AmateurPhotographer

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS COLUMN ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE OR TIME INC. (UK)
The P9 is Huawei’s brand-new
fl agship smartphone and its
built-in camera is unusual in
more than one way. First, there
is the technology side to consider. The P9
comes with a dual-camera concept that
we haven’t seen on a
smartphone before. There
are two camera modules,
each with a 12-million-pixel
resolution. One captures
images on a conventional
RGB sensor, while the other
uses a monochrome sensor
that does away with the
colour fi lter array and can
therefore record better detail.
In simple terms, by using
a clever software algorithm
to combine the colour
information from the
RGB sensor with the
monochrome chip’s superior
detail, the P9 can, at least in
theory, produce image output that shows
better detail and lower noise levels than
its rivals’ conventional cameras.
I haven’t had a chance to test the P9
yet but fi rst samples look promising, and
even if fi nal image quality turns out not to
be as great as expected Huawei deserves
some kudos for being the fi rst major
manufacturer to take this innovative
approach. With limited space in
smartphone bodies preventing the use
of larger sensors, this concept could take
mobile imaging to the next level.
There is something else unusual about
the P9 camera, though: its branding.
Next to the camera lens on the phone’s
backplate you’ll fi nd a Leica Summarit
badge, suggesting the German
manufacturer of exclusive photo gear has
had some major input in the development
Viewpoint
Lars Rehm
Huawei should let the innovative camera in
its P9 smartphone do the talking and not the
premium badge on the device’s backplate
ÔLeica users will hate
their cherished badge on
a mobile phone no matter
how innovative it isÕ
and production of the
P9 camera and lens.
However, digging a little
deeper reveals that Leica
has neither designed nor is
it manufacturing the P9’s
camera. It has simply
certifi ed its design. That’s
not too much of a surprise,
as most photographers
would associate Leica with
outstanding craftsmanship
and superior optical design,
but not so much with
innovation in the digital fi eld.
At the end of the day it’s
probably fair to assume that
Huawei has simply paid a decent amount
of money for being allowed to put the
Leica name on its device – but not the
famous red dot!
This is not unprecedented. Other
mobile manufacturers have used Zeiss
or Schneider Kreuznach branding in an
effort to boost the credibility of their
camera offerings. However, in the case
of the Huawei P9 it seems especially
inadequate. Leica users will hate the idea
of their cherished Leica badge adorning
a mobile phone, no matter what brand
or how innovative it is. Meanwhile, most
Huawei customers probably have only
a vague idea of what the Leica brand
represents in the camera world.
So, Huawei, great job on the camera
design, but let the images speak for
themselves, and worry less about badges.
Lars Rehm is a freelance photographer and writer
contributing to publications in the US, UK and Germany.
In his former role as part of DPReview’s testing team,
he shot with countless digital cameras of all shapes
and sizes but nowadays he captures the majority of his
images with a smartphone. Visit www.larsrehm.com
or follow him on Twitter @larsrehm
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New Books
The latest and best books from the
world of photography. By Oliver Atwell
The Documentary Impulse
by Stuart Franklin, Phaidon, £19.99, hardcover,
216 pages, ISBN 978-0-71487-067-0
THERE has perhaps never been such a
powerful image of defi ance as that of
Stuart Franklin’s 1989 photograph of
a lone student standing against the
might of a military tank in Tiananmen
Square, Beijing, China (above). Now,
the Magnum photographer has taken
on the task of exploring our drive to
document the world and the ways we use images in art,
literature and science to communicate our feelings
about politics, people and cultural history. The book
serves not just as a history of documentary, but it also
explores the psychological need that lies behind it –
curiosity, rage, the desire for reform and the almost
primitive need for ritual. Franklin also takes time to
explore how the documentary genre has changed as
the parameters of technology and people’s access to it
have shifted. Through this, the author is able to suggest
where the future of the recorded image lies. This book
of theory and practice is a volume that requires
in-depth investigation and meditation, and is highly
recommended. ★★★★★
Mastering Exposure
by David Taylor, Ammonite, £19.99, paperback,
176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78145-205-9
THERE are a number of books
on technique in the market, as
any cursory glance over the
photography section at your local
bookshop will testify. Many are
aimed at the absolute beginner
but the difference with this book,
from photographer and writer David Taylor, is that it is
geared much more towards the experienced amateur
photographer. It assumes the reader has a basic grasp
of the fundamentals of exposure, and uses this as the
book’s lead-off to look at how photographers can take
their photography to the next level. Subjects such as
metering, fl ash and colour are treated in-depth, and
are all accompanied by Taylor’s clear advice and
illustrative images. While the internet may be close
to making books like this redundant, there is still
something so much more appealing about a contained
physical guide to help you on your way. ★★★★★
© STUART FRANKLIN/MAGNUM PHOTOS
8 14 May 2016 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113