The Huawei Mate 9 Review
by Matt Humrick on January 27, 2017 7:00 AM ESTCamera Hardware & Software
Huawei introduced its first dual rear camera setup with the P9 last year. Since then, Huawei has added the feature to several more of its phones, including the Honor 8 and Honor 6X. It’s no surprise then to see Huawei’s flagship Mate 9 sporting dual cameras around back.
Like the P9, the Mate 9’s rear cameras were co-developed with Leica, the well-known German camera manufacturer. The two companies worked together, tweaking lens design and Huawei’s image processing algorithms, to ensure the captured images met Leica’s requirements. The Mate 9’s Camera app also received some input from Leica. While it offers the same features as the camera included with EMUI 4.1 on the Honor 8, it adds three film modes—Standard, Vivid, Smooth—that produce the same effects as those included in Leica’s cameras. The app also uses Leica’s fonts and colors for the UI and even replicates the Leica shutter sound.
The Mate 9’s camera module uses two different sensors. For the color sensor, Huawei uses a 12MP IMX286 Exmor RS, which belongs to Sony’s stacked BSI family. This is the same color sensor used in the P9 and Honor 8. The 20MP monochrome sensor is also made by Sony but was customized for Huawei. We do not know the exact model, but based on my calculations it most likely is one of Sony’s latest sensors with 1.0µm pixels. This black-and-white-only sensor captures significantly more light than the color sensor, because it does not have an RGB Bayer color filter array keeping light from reaching the photodiodes.
By combining the luminance data from the monochrome sensor with the color data from the other sensor, the Mate 9 produces a single image that should have better contrast and less noise than an image taken with only a single color sensor. Using two smaller sensors instead of a single large sensor to capture more light also keeps the phone thinner and avoids a big camera bump; a larger sensor requires a longer focal length, adding to the z-height of the camera module.
| Camera Architecture | ||
| Huawei Mate 9 | Huawei Mate 8 | |
| Front Camera: Resolution | 8MP | 8MP |
| Front Camera: Sensor | Sony IMX179 Exmor R (1.4µm, 1/3.2") |
Sony IMX179 Exmor R (1.4µm, 1/3.2") |
| Front Camera: Focal Length | 3.38mm (26mm equivalent) | 3.38mm (26mm equivalent) |
| Front Camera: Aperture | f/1.9 | f/2.4 |
| Rear Camera: Resolution | C: 12MP M: 20MP |
16MP |
| Rear Camera: Sensor | Color: Sony IMX286 Exmor RS (1.25µm, 1/2.9") Monochrome: Sony ? |
Sony IMX298 Exmor RS (1.12µm, 1/2.8") |
| Rear Camera: Focal Length | C: 3.95mm (27mm equivalent) M: 3.95mm |
4.04mm (27mm equivalent) |
| Rear Camera: Aperture | C: f/2.2 M: f/2.2 |
f/2.0 |
Unlike Huawei’s first-generation dual camera in the P9, which used two sensors of the same size to achieve a one-to-one mapping between pixels, the Mate 9’s second-generation dual camera uses different resolution sensors. This implies it must scale the output from one sensor to align with the pixels of the other. To see if this extra scaling impacts image quality, I compared a series of pictures at both 12MP and 20MP. The 20MP images look sharper, like a higher-resolution image should, but otherwise I could not see any significant differences in quality. The Mate 9 still does not appear to use data from the monochrome camera to improve image quality when shooting video, but it does use it when taking HDR photos.
The improved dual-core 14-bit image signal processor (ISP) inside the Mate 9’s Kirin 960 SoC is responsible for merging data from the two sensors. The biggest change here is the integration of a second ISP dedicated to calculating distance and creating depth maps. With Kirin 950/955, this ISP, which was developed with an undisclosed industry partner, was a separate component. Bringing it inside the SoC and onto its 16nm FinFET process should reduce power consumption.
The Mate 9 uses depth sensing for longer-range focusing, part of a hybrid autofocus system that also includes PDAF (fast, works well in good lighting), laser AF (good in low-light conditions at ranges up to 2 meters or 6.5 feet), and traditional contrast AF. Huawei says all four AF methods are used in parallel in order to achieve the fastest AF performance for any condition. Only the color sensor includes PDAF, so when taking black-and-white pictures, only the depth, laser, and contrast AF methods are available. Still, this system is an upgrade over the P9 and Honor 8, whose hybrid AF system did not include PDAF at all. The Mate 9 also includes optical image stabilization (OIS), a feature Huawei’s first-generation dual camera module lacked.
The Mate 9 also uses the depth data captured from its dual cameras for its simulated wide aperture feature. This allows you to change depth of field and the subject in focus either before or even after taking a picture, useful for creating a bokeh effect. The video above shows how this works using the Honor 8 (the Mate 9 works the same way). The focus point (or point of emphasis) is selected by tapping on the desired object in the image. Sliding a finger up or down on the screen adjusts the simulated aperture between f/0.95 to f/16, which determines how much of the image appears out of focus. After applying and saving the changes, the original image and depth map are retained for making additional changes in the future.
