Huawei P20 Pro Review

April 10, 2018 | Amy Davies | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The P20 Pro is the latest flagship smartphone from Huawei. It is the world’s first smartphone to use a triple-camera setup, which have been designed in conjunction with premium photography brand, Leica.

It follows on from the P11, jumping to the larger number in order to signify a jump in technology, particularly in reference to the camera/s.

As well as the P20 Pro, Huawei also launched the P20 and the P20 Lite at the same time - only the Pro has the three lens setup. The main camera is a 40 megapixel RGB lens, which is joined by a 20 Megapixel Monochrome lens, which is used to add detail (and can also be used standalone in Monochrome mode). Finally, there’s also an 8 megapixel sensor with a 3x (80mm equivalent) lens, which you can use to “optically zoom”.

With this phone, Huawei are targeting photographers more than ever before. Not only are there three lenses, there are lots of other specifications which are likely to appeal to those with a keen interest in photography. You can shoot in manual mode, as well as in raw format, while the standard shooting mode uses Artificial Intelligence to recognise the subject and apply the most appropriate settings to get the best shot - we’ve seen this before in the Huawei Mate 10, but there is now at least 500 recognisable scenarios in 19 different categories.

The Huawei P20 Pro will be available for around £799 if you buy it sim free. Many networks are also offering various deals if you take out a monthly contract.

Let’s find out if the P20 Pro really is the ultimate smartphone for photographers…

Ease of Use

Huawei has gone for an extremely stylish design with the P20 Pro, giving it beautifully rounded edges, a symmetrical look and using very shiny material. It is available in black, blue, pink and twilight - the latter two are gradients, rather than a solid block of colour. The only downside of the sleek design is that the device is very slippy - placing it on a smooth surface (such as a sofa) makes it prone to falling off - we’d certainly recommend purchasing a case if it all possible.

The Huawei P20 Pro is just 7.8mm thick, but despite this, Huawei has managed to squeeze in a high-capacity 4,000mAh battery. In practice this lasts at least a day with heavy usage, but you can eek out even more if you’re using it more lightly.

As is the fashion for most modern smartphones, the Huawei P20 Pro has been designed to have the least amount of bezel possible. At the top of the screen it uses a notch, rather like the iPhone X, to house the selfie camera. Unlike the iPhone X however, the notch is much smaller, leaving more room either side of it for notifications to appear.

The fingerprint scanner is found on the bottom of the the screen, which is a different from the Mate 10, which has the fingerprint screen on the back of the phone. Whether you prefer it at the bottom of the screen or on the back is down to personal taste, but it feels a little more awkward to use than the Mate 10 as your finger naturally rests on the back of the phone anyway. You can also set up the phone to recognise your face to unlock the phone.

Huawei P20 Pro
Front of the Huawei P20 Pro

The three camera lenses are found together in the top left corner of the back of the Huawei P20 Pro, which is something to bear in mind if you are holding the phone as you might an ordinary camera.

From the lock screen, you can activate the camera by swiping up from the bottom right hand corner of the screen. You’ll be able to take as many photos as you like, but you’ll only be able to see images you’ve taken in your current shooting session - fully unlock the phone to see the rest of your images. Alternatively “Ultra Snapshot” mode can be activated by double pressing the volume down key - the camera will launch and take a shot in as little as 0.3 seconds.

Once you have launched the camera app, you’ll be met with a variety of different shooting options. By default, you’ll shoot in “Photo” mode, which uses AI to assess the scene in front of it. It seems to do a pretty good job of accurately judging various subjects - I’ve used it with my dog, in landscapes (blue skies, greenery or beach are three that I’ve seen it identify), with flowers, food and so on. The only subject which seems to have confused the phone is white blossom, which the AI believed to be snow.

To take a photo you can either use the on-screen shutter button, or use either of the volume up or volume buttons - this can be particularly handy if you’re using the selfie camera and holding the camera at a distance.

Huawei P20 Pro
Rear of the Huawei P20 Pro

If you want to access different shooting modes, you can do that by swiping along the bottom of the screen. Here you can access Aperture (which mimics a shallow depth of field effect), Night (which allows you to shoot long exposures handheld), Video, Pro (which gives you access to a number of different shooting parameters) and More. If you scroll to the More option, you’ll be taken to a second screen where you can choose from a variety of different options including Slow-Mo, Panorama, Filter, Light Painting, Time-Lapse and so on. We’ll discuss each of the main options in turn.

For Aperture mode, you can use a slider to move between the widest available aperture of f/0.95, up to f/16. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S9, this isn’t physically altering the aperture of the lens, but rather recreating the effect of using different apertures by using the dual lenses in combination with each other. This works in pretty much the same way as the iPhone X does.

