Last year, the Nubia Z30 Pro has brought the selling point of three 64MP main cameras on the camera. The recently released Nubia Z40 Pro has many new attempts in imaging, such as replacing the traditional 26mm with an equivalent 35mm lens, and built-in film filters. There is no doubt that images are the genes of the Nubia Z series.
The camera hardware configuration of the Nubia Z40 Pro has certain advantages over competing products of the same price released this year. After all, only it is willing to use an 8MP periscope telephoto lens, which is equivalent to a 125mm focal length and supports OIS optical image stabilization. The main camera of Nubia Z40 Pro is IMX787 jointly customized with Sony, 64 million pixels, F1.6 aperture, 7P lens, supports full-pixel focusing and OIS optical image stabilization, the size of a single pixel is 0.8μm, and the four-in-one pixel is 1.6μm. The difference is that this main camera is an equivalent 35mm focal length, which is closer to the human eye perspective than the 26mm on ordinary mobile phones. Finally, the Nubia Z40 Pro also uses a 50MP Samsung JN1 as an ultra-wide-angle camera. This CMOS is used by everyone and will not be introduced.
Nubia Z40 Pro specs and features:
- 6.67″ 144Hz OLED Curved Screen
- FHD+ 2400×1080, 395PPI
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Processor
- 64MP+50MP+8MP Rear Camera
- 5000mAh+80W Fast Charge
- $550 – Check latest price on AliExpress (Official Store)
The first question: Why did the Nubia Z40 Pro choose a main camera with an equivalent 35mm focal length?
Friends who are familiar with photography should know that in addition to Sony and Fuji have launched many 35mm fixed-focus digital cameras, Zeiss and Leica also have many 35mm fixed-focus lenses that are regarded as classics. The 35mm focal length lens is a very ingenious presence. For camera users, the 35mm focal length lens is small, lightweight and easy to carry. The street photography lens that many people choose is basically a 35mm prime lens. At the same time, the 35mm focal length can shoot more subjects, such as environmental portraits, buildings, landscapes, and street photography. In the early days, the 35mm focal length lens was also loved by many photographers, such as Henri Cartier Bresson, known as the father of modern photojournalism, and Magnum photographer David Hurn, who used 35mm focal length to shoot many classic works.
Perhaps it is aimed at the 35mm focal length lens that can cope with the shooting of various scenes, and is also favored by many users in the professional photography industry, so the Nubia Z40 Pro chooses to use the 35mm main camera to form a differentiated selling point. While meeting the image needs of ordinary users, it can also attract photography enthusiasts who have unique feelings for the 35mm focal length.
So what is the experience of the 35mm focal length main camera on the Nubia Z40 Pro?
First of all, the 35mm focal length is not as wide as the 26mm. When shooting people or objects in daily life, most of the time, I can feel that the 35mm focal length is indeed easier to compose, highlighting the subject of the picture, and it will not be prone to edge distortion like the 26mm focal length. But objectively speaking, there will be some scenes where 35mm can’t fit, and the 14mm ultra-wide angle is too wide. Whether 35mm is a better focal length depends mainly on the subject matter of your daily shooting.
In addition to the change of perspective caused by the change of focal length, the first experience this main camera brings to me is that the imaging speed is very fast. Even in a dark light environment or when shooting some people moving, a relatively clear image can be obtained. Considering that the humanities street shooting scene itself is also changing in an instant, faster imaging means a higher rate of capture, so the Nubia Z40 Pro adopts an adaptive shutter shadow tracking algorithm. It also really enhances the imaging experience.
In the promotion of Nubia Z40 Pro, the selling point of “hardware optical blur” also attracted me. During the hands-on experience, I found that the depth of field of the photos taken by the Z40 Pro is indeed shallower than that of ordinary mobile phones. In many scenes, even if the portrait mode is not turned on, a good depth of field effect can be obtained by shooting directly. Of course, the blur performance is also related to factors such as shooting distance. For example, when shooting people and objects closer, the depth of field will naturally be shallower.
Main camera straight out
Film filter effect in humanities street shooting mode
In addition to the selling point of the 35mm focal length, another surprise of the Nubia Z40 Pro is the “Humanities Street Shooting” mode. After all, the 35mm focal length is suitable for street sweeping and humanistic themes, so you must make the best use of it. And in the “Humanities Street Shooting” mode, we can also choose from a very rich selection of filters and film effects.
