Huawei patents variable aperture camera design for smartphones

Huawei Mate 40 Pro close-up of the camera hump

Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

TL; DR

  • Huawei has filed a patent for a smartphone camera design with a variable aperture.
  • The camera system uses a six-leaf bezel design to increase or decrease the bezel.

Huawei has applied for a patent for a smartphone camera with a variable aperture.

Seen from LetsGoDigital, the patent design uses a six-leaf membrane design. By moving the slats in or out, the smartphone could enlarge or reduce the aperture and control the amount of light that hits the camera sensor. Unlike fixed-aperture cameras, this would also allow the phone to control the depth of field effect in a snap.

It is noteworthy that Samsung implemented a similar system on the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 9. These devices had two aperture settings, namely f / 1.5 and f / 2.4. Sony recently introduced two aperture settings for the telephoto lens of its flagship Xperia 1 III. It is unclear whether Huawei’s design will also be limited to two aperture settings or whether the apertures can be controlled more smoothly.

Huawei patented design with variable aperture

While Huawei’s design would add some bulk to a smartphone’s camera array, the benefits might be worthwhile for more serious phone photographers. There’s no word on what sensors or lenses Huawei could pair this aperture system with, and the hardware that goes with it would also play a crucial role, but it could be great for low-light photography.

See also: The Best Camera Phones You Can Buy Right Now

Of course, more and more brands are circumventing the limitations of low light by increasing the sensor pixel sizes or simply using designs with a fixed larger aperture. These solutions do not require movable diaphragm blades.

It is unclear whether Huawei will introduce this design in future smartphones. The existence of this patent does not specifically guarantee that the company will use it. However, Huawei has traditionally pushed the limits of photographic performance with its flagships. It remains to be seen whether this design would have a significant impact.

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