With Night Mode, you can select an ISO and a shutter speed, or you can let the Huawei P20 Pro decide for you based on what it thinks is best. When you tap the shutter release button, you’ll see that the camera starts taking a long exposure (usually at least four seconds), that builds up on the screen - you don’t need a tripod to use this mode.

Huawei P20 Pro
Front of the Huawei P20 Pro

Portrait Mode is similar in essence to Aperture mode, only this time, you don’t have access to change the “aperture”, but you get the same shallow depth of field type effect for your portraits. For this mode to work, you need to be pointing the camera at a face (or something which resembles a face). You can choose different “Lighting” effects, such as “Soft Lighting”, or “Stage Lighting”. You can also set the “Beauty” level, which in essence smoothes skin for a more flattering appearance. Stick with zero if you prefer a more natural look.

In Pro mode, you can choose your own metering mode, ISO, shutter speed, exposure compensation, white balance and focusing mode. You can’t alter aperture, since this is fixed by the lens. In this mode, you’re also able to shoot in raw format - to switch this on, click the cog icon in the top right hand corner of the screen and set the RAW format toggle to on. If you choose to shoot in raw format, you won’t be able to use the zoom lens  - if you want to use the 3x zoom, or 5x hybrid zoom, you’ll need to switch raw off. This is a bit of a faff, and is a shame considering you’re using a different lens, not trying to perform a digital zoom.

For Video mode, you’ve got a few different options. By default, the phone shoots in Full HD at 30fps. With this, you can use image stabilisation. You can switch to shooting at 4K (30fps), or Full HD at 60fps, but with these options, you lose out on stabilisation. Slow-mo Video can be accessed from the “More” panel. With this option, you can shoot at 4x, 8x or 32x slow motion - the first two options let you keep shooting for as long as you like, while the 32x option records just a second of footage before stopping automatically.

Huawei P20 Pro
The Huawei P20 Pro In-hand

As already mentioned, in the top right hand corner of the screen, you’ll see a cog icon. You can tap this to access various settings, which will vary depending on the shooting mode that you’re in. For example in Pro mode, you’ve got the raw option, but you can also choose other things like different resolutions, adding a GPS tag, a watermark, assistive grid and so on. Interestingly, in the Pro menu, you have the option to switch on a Horizontal level, which helps in getting your landscape images straight. This level will occasionally pop up in the standard Photo option too - if the camera detects that you’re shooting a Landscape. Sadly, you can’t opt to have it on all the time in Photo mode, which would be useful.

The standard shooting resolution is 10 megapixels (3648 x 2736, in 4:4 ratio). If you prefer, you can alter this to the much higher 40 megapixel resolution (7296 x 5472, also in 4:3 ratio), but this will of course take up much more space on your device. You also won’t be able to use the zoom  lens if you choose this option (as the zoom lens only has an 8 megapixel sensor behind it).

It’s also worth mentioning the excellent Monochrome mode, which is accessed via the More tab. If you select this, you can choose to shoot in “Normal” (Auto), Aperture mode, Portrait mode or Pro mode. Sadly, in Monochrome Pro mode, you can’t shoot in raw format, which is a bit of a shame - but - being as it is using the dedicated monochrome lens/sensor, you still wouldn’t be able to retrieve a colour version of the file from it anyway.

Image Quality

Huawei has gone big on the image quality for the P20 Pro, proudly exclaiming how it has the best ever score from independent analysts DxO Mark.

Indeed, the P20 Pro is a very impressive performer - and should certainly be top of the list for anybody whose main concern when buying a phone is how good the image quality is.

From the standard camera, images are sharp, vibrant and with a pleasing level of contrast. Leaving it in the standard “Photo” mode, and triggering the various AI initiated settings can leave you with photos which are a little oversharpened and oversaturated at times (especially if there is a blue sky in the shot) - but the effect is very pleasing, and in-line with the kind of things you see on Instagram every day. If you’re keen to keep things a little realler, switch to “Pro” mode to get a better handle on more accurate colour rendition and less aggressive sharpening.

It’s great to have a zoom camera available on a phone, which is where models such as the iPhone X and the Samsung S9 Plus have been appealing. Images from this camera are not on a par with the wide-angle zoom, but they are still very good - image stabilisation does an excellent job of keeping things smooth. This lens has a narrower aperture, so it’s not quite as impressive in low light as the main lens, but if you’re shooting holiday pictures and the like in good light, you should be impressed.

Now to mention the Night mode, which is perhaps one of the most impressive things about the P20 Pro. With this mode, you can create long exposures hand-held at the press of a button - watching them build up on the screen is great. At times, the images can look a little unrealistic - a little too much HDR going on - but on the whole, you’re left with a very impressive photo, especially considering it’s come from a phone.

