New tests cover advanced features, including zoom, bokeh, and low-light shooting
DxOMark Image Labs has announced a major update to its DxOMark Mobile test suite for evaluating smartphone camera image quality. With this new version, DxOMark tests now cover many of the new features and technologies found in current and upcoming generations of smartphones.
As many smartphone components become commoditised, camera quality stands out as a key differentiator for customer purchase decisions. As a result, there has been rapid progress in the quality both of smartphone cameras and of their feature sets. In particular, the introduction of dual-camera systems and high performance processors have allowed for a variety of new capabilities, including improved zoom and the addition of synthesised bokeh (depth effect). Further, improved CMOS image sensor technologies, coupled with more powerful processing and multi-frame synthesis, have also provided substantial improvements in low light performance.
The new DxOMark Mobile includes extensive tests using carefully designed lab scenes to thoroughly evaluate these new capabilities. It also adds motion to many supplementary test scenes to help evaluate the comparative performance of advanced image processing techniques now in use.
DxOMark’s new Mobile protocol addresses these new smartphone photo capabilities by providing: an all-new zoom sub-score based on extensive testing at multiple focal lengths; an all-new bokeh sub-score using a scene carefully designed to allow comparisons; low-light testing down to 1 Lux; motion added to the test suite for more accurate evaluation of camera performance in real world situations; expanded lab and outdoor test scenes.
Several already-tested devices have been retested following the new protocol to provide a basis for comparison, including the number one smartphone from each year since DxOMark began. These phones include the Nokia 808 (2012–2013), the iPhone 6 (2014), the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge (2015), the HTC U11 (2017), the Google Pixel (2016), as well as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
In addition, DxOMark will be announcing the new test results for several current models in the coming days. New devices will be tested only with the new protocol. (Existing scores and reviews will continue to be accessible, but are not valid for direct comparison.)
