[smcv]

Thought I would take the opportunity to occasionally dispense a bit of technical trivia...

When designing the PRIV camera, viewfinder performance was a key consideration. The faster you can run your viewfinder, the faster you can run autofocus, etc.
We ended up dialing it in between 40 and 50fps.
When placed side by side with most other Android phones, I think you'll find the experience is like seeing the difference between 30fps and 60fps videos

Oh, also, PRIV gets a 2-stop boost in sensitivity in the viewfinder by summing pixels in-sensor, which means it can keep the framerate up higher even in darker environments. In dimmer light, when other Android cameras start dropping framerate, PRIV is still nice and smooth.

[altrax]

Other than the high pitched whine I have to say I am really enjoying the camera. Cool trivia certainly a lot of work went into this phone.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[blemoon42]

I also still have the whine when I use the camera. Hoping it's just s software issue that they are working on.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[BerryRipe]

Seems like a lot of whining going on around all aspects of the Priv. LoL

Posted via CB10

[ivantoothache]

Thought I would take the opportunity to occasionally dispense a bit of technical trivia...

When designing the PRIV camera, viewfinder performance was a key consideration. The faster you can run your viewfinder, the faster you can run autofocus, etc.
We ended up dialing it in between 40 and 50fps.
When placed side by side with most other Android phones, I think you'll find the experience is like seeing the difference between 30fps and 60fps videos

Oh, also, PRIV gets a 2-stop boost in sensitivity in the viewfinder by summing pixels in-sensor, which means it can keep the framerate up higher even in darker environments. In dimmer light, when other Android cameras start dropping framerate, PRIV is still nice and smooth.

Are you the principal designer?

Posted via CB10

[smcv]

Are you the principal designer?

I'm responsible for the overall technical solution.
Dozens of others are involved of course -- from product, to industrial design, hardware, optics, platform, drivers, application, user experience, audio & visual designers, verification, tuning, quality, project management, partners, management, and so on. A top notch team!

[mithrazor]

I'm responsible for the overall technical solution.
Dozens of others are involved of course -- from product, to industrial design, hardware, optics, platform, drivers, application, user experience, audio & visual designers, verification, tuning, quality, project management, partners, management, and so on. A top notch team!

Wow, that's pretty cool. Nice to see people from BlackBerry on CB!

Posted via CB10

[bb10_fan]

I'm responsible for the overall technical solution.
Dozens of others are involved of course -- from product, to industrial design, hardware, optics, platform, drivers, application, user experience, audio & visual designers, verification, tuning, quality, project management, partners, management, and so on. A top notch team!

By any chance you also responsible for BB10 camera app/API/drivers?

Posted via CB10

[weezul]

Would BlackBerry ever consider using ideascale for feature requests in terms of OS updates?

[The Big Picture]

Hey OP great post! I'm a photography enthusiast and I would really like to know the software side of the priv's camera.

Android camera api 2 is supposed to make everything better especially with manual controls. Do you know if this is in development for the priv?

Posted via CB10

[keithhackneysmullet]

I'm responsible for the overall technical solution.
Dozens of others are involved of course -- from product, to industrial design, hardware, optics, platform, drivers, application, user experience, audio & visual designers, verification, tuning, quality, project management, partners, management, and so on. A top notch team!

Do you have any comment regarding the wide spread critique that the camera is " slow" especially in hdr mode. It was explained on the android central podcast that some manufacturers cheat on hdr mode by using only two pictures to stitch together while blackberry is using true hdr by stitching three pictures together. Could you expand on that ?

[ivantoothache]

I'm responsible for the overall technical solution.
Dozens of others are involved of course -- from product, to industrial design, hardware, optics, platform, drivers, application, user experience, audio & visual designers, verification, tuning, quality, project management, partners, management, and so on. A top notch team!

Glad to hear! And congrats for a really thought out device! although only way I could promote your guys masterpiece would be winning a raffle, I'm excited to what more innovative devices you would come up next! imagine an Slider Android Passport! woot! Haha

Posted via CB10

[smcv]

By any chance you also responsible for BB10 camera app/API/drivers?

Yes, it's the same team.

[smcv]

Android camera api 2 is supposed to make everything better especially with manual controls. Do you know if this is in development for the priv?

The camera 2 API is a different approach to image acquisition, and we will be supporting it, but there are use cases where the older API performs better. There are challenges to delivering it in a well polished form with large megapixel cameras, and with acceptable power and thermal efficiency.