At high ISOs, such as ISO 3200, noise is kept to a minimum, but you can definitely see some image smoothing when you zoom in at 100%, but for small web and printing sizes, the quality is more than enough.

On the whole, the camera/s nail exposure, while automatic white balance under different lighting conditions is roughly accurate, too.

Noise

The Huawei P20 Pro has 7 manually-selectable ISO sensitivity settings available at full resolution, ranging between ISO 50 and ISO 3200.

JPEG RAW

ISO 50 (100% Crop)

ISO 50 (100% Crop)

iso50.jpg iso50raw.jpg
   

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg

Focal Range

The Huawei P20 Pro's fixed focal length lens is equivalent to 28mm in 35mm camera terms. It also offers a 3x optical zoom, a 5x hybrid zoom, and a 10x digital zoom.

1x

focal_range_01.jpg
 

3x

focal_range_02.jpg
 

5x

focal_range_03.jpg
 

10x

focal_range_04.jpg

Macro

The Huawei P20 Pro able to focus as close as 5cm from a subject.

Macro

macro.jpg

Flash

The Huawei P20 Pro uses a twin-LED flash, and as usual for this technology, it gives a weaker flash burst than a standard xenon camera flash.

Flash On

rearcamera-flash.jpg
 

Selfie - No Lighting

Selfie-NoLighting.jpg
 

Selfie - Soft Lighting

Selfie-SoftLighting.jpg
 

Selfie - Split Lighting

Selfie-SplitLighting.jpg
 

Selfie - Butterfly Lighting

Selfie-ButterflyLighting.jpg
 

Selfie - Stage Lighting

Selfie-StageLighting.jpg
 

Selfie - Classic Lighting

Selfie-ClassicLighting.jpg

Night

Thanks to the optical image stabilisation, a wide f/1.6 maximum aperture and the clever handheld night mode, the Huawei P20 Pro performs very well at night. This image was taken at handheld the camera's ISO 400 sensitivity at a shutter speed of 4 seconds.

Night

night1.jpg

Effects

The Huawei P20 Pro's camera app includes eight filter effects, but this being a smartphone, extra effects are only an app away.

Off
FilterNone.jpg
 
Blue
FilterBlue.jpg
 
Dawn
FilterDawn.jpg
 
Halo
FilterHalo.jpg
 
Impact
FilterImpact.jpg
 
ND
FilterND.jpg
 
Nostalgia
FilterNostalgia.jpg
 
Sentimental
FilterSentimental.jpg
 
Valencia
FilterValencia.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Huawei P20 Pro camera, which were all taken using the 10 megapixel JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Huawei P20 Pro enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Huawei RAW (DNG) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 16 second movie is 80.1Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 2160x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 16 second movie is 41.5Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 18 second movie is 19.7Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 16 second movie is 52.6Mb in size.

This is a sample 4x slow motion movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 120 frames per second. Please note that this 6 second movie is 31.9Mb in size.

This is a sample 8x slow motion movie at the quality setting of 1280x720 pixels at 240 frames per second. Please note that this 5 second movie is 26.5Mb in size.

This is a sample 32x slow motion movie at the quality setting of 1280x720 pixels at 960 frames per second. Please note that this 10 second movie is 11.7Mb in size.

Product Images

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Huawei P20 Pro

Conclusion

Huawei has very lofty ambitions, and considering it has to take on the behemoths that are Samsung and Apple (as well as that other little known company, Google), it has to pull out all the stops when it comes to the camera/s provided. 

The company remains relatively little known in Europe, while in the US, there has been questions over security and privacy. For this reason, we have an extremely high-powered device, with an outstanding camera at a reasonable price. 

Getting Leica involved is also a smart move, as well as benefiting from the camera manufacturer’s expertise, it also reassures buyers that you’re getting something of real quality here. If you’re a photographer, you may not have heard of Huawei, but you almost certainly will have heard of Leica. 

The world’s first triple-camera phone might sounds like a marketing gimmick, and to a certain extent, it probably is. The good news however is that the camera also really delivers, with well-saturated, well-exposed and well-detailed images. The 3x zoom camera is slightly less impressive, but it remains quite novel to have “proper” zoom in a camera phone at all - so that’s forgivable. 

Design wise, the P20 Pro is very sleek and stylish. As is often the way with these phones though, you’ll probably want to hide away its beauty by investing in a case to protect it from scuffs and scapes, as well as the fact that the super sleek design sees it prone to falling from soft furnishings. We probably prefer the rear fingerprint sensor of the Mate 10, but that may be a matter of personal taste. 

Battery life is fantastically impressive too - it’s all well and good having the best cameraphone about, but if it runs out of juice before you get to chance to use it, then you’re pretty much stuck. Here, we’ve got something that you can rely on to last at least a full day, but more likely even longer depending on your usage habits. 

