Huawei Mate X7 Camera Review: Is the Hype Real?
Huawei is betting big on its camera tech, promising a revolution in mobile photography with the Mate X7. But does it deliver? We dove deep into its camera system to find out if it lives up to the lofty expectations.
This year, Huawei is sticking to its guns, focusing on a top-tier camera experience for the Mate X7, just like they did with its predecessors. If you're familiar with the Mate X6, you'll immediately notice upgrades to both the main and telephoto cameras. Let's break down the specifics.
With this new generation, the 50MP primary camera boasts a new and improved sensor, while cleverly maintaining that signature variable aperture. The telephoto lens also sees a bump, now at 50MP with a 3.5x optical zoom and a wider f/2.2 aperture. The 40MP ultrawide, complete with autofocus, remains untouched, as do the dual 8MP selfie shooters.
And this is the part most people miss... Huawei didn't just upgrade the internals. They've completely redesigned the camera bump. Remember the round module on the Mate X6? Say goodbye to that! Huawei has christened this new rectangular design the "Time Space Portal." It's a bold design choice, no doubt.
Here's the camera breakdown:
- Wide (main): 50MP, 1/1.28" sensor with 0.89µm pixels, variable aperture (f/1.5 - f/4.0), 24mm equivalent focal length, PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus), Laser AF, OIS (Optical Image Stabilization); Video recording up to 4K at 60fps.
- Ultrawide: 40MP, f/2.2 aperture, 13mm equivalent focal length, PDAF; Video recording up to 4K at 60fps.
- Telephoto (3.5x): 50MP, f/2.2 aperture, 84mm equivalent focal length, PDAF, OIS; Video recording up to 4K at 60fps.
- Spectrum sensor (2nd Gen Ultra Chroma Camera): Boasts a massive 1.5 million spectral channels for enhanced color accuracy.
- Cover selfie camera: 8MP, f/2.4 aperture, 26mm equivalent focal length, fixed focus; Video recording up to 4K at 30fps.
- Internal selfie camera: 8MP, f/2.2 aperture, 26mm equivalent focal length, fixed focus; Video recording up to 4K at 30fps.
The primary sensor is quite a beast, measuring 1/1.28". Huawei is making some bold claims, too, promising a 100% increase in dynamic range compared to the Mate X6. This sensor is paired with a lens that offers a variable aperture ranging from f/1.5 to f/4.0. Important Note: There's a version floating around in China with a smaller 1/1.56" sensor and a slightly different aperture range (f/1.4-f/4.0), but we're not reviewing that one.
The telephoto unit also gets some love. It uses a similar 50MP sensor (RYYB, for those in the know), but it appears to be physically larger than the one found in the Mate X6. The optical zoom has been dialed back slightly to 3.5x (from 4x), but the aperture is significantly wider at f/2.2.
An interesting tidbit about the telephoto lens: it utilizes a vertical periscope structure. This clever design improves light intake and manages to shrink the module size by an impressive 44%! Plus, just like before, it can focus from extremely close distances.
Huawei seems to have left the 40MP ultrawide and the two 8MP selfie cameras untouched from the Mate X6. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Thanks to the cutting-edge second-generation LOFIC CMOS sensor on the main camera and the second-generation Spectrum sensor, the Mate X7 can record Ultra HDR videos with what Huawei claims is an even greater dynamic range than what we witnessed on the Pura 80 Ultra. A high bar indeed!
The camera app itself remains largely unchanged, which might be a good thing for those used to Huawei's interface. You'll find the usual zoom toggles, a dedicated macro mode, and the ability to use the rear cameras for selfies, leveraging the cover screen as a viewfinder.
Daylight Photo Quality
Main Camera
The 50MP main camera churns out impressive 12MP photos. Expect plenty of resolved detail and vibrant colors. The dynamic range is also commendable.
But here's where it gets controversial... While Huawei promised a 100% improvement in dynamic range, we didn't quite see that level of improvement over the Mate X6. The image rendition appears fairly similar. Our main issue stems from the white balance, which can be a bit unpredictable, occasionally introducing a yellowish or greenish tint seemingly out of nowhere. This could very well be a software glitch that Huawei can address in a future update.
