Buzz
The standout feature on the Galaxy A9 is undeniably its cutting-edge quad-camera system at the rear, catering to every photography enthusiast's needs. But does the real-world performance of this feature live up to the hype?
1. Delving into Galaxy A9's Quad-Camera Setup: Remarkable Practicality, Softer Image Tones, Human-Eye Resemblance
Though the Mid-Autumn Festival has long passed, Hanoi's weather now truly embodies the essence of autumn. The sun is gentle, not scorching like in summer, and there's a refreshing breeze, not bone-chilling like in winter. With such beautiful weather, I decided to take my trusty Samsung Galaxy A9 out for a spin to evaluate the camera quality of its touted 4-rear-camera system, heavily promoted by the company recently.
Taking a closer look at the hardware, the Galaxy A9 doesn't fall under the premium 'S' or 'Note' series, yet it is privileged with being the first device in the world to feature a quad-camera system, including:
- Main Camera, standard perspective with 24MP f/1.7 resolution.
- Secondary camera with a modest 5MP f/2.2 resolution for depth sensing, supporting the portrait mode with background blur.
- Super-wide-angle camera at 120 degrees with an 8MP f/2.4 resolution, termed by Samsung as the 'standard human-eye perspective camera.'
- The last camera possesses 2x optical zoom capability with a 10MP f/2.4 resolution.
Three photos taken using the three focal lengths on the Samsung Galaxy A9.
This is a camera system humorously referred to by Vietnamese users as 'shooting from home to the street,' offering three versatile focal lengths for various photography genres. For landscapes and expansive architecture shots, the super-wide-angle lens is used; for everyday photos and document capture, the standard focal length is employed, and for zooming in on distant objects, the zoom lens is utilized. Bringing the Galaxy A9 outdoors, I felt unrestricted as it provided the perfect perspective for any shooting scenario.
In addition, the company provides users with extensive software customization options. Notably, the AI-powered Scene Optimizer feature automatically adjusts images based on 19 different themes. Other features include AR Emoji, adding entertaining effects when recognizing the user's face, and Pro mode, allowing customization of various parameters to cater to specific shooting needs.
Two more eagerly anticipated features in the post-processing stage are angle adjustment (for the wide-angle camera) and bokeh customization for portrait mode.
The focal length I find most useful and enjoyable to use on the Galaxy A9 is the 120-degree wide-angle, allowing for capturing large scenes without the need to step back too far. This wide focal length often introduces fisheye distortion, causing a bulging effect in the center and pushing the edges of the image farther out. After capturing, the device allows users to correct this phenomenon with a button press, making the photo appear more 'flat.'
Angle adjustment feature for photos from the wide-angle camera to eliminate the 'fisheye' effect.
In the Galaxy A7 test, I also noted that the fisheye effect on smartphones can sometimes become an advantage, creating a much more impressive perspective compared to photos taken with a regular camera.
Sometimes the 'fisheye' effect adds a distinctive character to wide-angle photos!
This feature will also cut into the edges of the photo, reducing resolution and sometimes distorting objects at the edges. Therefore, when taking wide-angle photos, users should try both versions to see which one looks better and then decide.
Adjusting the depth and shape of the blur area (bokeh) with photos in portrait mode.
The bokeh adjustment feature is quite delightful, especially effective when circular bokeh shapes are present. Transforming these circular bokeh into heart shapes, butterflies, stars, and even airplanes is possible!
The portrait mode's background blur capability on the Galaxy A9 is decent, smart enough not to cut into the subject in the photo. However, the blurred portion can sometimes appear a bit artificial. Users can customize the level of blur, and in my opinion, a level of 5/7 works best. Less than that, the effect is unclear, but more than that, it becomes somewhat 'artificial' and loses its natural look.
The color reproduction on the Galaxy A9 is vibrant yet not overly saturated.
Unlike previous products that tended to push the color saturation too high, recent Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy A9, have more subdued color tones. This preserves good detail and looks more natural to the human eye. Sometimes in HDR photos, the contrast may be lower compared to other brands; however, this can be easily adjusted using post-processing software like Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile.
The telephoto camera doesn't have as high resolution as the main camera, but it still provides sharper images than digital zoom in long-distance landscape shots. Photos taken with this camera maintain good sharpness and commendable contrast, although the color may differ from the other two cameras.
As seen in the photo, the sky leans more towards Cyan than the typical Blue. This issue can be minimized through post-processing software, although it takes time and can't be perfected to 100%.
There's a minor concern with the Galaxy A9 evident in nighttime and low-light captures. Two aspects need improvement—brightness measurement and image sharpness. In low-light conditions, the Galaxy A9 often tries to boost exposure to salvage details in darker areas, but this leads to overexposure in bright parts. In the photo above, I had to adjust the brightness to make it more visually appealing.
Some shots from the Samsung Galaxy A9:
Conclusion
As mentioned in the title, the highly practical 4-camera system of the Samsung Galaxy A9 excels but requires improvement in specialization. It has the potential to help users capture various types of photos by combining a flexible focal length system and intelligent software support. However, in areas like exposure measurement, low-light photography, and color consistency, the Galaxy A9 still needs some refinement.
The Galaxy A9 can be considered a 'stepping stone,' a prototype product for Samsung to experiment with the capabilities of a 4-camera setup. Nevertheless, the company also needs to update its software to provide users with a more refined photography experience.