Overall, the Huawei P20 Pro is without doubt the best smartphone you can buy at the moment if your primary concern is photographic capability. It’s also just as good, if not better, than most “standard” compact cameras too - adding another nail in the coffin of the point-and-shoot market. We haven’t really explored using the phone as, well, a phone in this piece, but if you’re familiar with the Android system, you’ll be at home here - it generally runs extremely quickly and reactively. 

A couple of small niggles are having to switch raw format shooting on and off if you want to use the zoom lens, or not being able to shoot in raw while using the monochrome mode. But these are relatively minor compared to what else the device offers. 

Now, it only remains to be seen how Samsung, Apple and Google will react to the P20 Pro’s camera prowess. 

5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 5
Ease-of-use 4.5
Image quality 5
Value for money 4

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Huawei P20 Pro.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

The Apple iPhone 7 Plus is the first version of the most popular smartphone in the world to offer not one, but two integrated cameras. The iPhone 7 Plus also offers photographers 12 megapixel resolution and 4K video recording, plus the intriguing new portrait mode which uses both lenses to recreate the defocused look of a DSLR with a wide aperture lens. Read our in-depth Apple iPhone 7 Plus review, complete with full-size sample images, test shots, videos and more...

Apple iPhone X

The Apple iPhone X is the most anticipated smartphone of 2017, but can its photographic capabilities really satisfy the keen photographer? Read our in-depth Apple iPhone X review to find out...

Asus Zenfone 4

The Asus Zenfone 4 is a flagship smartphone with a mid-range price and a surprisingly long list of photographer-friendly features. Read our in-depth Asus Zenfone 4 review to find out if it's the right smartphone for the keen snapper...

Google Pixel 2

According to DXO, the Google Pixel 2 offers the best image quality of any smartphone currently on the market, but is it really the best option for photographers? Read our in-depth Google Pixel 2 review to find out...

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

The Mate 10 Pro is the latest flagship phone from the Chinese manufacturer Huawei, and as with a lot of new smartphones these days, it promises a lot for the keen photographer, not least Leica-branded f/1.6 lenses and dual colour / monochrome image sensors. Read our in-depth Huawei Mate 10 Pro review for photographers now...

Huawei P10 Plus

The new Huawei P10 Plus smartphone has once again been co-developed with Leica, this time around focusing on delivering "stunning artistic portrait shots in the Leica image style". Is this the best smartphone for photographers? Find out by reading our in-depth Huawei P10 Plus review...

Kodak Ektra

The new Kodak Ektra is billed as the perfect smartphone for keen photographers, from enthusiasts to experts, but does it offer enough to replace the smartphone that's currently in your pocket? Find out by reading our Kodak Ektra review...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1

Is it a camera? Is it a smartphone? No, it's the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1, which is bravely offering both in one device. Can the Panasonic CM1 replace a high-end camera and a premium smartphone? Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1 review now to find out...

Sony Xperia XZ1

The Sony Xperia XZ1 is a new flagship smartphone that's a little more affordable than the other flagships out there. For photographers, it offers a 19 megapixel Exmor RS sensor, f/2 25mm Sony G branded lens, 4K video recording, and a manual shooting mode. Read our Sony Xperia XZ review now to find out more about Sony's latest handset...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Huawei P20 Pro from around the web.

trustedreviews.com »

The Huawei P20 Pro is Chinese manufacturer Huawei’s latest flagship smartphone. It brings a much-anticipated new feature to the table – a tri-camera – but that isn’t the handset’s only party trick. It’s also equipped with a top-of-the-line processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage to boot and a sizeable battery. The end result is a great smartphone that’s sure to delight photographers.
Read the full review »

techradar.com »

Paying this much for a Huawei phone may seem a tough sell. But great battery life, top specs and the most compelling use of computational photography seen in a phone yet make the Huawei P20 Pro one of the most interesting phones available.
Read the full review »

theverge.com »

I've spent every waking moment of the past 10 days in the company of the Huawei P20 Pro. This phone has surprised and delighted me like few others, and what you are about to read is a collection of happy words about it. I don’t think the P20 Pro is perfect, nor the best phone ever released, but I do believe it’s one of the most important devices we’ve seen in the mobile world for years.
Read the full review »

Specifications

Display

Size: 6.1"

Resolution: 2240x1080px

Technology: OLED

Processor

Type: HUAWEI Kirin 970

Frequency: 4x2.36GHz (Cortex A73), 4x1.8GHz (Cortex A53)

Operating system

Android 8.1, EMUI 8.1

The "Android" name is a trademark of Google LLC. 

