In this article, we explain why the aperture is one of the most important parts of your smartphone camera, and how you recognize this component in the specs of a smartphone.
This does the aperture in your smartphone
The cameras in your smartphone are incredibly small, and that has consequences for how much is possible. The biggest difference compared with a normal camera is that because of the size there is relatively little light coming in. The amount of light differs per smartphone. This is due to a wider or narrower aperture.
In the specs of most devices, you can see how wide this aperture is. We discuss in this article not only what this camera part means, but also how you recognize the value in the specs and compare it with other devices.
What is the aperture?
The aperture in the camera is responsible for the amount of light entering and falling on the sensor. The wider this passage, the more light enters. This means that devices with a wide diaphragm in poor lighting conditions take better pictures without the use of a flash. Also, the shutter does not need to be open for a long time, which reduces the risk of blurred photos due to movement.
The aperture is also important for the depth of field, the part of the photograph that is displayed sharply. The wider the aperture, the better the camera is in distinguishing the object you want to photograph and the background. This gives you a better bokeh effect. However, if you want everything in the picture to be sharp, then a narrower opening is better. That is why normal cameras usually have an adjustable diaphragm. That was not possible on smartphones yet, but that is now changing.
This way you recognize the aperture in the specs
You can recognize the aperture in the specs of a device on ‘f / x’, where ‘x’ is a number. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S9 has an aperture of f / 1.5, while the Samsung Galaxy S8 has an aperture of f / 1.7. It seems as if this camera component in the next generation Samsung devices has deteriorated, but that is absolutely not the case. The smaller this number, the wider the aperture. So smaller is better.
Variable aperture
A variable aperture is standard for normal cameras, but a new development for smartphones. Suddenly you no longer have any value in the specs, but multiple. The first smartphone with this technology is the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Plus). In addition to the f / 1.5, this unit also has a f/2.4 mode. The camera has an iris that adjusts itself. This is convenient because although the wider position is better at letting in more light, the narrower position is better in focusing as much as possible on the photo in bright daylight.
A variable aperture is therefore undoubtedly the future of the smartphone camera because in this way you use the best of both worlds. Before this technology comes to more smartphones, a wider aperture is preferable. Smartphone cameras can use as much light as possible on the sensor because of the size.
The aperture in various popular devices
Below we list some popular devices with their aperture value. So be aware- the smaller this number, the wider the aperture and the better the photos are with poor lighting conditions.
- Samsung Galaxy S9– f / 1.5 – f / 2.4
- Samsung Galaxy S8– f / 1.7
- OnePlus 6T– f / 1.7
- Huawei Mate 20 Pro– f / 1.7
- Google Pixel 3– f / 1.8
However, a wide aperture does not guarantee good pictures. Other parts of the camera also matter. Yet this is an important value to keep an eye on when buying your next smartphone, especially if you value the quality of your photos.
