Variable Aperture Technology of Xiaomi and Huawei
Variable aperture technology has become a crucial feature in high-end smartphones, allowing users to take better photos in different lighting conditions. This technology allows the camera lens to adjust its aperture size to let in more or less light, resulting in brighter and sharper photos.
Brands such as Samsung, Sony, Huawei, and Xiaomi have introduced variable aperture cameras in their smartphones. In this article, we will compare the variable aperture technology of Huawei Mate 50 Pro/P60 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Ultra.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra features a two-gear variable aperture covering f/1.9 and f/4.0. The variable aperture is located in the 1-inch main camera plus two petal blades. However, the middle of the blade has a semicircular hole, which mechanically adjusts the aperture to f/1.9 or f/4.0, but not any arbitrary combination. When two blades pop out, only two semicircles merge into a small circle, reducing the amount of light in the camera. Due to the fixed combination, Xiaomi’s variable aperture is unable to shoot the starburst.
On the other hand, Huawei Mate 50 Pro/P60 Pro has a 10-step variable aperture, covering F1.4-F4.0, which is wider and offers more adjustments. The camera has six petal blades that can be combined in any way for any adjustment, making it possible to shoot the starburst and achieve 10 stops of light intake. This is a patented technology that allows users to change the depth of field and the degree of blur at will.
The difficulty in developing variable aperture technology in smartphones is not in the physical aspect of the blades but in the means to combine blades of different looks and algorithms to adjust them to achieve the desired combination. It’s really hard to imagine how scary it will be for Huawei to get a 10-stop variable aperture after getting a 1-inch main camera.
In conclusion, Huawei’s 10-step variable aperture technology is more advanced than Xiaomi’s two-gear variable aperture technology. With its patented technology and wider aperture, Huawei allows users to take better photos in different lighting conditions, including shooting the starburst and achieving 10 stops of light intake.
However, it is important to note that variable aperture technology is not the only factor that determines the quality of smartphone cameras, and other factors such as sensor size, image stabilization, and software algorithms also play a crucial role.