[Insert Main camera sample (1x)]
The variable aperture gives you precise control over depth of field and the amount of light entering the lens. It ranges from f/1.5 (widest) to f/4.0 (narrowest). The widest aperture allows for maximum light capture but results in a shallower depth of field. Smaller apertures are ideal when you need more of your subject in focus, particularly for close-up shots where the large sensor might struggle to maintain sharpness throughout the scene. The camera algorithm favored f/2.0 for most of our daylight shots.
[Insert Main camera (1x) background defocus sample: F/1.8 • F/4.0 • F/1.6 • F/4.0]
Just like on the Mate X6, you have the option to save photos in 25MP instead of 12MP. We tested this mode in good lighting conditions, and the results were quite pleasing. It's difficult to quantify, but while you don't necessarily gain more definition, the higher resolution allows for greater flexibility when cropping or enlarging the image without sacrificing quality. Best of all, there's no trade-off in other image parameters like noise or dynamic range, making it a worthwhile default setting. The file size increases by about 50% for the 25MP images.
[Insert 12MP vs 25MP: Ultrawide • Main • 2x crop zoom • 3.5x telephoto]
People shots taken with the primary camera are excellent, showcasing well-defined facial features and a flattering overall rendition.
However, some photos taken in the regular Auto mode exhibited a strange color cast that was absent in Portrait mode. We suspect this is a white balance bug.
[Insert People shots (1x): Regular mode • Portrait mode]
2x Crop Zoom
The 2x crop zoom delivers impressive results, maintaining excellent image quality, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of the 1x images. Interestingly, the 2x mode on the Mate X6 produces similarly good photos, at least in good lighting.
[Insert Main camera sample (2x crop zoom)]
People shots in the 2x mode also look fantastic, with well-developed facial features.
[Insert People shots (2x): Portrait mode • Regular mode]
3.5x Telephoto Camera
The 3.5x zoom camera captures stunning photos. The images are highly detailed, with clarity and definition noticeably superior to the Mate X6's 4x zoom camera, despite the latter having a slightly longer focal length and thus a higher level of magnification.
[Insert Telephoto sample (3.5x zoom)]
The camera app offers up to 10x hybrid zoom. Detail starts to look artificial at this level, but the image definition remains better than the Mate X6's 10x zoom.
[Insert Telephoto sample (10x zoom)]
People shots taken with this camera are consistently pleasing.
However, we noticed the same color tinge issue with indoor telephoto shots as we did with the main camera. Portrait mode photos remained unaffected.
[Insert People shots (3.5x): Regular mode • Portrait mode]
Ultrawide Camera
The 40MP ultrawide camera now saves 12MP photos, a slight increase from the 10MP photos produced by the Mate X6.
The level of detail is high for an ultrawide, and the dynamic range is excellent.
As we mentioned earlier, the X7's white balance can be inconsistent compared to the X6, and this issue is most apparent with the ultrawide camera. Given that the ultrawide hardware is identical on both phones, we surprisingly prefer the color rendition on last year's Mate X6.
[Insert Ultrawide sample]
Close-ups
The Mate X7 offers several ways to capture close-up shots, all yielding great results. You can use the telephoto camera, which can focus from as close as 5cm. Switching to 10x zoom provides even more impressive magnification.
We observed that the depth of field is noticeably shallower here than on the Mate X6, confirming our suspicion that the telephoto camera has a larger sensor, even though Huawei hasn't officially disclosed the sensor size. Technically, this makes the X6 better suited to taking nicer close-ups as it can capture a bigger part of your miniature subject in focus.
[Insert Telemacro sample: 3.5x • 10x]
Alternatively, you can use the ultrawide camera for close-ups, as it supports autofocus and can double as a macro shooter.
If you approach a nearby subject with the main camera selected, the app seamlessly switches to the so-called Macro mode, which uses the ultrawide camera with a crop that matches the regular field-of-view of the primary camera.
[Insert Ultrawide close-up (24mm)]
If you want to shoot a close-up with the extra-wide field-of-view offered by the ultrawide lens, you'll need to manually select the ultrawide camera in the app to avoid the cropping of the macro mode.
[Insert Ultrawide close-up (13mm)]
Selfies
The Huawei Mate X7 features two 8MP selfie cameras: one housed in a punch-hole on the cover screen (f/2.4) and another in a punch-hole on the inner display (f/2.2).
