More and more manufacturers are bragging that their phones have Time of Flight (ToF) cameras. But what are ToF cameras, how do they work, and why would you want one in your smartphone?
ToF Cameras Have Extra Depth Resolution
At a very basic level, ToF cameras are just regular HD cameras with an increased depth resolution. In fact, phones like the 2019 Huawei P30 Pro sport a depth resolution that’s four times better than conventional cameras. While “depth resolution” may sound like confusing photography jargon, it’s actually easy to understand. A camera with high depth resolution can differentiate between objects that are nearby (in the foreground) and far away (in the background).
In photography, this idea of foreground and background is called depth of field. It’s what creates a sense of realism or focus. Objects that are nearby look sharp, with clean outlines, while far away objects look slightly blurred.
With a ToF camera, photographers have more options for controlling their depth of field. Of course, you don’t have to be a photographer to benefit from a ToF camera’s increased depth resolution. Automatic camera settings, when paired with a ToF camera, should produce stunning images with a well-defined foreground and background. A ToF camera could also be used to produce a stunning video with advanced image stabilization or to increase the accuracy of your Instagram filters.
Additionally, a phone’s ToF camera could be used for advanced facial recognition, gestures, and AR video games. Remember how Pokemon Go uses your camera to place a Pokemon in your environment? ToF cameras can make that feature a lot more convincing.
This Technology Isn’t New
Oddly enough, ToF cameras have been around since the late ’70s. It’s just taken a while for the technology to become cheap and convenient enough for consumer applications.
In the past, ToF cameras were used for topographic mapping, industrial machine automation, and automatic doors. But the technology made its way into many homes (including yours, probably) back in 2014. The Xbox One’s Kinect uses a ToF camera to identify faces and track hand gestures accurately.
As of April 2019, there are only a few phones that have built-in ToF cameras, like the LG G8 ThinQ, the Honor View 20, the Huawei P30 Pro, and the Oppo RX17 Pro. These phones are marketed toward photographers and geeks, but they’re setting the standard for future phones, including Samsung and Apple’s 2019 and 2020 releases.
Okay, ToF cameras are super cool, and they’ve existed since the release of Star Wars. But how do they work? Why do they have such a great depth resolution?
ToF Cameras Use Lidar to Measure Depth
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Source : What Is a Time of Flight (ToF) Camera, and Why Does My Phone Have One?
