The HTC One (M8) is a stunning device, but as soon as people finish admiring its beautifully-crafted design, their attention shifts to the Duo Camera setup on the back of the device. Before the handset was announced, there was a lot of speculation about imaging technology that HTC would us on the HTC One (M8). While a few of the rumors were true, there’s a lot more to the Duo Camera than we expected.
According to HTC, the Duo Camera on the HTC One (M8) is a pairing of a 4.1 megapixel (Ultrapixel) camera which features 2 micrometer pixels and a secondary 2 megapixel sensor. The main UltraPixel sensor is essentially the same setup that we saw of the original HTC one back in 2013, but the addition of the secondary sensor give the new One depth sensing capabilities which adds additional data to the image which can be used to change the focal point of the image or add other customizations while editing your photos. In HTC’s own words, the Duo camera gives the HTC One the ability to “understand objects in physical space.”
Since we’ve only had the HTC One (M8) in-hand for less than a day, we’re still learning how to best use the Duo Camera. Using the depth sensing information to edit the images may seem a bit gimmicky, but it also has the potential of becoming a new standard in mobile photography.
Be sure to let us know how you find the camera. Is it an improvement over the M7? Do you think they shouldve upped the pixel count in rear sensor? Has the detail or lack of detail been solved in the newer camera module or does it still suffer from that? I have the M7 and love it, the camera took some getting used to but I can consistently get good pictures most of the time with a little adjusting with the settings. Is this still necessary on the M8?
I’ve been playing with the camera today and it a very much the same as the m7. You’ll need to tweak settings to get the results .
Why do they not speak about the 3D option?
I think probably because the last time HTC had duo cameras it tried to feature 3d as the next big thing and it was a miserable failure. HTC EVO LTE 4g I think it was called. A variation of the HtC One X, that was exclusive to AT&T, while the Evo LTE 4g was exclusive to Sprint. Back in their fragmented days I like to call them because they had no brand. They probably dont want to be reminded of how bad that was. The 3d photos were gimmicky and looked more like holograms than 3d.
It was HTC EVO 3D
HTC EVO 3D. They tried to feature a 3D device before and it was awful. I would imagine they want to distance themselves from any mention of 3D now. It was gimmicky and the only time they looked 3D was on the device itself.
I’d like to know if it has any effect on Video Recording.
I appreciate the attempt and their desire to introduce a novelty but I think they’re barking up the wrong tree. I truely don’t understand the need to focus on various objects after taking a picture. People usually focus on what they want to capture. It is gimmicky, end of story. The M7 had by far the worst camera amongst all the high end devices even in low light conditions, so, what do HTC do? Instead of fixing the camera quality, they add a huge gimmick to it. And to make things even worse, it has added bulk, weight, thickness, and awkwardness to what was a beautiful device.
I never had any issues taking pictures really. It just required adjusting the settings is all. I wouldnt call it awful or the worst camera I’ve used on a smartphone. And I do think it did and still does takes some nice pictures. If you’re willing to learn to use the settings to your advantage. I realize most people want to point and shoot to get a pic.But this device(M7) has a learning curve with its camera. I will reserve judgement of the M8s camera until I use it for myself. Many said the same things about the M7, my experience was different. I never had any issues with the camera and I love it.
And once again, HTC drops the ball on the camera. No one cares for the gimmicks. We just want a camera that’s on par with other flagship cameras. I may as well keep the M7. To say that I’m disappointed with HTC right now is an understatement. They just don’t get it. 4 ultra/megapixels in a high end smartphone is embarrassing.