Huawei P40 Pro with the best camera in history according to DxO. We explain where this result came from

Huawei P40 Pro was at the top of the DxO photo ranking. This is not a coincidence, because specific technologies are behind the camera. Let's see why the new Huawei is so good in the tests.

Huawei as a producer over the past few years has made incredible progress in the quality of photos on their smartphones. This can be seen especially on the example of the P series. A few years ago I was a very satisfied owner of the Huawei P9 smartphone, the first created with the legend of photography, the Leica company. In each subsequent model of the P series, the camera came to the fore more and more.

It is no different in the latest Huawei P40 Pro, which we have had the opportunity to test for some time. Recently, the information that the smartphone took the first place in the ranking of the DxO laboratory, which is an industry benchmark, has received wide coverage.

One can argue about the methodology of website research, but one thing is certain: there is no other laboratory in the world that would test smartphone cameras according to the same strictly defined procedures in the same conditions. This makes DxO results the most reproducible, and thus reliable. No wonder that changing the leader in the DxO ranking always entails great interest in the industry.

Okay, but where did the Huawei P40 Pro camera result come from? There are specific numbers behind it.

The camera in Huawei P40 Pro is a very advanced system consisting of four main modules. Let's start with the most commonly used, i.e. the base lens. Behind it is a unique matrix, which is distinguished not only by its very high resolution of 50 megapixels, but also by its extremely large physical size.

And it's worth remembering that the physical size of the matrix is ​​just as important (or even more important) than the resolution. It's like a TV: you can have 4K resolution on a smartphone or a large 75-inch TV. It is obvious that the latter case will provide a much better experience. A similar situation occurs in photography, where a matrix with a larger diagonal translates in a straight line into a higher quality of photos. There is a reason why the best SLRs have large full-frame matrices, twice the size of the APS-C matrixes from cheap SLRs.

Huawei goes the same way, offering the largest matrix that is currently used in smartphones. Its diagonal is 1 / 1.28 inches. And although "on paper" this size may not impress, a comparison to the competition immediately shows what we are dealing with.

To give this result in perspective, the size of the main matrix Huaweia P40 Pro is much larger than the matrices used until recently in high-end compact cameras (1 / 1.7 inch). And the larger the matrix surface, the more light falls on it. Hence, the better the quality of the photos can be achieved, especially in conditions where the light is lacking, i.e. at night. Added to this is the second benefit, i.e. the ability to blur the background strongly without having to resort to digital blur. All these benefits can be found in the Huaweia P40 Pro camera.

Testers also praise the zoom capabilities of the Huawei P40 Pro .

A periscope telephoto lens with a 5x optical magnification factor is responsible for them. It has a resolution of 12 megapixels. The ability to use five times optical zoom on your smartphone - and therefore the equipment that fits in your pocket - sounds great. The more that the digital zoom reaches 50x.

For this we have a completely new ultra wide-angle lens that grows into one of the key points of the camera. In the Huawei P40 Pro this lens is not treated with care. It has a large matrix with a resolution of up to 40 megapixels, a very bright lens with f / 1.8 light, and effective image stabilization in video. Pictures from the ultra wide-angle lens are much sharper than in last year's models.

It is worth thinking: is it worth buying a dedicated camera at all?

Is it worth it Yes, if you're interested in the professional shelf. In the lower - consumer - segments, buying a traditional camera makes less and less sense. When friends went to South America last year, I recommended them to buy a better smartphone instead of a cheaper SLR. They returned from the trip and thanked me for this advice. They brought great photos, and the size and weight of the phone did not limit them at all.

No wonder the compacts are dying, since smartphones like Huaweia P40 Pro offer more than them. We have here not only an extremely effective main lens with an extremely good night mode, but also a useful zoom, and an ultra-wide angle that we will not find in compact cameras. The equivalent of such a set in the world of SLRs would require carrying a bag with three lenses. Meanwhile, the smartphone fits in your pocket.

It all shows how long we have come in the category of mobile photography. We started with one lens to reach three or even four useful photo modules. In turn, Huawei P40 Pro + shows that you can squeeze even more from your smartphone, including even more effective optical zoom thanks to two specialized lenses. A mobile photographer has never before given us such opportunities as now.

* The material was created in cooperation with the Huawei brand.

Huawei P40 Pro with the best camera in history according to DxO. We explain where this result came from