Memory

Internal: 6GB RAM, 128GB Flash

Due to limitations in CPU processing power, and memory used by the operating system and pre-installed applications, the acutal space available to users will be less than the nominal memory capacity. Actual memory space will change along with application updates, user operations, and other related factors. 

 

Camera

Rear: Leica Triple Camera, 40MP RGB f1.8, 20MP BW f1.6, 8MP RGB f2.4, 5x Hybrid Zoom, AIS, dual-tone LED

Front: 24MP, f2.0

Interaction

Fingerprint: Smart touch navigation capabilities

Knuckle: Take screenshots, record screencast, switch between apps, Split Screen

Battery

Battery: 4000mAh

Charging time: about 1.5h*

Standby: about 22 days**

Talk time: about 25h**

 

* Laboratory data is generated by charging the phone using the standard charger with the screen off. The actual charging time may vary depending on usage.

** The data is derived from laboratory testing. The actual standby time and talk time may vary depending on the local network and usage habits.

SIM

HUAWEI P20 Pro Single SIM:

Nano-SIM

Available in Black and Midnight Blue.

 

HUAWEI P20 Pro Dual SIM:

Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM

Available in Black, Midnight Blue and Twilight.

Network

4G FDD-LTE, TD-LTE: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B6/B7/B8/B9/B12/B17/B18/B19/B20/

B26/B28/B32/B34/B38/B39/B40

3G WCDMA: B1/B2/B4/B5/B6/B8/B19

Connectivity

WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz&5GHz

Bluetooth®: BT 4.2, aptX™, aptX™ HD, LDAC and HWA are supported

NFC: Yes

USB connector: USB Type-CTM

USB type: USB Type-CTM, USB 3.1 Gen 1

USB features: OTG, MTP, PTP, Audio, PD, DP, Charging

In the box

• HUAWEI P20 Pro

• Built-in battery

• High-current charger

• USB Type-CTM digital headset

• 5A USB Type-CTM cable

• Warranty card

• Quick Start Guide

• Protective case

• USB Type-CTM to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter

• Eject tool

Weight

Product (including battery): 180 grams

Box and product (including battery): 515 grams

News

The HUAWEI P20 Pro and HUAWEI P20 smartphones have advanced cameras to capture more light, featuring a Leica triple camera and 5x Hybrid Zoom on the HUAWEI P20 Pro, and a Leica dual camera on the HUAWEI P20. The HUAWEI P20 Pro features a Leica triple camera with the highest total pixel count on a smartphone – the camera configuration is comprised of a 40MP RGB sensor, a 20MP monochrome sensor and an 8MP sensor with a 3x telephoto lens. Both offer devices six-axis stabilization and 960fps super slow motion video.

The HUAWEI P20 Series comes in Black, Midnight Blue and two all-new gradient colors, Twilight and Pink Gold. The HUAWEI P20 Pro costs £849 and the P20 £599.

Huawei Press Release

Huawei Unveils the HUAWEI P20 and HUAWEI P20 Pro, Breakthroughs in Technology and Art to Redefine Intelligent Photography

PARIS--()--Today Huawei Consumer Business Group unveiled the HUAWEI P20 Series. The HUAWEI P20 Pro features the world’s first Leica triple camera and both devices include unprecedented AI advances, combining technology and art to bring to life a groundbreaking smartphone experience.

Key features of the HUAWEI P20 Series include:

  • An advanced camera to capture more light, featuring a Leica triple camera and 5x Hybrid Zoom on the HUAWEI P20 Pro, and a Leica dual camera on the HUAWEI P20, both achieving DxOMark’s highest overall scores1;
  • Innovative photography features, including AI-powered professional photography features and HUAWEI AIS (AI Image Stabilization);
  • A timeless design with barely-there bezels and all-new gradient colors;
  • Ultimate performance, featuring the NPU on Kirin 970 and EMUI 8.1 based on Android™ 8.1.

A Combination of Art and Technology

The HUAWEI P20 Series comes in Black, Midnight Blue and two all-new gradient colors, Twilight and Pink Gold, achieved by applying several layers of NCVM* optical coatings underneath the glass back, so light hitting the surface refracts and creates a vivid, yet gradual change of hue.

The 5.8-inch screen HUAWEI P20 and 6.1-inch screen HUAWEI P20 Pro feature HUAWEI FullView Display, ultra-thin bezels and impressive screen-to-body ratios for better viewing experiences.

Inspired by Light and Technology

The HUAWEI P20 Pro features a Leica triple camera with the highest total pixel count on a smartphone – the camera configuration is comprised of a 40MP RGB sensor, a 20MP monochrome sensor and an 8MP sensor with telephoto lens. It also features an exclusive Leica color temperature sensor for better color reproduction. With f/1.8, f/1.6 and f/2.4 wide aperture to capture crisp, clear details, the HUAWEI P20 Pro also includes a brand new Leica 3x telephoto (VARIO-SUMMILUX-H 1:1.6-2.4/27-80ASPH) lens for long-range photography of up to 5x Hybrid Zoom. The HUAWEI P20 Pro’s highly sensitive image sensor captures low light photos with up to ISO 102400.

