Pixel binning is a term that you have probably seen while researching your next camera phone. But, what is pixel binning? And, how does it improve your camera performance?
To know about pixel binning, you need to know what it is and where you can find it.
What is pixel binning?
Pixel binning is a feature that has gained popularity in recent years for its ability to increase image quality without forcing manufacturers to use larger sensors. Chances are that if your phone’s camera claims a large number of megapixels, it also takes advantage of pixel binning.
Smartphones typically carry smaller sensors than cameras to keep devices thin. Smaller sensors mean smaller pixels and the problem with smaller pixels is that they cannot capture light the way big pixels do, which means you can find your images ruined by noise in poor light conditions Huh.
Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra
This is where pixel binning comes in. This feature allows your smartphone to collect data from multiple adjacent pixels and combine them into a larger pixel. This leaves you with a larger sensor that is able to capture more light without the manufacturer having to upgrade the size of your sensor.
The idea is that you make better quality images with less noise even in low light environments.
It also means that when you buy that phone you won’t be thinking about the megapixels you signed up for – at least not by default. Because the process of pixel binning requires mixing several small pixels together into one large pixel, the resulting shot may contain one-fourth or even less of your sensor’s megapixel. For example, if you’re shooting with a 48-megapixel sensor and pixel binning divides your pixel count by four, you can only live with 12-megapixel shots.
That said, those images should be of better quality than those taken with a standard 12-megapixel camera phone with a smaller sensor.
Most phones that use binning let you turn it off and shoot with all the megapixels available. However, we have found that it often gives poor results, as well as taking up more space on the phone due to larger files.
Which phones use pixel binning?
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is an example of a recent high-end phone that takes advantage of pixel binning.
However it is also very common on the cheaper end of the market, especially on some of the best mid-range phones – such as the OnePlus 9.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a 108-megapixel wide-angle sensor with pixel binning as its primary shooter. Samsung uses a binary of its pixel version, called “non binning”, to combine nine smaller pixels into one larger one. This leaves you with a 12-megapixel image. The standard Samsung Galaxy S21 also produces 12-megapixel images, but uses pixels larger than the received Go, limiting the amount of time you can capture compared with the S21 Ultra’s 108-megapixel camera. .
Other companies known to use pixel binning in their smartphones include Xiaomi Mi 11 and Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra along with Huawei, OnePlus and Xiaomi. Realme also introduced Realme 8 Pro with 9-in-1 pixel binning.
If you are looking for a new phone, then make sure to check out our guide to the best phones, the best Android phones and the best camera phones.
staff Writer
Hannah joined Reliable Review as a staff writer in 2019 after graduating from Royal University, University of London with a degree in English. He also worked and studied in the US, holding positions …
