HTC One UltraPixel camera: Why 4-megapixels?

The HTC One packs a low resolution sensor, and impressive UltraPixels within, but what does it all mean?

With the HTC One, HTC has introduced a couple of new bits of terminology to the mobile camera world.

The first is UltraPixel, and the second, HTC Zoe. If you're interested in the latter, check out our HTC Zoe article. We give you HTC's official line on its HTC One shooting mode and then translate their marketing jargon.

If you're here for the HTC UltraPixel, the reason behind HTC's decision to go with a lower resolution sensor and more broadly, the tech behind the camera, just keep reading.

HTC One: UltraPixel

Kicking off with the HTC One camera module and it offers a very unconventional camera phone. Not only does it deliver a surprisingly low pixel count for a flagship - around 4-megapixels - it also touts a new pixel type dubbed the UltraPixel, as well as optical image stabilisation.

Before we go any further, we're going to demystify a couple of things:

1. More pixels isn't always better - so don't be put off the HTC One


2. An UltraPixel is just a big pixel - there's no magic behind the term

With that in mind, lets talk numbers.

The HTC One sensor size is about the same size as the sensor found on the Sony Xperia Z or the Apple iPhone 5 - 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel sensors respectively.

A pixel is a dot collecting light on the sensor. One megapixel is a million dots collecting light on the sensor. 8-megapixels are therefore eight million dots, and 13-megapixels thirteen million dots.

Sensors are tiny. Too many dots can overload an image. Here's how:

The space each dot has on a sensor affects its light gathering properties. The more space it has, the better.

Light is image. The more light a dot, or pixel can gather, the more integrity its representation of the image has.

Thirteen million dots, a la Sony Xperia Z will allow for considerably less light gathering per pixel than the four million dots in the HTC One. Poor pixel performance results in noise and heavy post processing.

And that's why HTC made their sensor 4-megapixels - so each pixel could work better.

There are other added benefits to lower-res pictures. They process quicker, they take up less space and they are closer to your screen's resolution.

Video also benefits from UltraPixels in theory. It potentially results in a wider angle video and the additional pixel size means you'll get better low light performance.

HTC One: Why call them UltraPixels?

Because, when compared to other mobile phone cameras and many compacts, they're astoundingly big - not much smaller than each pixel on the prosumer Canon S100.

So while pixel count is important if you have a nice large SLR sensor, with a mobile sensor, HTC suggests in their HTC One that 4-megapixels is the sweet spot.

HTC One camera: Specs

Remaining specs of the camera include an f/2.0 aperture lens as found in the HTC One and One S, as well as multi-axis optical image stabilisation for both front and rear facing cameras.

You heard right - optical image stabilisation for both front and rear facing cameras.

This means night time performance should be pretty incredible, and video calling in poor lighting and while on the move should be realistic options.

Naturally, as with any camera, specs aren't everything and we'll have to wait until we get it in before any conclusive opinions are drawn. That said, photo enthusiasts are rejoicing at HTC's revised approach to mobile imaging and we're more excited than ever to get an HTC One in for review.

by via Know Your Mobile