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5 fancy phone camera autofocus technologies: from lasers to phase detection

By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Mar 13, 2015, 6:33 AM

5 fancy phone camera autofocus technologies: from lasers to phase detection

Phase detection auto focus, lasers, infrared, focus pixels - a smorgasbord of smartphone camera focusing technologies has appeared lately, and each one promises to be faster and better than the others.

Samsung kicked it off with the PDAF tech in the Galaxy S5, then LG introduced us to the Laser Auto Focus, Lenovo planted an infrared focusing system on its upcoming Vibe Shot, and Sony is ready to put its own embedded focusing tech to good work.

Which one is fastest and bestest, though? While there is no clear-cut answer here, as those serve different focusing purposes, we thought we'd list the current crop in the slideshow below with a few words about each, in the hope to bring some clarity into the marketing speak of the smartphone makers. Check them out below.

5 current smartphone camera focusing technologies

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.

5 fancy phone camera autofocus technologies: from lasers to phase detection

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