Review: ZTE Nubia Z9 Mini’s camera steals the show
ZTE Nubia Z9 Mini packs in a powerful camera. Don't take our word for it. See what our photographer has to say
Smartphone cameras have pretty much negated the need for carrying a point-and-shoot camera for clicking good pictures. An indication of this are the mid-range phones launched in the last 12 months, all of which take vibrant images.
ZTE launched the Nubia Z9 Mini on 19 May; it packs in 16-megapixel camera. The phone uses a Sony IMX234 Exmor RS sensor, which has six precision optical lenses stacked one over the other, a large 2.0 aperture which should improve low-light shots and some additional features, such as adjustable shutter speed (useful for fast-moving scenes and sports) and multiple camera modes. The phone is available on
Amazon.in for ₹ 16,999.
We used this camera in varied conditions, and the results were impressive.
Daylight shots: detailed and colour accurate
The colour reproduction and the level of detail in images show that the camera is very capable in good light conditions. The different colours of tiles on the pavement can be seen clearly, and you can also read the shop boards (next to the petrol pump) clearly—you can read Airtel and Micromax, for example. Good detailing and clarity is impressive.
Close-up: easy to focus
Wide angle: captures a wide range of objects
The crisp detailing around the frames adds a lot of value to this photograph, and the Nubia Z9 Mini can be used for landscape photography. The details, right down from the seeds on the floor, to the detailing on the windows in the building behind, are well reproduced. Even though the traffic was moving at high speeds, there is no blur or lack of clarity around each vehicle captured in the background.
Depth of field: adds variety
When using this mode, the camera effectively blurs the objects in the background, increasing the focus on the primary object. The mode also allows users to set how much blur they want in the background. A rather interesting mode, if you are taking close-up shots of a person or object.
Slow shutter: handy for sports
The slow-shutter mode is an excellent option if you want to capture a busy and fast-moving scene, such as the traffic we have captured here. Fast-moving cars are reproduced without any motion blurs, almost to the level that they may look stationary. However, we do notice some noise on the road surface in the areas where there is a shadow, and the edges around the scene look a bit too soft.
Indoor shots: not bad but a little blurry
If you are taking photographs indoors, you will need to be careful about reflections. Colours look good, though.
Selfie: good for selfies but a little soft
The phone features an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with Sony Exmor sensor. The images looks soft when used indoors but capture details like face lines very well. It is also fast and offers some modes like smile and face detection.
Our staff photographer Priyanka Parashar’s take:
“Nubia Z9 Mini has a user-friendly camera. There are settings for professional photographers, which allow one to adjust settings like ISO, white balance, exposure and speed. For an amateur, there are various simple and easy-to-find modes and filters. One can improve the photo quality by using the options available in the settings. Some of the options are depth of field, continuous capture, shutter priority and grid mode. The image quality is sharp and so is the shadow exposure—shadow areas do not look completely dark. The camera can record good videos. However, the camera heats up a little after 10-15 minutes of continuous use."
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