
Forward-looking: LG is no longer manufacturing branded smartphones, but the South Korean tech giant continues to develop components for other handset makers. Its latest creation won’t be fully unveiled until the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week but we already have a good idea of what to expect.
The optical telephoto zoom camera module, or simply the optical zoom camera, from LG Innotek will deliver true optical zoom capabilities across the 4-9x telephoto range thanks to an internal zoom actuator that physically moves the lens.
For comparison, most modern smartphones utilize multiple camera that is fixed at various focal lengths and fill out the spaces making use of less desirable electronic zoom.
LG’s answer will be able to work along with an image that is optical and should reduce both the number of individual camera modules on the back of flagships and the size of the camera bump. More free space inside a smartphone could allow for larger batteries.
The Korean electronics specialist didn’t come outright and say it, but their new optical zoom camera sounds as if it’ll feature a design that is periscope-style. It has actually also already acquired a CES 2023 Innovation Award, and LG has actually partnered with Qualcomm to enhance jobs like auto-focus, auto-exposure and balance that is auto-white paired with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform.
Unsurprisingly, LG Innotek CEO Jeong Cheol-dong believes the evolution that is next of photography calls for boosting cellular digital cameras’ optical zoom. Handset manufacturers have made strides that are great regard to things like sensor technology and AI, so it only makes sense to focus on this area next.
At this rate, it might not longer be too much before we see smartphone cameras begin to rival electronic single-lens reflex (DSLR) digital cameras. That’s particularly so deciding on names that are big Nikon and Canon have already pivoted to focus on smaller mirrorless cameras.
It’s unclear which devices will be the first to utilize LG’s new zoom that is optical, nevertheless the organization stated we are able to expect you’ll see services loading it at CES.
Image credit: Omar Houchaimi, Matthias Oberholzer