The HUAWEI P20 builds on its predecessor’s foundation with a Leica dual camera featuring a 12MP sensor with a pixel size as high as 1.55 μm, and a 20MP monochrome sensor, enhancing the HUAWEI P20’s ability to capture photos in low-light settings.

The HUAWEI P20 Series devices support six-axis stabilization and 960fps super slow motion. With Ultra Snapshot mode, the devices can capture an image in as little as 0.3 seconds by just double clicking the down volume button, even from an off screen.

Master AI Photography Experience

With the Kirin 970 processor, the HUAWEI P20 Series automatically identifies more than 500 scenarios in 19 categories, selecting camera settings to deliver professional-looking images. HUAWEI AIS steadies handheld night shots for incredible long exposure images without a tripod. Brand new to Huawei’s advanced camera system is 4D predictive focus, predicting moving objects and focusing on them with extreme efficiency to capture minute detail. The HUAWEI P20 Series also features AI-Assisted Composition, providing intelligent suggestions to frame group shots and landscapes.

The HUAWEI P20 and HUAWEI P20 Pro feature a 24MP selfie camera** with AI beautification and 3D portrait lighting. The HUAWEI P20 Series also includes on-device Prisma processing, which supports real-time filter recommendations based on scene and object recognition.

In partnership with Google, the HUAWEI P20 Series supports Google ARCore, delivering advanced AR capabilities.

Collaboration with Porsche Design

Huawei also unveiled the PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS. Continuing its collaboration with the exclusive luxury brand, the PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS features Porsche Design’s signature functional design language and Huawei’s cutting-edge technology and craftsmanship, setting a new standard in premium smartphones.

Pricing and Availability

The HUAWEI P20 Series and PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS are immediately available globally.

       
Model  Version  EUR (includes tax)
HUAWEI P20  4GB + 128GB  

€649

HUAWEI P20 Pro  6GB + 128GB  

€899

PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS  6GB + 256GB  

€1,695

PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate RS  6GB + 512GB  

€2,095

    

*Non-conductive Vacuum Metalizing **24.8MP sensor

For more information please visit: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/

1 Highest overall DxOMark scores in the mobile camera category – HUAWEI P20 Pro: 109; HUAWEI P20: 102.

Huawei Press Release

TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVITY COMBINE AS HUAWEI AND HELENA CHRISTENSEN PARTNER TO INTRODUCE NEW HUAWEI P20 PRO SMARTPHONE 

  • Iconic supermodel and renowned photographer uses the world’s first triple-lens Leica camera, the HUAWEI P20 Pro, to capture an intimate portrait series
  • The HUAWEI P20 Pro fuses an incredible camera with powerful A.I., giving photography lovers the tools to master their craft in the palm of their hand

PARIS, 27 March 2018 – Leading technology brand Huawei has today announced the launch of its new flagship ‘intelligent’ phone, the HUAWEI P20 Pro. By combining the world’s first triple-lens Leica camera and exciting innovation, driven by Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), Huawei delivers the most exceptional photography experience possible. At the launch, held at Paris’ iconic Grand Palais, Huawei also announced a partnership with one of the worlds most celebrated supermodels and photographers, Helena Christensen, to shoot an intimate gallery of portraits. The series of portraits captures three fascinating subjects that showcase the vivid colours and stunning detail of photography delivered through the HUAWEI P20 Pro – in a greater level of detail than ever before.

The beautiful collection entitled “See More,” focuses on the stories of three talented professionals, and demonstrates how the HUAWEI P20 Pro allows photographers and viewers alike to see more of subjects, thanks to the perfect balance of light and detail in each portrait. The series demonstrates Helena’s skill and dexterity as a photographer, effortlessly complemented by the incredible HUAWEI P20 Pro – bringing technology and creativity together in one perfect art form. The expertly-crafted Huawei 40MP Leica triple-lens combines with powerful proprietary innovation including object recognition and super slow-motion to deliver a professional photography experience.

Recognised for iconic campaigns with fashion houses including Chanel, Versace and Prada, Helena Christensen is one of the world’s most famous supermodels. Having long held a passion for photography, she has stepped back behind the camera lens in recent years to focus on her work as a photographer, and has been credited with exhibitions in galleries across the globe.

