Huawei’s P30 Pro just killed consumer DSLRs with 5x optical zoom

Overnight in Paris, Huawei unveiled their newest flagship smartphones, the Huawei P30 and Huawei P30 Pro. With some serious hardware runs on the board, Huawei are now going after the DLSR market in a big way.

In recent years, phones have meant we’re increasingly leaving our big cameras at home because the connected smartphone in our pocket is good enough quality and is already connected to all our social accounts, ready for quick and easy sharing.

The one remaining feature of a DSLR that smartphone cameras haven’t achieved is any kind of serious optical zoom. That was until the P30 Pro.

Huawei are offering the advanced photographic lineup so far with a 40 Megapixel Sensor that captures light more efficiently than conventional systems, combined with a sophisticated lens system.

The P30 Pro has quad camera system, made up of a 5x Optical Zoom lens, an Ultra-wide angle and an ultra-macro lens. Layer on top of those hardware photography features a little AI magic from the

Leveraging the best Leica have to offer, the camera system gives the phone the ability to deliver precise but natural wide aperture shots thanks to a dedicated ToF (Time of Flight) sensor that precisely measures the distances between the subjects and background. When combined together, these revolutionary technologies deliver an amazing photographic experience, one Huawei say is unparalleled, translation, the best photos from a phone are available right here.

When the phone is released, the big challenge will be how closely they get to the quality available from dedicated cameras. With smartphones more capable than ever and more expensive than ever, consumers are looking to reduce the number of individual devices they carry and make a single investment in a product that’ll do it all.

Traditional camera brands like Canon and Nikon have surely seen this trend coming, but the rate of innovation in the phone space has clearly surpassed that of the photography market, many years ago.

There’ll still be professional photographers who need professional level equipment, but for the average conference, wedding, holiday or birthday parties, expect the DSLR flood of a few years ago, to disappear entirely as devices like the P30 accelerates that transition to smartphone for everything.

Key features of the HUAWEI P30 Series Include:

• Cutting edge main camera featuring a revolutionary 40 MP Huawei SuperSpectrum Sensor
• A new generation Leica Quad Camera on the Huawei P30 Pro featuring a 5X Optical Zoom lens and an Ultra-wide angle and ultra-macro lens
• 5X optical zoom on the Huawei P30 Pro incorporates a revolutionary periscope system that is stabilised both optically and using AI, allowing users to get closer to subjects while maintaining a slim line design
• Ground breaking Huawei FullView OLED display featuring Huawei Acoustic Display technology to reproduce crystal clear sounds without the need for a traditional earpiece speaker (Huawei P30 Pro only)
• Class-leading battery charging performance with Huawei Supercharge technology and on the Huawei P30 Pro, compatibility with fast 15W Wireless charging including reverse wireless charge
• The largest capacity battery in its class further optimized by AI (4200mAh on Huawei P30 Pro).
• Optical fingerprint scanner built into the display on both Huawei P30 and Huawei P30 Pro

“The HUAWEI P30 Series is a fundamental breakthrough after decades of digital camera technology development; it will rewrite the rules and reshape everyone’s perception of mobile photography. Innovations such as the HUAWEI SuperSpectrum Sensor and SuperZoom Lens allow us to push the envelope of both photography and videography—a frontier long overdue for disruption. The HUAWEI P30 Series will set the pace for the next generation of smartphones by empowering people to capture the true beauty of the world around them through a device that fits in the palm of their hands.”

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer BG

“We’re thrilled to be the makers of a phone range that continues to elevate everyday photography. As Australians we’re proud of our picturesque nation. With the HUAWEI P30 Series any phone user can transform the average selfie, lighten the evening sky or capture the full view with simplicity but with consistently amazing results. Yet, while we’re aiming rewrite the rules of photography, we’re listening to all Australians’ needs – a longer battery life to keep up with our busy lifestyles and a slick design to match our fashion forward trends. The HUAWEI P30 Series is the phone for the modern Australian user.”

