Huawei P9 Review

[biglouis]

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I've completed a personal review of the Huawei P9 camera functions on my website. It includes access to some full size jpeg samples. I hope you find it useful.

 

You can access the review here.

 

LouisB

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[LocalHero1953]

Thanks, Louis - a clear and useful review.

I sold my last compact (a Ricoh GRD4) last year; I found that if I was ready to carry that minimal bulk around, I was ready to carry my M+a small lens. But when I'm not willing to carry even a compact, I will have my phone, a Sony Xperia which has an excellent camera (but jpg only) and is even waterproof - I'll use it on the beach and in waves.

I'd be interested in any comments you have on the limitations of the P9 in less than good light. The Sony takes shots in good light that are seriously good in colour and detail, but the quality drops off as the light does: pixellated jpgs limit their use for anything other than casual shots indoors.

 

I'd be interested in any comments you have about performance of the P9 in less than ideal lighting, and any comparison shots between the P9 and your Q.

Have you seen any industry reviews comparing the performance of the P9 with the leading smartphone cameras?

[biglouis]

Paul

Thanks for the response - and reminding me: I meant to include two samples in the gallery which were taken in low light situations. I've updated the gallery to include them. One is at iso200 and another at iso800.

 

At web size, for social media sharing they are OK. However at pixel-peeping size they are very mediocre - which let's face it is what you would expect from a set of sensors which are so tiny and yet so dense in terms of photosites.

 

I think a comparison to the Q would be interesting but ultimately pointless. The Q is a magnificent beast which even at f1.7 and iso3200 yields very beautiful captures. Even though I was a Sony fanboy at the time I chose the Q over the RX1Rii which I still think was the best decision. It is a wonderful camera (in fact I ought to do a small review of it when I have the time).

Thanks again, I hope I've answered your questions.

 

LouisB

[LocalHero1953]

Thanks for the additional photos, Louis.

I wasn't expecting the P9 photos to compete with the Q: I was just looking for something to benchmark it against. Other smartphones would be more relevant though.

[biglouis]

Peter

 

I should have made clear that at low iso, however, the quality is very good. Not up there with say a Ricoh GR or similar compact but damn close - so close as to make very little difference. My comment about mediocre quality relates to low light levels.

 

I'm not sure how Apple do the massive posters of photographs from the iPhone I see on the Underground but nearly all are in very good light, with simple shapes (not complex detail) and heavily processed. I'm sure Huawei could do the same job with a carefully selected set of captures.

 

But as I say in the article it is the camera you have with you that gets the shot and Huawei is very capable - just not capable of supplanting my Leica Q, to be expected :-)

 

LouisB

[shutterpete]

I've completed a personal review of the Huawei P9 camera functions on my website. It includes access to some full size jpeg samples. I hope you find it useful.

 

You can access the review here.

 

LouisB

 

I tried to click on the link but isn't working. I would be very interested in this review as my P9 takes terrific pictures at low ISO.

[LCL999]

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Hi Biglouis

 

I tried very hard to access your web site, but the combination of two Captchas plus a demand for keywords defeated me. Might I suggest that your barriers are too high for real people.

 

Cheers

 

Louis

[erl]

+1

[LocalHero1953]

FWIW, as a follow up to my earlier posts in this thread, I got the P10 last year, and I've been delighted with it. Not only is the image quality (12mp dng, 20mp colour jpgs, 20mp true monochrome jpgs) excellent, but the interface is simple and intuitive for some of the more sophisticated controls one expects on a 'real' camera. I would be interested to know how much Leica's input contributed to the physical aspects of the camera and how much to the interface.

[erl]

I got a P10 as well. As a hater of phone cams, I am impressed with the P10 camera as is Paul. In appropriate settings, it is excellent. I still prefer my M's though.