Both capture great-looking selfies with pleasing subject rendition, good dynamic range, and accurate skin tones. They perform admirably, exceeding expectations for their resolution.
[Insert Cover screen selfie cam]
You can also use the rear cameras for selfies, utilizing the cover screen as a viewfinder. This allows you to capture high-resolution, high-quality selfies with a naturally blurred background.
[Insert Cover screen selfie • Inner screen selfie • Main camera selfie • Main camera selfie (2x)]
Low-Light Photo Quality
Main Camera
The Mate X7's new, larger sensor on the primary camera truly shines in low-light conditions. This is where it decisively outperforms the Mate X6.
Expect highly detailed textures, excellent definition, and a slight edge in dynamic range, which wasn't apparent in daylight shots.
[Insert Main camera low-light sample (1x)]
2x Sensor Crop
Low-light 2x zoom photos also look great. The Mate X6 pales in comparison in terms of textures and definition. However, the dynamic range and color saturation are comparable between the two phones.
[Insert Main camera low-light sample (2x crop zoom)]
3.5x Telephoto Camera
While we were impressed by the telephoto camera's performance during the day, it struggled to maintain that standard in low-light situations.
The camera clearly boasts a high-quality sensor and lens, but it fails to consistently deliver good results for some reason. Whether it's an issue with the OIS or an overly aggressive noise reduction algorithm, we can't be certain. However, in low light, we prefer the telephoto images from the Mate X6.
[Insert Telephoto low-light sample (3.5x zoom)]
The 10x zoom mode is not recommended for low-light shooting. The image quality falls well below expectations.
[Insert Telephoto low-light sample (10x zoom)]
Ultrawide Camera
Finally, let's examine some ultrawide photos. They are quite pleasing, with ample detail and a good dynamic range. However, as in daylight, the white balance appears inconsistent from shot to shot, unlike the Mate X6's ultrawide.
[Insert Ultrawide low-light sample]
Photo Quality Verdict
The Mate X7 proves that its larger camera bump isn't just for show. Compared to the Mate X6, the new main camera sensor delivers better fine detail rendition in low-light photos at 1x and 2x zoom. The new 3.5x telephoto camera also captures much sharper daytime photos and excels at people shots and close-ups. We wish its low-light performance was more consistent and that the white balance, across all the rear cameras, was less prone to inconsistencies. Aside from that, the selfies are excellent as always, and the ultrawide camera doesn't disappoint, even though it's essentially the same as last year's model. Overall, it's an impressive showing from a foldable phone.
Video Quality
The Huawei Mate X7 can record videos up to 4K at 60fps on all of its rear cameras, and the always-on stabilization works exceptionally well. The selfie cameras can shoot at 4K at 30fps, which is commendable for 8MP imagers.
[Insert video playlist]
Daylight videos are excellent, with sufficient detail, but we expected slightly more. The dynamic range is wide, and the colors are accurate. Overall, the primary camera's video performance is on par with the Mate X6 in good lighting.
The same holds true for ultrawide footage.
However, we observed a definite improvement compared to the Mate X6 when shooting video at various zoom levels, such as 2x, 3.5x, and 10x.
[Insert Video screengrab: Ultrawide • Main cam • 2x crop • 3.5x crop]
Low-light videos are excellent. The main camera captures great clips with excellent dynamic range and significantly better definition and contrast than the Mate X6. The same applies to footage taken at 2x and 3.5x zoom.
The ultrawide footage is fine too, but predictably, it's on the same level as the Mate X6.
One area where the Mate X7 video recording falls short of the Mate X6 is the 10x zoom. While the 10x zoom wasn't great on the Mate X6 to begin with, it's still superior to what the X7 offers.
[Insert Low-light video screengrab: Ultrawide • Main cam • 2x crop • 3.5x crop • 10x crop]
Video Quality Verdict
The Mate X7 captures daytime videos that are largely similar to the X6 with its main and ultrawide cameras. However, we noticed a definite improvement when shooting daytime video at various zoom levels (2x, 3.5x, and 10x). Nighttime videos from the main camera at both 1x and 2x zoom were also highlights of the camera's performance.
So, what do you think? Does the Huawei Mate X7's camera live up to the hype? Are the improvements significant enough to warrant an upgrade? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! We're especially curious to hear if you agree with our assessment of the white balance issues and the telephoto camera's low-light performance.
