The fight in the upper-middle range of Android is really tough. Most devices have similar features and manufacturers seek to differentiate them with key specifications. This is what happens with BQ and the photographic section , which has become one of their priorities. The Spanish manufacturer has been betting very strongly on the camera of its mobiles for two years, hence they have become a reference in the mid-range. The Aquaris X2 Pro has two sensors on its back with a very good luminosity. In addition, its front camera is equipped with an effective artificial intelligence system.
In our analysis of the Aquaris X2 Pro from BQ we could already see the good results offered by its camera equipment. But, taking into account that it is one of its most important characteristics, we wanted to explain to you how the Aquaris X2 Pro manages to have one of the best cameras in its range . And the best thing to do is to analyze your photographic system in detail.
The camera app
Now we will talk about the technical data and how the camera behaves in different situations. But it is important to highlight the camera application included in the Aquaris X2 Pro. It is an app that the Spanish company itself has developed.
The application is very well designed and easy to use . On the right side (with the terminal horizontally) we have the trigger, the button to switch to the front camera and video, and the Google Lens button, which we will talk about later.
A little further to the left we have the four main modes offered by the application: Auto, Manual, Portrait and Panoramic. And on the left side of the screen we can see the shortcuts to Settings, HDR, the timer and the flash.
When switching between modes, the menu on the left may vary. And if we choose Manual mode, in the lower part we will have access to the different values that we can modify: focus, white balance, ISO, aperture and exposure. That is, in a few minutes we will be controlling the application perfectly .
Correct focus and fast shooting
The first thing that has struck me about the Aquaris X2 Pro's camera is its ability to focus. It has the Dual PD system , which consists of each pixel of the sensor incorporating two photodiodes that receive the same image with a phase difference (amount of blur). When the peaks of the two electrical signals coincide, the photograph is in focus. If they don't, the system calculates exactly where to move the lens, achieving almost immediate focus even in low light conditions.
During the test time of the terminal I have not had problems to focus on any situation . In addition, the focus has always been fast, thus allowing you to take better pictures in any condition.
On the other hand, I also really liked the shooting speed of the camera . And by this I don't mean burst shooting, but the speed at which the camera is available to shoot. In many mid-range and even high-end terminals there is a slight lag between opening the Camera application and the possibility of taking the shot.
The Aquaris X2 Pro from BQ, however, allows you to take pictures as soon as you start the camera. This is due to the incorporation of ZSL (Zero Shutter Lag) technology, which takes 10 images even before we take the photo. At the moment of shooting, through Multi-Image Processing technology, it selects the best 6 and automatically merges them to get the best possible photograph. All this, of course, in tenths of a second.
Portrait mode
For some years now, Portrait Mode has been present in almost all terminals. Users want it and look for it, but not all mobiles are capable of taking quality portraits.
The BQ Aquaris X2 Pro includes a double sensor on the back that will allow us to get good portraits. The main sensor is 12 megapixels , while the secondary has a resolution of 5 megapixels.
The Aquaris X2 Pro Camera application allows us to select the level of blur we want for our portrait. It is necessary to emphasize that the Portrait mode should be used only to make, worth the redundancy, portraits . We should not use it for general photography, since the result will not be as optimal as we expect. This applies to all mobile phones on the market.
Portrait mode offers three levels of blur. We can thus achieve a softer or more pronounced blur.
Low light photography
Virtually all mobiles have problems when the light begins to be scarce. The Aquaris X2 Pro, however, achieves good results in these scenarios compared to the rest of the mid-range (which tend to suffer a lot in this type of photography).
The main sensor has a focal aperture of f / 1.8 , which allows it to capture up to 67% more light. In addition, its pixels are 1.29 μm , which translates into sharp photos with great detail even in complex lighting situations.
In the photograph you have on the text you can see how the Aquaris X2 Pro saves the situation in a garage with bad artificial lighting . The image is sharp and is much brighter than it actually was. A great job for a terminal that does not exceed 400 euros.
Front camera with smart portraits
Although the main camera of the terminal may be in the back, the front camera has been the main protagonist for some years. Social networks are flooded with selfies and any user wants to do their best.
That is why the BQ Aquaris X2 Pro incorporates SoftNeuro technology in its front camera. This system based on artificial intelligence achieves a bokeh effect with a single sensor.
To achieve this, the system detects and isolates the figures, creating an effect of depth in the background. On the other hand, the Face Beauty system highlights and illuminates faces.
SoftNeuro technology is based on Deep Learning Inference Engine , which means that it will learn the more we use the mobile camera.
As you can see in the image above, the blur achieved by the front camera of the Aquaris X2 Pro is really good . In addition, the terminal of the Spanish brand does not neglect the general quality of the photography, achieving a clear image.
Google Lens and 4K video
Finally, I wanted to tell you that the Aquaris X2 Pro from BQ is one of the first mobiles to include Google Lens . This artificial intelligence system from Google allows you to recognize objects and take actions accordingly.
Google's recognition system will allow us to know the history of a document, to identify plants and animals. Also recognize objects and be able to buy them directly from the application.
At the moment it is a system that in Spain is still in its infancy, but surely in the not too distant future it will expand its functionalities in our country.
And as for the video, the main camera of the Aquaris X2 Pro allows recording with 4K resolution at 30 fps . In addition, it has Vidhance stabilizer, a technology that analyzes, optimizes and renders the image so that the videos are more stable and with reduced battery consumption.
So you know, if you are looking for a mid-range terminal that stands out in photography, you should take the Aquaris X2 Pro into account. It is already on sale with a price of 380 euros .
