Huawei P30 Pro pre-review

[Foxster]

I just ordered a new phone, a Huawei P30 Pro. This for use on hiking trips, so thought I'd jot down why I bought this phone now.

Here are the highlights that I bought it for:

A huge life from it's 4200mAh battery and power saving features. You get two days of full use from a charge when playing games, watching vids, etc. When hiking in airplane mode with a dark background, taking pictures, map-reading, etc I'm expecting it to easily last for long-weekend+ trips without charging. It also does flat-to-full charging in about 40 mins.

The camera. It has a Leica optical zoom, massive pixel rate, four cameras, darkness mode and a host of AI that means the photos are about the best you can get on a phone.

IP68 dust and waterproof. So it'll be fine map-reading in the rain.

Plus a very nice 6.47" OLED display, Android 10, alu frame, tough glass front and back, very fast processors, 6+128GB RAM, all the GPS services, wireless charging, 192g weight, ...

That all adds up to one of best flagship phones released in the last year.

But here's the 'catch'...

As you may have read, Huawei are in trouble with the US and so can't release new phones with Google services on them, which is just about everything you expect to find on an Android phone. Luckily though, this doesn't affect existing products and the P30 Pro is Huawei's last phone that still has Google stuff and that is getting Android updates.

This does cast a cloud over Huawei tech BUT this has a very nice up-side: The P30 Pro can be had (relatively) really cheap now - just £446 at WOWCamera. For a flagship phone like this, that's a steal, considering it was £900 a few months ago.

When I've used it in anger, I'll pop back with an update.

 

[Daymoth]

I find it super hard to read maps in the rain not because of waterproofness but because the touchscreen.

I had a huawei in the past and best phone ive had ( I never pay more than £200 because im an expert at destroying them).

(Just got a xiaomi redmi 8 pro and it has 4500mAh, see if the screen doesnt drain all of that. the camera is just stupid ( like who needs 64MP when you dont have a proper lense?). Only problem is the weight... at 200g it weights much more than my previous phones..... Like noticeably.)

 

[Foxster]

I hear you on the rain+touchscreen issue. The one that worked best when wet for me was an waterproof Sony Xperia, so I think phones with a waterproof rating might work better than, say, one that's just splashproof.

I've also heard that you might have more luck with a capacitive stylus or even gloves with a touchscreen spot. Not tried either though. I've also heard about applying some Rain-X to make the rain run off.

The weight is an issue of course. If you just want something to be able to make a call in an emergency then you can get a phone in the 10s of grams. If you want to use it for maps, e-books, photos, etc then the grams pile on.

 

[Diddi]

I find it super hard to read maps in the rain not because of waterproofness but because the touchscreen.

Try playing with touch sensitivity if it has that setting, turn it down if it makes your screen move randomly.

 

[EM-Chiseller]

Been using the p30 pro for a year and half...
Last update wasn't so good.
It's spoilt the camera features and seems to have reduced battery life.
Using it in the rain is nearly impossible for anything other than pictures..
Facial recognition is about the best way to unlock it in the rain.

Night pictures are tricky as it makes most of them look like it's daylight unless you use Pro mode or alter the brightness.
Overall its been a great phone. I'd have tried the p40 and still might if there's a work around for Gmail / chrome etc... Which I'm sure huawei will have or will work around it.

 

[Diddi]

Been using the p30 pro for a year and half...
Last update wasn't so good.
It's spoilt the camera features and seems to have reduced battery life.
Using it in the rain is nearly impossible for anything other than pictures..
Facial recognition is about the best way to unlock it in the rain.

Night pictures are tricky as it makes most of them look like it's daylight unless you use Pro mode or alter the brightness.
Overall its been a great phone. I'd have tried the p40 and still might if there's a work around for Gmail / chrome etc... Which I'm sure huawei will have or will work around it.

Sign in to gmail via a web browser .
And why chrome ?

 

[EM-Chiseller]

Sign in to gmail via a web browser .
And why chrome ?

I just like chrome... I'll use Firefox occasionally or huawei browser rarely.

 

[oreocereus]

Why is four cameras on a phone a thing?

 

[Diddi]

I just like chrome... I'll use Firefox occasionally or huawei browser rarely.[/QUOT

try duckduckgo a go for ease of use and total safe browsing ....

