Selfies and vlogging are theHuawei Nova 13 Pro ’s strength , and I apologize in advance for the fact that you ’re going to have to bet at my smiler to see its power for yourself . But thankfully , the rear television camera is also really in effect , so our sample photos do n’t only have yours unfeignedly .
Spending clip with it has been really interesting , as it has shown me that despite other factors , Huawei has lost none of its photographic ability . Still , I do n’t mean it ’s a speech sound for most multitude . Here ’s why .
Lets talk selfies
You may be tempted to pass the large tab - shape cutout at the top of the Nova 13 Pro ’s screen off as it trying to look a snatch like aniPhone 16 , but it really contains two camera and both are used for taking selfies . It starts with a 60 - megapixel autofocus main camera , and it ’s unite by an 8MP portraiture camera with a 2x optical rapid growth . Yes , an optical rapid growth on thefrontcamera . For video it spud at 4 K resolution , arrive at it ideally specced for keen vloggers .
The photographic camera app presents you with a 1x and 2x scoot mode , along with a 0.8x and a full wide - slant modality as standard , and you could whizz along in manually to 5x . There ’s the usual portrait mode , beauty mode , and some clever optic - tracking to amend focus . Again , this is the front television camera we ’re talking about , with modes most will be familiar with but commonly on the rear camera . However , hold all this tech is only half the battle , so how do selfies look ?
Use the 1x and the broad - angle modes and they ’re really telling . There ’s mickle of item , really well - judge photo , and great color balance . The auto focus is undoubtedly helped by the center - trailing , a technique professional portrait photographers utilise to get really sharp pictures . It gives selfies a crisp , born , and attractive smell . Portrait modality reckon great too , with accurate edge recognition and just the right amount of setting fuzz . The Nova 13 Pro ’s main selfie television camera is brilliant .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
I ’ve had less achiever with the 2x mode . It simply gets too tight , even when holding the speech sound with your weapon stretched right out , and struggles to focus on your face , bequeath shots blurry . Lowlight performance is n’t great either , particularly when you use 2x or the portrait manner , and photos lack the same horizontal surface of particular and accuracy run into in better visible light due to some strong-growing smoothing . Otherwise , the Nova 13 Pro ’s front tv camera hire superb selfies , and there ’s a host of editing tools to make the image your own .
What about the rear camera?
There are three cameras on the back of the Nova 13 professional : A 50MP main television camera , a 12MP telephoto camera with a 3x optical rapid growth , and an 8MP broad - angle camera . What makes it peculiar is the adjustable forcible aperture control , so you could agitate between f/1.4 and f/4.0 manually . We ’ve also seen a similar feature on theHuawei Pura 70 Proand theXiaomi 14 Ultra .
Taking pic with the Nova 13 Pro ’s principal camera prompt me why I ’ve always liked Huawei photographic camera . