Smartphones have become real camcorders for the general public. Depending on the model, certain options are available or not and the quality is more or less there. Discover our 4K video test as well as some observations and remarks…
To begin, as i wrote here, a video test is inherently more complex than a photo test. The device opposite illustrates the means we used to achieve our ends. But this is just the tip of the iceberg!
Delicate comparisons
Besides the framing questions too already mentioned in this text, we were faced with different format or coding problems. We have favored maximum 4K at 60 frames per second for better comparability, but it is not always so simple …
On Samsung, for example, if super stabilization is activated, the resolution changes to Full HD without a clear message to the user. In addition, even on Android, the configuration of the options is not always the same, which complicates the settings. And we are not talking about the potential of HDR 10, sometimes offered, often grayed out, etc. We have therefore systematically chosen the most compatible file mode.
Some ways to test 4K video from smartphones…
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The problem of slow motion
Sometimes, we navigate a little blind, as for the choice of slow motion. And it happens that we can not do everything we want due to different limitations of the manufacturer, like the Samsung Galaxy S20, where I had to give up the most efficient slow motion mode, but who chooses him – even the sequence to slow down, like at Huawei.
In the end, the video test opposite, which reproduces four sequences of Full HD resolution when viewing 4K on YouTube is quite instructive. To interpret it well, you have to look at the sharpness (especially in the foliage), the stabilization capacities, the colorimetry, etc. Make up your own mind.
Xavier Studer
Oppo Find X2 Pro vs Huawei P40 Pro vs Samsung S20 Ultra 5G vs Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max: the slow motion test.