 

[Foxster]

Why is four cameras on a phone a thing?

Unless you are really an aficionado of such things (and then you'd likely use a camera instead) then some of it is bragging rights and hype.

However they do have functions and, combined, they help produce what are reportedly some of the best photos you can take with a phone.

The main has the highest resolution. The second is wide angle. The third has an optical zoom. The fourth isn't really a camera but a fancy depth-data device.

 

[Foxster]

Sign in to gmail via a web browser .
And why chrome ?

With the P40 and beyond its more than just Chrome and gmail. None of the Google services are available and several related apps such as YouTube. In fact, Play Store doesn't work so you can't install any apps except the few available from Huawei.

 

[Diddi]

Unless you are really an aficionado of such things (and then you'd likely use a camera instead) then some of it is bragging rights and hype.

However they do have functions and, combined, they help produce what are reportedly some of the best photos you can take with a phone.

The main is the highest resolution along with an optical zoom. The second is wide angle. The third is infrared. The fourth isn't really a camera but a fancy depth-data device.

Also 4 & 8k video like on my S20 with image stabilizer ...

 

[EM-Chiseller]

40mp is only available in pro mode after the p30 pro recent update.

 

[oreocereus]

The resolution war on phone cameras is an odd selling point. The cameras we used on prime time TV and a couple of big Netflix shows less than a year ago were (obviously) leagues superior and a mix of “full HD” (1080p) and 4K. Most pro photographers I know use cameras around ~20mega pixels.

 

[Davy]

The resolution war on phone cameras is an odd selling point. The cameras we used on prime time TV and a couple of big Netflix shows less than a year ago were (obviously) leagues superior and a mix of “full HD” (1080p) and 4K. Most pro photographers I know use cameras around ~20mega pixels.

Indeed, makes for ever larger and unwieldy file sizes....

 

[Hd8ekownio24ugh5]

The resolution war on phone cameras is an odd selling point.

A phone is a phone- I talk, you listen, don't you reckon, but a 'camera' allows a person to leave the bulky monster at home if (or you can be convinced) it does a satisfactory job.
For many people it is the selling point.


Until it stops working and you are cursing you left the effen camera at home.

 

[WilliamC]

Do the RAW files from the P30 still suffer from the heavy vignetting of earlier models (P20 and Mate20)?
Phone cameras are getting better all the time, particularly as sensor sizes (physically) have crept up on some of the best ones. I don't think any have reached the standard of the Sony RX100 cameras, though, particularly in respect to noise and lens sharpness, but the Sony makes a poor phone
I wish someone would bring back something like the Panasonic CM1.

 

[oreocereus]

A phone is a phone- I talk, you listen, don't you reckon, but a 'camera' allows a person to leave the bulky monster at home if (or you can be convinced) it does a satisfactory job.
For many people it is the selling point.


Until it stops working and you are cursing you left the effen camera at home.

oh I understand why people want better cameras, but resolution is one property part of image quality - it’s just that more
important elements don’t look as good as “big number = betterer” on the ad.

Cynically, it suggests to me that there isn’t enough emphasis as more important elements - sensor size, dynamic range, lens quality.

On the latter, a phone is never going to compare with low-mid range lens, simply due to cost). Which is fine for most people just wanting to take a few nice pictures for their social media and friends, but with all things equal I wouldn’t pay any more for a 60megapixel phone camera than I would a 15megapixel phone camera. In most instances, 15 is way more than enough and the files are much more manageable - so I’d probably prefer the 15.

 

[Hd8ekownio24ugh5]

Yes, but for photography resolution size is only a small part of image quality. Lenses, bit depth, dynamic range

oh I understand why people want better cameras, but resolution is one property part of image quality - it’s just that more
important elements don’t look as good as “big number = betterer” on the ad.

Cynically, it suggests to me that there isn’t enough emphasis as more important elements - sensor size, dynamic range, lens quality.

On the latter, a phone is never going to compare with low-mid range lens, simply due to cost). Which is fine for most people just wanting to take a few nice pictures for their social media and friends, but with all things equal I wouldn’t pay any more for a 60megapixel phone camera than I would a 15megapixel phone camera. In most instances, 15 is way more than enough and the files are much more manageable - so I’d probably prefer the 15.

