Has the HUAWEI P30 Pro Just Rendered Your Digital Camera Obsolete?

There are still camera traditionalists that walk among us that prefer using a dedicated digital camera for most photos they shoot. HUAWEI’s launch this week in Paris for the new P30 Pro Android smartphone looks to challenge that view.

At a glance, some of the key features of the HUAWEI P30 Pro include:

6.47 inch HUAWEI FHD+ OLED Display
In-screen fingerprint sensor
AI-powered Leica Quad Camera System with HUAWEI SuperSpectrum Sensor, Ultra-Wide Angle and SuperZoom Lens
Main camera: 40 MP + 20MP + 8MP sensor
Front camera: 32MP
High capacity 4200mAh that supports the new generation SuperCharge Technology
High speed wireless charging compatible
Reverse wireless charging capable
256GB built-in memory
IP68-rated and completely dustproof and water-resistant up to 1.5m
Dual 4G SIM Card Slots
Kirin980 dual AI 7nm processor
Android 9.0 featuring EMUI 9.1

An impressive array of hardware components and functionality but let’s take a closer look at the photography side of things. The Leica Quad Camera System builds on the successes of previous models to deliver better and more realistic image captures than before. This is achieved through their 40 megapixel Super Sensing camera coupled with the HUAWEI TOF (Time-of-flight) camera.

The P30 Pro supports a 5X optical zoom, 10X hybrid zoom and an impressive 50X digital zoom. The camera AI helps with image stabilization which becomes more accentuated as you increase the zoom level.

At 1x
Within hybrid zoom range

If you want to go the other way and zoom out, the Ultra Wide Angle lens promises to redefine wide perspectives. This mode makes it perfect for landscape shots – showing the vastness of the ocean, city skyline etc…

0.6x Zoom (Ultra Wide)
1x Zoom
5x Zoom
10x Zoom
50x Zoom

Panoramic photos at the Chateau de Versailles looked great as well

These are all great features for taking photos outside and during the day but what about under low light or at night? This is where the HUAWEI SuperSpectrum imaging technology combined with its powerful AI takes the hassles out of trying to get that perfect low light shot.

Camera automatically focused on the brightest part of the scene
Changed the focal point to be in the dark areas

Likewise, night shots couldn’t be easier on the P30 Pro thanks to the new imaging sensor technology used.

Eiffel Tower – Photo Mode
Eiffel Tower – Night Mode

Macro photographers haven’t been left out either. You can bring the finest details to life by be able to shoot as close as 2.5 cm from the object. The AI in several cases can also identify the subject and adjust camera settings accordingly.

One question that seems to keep coming up in HUAWEI events is the move away from a dedicate monochrome lens. According to the company, the advances in lens technology now outweighs the benefits of needing a dedicated black and white lens. As we have seen from the photos that we took, the P30 Pro didn’t lack in capturing vibrant colours. The quality of black and white photos were no different.

Chateau de Versailles – B&W
Chateau de Versailles – B&W

Finally, how could I almost forget the 32 megapixel super selifie camera. With F2.0 optics and a 32 megapixel high sensitivity imaging sensor you can take selfies with great natural colour reproduction. Be warned though, you may want to turn the beautify feature off as it smooths out your skin to the point it looks like a SnapChat filter has been applied.

Overall, I found the camera features of the HUAWEI P30 Pro to be fantastic. I took the phone around Paris and took a range of photos. Most people don’t explore all the advance features of their phone camera so I took the same approach of point and click. Do I think it renders my digital camera obsolete? In 80-90% of my use cases, most definitely.

Hope you enjoy the P30 Pro gallery below.