94 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 65BUYING GUIDECameras
Despite the focus on gaming, the Black Shark has
a decent camera setup that is capable of snapping
impressive photos, though we do feel that it isn’t as
strong on the video front. Let us explain.
On the rear of the smartphone is a dual-camera
setup, comprised of 12- and 20Mp sensors. Both
sensors feature f1.8 aperture, and you’ll find a
dual-tone flash embedded ready to illuminate
dark environments.
The use of a dual-camera setup allows for some
advanced functionality; alongside the Portrait mode
that adds a bokeh effect to blur the background
of the photo, the 20Mp sensor offers 2x optical
zoom, much like the iPhone XS. We were especially
impressed with the edge detection in the Portrait
mode, which tends to have hit-and-miss results
depending on the manufacturer.
But while the images look vibrant and detailed on
the surface, zooming in to 100 percent reveals over-
aggressive noise cancellation at play. The details on
the bricks of St. Pancras in the opposite image are
soft when zoomed in, making it near-on impossible
to make out individual bricks or paving slabs on the
pavement. It’s not a huge issue – it’s something that
most smartphones fall victim to – but it’s certainly
worth highlighting.
It’s rare to see a front-facing camera that can
compete with the rear camera, but that’s what we’ve
found with the 20Mp front-facing snapper of the
Black Shark. The pictures taken are generally in line
with those captured by the rear-facing camera,94 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 65BUYING GUIDE
Cameras
Despite the focus on gaming, the Black Shark has
a decent camera setup that is capable of snapping
impressive photos, though we do feel that it isn’t as
strong on the video front. Let us explain.
On the rear of the smartphone is a dual-camera
setup, comprised of 12- and 20Mp sensors. Both
sensors feature f1.8 aperture, and you’ll find a
dual-tone flash embedded ready to illuminate
dark environments.
The use of a dual-camera setup allows for some
advanced functionality; alongside the Portrait mode
that adds a bokeh effect to blur the background
of the photo, the 20Mp sensor offers 2x optical
zoom, much like the iPhone XS. We were especially
impressed with the edge detection in the Portrait
mode, which tends to have hit-and-miss results
depending on the manufacturer.
But while the images look vibrant and detailed on
the surface, zooming in to 100 percent reveals over-
aggressive noise cancellation at play. The details on
the bricks of St. Pancras in the opposite image are
soft when zoomed in, making it near-on impossible
to make out individual bricks or paving slabs on the
pavement. It’s not a huge issue – it’s something that
most smartphones fall victim to – but it’s certainly
worth highlighting.
It’s rare to see a front-facing camera that can
compete with the rear camera, but that’s what we’ve
found with the 20Mp front-facing snapper of the
Black Shark. The pictures taken are generally in line
with those captured by the rear-facing camera,