IFA GPC 2018: This phone will ‘inspire you to see the world to take more photographs’

So what’s so special about the camera inside the Huawei P20 Pro phone?

IFA GPC 2018, Rome: “It’s a smartphone that inspires you to take more photographs, and to inspire you to see the world to take more photographs.”

Smartphone cameras are getting more and more professional-grade features, but the new 6.1-inch Huawei P20 Pro is getting talked-up a lot in Rome as the ideal camera for travel. But is it?

“It has at its heart a Leica triple camera set-up and a massive 40 megapixel colour sensor as well as a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor,” said Peter Gauden, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Huawei. “The third lens is an 8 megapixel telephone lens that allows you to get closer to your subject without having to get closer to your subject.”

“It offers five times lossless hybrid zoom without any loss of definition,” he added.

Huawei also presented some results from its surveys of phone users, revealing that 85% of people surveyed want a camera that gets the best shot regardless of light conditions, and that 86% wanted the ability to zoom in without losing definition.

However, it’s the AI that’s making the real difference. “We’re driving the bridge the skills gap using AI,” said Gauden. The P20 Pro recognises 19 scene modes, among them cat, dog, food, group, night shot, and fireworks. Crucially, it switches into these modes automatically, so if you hold you camera close to something, the P20 Pro will go into macro mode automatically.

With the AI system also gives you a horizon line, so if you’re off the angle it will correct you with a guideline on the screen. “It tries to improve the aesthetic appeal your photo,” said Gauden. “It adjusts itself automatically so you can take the perfect picture.”

If you want to take a long exposure image, normally you have to use a tripod. If you’re on a rooftop bar and you want that perfect nighttime shot, you can use the P20 Pro . “We’ve eradicated shake from a four-second shot, so you can hold the device in your hand and take a long exposure photo,” said the spokesperson. “We can even hold the shutter open much longer to take an amazing night-sky shot.”

The latter remains to be seen – we’ve heard this claim from many smartphone makers before – but it’s proof that phone cameras and very quickly eating into the DSLR and mirrorless camera market.

IFA 2018 will take place in Berlin from 31 August to 5 September, 2018