Table of contents:
- But ... what benefits can we get with a TOF camera?
- Mobiles with TOF cameras
- Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
- Huawei P30 Pro
- Honor View 20
- LG G8 ThinQ
2019 has been marked by mobiles with three and four cameras, some of them with TOF cameras, a term that you have surely heard but that you may not fully know what it means. TOF stands for the acronym in English "Time of Flight" or, for you to understand better, time of flight camera. Basically, it is a sensor that emits beams of infrared light in order to measure depth. In this way, the distance at which an object is within the photo is calculated more accurately.
Despite being a new technology in the telephony industry, TOF sensors have been around for a long time. Without going any further, the second version of the Kinect included a TOF sensor powerful enough to project the scene in a room. Thanks to this, the Microsoft device was able to create a three-dimensional model of what was around it. Regarding mobile phones, we can say that with this technology the quality of 3D scanning can be improved. And it is that with only an emission of infrared lights it is possible to calculate the depth quickly and with good precision.
Also, the ToF uses fewer processor resources to carry out its functions, so energy consumption is minimal. To all this we must add that it performs faster facial recognition, since it does not need external light. It also improves object scanning, gesture recognition, distance and volume measurement, portrait mode quality, and augmented reality.
But… what benefits can we get with a TOF camera?
The theoretical explanation is fine, but what does all this really translate into? In which we can achieve higher image quality in low light situations. Until now, the secondary camera has been used exclusively to measure that background blur, although the results are not always positive in places where the brightness is poor. Experience tells us that two-camera operation is not as effective as one-camera and TOF. In any case, the combination of two sensors and the TOF is the best in this case, because what would be gained in background blur with a single camera and the TOF, would be lost in the telephoto and the possibility of being able to use the second sensor for other things, such as wide angle or macro, or to calculate blur.
Mobiles with TOF cameras
There are a wide variety of TOF sensors, each with a specific resolution. In fact, there can be quite a few differences between different models of Android terminals. Next we review some of the mobiles that have this technology.
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
The current flagship of the South Korean firm in its 5G version, Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, has a TOF sensor in its photographic section. Specifically, it is a fourth sensor of the ToF 3D type, which will come in handy for photos in portrait mode and will allow us to record videos with blur. This main camera also includes a 12 megapixel main sensor with variable aperture f / 1.5-f / 2.4, optical stabilization and Dual Pixel autofocus. This is accompanied by a second 16 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with f / 2.2 aperture and 123º field of view, as well as a third 12 MP telephoto lens with f / 2.4 aperture, optical stabilization and 2x optical zoom.
Huawei P30 Pro
The Huawei P30 Pro is another of the mobiles that include, in its case, a fourth 8 megapixel TOF lens to add depth of field information and create good quality blur effects. But also, next to this, we find a main wide-angle sensor of 40 megapixels with image stabilization and aperture of f / 1.6, along with a second ultra-wide-angle sensor of 20 megapixels and aperture f / 2.2 and a third telephoto sensor of 8 megapixels with 5X optical zoom. This is precisely another of its strengths, since with this five-magnification zoom we will be able to bring distant objects closer to the image without loss of quality, even in low light situations.
Honor View 20
We met him at the beginning of the year with a double camera, made up of a 48-megapixel Sony main sensor and f / 1.8 aperture, accompanied by a ToF sensor to improve portrait mode captures. There is also the AI algorithm, which analyzes the scenes and sets values such as color or contrast automatically to increase the quality of the shots. But not only its TOF camera and the main one take all eyes. The Honor View 20 also boasts a hole in the screen where the camera for selfies is housed, which in this case has a resolution of 25 megapixels.
LG G8 ThinQ
Finally, the LG G8 ThinQ, the current flagship of the South Korean firm, is another of the phones that boast of including a camera with ToF technology that the company has dubbed the Z Camera. This camera, together with the incorporation of infrared sensors, make up the Hand ID system. This means that the device can identify the user by recognizing the thickness and shape of their palm. In this way, you only have to place a previously registered hand in front of the front sensor for a few moments to be able to unlock the terminal. Therefore, the Z Camera of the LG G8 makes use of the TOF sensor on its front to create a new biometric system that is linked to facial recognition and the fingerprint reader.
This is not the only use of the LG G8 ThinQ's TOF camera. This is also used to achieve better images when carrying out portrait mode. The camera calculates infrared rays reflected off objects to measure depth more accurately and quickly. Also, the camera works just as well even in high ambient light.
