FP3+: New camera module still generating 12 MP pictures

Have you already updated to Android 10? The newer modules don’t work with Android 9.

I guess yes:
Rear camera
48 megapixels resolution with 12 megapixel output

6 Likes

Yes. I have android 10.

Did someone have a picture of his own FP3+ to compare ?

This is normal, yes. The sensor has 48 megapixels. It is a Quad Bayer / Tetracell sensor, which means that the resulting JPEG images have 12 MP, but ideally a higher quality compared to the previous sensor. Also, digital zoom should be feasible to a certain extent.

17 Likes

Well… i guess you right. But it’s kinda weird for someone who didn’t know.

I will be curious to see another FP3+ owner to confirm.

Trust me, no need for a confirmation. Also, you would want not want to store and handle 48 MP photos, believe me.

Smartphone photo quality is probably 80 percent software these days. So it is great and clearly a major improvement to have 4 physcial pixels available now to calculate each pixel in your photos.

13 Likes

Thanks for answers dude

Planet first :herb:

3 Likes

Just to put 12 MP into perspective: In video,

  • HD (“Full HD” as in traditional Blu-ray movies) equals 1920 x 1080 pixels = 2 MP (2.0736)
  • 4K (“Ultra HD” as in “Ultra HD” Blu-ray movies) equals 3840 x 2160 pixels = 8 MP (8.2944)

Now just 12 MP equals 4000 x 3000 pixels, so even more than 4K. A full 48 MP would actually equal almost 24 times the resolution of a Blu-ray movie.

19 Likes

Also, the information about the camera stated the output is 12mp. We don’t have the new cameras yet but were all aware of this.

3 Likes

I can confirm, my FP3+ has à 12Mpx output even with Gcam unofficial port (which is a great upgrade, mainly for nightshot)

2 Likes

Apparently this is intentional: Fairphone 3+ review: ethical smartphone gets camera upgrades | Smartphones | The Guardian

The camera shoots 12MP photos by default (combineing pixels for more light and better detail), but despite having a 48MP sensor there is no way to shoot at the full resolution.

2 Likes

Hi
I can confirm the issue. Was a bit confused if I might have mixed the modules and had the wrong one inserted…

I really don’t think this is an issue as much as a ‘didn’t bother to read the specs precisely’

4 Likes

This is intentional and isn’t an issue. Please see below the explanations given higher in this thread.

6 Likes

And I guess, that one should keep in mind, that SLR cameray (Single Lens Reflex) offering a sensor capable of 48 MP like the Nikon D850 or the Canon EOS 5D come with a full frame sensor (i.e. 36 x 24 mm) and are really demanding on the lenses.
The sensor of the Fairphone 3+ camera at 1/2.25" is about 1/14 of this size.
Even a professional SLR like the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III that is listed at 7,299 Euro with a full frame sensor has 20 MP only. So, lots of pixels are not that essential.

1 Like

Thank you! Now I understand about the 12 MP. But unfortunately I no longer know which the 48 MP module is. (Shame on me!) Both look the same. One is labeled with CT302 39034 and the other with CA193 08403. Does anyone have a tip on how I can find out which is the new one? Thanks in advance!

Maybe you find a hint on your delivery bill

2 Likes

It is not how many megapixels you have, but how great the photo looks. :thinking:

2 Likes

Here are the shop pictures, they look different. Question is whether they look this different in reality, too :wink:

New …

https://shop.fairphone.com/media/catalog/product/cache/3/small_image/420x/0dc2d03fe217f8c83829496872af24a0/f/p/fp3p_camera-front.jpg

Old …

https://shop.fairphone.com/media/catalog/product/cache/3/small_image/420x/0dc2d03fe217f8c83829496872af24a0/c/a/camera-back.jpg

3 Likes

@RaiWeKO
There is a comparison document by FP, that lists all the differences, technically as well as designwise.
(Linked on this page; and here’s the direct link to the PDF-file

The new module has the light grey outline as a kind of marker.
The moiré pattern around the flashlights might be due to the picture. At least it is not mentioned in the document.

4 Likes