“For this shoot, it was important to me that I captured the spirit and dedication of my subjects, and that my portraits faithfully convey what kind of person they are without the need for words,” says Helena Christensen. “Shooting with the HUAWEI P20 Pro smartphone not only made this process a lot easier, but it also meant I could get a lot closer to these amazing women, as it removed the need for any additional equipment, effectively breaking down the physical barriers that previously stood between me and my subjects.”

Huawei worked closely with photographers and specialists at Leica Camera AG to develop and engineer a new generation of ‘intelligent’ phone that allows users to easily master the art of taking the perfect photograph. As a result, the HUAWEI P20 Pro delivers the most advanced camera experience in a smartphone - the A.I. knows what makes a good picture. It automatically recognises and adjusts settings according to the subject matter to help enhance results, as well as give guidance on composition and framing, providing users with a lifetime of professional knowledge in an instant.

Other features that enhance photography results include the largest light sensor in a smartphone (to allow in more light, resulting in a clear, focused image) and Night Mode (for incredible night-time photography). In addition, the HUAWEI FullView Display maximises the display for stunning visuals, whilst the ultra-efficient battery will keep users connected and shooting for hours. Plus, with HUAWEI SuperCharge they will be back up and running in just a few minutes* when a power top-up is finally needed!

“With the HUAWEI P20 Pro we are ushering in a new era of and benchmark for smartphone cameras,” said Richard Yu, CEO Huawei Consumer Business Group. “The HUAWEI P20 Pro combines the very latest in smartphone technology with Leica Camera’s legendary expertise, to deliver an incredible master photography experience driven by A.I., giving users the tools to achieve professional-standard results with every shot.”

Beautiful colourways make the HUAWEI P20 Pro a fashionable and stylish smartphone choice, allowing users to express their personality and emotion through their handset. Striking Twilight, Midnight Blue and Pink Gold hues complement more traditional Black shades, whilst the world’s first gradient-coloured glass body provides another aesthetic twist to stand out from the crowd**.

Helena’s three subjects were specially chosen for the passion for perfection in their craft. Their portraits, taken by Helena Christensen using the HUAWEI P20 Pro allow us to “See More” of their dedication and commitment within their everyday lives. Helena captures the dedicated concentration of jewellery designer Adeline Rapon as she evolves and develops her designs; she captures the grace of ballerina Melissa Chapski as she perfects the perfect pirouette; and she photographs the enigmatic Maria Fagerström, an international pilot who has travelled almost every corner of the world.

The HUAWEI P20 and HUAWEI P20 Pro smartphones were launched at a spectacular event on Tuesday 27 March at the iconic Grand Palais in Paris. This stunning venue has long held strong associations with the world’s most fashionable brands, from Chanel to Hermes; and Huawei follows in the footsteps of these designers to show the intersection of fashion and technology in the beautifully-crafted HUAWEI P20 series.

For full details and to check availability in the UK, please visit http://consumer.huawei.comThe HUAWEI P20 Series will be available to buy in the UK in April, and to pre-order from today, from retailers including Carphone Warehouse and EE. Pricing varies between retailers.

Follow Huawei on Instagram and Twitter (@HuaweiMobile) to discover more from the #SeeMooore campaign with Helena Christensen.

First Impressions

We've spent some time shooting with the new Huawei P20 Pro smartphone at an exclusive pre-briefing in London and at the official Huawei Europe press event in Paris. Check out our first impressions of using the Huawei P20 Pro smartphone now...

Huawei P20 Pro - Ease of Use

Huawei shipped 153 million smartphones in 2017 and spent over $10billion on research and development, placing it in the top 6 companies worldwide for R&D (above Apple).

"Master photography powered by AI" is the official strapline for the new Huawei P20 and P20 Pro smartphones. See more art, light and intelligence.

The P20 Pro has a compact glass and metal body with a 6.1 inch OLED 2240x1080 pixel display in the 18.7:9 ratio with 1:1,000,000 contrast and 105 colour gamut, while the regular P20 has a slightly smaller 5.8 inch RGBW display.

Huawei P20 Pro

Huawei have minimised the bezels, as is de-rigeur with recent flagship smartphones, it has a purely symmetrical design, and the device is IP67 water and dust resistant. It also has a much smaller notch at the top than the iPhone X, allowing more notification icons to be displayed.

Both the P20 and P20 Pro models will be available in black, blue, pink and twilight, with the latter two colours being stylish gradients rather than solid colours.

Huawei have managed to squeeze a 4000mAh battery into a 7.8mm thick device, no mean achievement and one which means that you should get at least a day's life before needing to recharge. The P20 Pro doesn't support wireless charging, but just 30 minutes charge will restore 58% battery life, 300% faster than the iPhone X.

The P20 Pro once again uses the Kirin 970 processor, but although it has a similar AI system to the Mate 10 Pro, this new device offers 7 additional scene modes, 20 in total, making it even more intelligent than the Mate 10 Pro.

