realme 8 smartphone series with 108 MP camera announced

realme 8 series

The focus of the new realme 8 Series, which will be released "very soon", is on the 108 megapixel main camera of the realme 8 Pro. Samsung's ISOCELL HM2 sensor, which was announced in autumn 2020, is used. It is the successor to the ISOCELL HM1 sensor, which was used in the Samsung S20 Ultra, among others.

9-in-1 pixel binning

With a sensor size of 1/1.52" and a pixel size of 0.7 μm, Samsung's ISOCELL HM2 is more compact than its predecessor (1/1.33", 0.8 μm). This initially indicates a slightly lower light output, which Samsung would like to compensate for with its Nanocell technology (9-in-1 pixel binning).

Merging 3 x 3 pixels creates pixels of 2,1 micrometers. The photo resolution is reduced from 108 megapixels to only 12 megapixels, but the merging benefits the photo quality in poor lighting conditions. The formation of larger pixel blocks results in a higher sensitivity to light, which at the same time improves the signal-to-noise ratio.

In-sensor zoom technology

When it comes to camera zoom, realme relies on a digital “in-sensor zoom”. The enlarged image section is reduced to 12 megapixels, recorded eight times and combined using an algorithm. According to realme, this enables faster and sharper zoom shots that even outperform smartphone cameras with a dedicated telephoto lens.

Tilt-shift photography

Realme also relies on a software solution to implement tilt-shift or miniature recordings. A sophisticated algorithm enables blurring transitions and details to be adjusted in the twinkling of an eye during final processing. At the same time, the realme 8 Pro is the world's first smartphone that records tilt-shift time-lapse videos.

Starry Sky Time Lapse

The starry sky can also be captured with the realme 8 Pro. Instead of long-term photo exposure, realme promises better results through a starry sky time-lapse. A total of 480 photos are created over a period of 30 seconds, which are combined into a 1-second video. For a 30-second video, you would have to leave the smartphone pointed at the sky for a proud 4 hours.

Portrait filter

The filters “Neon Portrait”, “Dynamic Bokeh Portrait” and “AI Color” promise new possibilities in portrait mode. In Neon Portrait mode, light sources are amplified, in Dynamic Bokeh Portrait mode, the blur effect is distorted, and in AI Color Portrait mode, the background is drawn in black and white.

Further information

You can see the introduction of the realme 8 Pro camera in the following retake:

A specific date for the European start of the realme 8 Series is not yet known. However, an idea in a few weeks is likely.

Source: Press Release