[dejanh]

Thought I would take the opportunity to occasionally dispense a bit of technical trivia...

When designing the PRIV camera, viewfinder performance was a key consideration. The faster you can run your viewfinder, the faster you can run autofocus, etc.
We ended up dialing it in between 40 and 50fps.
When placed side by side with most other Android phones, I think you'll find the experience is like seeing the difference between 30fps and 60fps videos

Oh, also, PRIV gets a 2-stop boost in sensitivity in the viewfinder by summing pixels in-sensor, which means it can keep the framerate up higher even in darker environments. In dimmer light, when other Android cameras start dropping framerate, PRIV is still nice and smooth.

Can you comment on the slow focus and/or shutter lag that was reported in a number of reviews?

[BCITMike]

Some people were wondering if Timeshift Feature would be coming to the PRIV. Any idea?

Posted via CB10

[smcv]

Do you have any comment regarding the wide spread critique that the camera is " slow" especially in hdr mode. It was explained on the android central podcast that some manufacturers cheat on hdr mode by using only two pictures to stitch together while blackberry is using true hdr by stitching three pictures together. Could you expand on that ?

I can't comment on what other vendors may be doing with HDR, but can tell you that PRIV indeed uses 3 exposures in most cases. Those frames need to be aligned, composited, compressed, and saved, and this does naturally take more time than a single-frame capture. We have been continuously improving performance in this area, including a sizeable jump in performance between the off-the-shelf software and the 1st downloadable camera app update from Google Play. We are looking at further performance optimizations over the coming weeks and months.

[tickerguy]

Most so-called HDR in smartphones is two images, not three. It's supposed to be three -- one at the camera's computed exposure, one over, and one under (usually 2 stops each but that can vary.)

That BB is doing it right is to be commended. That it takes longer to do it right is expected (duh!)

[cdavisunlimited]

Most so-called HDR in smartphones is two images, not three. It's supposed to be three -- one at the camera's computed exposure, one over, and one under (usually 2 stops each but that can vary.)

That BB is doing it right is to be commended. That it takes longer to do it right is expected (duh!)

Yeah exactly. I have an HDR camera I purchased from the Play store and it does the correct 3 exposures. It also takes longer than most OEM cameras, but the results are worth it, and noticeably better.

[gizmo21]

I can't comment on what other vendors may be doing with HDR, but can tell you that PRIV indeed uses 3 exposures in most cases. Those frames need to be aligned, composited, compressed, and saved, and this does naturally take more time than a single-frame capture. We have been continuously improving performance in this area, including a sizeable jump in performance between the off-the-shelf software and the 1st downloadable camera app update from Google Play. We are looking at further performance optimizations over the coming weeks and months.

Why didn't BB feed the press with those details while shipping the review devices. Perhaps some reviews had been better or at least mentioned why some things are different

[tickerguy]

Well I'm "press" and my review will certainly go through this..... of course I have to get the device first

[cooleddie]

Please re introduce the swipe to preview gesture in the camera. Swipe to preview from the icon in the blackberry camera in bb10 was there but no longer in the Priv. That was one of the best features in BB10.

[cooleddie]

I can't comment on what other vendors may be doing with HDR, but can tell you that PRIV indeed uses 3 exposures in most cases. Those frames need to be aligned, composited, compressed, and saved, and this does naturally take more time than a single-frame capture. We have been continuously improving performance in this area, including a sizeable jump in performance between the off-the-shelf software and the 1st downloadable camera app update from Google Play. We are looking at further performance optimizations over the coming weeks and months.

Very cool. Maybe you guys can design two modes: a two exposure hdr and three exposure hdr. Let the user decide what's best

[Camelhmpz]

Please re introduce the swipe to preview gesture in the camera. Swipe to preview from the icon in the blackberry camera in bb10 was there but no longer in the Priv. That was one of the best features in BB10.

Yes, this feature is AWESOME

Posted via CB10

[ToniCipriani]

I'm responsible for the overall technical solution.
Dozens of others are involved of course -- from product, to industrial design, hardware, optics, platform, drivers, application, user experience, audio & visual designers, verification, tuning, quality, project management, partners, management, and so on. A top notch team!

Are you also responsible for the radio design? I always wondered if that was the reason that the APAC and EMEA versions lack wireless charging. Sounds more plausible than cost cutting alone.