel camera.

In response to why the company changed from the cameras from the HTC One X and HTC One X+, which were two of the best on the market, HTC’s Symon Whitehorn, who is the head of HTC smartphone imaging, exclaims that the company sees the new camera as a step forward. He claims that the camera sensor allows users to shoot better images in low-light environments as one of the main components of this new Ultrapixel camera. Another is the natural color tone.

In regards to the smaller 4MP camera sensor, Whitehorn says that companies have been using megapixels as a marketing tool and that megapixel counts don’t actually mean much for consumers. By using 4MP, the HTC One offers enough megapixels for most mobile photographers and also brings in quality low-light photos to boot.

Galaxy S4 photo sample against the competition. It's unclear if this photo was taken with a pre-production unit.

Galaxy S4 photo sample against the competition. It’s unclear if this photo was taken with a pre-production unit.

He also says that it brings file size down and allows users to take advantage of the new HTC Zoe feature found in HTC Sense 5 which allows owners to shoot video and photos at the same time. Without the smaller file sizes, HTC Zoe wouldn’t be as good, according to Whitehorn.

Whitehorn also disputes HTC One camera samples that have been labeled as grainy, likely referring to some of the sample images that we’ve seen emerge in recent days. He claims that those images were taken with pre-production devices and that the auto-ISO issue that affected them was fixed in the final HTC One models.

His comments come just ahead of the HTC One’s big release in the United States which is set for April 19th on AT&T and Sprint. T-Mobile will also carry the device but it has not disclosed a release date yet, only pricing.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.