Are dual cameras just a scam trick?

Kmodo · 25 Jul 2018 at 13:27

Not been following tech closely for the past few years due to life stuff like having kids etc and I naively bought the larger S9 (S9 Plus) based on the dual cameras. Reviewers had said it switches to the second camera for the 2x zoom, that the second camera is used for taking different focusses etc "this sounds awesome" I thought.

Well it arrived yesterday and first thing I do is cover the top lense and go 2x zoom...image still covered. Shocked I then start taking photos on all the modes with the second lense uncovered and then covered to compare. I genuinely could not tell the difference!

Have I just fallen for a scam marketing trickery and if not, please can someone give me some examples that I can try and replicate to show the second camera is actually doing something? (Covered, uncovered)

Thanks!

Sp00n · 25 Jul 2018 at 13:52

Telephoto lens is only used in bright daylight iirc so my guess is you tried it out indoors.

Kmodo · 25 Jul 2018 at 14:13

Yes I was indeed doing this indoors (I assumed it was as simple as 2x zoom = bottom camera and not light dependent) so I'll get retesting this outdoors!

insane200 · 25 Jul 2018 at 16:53

Cant speak for the S9 but my Nokia 7+ zoom lens will work in any light, if i cover it with my finger the screen blanks as expected, LG phones normally use one lens for standard shots and the other as a wide angle.

I find the 2X really good on my phone.

MrRockliffe · 25 Jul 2018 at 16:57

LG have the most versatile and useful setup, having used one of each (zoom, wide angle and monochrome).

Imagine a pixel with a wide angle secondary - would be a killer feature for sure.

Hades · 27 Jul 2018 at 14:02

I have an LG V20. It uses one camera for standard photos and the second for wide angle. It works really well.