Pocophone F1 tested by DxOMark: Do you get what you pay for?

The back of the Pocophone F1.

The Pocophone F1 rightfully made headlines in 2018, offering flagship power at a mid-range price. If there’s one area where it’s still lagging behind, however, it’s in the camera field, as we noted in our review.

Now, camera testing company DxOMark has put the phone to the test, giving it an overall score of 91 points. This puts it ahead of the original Google Pixel, the iPhone 7 duo, and the Nokia 8 Sirocco. But it lags behind the likes of the iPhone 8 series, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note 9, Huawei’s 2018 flagships, and Xiaomi’s own Mi 8 and Mi Mix series.

The Pocophone F1 attained a photo score of 92, with the firm praising its autofocus performance, color reproduction, and “nice flash pictures.” But the website also noted the lack of detail compared to other flagships, especially in low-light situations.

The Pocophone F1 compared to the Xiaomi Mi 8. DxOMark

Furthermore, DxOMark criticized the quality of zoom (the Pocophone F1 doesn’t have a telephoto secondary camera), as well as depth errors when using bokeh-related modes. The company also found photos would occasionally have a “misty white haze” when using HDR (seen above, left), while the Xiaomi Mi 8 didn’t have this issue at all.

Editor’s Pick

The smartphone delivered a video score of 90, owing to “fast and accurate” autofocus, effective stabilization, and good color reproduction. But the reviewer docked points due to “fairly limited” dynamic range, a lack of fine detail in all conditions compared to top performers, and excessive noise in low-light situations.

The testing firm concluded that today’s top-performing smartphones are a step ahead of the Xiaomi-backed device in several ways (HDR, low-light performance, zoom, bokeh). But it still called the phone an attractive purchase for the price — it only costs ~$320 after all.

NEXT: Samsung Galaxy M20 review — Finally a credible threat to Xiaomi

Source: Android Zone

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Huawei Mate 20 Pro update makes super macro mode a standalone option

The back of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro.

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro has received a steady stream of updates since its release late last year, and you can now add one more update to the mix.

According to XDA-Developers, the new update (build number C636E1OR3P2) is rolling out now and weighs in at 346MB. So what are we getting this time?

The biggest tweak is the addition of a dedicated super macro mode (found under the more menu), giving users an easier way to take close-up shots. Huawei’s phone has a super macro mode already, letting users take shots as close as 2.5 centimeters from an object. However, you either need to trust the phone’s camera AI to activate the mode, or you have to switch to the ultra wide angle camera and get up close to activate it yourself.

The super macro update for the Mate 20 Pro. XDA-Developers

This is a pretty handy tweak, as the average consumer might not know you can manually activate the feature. The ability to force super macro mode is a useful addition for tech-savvy users too, just in case you’re planning to take a ton of macro shots in one session.

Editor’s Pick

It’s not the only camera-related addition in this update, as Huawei says it’s also improved the zoom shortcut in the viewfinder. Otherwise, the update also polishes gesture navigation, delivers an improved call experience in “certain scenarios,” and brings the January 2019 security updates.

Other noteworthy Mate 20 Pro tweaks since launch include AI Zoom, a variety of video filters, improved biometric authentication, and better camera quality. Now, about improving that underwater mode

NEXT: Xiaomi reveals foldable phone prototype — Is this the cheap one we’ve been waiting for?

Source: Android Zone

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