Huawei P20 Pro: Leica Triple Camera, ISO 102400, DxOMark Score of 109
The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has just unveiled the P20 Pro, a smartphone that “redefines intelligent photography.” The Leica triple camera onboard has trounced the other smartphones at DxOMark, scoring a highest-ever mark of 109.
The system has the highest total pixel count of any smartphone on the market today. The main camera features a 40MP, 1/1.73″ RGB sensor behind a 27mm f/1.8 (35mm equiv.) lens. The secondary camera has a 20MP, 1/2.78″ monochrome sensor behind a 27mm f/1.6 (35mm equiv.) lens. And the telephoto camera has an 8MP, 1/4.4″ RGB sensor behind an 80mm f/2.4 (35mm equiv.) lens with optical image stabilization.
In low light, the P20 Pro is a monster, capturing photos with a sensitivity of up to ISO 102400.
With a goal of making professional-quality photography accessible to the masses, the P20 Pro uses a Master AI system that provides AI-driven photo features, including AI stabilization and AI-Assisted Composition (suggestions for framing group and landscape photos). The scene recognition identifies over 500 scenarios across 19 categories to automatically select camera setting for an optimal shot.
4D predictive focus helps the camera predict the movement of subjects and keep focus locked on them.
The phone can shoot 960fps super slow motion:
To help you capture fleeting moments without delay, the phone has an Ultra Snapshot feature: double-click the down volume button to shoot a photo in as little as 0.3 seconds, even when the screen is off.
Other features and specs include a Kirin 970 processor, 4K video recording, 6.1-inch screen with ultra-thin bezels, a 24MP selfie camera, AI beautification, 3D portrait lighting, and a 3400 mAh battery.
DxOMark has glowing things to say about the P20 Pro’s camera capabilities, writing that the phone is a “game changer” and that the triple camera system isn’t just a marketing gimmick.
“We are used to every new smartphone camera generation being slightly better than the previous one, but looking at the images and test results from the P20 Pro, it seems Huawei has skipped one or two generations,” DxOMark writes. “The results are simply that good. The P20 Pro’s triple camera setup is the biggest innovation we have seen in mobile imaging for quite some time and is a real game changer.”
Being able to pick the best camera for a specific shooting situation and computationally merge the image data from all three sensors means that the new Huawei beats the competition in virtually every category, taking the number one spots in both our Photo and Video rankings. The P20 Pro is particularly good in low light, when zooming, and for bokeh simulation, blowing its direct rivals out of the water. If you are looking for the current best camera in a smartphone, look no further.
Here’s what the updated DxOMark leaderboard looks like with the addition of the P20 Pro:
Here are some official sample photos captured with the P20 Pro:
Here’s a 2-minute video introducing the Huawei P20 Pro (and its smaller sibling, the P20):
The Huawei P20 Pro will be available (in Twilight, Pink Gold, Black, and Midnight Blue) to Europeans starting next month with a price tag of €899 (or about $1,120). No word yet on if or when the phone will be released in the United States.