All true.
"(or you can be convinced) it does a satisfactory job."
I was tring to infer that most people, I reckon aren't interested in photography as such, just gathering images, so a little handy item they are already carrying will suffice for them.
It makes no sense (the big MP numbers) in some cases, I reckon you are spot on.
It's not cynical of you to see through it, as I understand it, just good reasoning on your part to detect what I think is sometimes just marketing.
I still always listen out for a phone that will do a top job so I will be very interested to hear how this Huawei one does.

 

[Teepee]

The resolution war on phone cameras is an odd selling point. The cameras we used on prime time TV and a couple of big Netflix shows less than a year ago were (obviously) leagues superior and a mix of “full HD” (1080p) and 4K. Most pro photographers I know use cameras around ~20mega pixels.

The megapixel wars have been going on for years, it's no different for 'proper' camera's. 150mp; https://www.phaseone.com/en/Photography/XT-Camera-System/XT-Technology
60 mp ; https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilce-7rm4

Phone sensors have small pixel sizes in comparison to larger sensors and so suffer with much more noise. Increasing the mp's on a small sensor in phones means the phone can use computational photography to bin the noisy pixels and improve picture quality, it also helps increase image detail to help get over the relatively poor lens quality of small phone lenses.
Lots of the 'pro' cameras are around 20mp simply because the manufacturers havent found a way to write the high frame rate and consequently huge amount of date to the memory without buffering.

I notice a huge difference in image quality from my 12mp Samsung main camera on the S9 to the 48mp S10 lite, but then I look at a lot of landscapes on a large screen. Looking at them on a phone screen and the difference is not so obvious.

 

[oreocereus]

The megapixel wars have been going on for years, it's no different for 'proper' camera's. 150mp; https://www.phaseone.com/en/Photography/XT-Camera-System/XT-Technology
60 mp ; https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilce-7rm4

Phone sensors have small pixel sizes in comparison to larger sensors and so suffer with much more noise. Increasing the mp's on a small sensor in phones means the phone can use computational photography to bin the noisy pixels and improve picture quality, it also helps increase image detail to help get over the relatively poor lens quality of small phone lenses.
Lots of the 'pro' cameras are around 20mp simply because the manufacturers havent found a way to write the high frame rate and consequently huge amount of date to the memory without buffering.

I notice a huge difference in image quality from my 12mp Samsung main camera on the S9 to the 48mp S10 lite, but then I look at a lot of landscapes on a large screen. Looking at them on a phone screen and the difference is not so obvious.

Aye the pixel wars have been going on for years. But no contemporary photographers I know pay that much attention to them, as they did when digital cameras started outcompeting the possibilities of film - ie beyond specific use cases, pixel wars in both prosumer and phone cameras is aimed predominantly at the entry level market and is at least as much about being able to put a big number on a box as it is improving IQ. As said there are niche uses where extremely high pixel counts are useful, and if all performance elements were equal then a higher megapixel camera would have obvious advantages (and, for a phone, disadvantages where storage and speed is concerned).


You make some good points I didn’t acknowledge re potential usefulness of high pixel counts on phone cameras.

For the average hiker paying a premium for a phone with a nicer camera might make sense - and certainly with good skills in composition and awareness of light, good photos get taken with phones often. But if photography is a serious hobby then a similar investment will get you a far superior camera with the obvious downside of extra weight.

 

[Foxster]

What is perhaps overlooked in the pixel-count race is the more important software and multi-lens improvements that are hidden behind the scenes for those of us taking snaps.

You can now point-and-shoot some pretty impressive snaps, and video can look like you are using a steadicam. The like of this required some in-depth knowledge and skill to produce a few years ago.

 

[Nevis]

Been using iphones since they first came out but looking at a p30 pro to change things up, bit worried about transferring all my iphone stuff over... any issues to know about?

 

[Odd Man]

Been using iphones since they first came out but looking at a p30 pro to change things up, bit worried about transferring all my iphone stuff over... any issues to know about?

I've done this from Android to iPhone a couple of times for friends. That way at least it's very simple, but it still be a hassle unless you're willing to accept that outside contacts, calendar & other basics, there most likely be issue with media transfers (photos, music, etc) if you assume you can just start using them as before. Better approach is usually transfer the basics in and the build your media libraries from scratch or if you don't need them in your phone, just leave them backed up somewhere else.