Is 64 MP camera really Good? or a marketing strategy?

Nowadays the camera is one of the most considered factors when purchasing a new phone. And with technologies evolving so fast we are seeing something new every now and then. With this, we always have a question in mind is this new feature a real improvement or just a marketing strategy.

We are nowadays seeing smartphones with 64 MP cameras like Redmi Note 8 Pro, Realme XT, Samsung Galaxy A70s, Vivo Nex 3 and others. And even an upcoming camera sensor from Samsung with 108 Megapixels. Brings a question in mind does really having higher MP(Megapixels) improves the camera?

Very little is known about the 108 MP camera sensor, except that it will be powered by the ISOCELL sensor technology. This same technology is used in the 64 MP camera sensor made by Samsung which is used in the above-mentioned phones. and hence we will talk here about 64 MP camera sensor.

Features of Samsung’s 64 MP sensor

Tetracell

In general higher Megapixels should mean higher Camera quality. But it’s not the case with smartphones as there is space constraint. And when the number of pixels are increased it reduces pixel size. This is the same case with Samsung’s 64 Megapixel sensor. To pack staggering 64 million pixels into a sub-1″ type imaging sensor Samsung had to reduce pixel size. Hence Samsung has used the smallest pixel size on the mobile camera which is 0.8 µm.

While larger pixel size is considered better for low light photography, as it will allow each pixel to absorb more light, that means more details in photographs. Which will inturn improve low light photography.

To overcome this drawback of smaller pixel size Samsung used a technology that they call Tetracell. Tetracell packs pixels in a 2×2 cluster which is also known as binning. Essentially making one pixel twice the size of an actual pixel, i.e. 1.6 µm. And reducing the image size to the fourth of the original size which is 16 MP here. Theoretically, this should improve low light photography.

Higher Dynamic Range

There is another feature of this sensor which is each small pixel is sensitive to one RGB (Red, Green, Blue) wavelength. When in general each pixel is sensitive to all three basic colors of light which are RGB. What this does is it allows each pixel to be more specific about the shade of color. This produces a wider range of shades and combinations of each color Red, Green, Blue. This enhances an overall dynamic range of the sensor. So with this sensor smartphone can now produce a wider range of colors in images. Which improves overall image quality producing sharp and color accurate photographs.

But is this camera sensor really this Great? And Are higher Megapixels Better?

The answer is not really as even though Flagship phones commonly have a 12 MP camera they can capture better images than this 64 MP camera. And without Tetracell technology also low-light images with Flagship phone’s camera will outperform this 64 MP camera. But if you are comparing with a previous 48 MP sensor or mid-range phone cameras then you can certainly see improvements.

So what is the use of Such high Megapixels?

Higher Megapixels come into use mainly if you want to print the picture. This is not the case with common people and that’s why by default picture size is set to 16 MP. And if you don’t want to print its not worth to capture a picture in 64 MP as it will consume a lot of storage space.

And another use of higher MP photos is when you want to zoom and crop images. In that case, you will not lose detail even if you zoom in that picture.

Should you buy a phone with a 64 MP camera?

No, you should not buy a phone just because it has a 64 MP camera. Although if you are already planning to buy a Mid-range phone then this can be considered as a plus point in making your decision.

If you would like to improve the camera on your phone try installing any of these apps.