This feature works pretty well, but it works best when the subjects of the image are within 2 meters (6.5 feet) of the camera. There are some limitations, however. This feature cannot fix a blurry, unfocused image—you need to take a good picture to start with—and it cannot be used for focus stacking. Also, it’s better at blurring backgrounds than foregrounds, especially for objects farther from the camera.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
84 Comments
View All Comments
lolipopman - Saturday, January 28, 2017 - link
No mention of thermal throttling, great work, guys!Meteor2 - Saturday, January 28, 2017 - link
?? Read the review more carefully.s.yu - Saturday, January 28, 2017 - link
At least they didn't send the Samsung copycat version over for the review.Shadowmaster625 - Saturday, January 28, 2017 - link
And yet another android SoC gets eaten by apple.cokata1 - Sunday, January 29, 2017 - link
The Mediatek X30 should be a very interesting SoC to take a closer look at. I hope Anandtech does a deep dive for it. 2X A73 @ 2.8Ghz with 4x A53s and 4x A35s all on 10nm process. This should be the first Mediatek SoC that is competitive with the rest when it comes to power/watt, and we will see the A35 for the first time.thek - Sunday, January 29, 2017 - link
Hey look this website isn't dead..UtilityMax - Monday, January 30, 2017 - link
Are you guys also going to review the Huawei Mediapad M3? That was basically the only top-major-vendor brand new Android tablet introduced in the USA in 2016.aryonoco - Monday, January 30, 2017 - link
Anandtech reviews are completely losing sight of what's important.There is a whole section on "Software", where multiple paragraphs are spent talking about what the icons looks like and what this specific highlight color is. And yet there is no mention of stuff that actually matters: What Android security patch level is this thing running? Has the manufacturer committed to providing security updates on a timely basis? For how long?
What's the point of spending $600 on a device that comes with root exploits out of the box?
Now tell me, is prompt security updates not worth even a single mention in a product review?
Matt Humrick - Tuesday, January 31, 2017 - link
I discussed Huawei's update policy in our Honor 8 review, which I linked to in the first paragraph of the software section. As of today, the Mate 9 has the November security patch. Currently, I would say Huawei is about average for releasing security updates and a little below average for releasing OS updates.akdj - Wednesday, February 1, 2017 - link
Matt,I just wanted to drop a quick thanks and throw some shade your way for both a job well done and continued efforts in spite of ridiculous, incessant and from the same family of foolishness ubiquitous throughout technology review and rumor sites, forums and social media.
I'm not alone and I'm sure most here recognize just the recovery time to 'process' sites, sounds - products and future technology gleaned from another CES - which ended just three weeks ago! Not to mention 'Vegas' recovery in and of itself, travel and catch up with, what I'm sure each of you have, that 'other life'! It's obligations, responsibilities and a few hours of sleep --
Not to mention constant communications with different OEMs about product, shipping and scheduling and doing so with the offering of a completely free website run by enthusiasts who possess more knowledge in a broader expanse of tech hard and software than most of us readers and typical but focused enthusiasts interested in other areas and aspects of technology.
IMHO, the job you do for the millions each of you makes yearly;) - is nothing less than greatly appreciated by an exponential percentage that'll ever take the time to post, even register with your site - IOW; you've a huge percentage of 'happy' and 'return' visitors vs. the usually humorous and ignorance displayed by a few in your response and comments. I've long since given up responding to each bozo I disagree with, reserving my attacks for those deserving and spreading unusual, over the top BS about product to perspective users, buyers or legitimate queries
You still host a site second to not a single site when it comes to in depth, well written and researched/combined with real world usage, avoiding time to press pressure... providing amazing, compelling reviews filled with detailed objective and subjective data by authors with obvious enthusiasm for technology and it's constant march in to the future inevitably offering faster, more reliable, durable 'better' product choices every day, week, month, and years that go by...
Some'll still be feeding spiders in mom's basement, drinking Mt Dew with a serious lack of 'outdoor time' - @ 45 years old behind the anonymity of their keyboards waking daily with a single goal in mind. Belittle others, demand from anyone but themselves, and magnify their miserable (yet easily changed, bettered, and enjoyed...) existence online.
As anonymous ghosts empowered by their ability to hide in mom's basement, enjoying a false sense of security while feeding said spider;)
Take care, Happy New Year and hopefully you've had the opportunity to recover from CES, transfer your stills and video and 'thoughts/notes' to the 'mainframe' - with a chance to unwind and debrief! As always, regardless of when the A10 'deep dive' is posted, an in depth essay on the architecture of the new SD-835 or your review of the new MacBook Pro's 15" fully upgraded Touch Bar hits - whether beaten by your ten pages on Dell's XPS 15" - I'll be here, I'll read and guaranteed, I'll enjoy your time, efforts and enthusiasm for a job VERY Well Done
Thanks
Jeremy