Perhaps the only drawback of modern smartphones that spoils their appearance is the front camera. On the one hand, manufacturers cannot abandon it altogether, and, on the other hand, they cannot make it look in any way appropriate on a screen that occupies the entire front panel. So all kinds of visors, bangs, islands and other deformities began to appear, which no one has managed to get rid of so far. Needless to say about the main cameras, which take up so much space that even making them flush with the body has become a serious challenge for the designers, not to mention hiding them. But OnePlus has taken up the challenge.
OnePlus started making concepts
At CES'2020, which is taking place in Las Vegas these days, OnePlus showed its first concept phone with the uncomplicated name Concept One. But its conceptuality is not at all in the name, but in the fact that the manufacturer taught him to hide the main camera. Not in the sense that the camera has a mechanism and, like a periscope, moves out of the case and then hides back, but in the sense that the smartphone simply darkens the area where the photographic system is located and hides its presence. It looks very futuristic, although by and large there is nothing incredible there.
How the ND filter works
How the ND filter works
Dimming occurs due to the use of ND filter. In fact, it is something like sunglasses for the lens, which, however, does not change the color tint of the visible picture, but simply reduces their intensity. In traditional photography, ND filters are quite a physical object that is put on the lens, but in Concept One it was built into the structure right away. To do this, OnePlus had to apply several layers of glass covering the main camera, and supply current to it. When the current is applied, the glass brightens and the camera becomes visible, and when the current is cut off, the glass darkens and obscures the lenses.
As a result, the filter works both as a photography tool, allowing you to shoot in bright light, and as a tool to hide the camera, allowing you to turn it on or off in the settings if necessary. And since the blackout occurs in just 0.7 seconds, the transition will not cause any discomfort, for example, if you urgently need to get your smartphone and start shooting.
How to hide the camera
OnePlus technology needs some work
According to OnePlus, the fundamental goal of disappearing cameras is to enhance the aesthetic appeal of modern smartphones. After all, if earlier, when dual cameras only began to appear on the market, it was a sign of innovation, now, when the number of cameras has reached five, this combination looks rather strange, even causing attacks of trypophobia in some people. Therefore, it would be logical to start hiding the lenses so that they cannot be seen, and smartphones look more minimalistic, concluded in OnePlus.
Despite the fact that the OnePlus Concept One will not go on sale, OnePlus plans to start applying the developments that were used in its creation in commercial devices. True, it is not yet known when smartphones with built-in ND filters will start entering the market. Perhaps we will see the first experiments by the end of this year. Another thing is that the technology itself still needs to be improved, because at certain angles the lenses can still be seen even with the ND filter turned on. This means that the development of OnePlus has not yet given a 100% effect.