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Dual-lens Android cameras: are all unable to shoot RAW+tele?

Started May 23, 2018 | Questions
Mark B UK Senior Member • Posts: 1,772
Dual-lens Android cameras: are all unable to shoot RAW+tele?

I recently bought a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, which I like a lot except for one thing: the longer of its two lenses can be selected only in 'Auto' mode, and is unavailable in 'Pro' mode (which is needed for shooting RAW).

Since the camera app is an Android one I assume this problem is common to all such phones with dual lenses. Is this correct? If so, is there a third-party app that gets round the problem? I've got Open Camera, which seems to have the same limitation.

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Samsung Galaxy S9+
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onlyfreeman
onlyfreeman Senior Member • Posts: 2,498
Re: Dual-lens Android cameras: are all unable to shoot RAW+tele?

I've never heard of RAW being supported by the telephoto lens, most reviews don't seem to cover RAW support at all.

Trying some phones out at a store might answer the question.

I doubt there is much to gain from the tiny sensor, all the advanced processing Samsung performs probably makes for a better picture anyway.

When you use open camera, are you able to use the camera2 api?

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OP Mark B UK Senior Member • Posts: 1,772
Re: Dual-lens Android cameras: are all unable to shoot RAW+tele?

I think it's disappointing that most reviews don't cover RAW. Yes, in-phone JPEG processing can be quite effective, but it's a default interpretation by a piece of software. Post-processing in LightRoom or similar allows the user so much more control. Given that the telephoto lenses on these smartphones is actual hardware rather than a software workaround (such as the digital zooms featured previously) it seems to me illogical that the feature isn't enabled for the non-processed RAW option.

Re Open Camera, yes I enabled the API. I may try contacting the developer to see if he can add the facility.

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onlyfreeman
onlyfreeman Senior Member • Posts: 2,498
Re: Dual-lens Android cameras: are all unable to shoot RAW+tele?

Mark B UK wrote:

Given that the telephoto lenses on these smartphones is actual hardware rather than a software workaround (such as the digital zooms featured previously) it seems to me illogical that the feature isn't enabled for the non-processed RAW option.

I guess that the way the zoom is implemented combines the image from both sensors, or at least the zoom mode is free to do some kind of software trickery that would make RAW capture more difficult.

Then again I don't really know, I'm not sure any android phone allows RAW capture from the telephoto lens. I wonder if the new Huawei P20 does allow it?

I might have to go down to the store and find out.

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Richard_CC Regular Member • Posts: 327
Re: Dual-lens Android cameras: are all unable to shoot RAW+tele?

My P10 will save as RAW but only in 20mp mode.  It doesn't zoom in 20mp mode though.

I never use RAW, the in camera jpeg does a good job including I suspect lens distortion correction.

wklee Veteran Member • Posts: 9,950
Re: Dual-lens Android cameras: are all unable to shoot RAW+tele?

Richard_CC wrote:

My P10 will save as RAW but only in 20mp mode. It doesn't zoom in 20mp mode though.

I never use RAW, the in camera jpeg does a good job including I suspect lens distortion correction.

It is a limitation of RAW, being unable to zoom in. I cannot zoom in when I use RAW with my iPhone either. My SE has only one rear camera so I cannot comment about dual or more cameras being unable to use RAW on all cameras

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(unknown member) Contributing Member • Posts: 975
P20 Pro: no raw for tele/monochrome

The P20 Pro neither supports raw from the 80mm camera nor from the monochrome camera.

(unknown member) Contributing Member • Posts: 975
iPhone X supports raw from 52mm camera

I only know that the iPhone X (and other dual camera iPhones) supports raw from the 52mm camera (with 3rd party apps).

OP Mark B UK Senior Member • Posts: 1,772
Re: P20 Pro: no raw for tele/monochrome

Thanks; looks like it could be a shortcoming in the Android camera app.

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