Huawei P20 Pro

Helping the inexperienced user to take better photos are features such as AI assisted composition, which can straighten the horizon as you take the picture, and make sure that everyone's included in groups shots.

The Huawei P20 Pro is the most photo-centric smartphone that we've ever seen, offering a wealth of camera features that are designed to help you "take perfect photos every time", at least according to Huawei.

The camera has become the key battle ground of recent high-end smartphone releases, and the P20 Pro takes things to another level thanks to having not one, not two but three sensors and lenses. These are combined to offer 40 megapixels of resolution, unheard of for a smartphone, and it has a 3x optical zoom lens that can be losslessy extended to 5x and digitally to 10x. Huawei claim that the P20 Plus offers the best 5x and 10x zoom of any smartphone.

Huawei P20 Pro

The P20 Pro is the latest Huawei device to be co-engineered with Leica, featuring three Summilux branded lenses with apertures of f/1.6-2.4. There's a monochrome lens, RGB lens and telephoto lens,paired with 40, 20 and 8 megapixel sensors respectively.

Huawei have incorporated what they're calling "light fusion technology" to join 4 pixels of the same colour together together in order to capture more light. The resulting pixel size is 2um versus 1.4um for the competition, which resolves down into a 10 megapixel image that’s great in low-light.

This feature is accessed via a dedicated shooting mode (Night), so it's a manual choice. Night mode utilizes Huawei's multi-frame AI image stabilisation to allow you to hand-hold the camera for up to 6 seconds and still achieve a sharp image - it really has to be seen to be believed! The P20 Pro can also shoot really long exposureswhen mounted on a tripod for incredible night shots that other smartphones can't match.

Huawei P20 Pro

The P20 Pro utilizes AI Stabilisation for this special handheld long exposure mode, which avoids the need for a tripod. It also uses AI to freeze any moving subjects in the frame, so ghosting effects are avoided. Video stabilization is also improved by the AI system.

4D Predictive Focus uses the P20 Pro's AI system to understand an object’s movement, dubbed “object motion prediction”, while shutter lag is claimed to be zero. Double-clicking the volume key allows you to take a photo in as little as 0.3 seconds.

The Intelligent Gallery has 100 categories that are automatically applied by AI, with a smarter layout and an aesthetics engine that shows the "best" photos more prominently in the photo stream.

Huawei P20 Pro

In addition to the now de facto 4K video recording, there's also 960fps slow-motion video, with the P20 Pro cleverly embedding it within a normal frame rate clip.

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Huawei P20 Pro camera

Huawei P20 Pro - Image Quality

For stills photography, the Huawei P20 Pro employs a 40 megapixel RGB sensor annd 20 megapixel monochrome sensor.

We've already shot a gallery of sample images for you with a final production version of the Huawei P20 Pro which you can check out here.

The P20 Pro can record 4K movies (3840×2160 pixels) at 30fps and slow-motion video at 120fps (1080p), 240fps (720p) or 960fps (720p).

You can find some 4K and slow-motion video clips in our Sample Images gallery.

Take a look at some sample JPEG and Raw images and movies taken with the Huawei P20 Pro camera

Huawei P20 Pro - Early Verdict

The Huawei P20 Pro is the most capable smartphone on the market from a photography point of view, with a wealth of exciting features that as a whole represent a big step forwards for mobile photography. 

So what do you think of the new Huawei P20 Pro? Leave a comment below...

Hands On

Want to see exactly what the new Huawei P20 Pro smartphone looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Huawei P20 Pro smartphone.

A gallery of hands-on photos of the new Huawei P20 Pro smartphone.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

Ahead of our full review, here are some sample images taken with the new Huawei P20 Pro smartphone.

A gallery of sample images taken with the Huawei P20 Pro smartphone.

Huawei P20 Pro Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Huawei P20 Pro enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Huawei RAW (DNG) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 20 second movie is 81.1Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 10 second movie is 49.3Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 9 second movie is 32.8Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 16 second movie is 74Mb in size.

This is a sample 32x slow-motion movie at the quality setting of 1280x720 pixels at 960 frames per second. Please note that this 10 second movie is 10.5Mb in size.

This is a sample 8x slow-motion movie at the quality setting of 1280x720 pixels at 240 frames per second. Please note that this 10 second movie is 36.8Mb in size.

This is a sample 4x slow-motion movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 120 frames per second. Please note that this 11 second movie is 40.1Mb in size.

This is a sample 32x slow-motion movie at the quality setting of 1280x720 pixels at 960 frames per second. Please note that this 10 second movie is 8.27Mb in size.

This is a sample timelapse movie at the quality setting of 1280x720 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 2 second movie is 3.1Mb in size.

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