The new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL both come with some impressive shooters and Microsoft now wants to highlight their "camera magic" with neat previews.
When it swallowed up Nokia, Microsoft also got the phone maker's expertise in several areas, including the camera prowess with PureView technology. Nokia's legacy of high-quality images lives on through the new Lumia lineup under Microsoft and the latest flagships have plenty to offer in this department.
Microsoft's new teaser post previews images taken with the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL under various conditions, proving that its two new flagships can take great photos even in low light, from up close, with flash and in other challenging environments.
As a reminder, both the Lumia 950 and the Lumia 950 XL rock 20-megapixel rear cameras with a slew of neat tech and features, and 5-megapixel selfie cams with wide angles.
"We have been working hard on the devices' image processing software-in areas such as pixel, color and exposure algorithms-to produce the most beautiful photos possible," Microsoft touts in a new post on the Windows blog.
"What this really means is that you can take all types of images-from an impromptu family snapshot, to an extreme close-up of an insect or flower, to your friend's high-speed skateboard aerials. And the quality is going to be great!"
Rich, Vivid Natural Colors
The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL take vivid photos that look perfectly saturated and realistic, with rich colors and natural tones. The image below was shot in direct sunlight with automatic settings, according to Microsoft. The image shows a deep and vivid red color for the car, yet the man's skin looks natural and realistic. The photo also shows great detail and fine texture, without artifacts or noise to make it look unnatural. It also exposes nicely both shadow and bright areas and Microsoft touts that HDR is rarely needed thanks to the cameras' native dynamic range.
Amazing Detail
The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL cameras can also capture great detail with incredible accuracy, allowing for some stunning shots. The image below shows some water droplets shot up close, in low-contrast daylight. The contrast is great, the colors look natural and the focus might just be the cherry on top.
Low-Light Photos
Low-light environments are a tough challenge to many cameras, but Microsoft touts that its latest flagships can ace the test with no hassle. The company teases a powerful and unique combination of technologies that allow for superior camera hardware. Thanks to the fifth-generation OIS, super high sensitivity sensor and large aperture, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL's cameras can truly shine in low-light environments.
The images below compare the capability of a rival phone (not mentioned) with the ones of the Lumia 950 XL when shooting the same scene in a low-light setting, showing the results side by side. The photo on the left shows "typical smartphone camera quality" in such a setting, according to Microsoft, and it looks "pretty smashed." The one on the right, meanwhile, shows that the Lumia 950 XL can take natural-looking photos even in low-light environments, without making them look noisy or washed-out. "This is what leadership in imaging algorithms means," boasts Microsoft.
Triple-LED Flash
Flash also plays a great role in the quality of an image, and the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL don't seem to have any issues in this department. On the contrary, the two flagships come with an innovative triple-LED flash that uses the three natural colors - red, blue and green - to automatically match the colors of the ambient light so it delivers a perfectly-lit image with warm, soft colors and great color blending. Microsoft further touts that the natural colors also make the flash suitable for complementing daytime photos. The image below, for instance, was taken during the day, but the light was pretty gray so the flash added some magic.
These are just a few examples that illustrate the camera prowess of the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, but the smartphones have far more to offer in this department. All in all, the latest Windows 10 smartphones from Microsoft are shaping up as top contenders on the high-end smartphone market and they definitely have what it takes to stand out from the crowd.
