Qualcomm Offers a Peek at the World’s First 8K HDR Smartphone Video

Qualcomm has posted what they call the world’s first 8K HDR video shot from a smartphone using their next-gen S8 Gen 1 Processor. The phone is believed to be the Xiaomi 12 Pro, and the video was shot along the coast of California, all the way up to the beaches of Oregon and Washington.

The phone uses Snapdragon Sight, which is Qualcomm’s brand name for their 18-bit image signal processor, which is capable to record 10-bit high dynamic range video with over a billion colors. Coupled with the 33MP Sony IMX586 image sensor and what Qualcomm has created is an 8K filming machine that can deliver professional grade cinematic results.

The 1 and a half minute video features shots that not only include wide vistas with a lot of detail but also highlight the S8 Gen 1’s ability to capture a measure of bokeh and depth of field through the camera’s video portrait mode. The camera can also take independent stills and videos from all three cameras simultaneously. One camera can capture up to 108mp, while all three can capture in concert at 36MP each.

The 8K Video may be difficult for most to use for video editing at this stage, but the benefit is that the source footage can be downscaled to 4K, which will make that footage look incredibly sharp, with even more detail than recording natively. So it’s best to shoot at the highest resolution possible and then edit using a lower resolution setting.

The sound is also rather stunning, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound capturing 24-bit, 96kHz high-resolution audio while recording in HDR. For still photos, the S8 Gen 1 can capture at 3.2 gigapixels per second, which translates to 240 12MP frames. Of which, a burst of 30 stills can be combined to create a single image with the largest possible dynamic range and color gamut.

While the video looks pretty good when hitting play, it’s important to recognize that the default setting on YouTube will compress the video down to 2160p (4K). But if you click on the sprocket icon, and then, select 4380p (8K) under quality, the highest possible quality will be played back, and it’s quite a visual treat.

Image Credit – Xiaomi

Android Phones expected to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Processor include:

  • Xiaomi 12
  • Xiaomi 12 Pro
  • Motorola Moto Edge 30 Pro
  • OnePlus 10 Pro
  • iQOO 9 Pro
  • Samsung Galaxy S22
  • Samsung Galaxy S22+
  • Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
  • OPPO Find X5 Pro
  • Realme GT 2 Pro

[source: Snapdragon]

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