Larking Huang, Managing Director of Huawei Australia Consumer BG, followed,

Rewriting the Rules of Photography for Stunning Professional-grade Pictures Every Time

• The HUAWEI P30 Pro is equipped with a new Leica Quad Camera System and a new Leica Triple Camera on the Huawei P30.
• Both phones feature a 40MP main camera with the advanced HUAWEI SuperSpectrum Sensor, a 20MP ultra-wide angle camera (16MP on Huawei P30), an 8MP telephoto camera followed by a fourth HUAWEI ToF Camera on the Huawei P30 Pro. Front selfies are improved on both thanks to a 32MP front camera
• The 1/1.7-inch HUAWEI SuperSpectrum Sensor – the largest in its class – deviates from the traditional RGGB Bayer filter on most cameras and utilizes a RYYB filter configuration instead
• By replacing green pixels with yellow pixels, it helps yield a high maximum ISO rating of up to 409,600 on the HUAWEI P30 Pro and 204,800 on the HUAWEI P30. This fundamental shift in sensor technology, combined with HUAWEI AIS, OIS and the HUAWEI P30 Pro’s f/1.6 wide aperture, deliver extraordinary photography and videography experiences across a wide range of scenarios producing images with enhanced detail, color and clarity even in lower light
• Through a new periscope design, the SuperZoom Lens on the Huawei P30 Pro supports 5 times optical zoom, 10 times hybrid zoom and 50 times digital zoom. A prism element in the telephoto camera bends light at a 90-degree angle to maximise focal length while minimising camera height, without disrupting the sleek design of the phone
• The HUAWEI ToF Camera unleashes the imagination. Unique to the HUAWEI P30 Pro, it captures depth-of-field information to deliver accurate image segmentation. Precise distance measurement allows for the simulation of multiple levels of bokeh. The Super Portrait feature captures even the smallest details, such as individual strands of hair. It combines depth information and proprietary algorithms to produce outstanding images with defocused backgrounds and highlights the subject of the image in any scenario.
• Redefining Smartphone Videography

The Huawei P30 Series is a smartphone camera with truly cinematic capabilities that usher a new era in studio-grade videography. The
Huawei SuperSpectrum Sensor enables spectacular low-light video capture so night scenes appear bright and highly detailed. Huawei AIS and OIS support stabilisation resulting in perfectly steady shot in a wide range of situations.

Huawei Dual-View Video can capture two perspectives of the same scene at the same time by using multiple cameras simultaneously. The Huawei P30 Series provides a full view of a scene while also capturing a close-up of a subject, unleashing new and exciting possibilities for video.

Design

The HUAWEI P30 Series design, created with a nine-layer nano optical colour finish, is inspired by the unique color palette and pristine look of salt flats. The 6.47-inch HUAWEI P30 Pro and 6.1-inch HUAWEI P30 both come in two colours – Breathing Crystal and Aurora. The Dewdrop Display features a tiny notch, providing a maximized display area. The near bezel-less front glass houses an In-Screen Fingerprint sensor for quick and secure identity authentication. The HUAWEI P30 Pro also features HUAWEI Acoustic Display Technology that enables it to deliver high-quality audio through a sound emitting display.

Innovation

Innovation is core to Huawei’s DNA. The HUAWEI P30 and HUAWEI P30 Pro are packed with industry-leading features that set them apart in power, performance and efficiency:

• The HUAWEI P30 Series is powered by the 7nm Kirin 980 processor, that delivers ultimate performance, top-class efficiency and faster image recognition through its Dual-NPU AI processing power
• The HUAWEI P30 Pro features a best in class 4200mAh battery (typical value) and 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge that charges a device from zero to 70 percent in 30 minutes
• To improve thermal performance thus enhancing its reliability, the HUAWEI P30 Pro features HUAWEI’s SuperCool technology keeping the phone cool even during heavy use.

Availability and Pricing

Huawei says the P30 Series’ colours were inspired by the beauty of the salt flats (weird choice, but ok). The Huawei P30 and Huawei P30 Pro will available in Breathing Crystal and Aurora.

The Huawei P30 will retail at RRP AU$1,099 and the larger, P30 Pro will set you back AU$1,599.

For the first time, Optus will be the exclusive partner to provide a dual 4G SIM card compatibility on both the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro, providing users greater freedom whether its work or play.

As part of its launch in Australia, users who pre-orders the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro will receive a bonus Sonos One smart speaker, available in black and white, valued at RRP A$299 via redemption. Colour availability is while stocks last.

The offer will be available to pre-orders made from 27 March, 2019 to 15 April, 2019. Terms and conditions apply. To redeem and for full terms and conditions, visit huaweipromotions.com.au.

Tech Specs

To some considering the P30 and P30 Pro as their next phone, the hard and fast specs can be the difference between pre-ordering now, or looking at the competitiors. That’s why we’ve included the specs below.