Nubia Z40 Pro also has the function of analog film. This feature can give the photo a film grain effect, which makes the photo more textured. As for filters, there are a total of 14 types to choose from, including Bresson filters, Fuji replica film filters, and more. Different filters create different atmospheres and convey different emotions. The Nubia Z40 Pro’s film filter gives users more room for creativity and can better convey the creator’s intentions and feelings. However, I personally feel that there are too many filters in the camera’s shooting interface, but it is not easy for consumers to choose which filter to use for shooting. If these film filter effects can be applied directly in post-editing, it may make it easier for users to create.
In addition to the camera family, you can also get more shooting functions. For example, shooting star trails, starry sky, moon, light painting, car trails, telephoto macro, etc., some functions that require post-production can also be directly shot, such as ID photos, shape-shifting, Lingbo micro-step, Greek District Kirk, monochromatic color and other functions. By the way, Van Gogh filters and Picasso filters are all in art cameras.
How about the periscope telephoto and ultra-wide-angle experience?
Since it is positioned as an image flagship, if there is no telephoto lens, it is really unreasonable. The Nubia Z40 Pro is the only flagship phone released this year with a periscope telephoto lens. The periscope telephoto lens is equivalent to 125mm. Although it is only 8 million pixels, it has at least given its sincerity as an image flagship.
This periscope telephoto lens can shoot clear enough proofs in a well-lit scene, and this lens still supports human eye recognition and focusing, plus it has the blessing of OIS optical image stabilization, so the success of shooting The rate is still high. Of course, this telephoto lens also has room for improvement in terms of the more detailed user experience, and there is still room for improvement in this regard.
Many flagship phones this year have chosen the Samsung JN1 as the ultra-wide-angle lens, and the Nubia Z40 Pro also chose this lens. Although there is no 150° fisheye lens angle of view, the equivalent focal length of 14mm is wide enough, and it is easier for ordinary users to control their creations. The image quality of this lens during the day is acceptable, and when shooting at night, the night scene mode can also be activated to obtain a purer and brighter picture.
Other experiences
After introducing the camera, let’s talk about other experiences of Nubia Z40 Pro. The first is a curved screen with a hole in the middle, 6.67 inches, 2400×1080 resolution, 144Hz smart refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 10bit color depth, 1000 nits peak brightness, and 3000000:1 contrast ratio. The quality parameters of the screen are not bad, and there will be no color cast even if the angle is tilted.
In terms of games, Nubia Z40 Pro is equipped with Snapdragon 8 mobile platform, UFS3.1 flash memory and LPDDR5, and “Honor of King” is also adapted to 90-frame and 120-frame modes. In the 90fps mode of “Honor of King”, the heating phenomenon during full frame operation is not very serious, but the temperature control performance in the 120fps mode is obviously not as good as 90fps. In games like Genshin Impact, the Nubia Z40 Pro performs basically the same as other Snapdragon 8 phones.
The Nubia Z40 Pro is equipped with a 5000mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging. Compared with the Nubia Z30 Pro, although the charging has been reduced from 120W to 80W, the battery capacity has been increased by 800mAh. And the thickness of the fuselage has also been reduced, which is an improvement in experience.
Nubia Z40 Pro: A sincere image flagship phone
The three most important lenses on the rear camera of the mobile phone are the ultra-wide-angle, wide-angle main camera and telephoto. In general, the ultra-wide angle of the Nubia Z40 Pro is not weaker than other flagship phones released this year, and the main camera with a 35mm focal length is the most differentiated selling point. Whether it is for ordinary consumers or more professional photography enthusiasts, the photographing experience of the 35mm focal length is very friendly. At the same time, support for Fujifilm filters and various shooting functions also enhances the competitive advantage of this main camera. As the only periscope telephoto flagship phone equipped with optical image stabilization at present, the telephoto performance of the Nubia Z40 Pro is not to mention.
In addition to the sincerity of the camera’s hardware configuration, compared with many domestic mobile phones that are eager to rush to high-end, the starting price of Nubia Z40 Pro is only $539, which can be regarded as lowering the threshold for many consumers to start professional imaging flagship mobile phones.
Check the Nubia Z40 Pro price:
- Check price on AliExpress (Official Store)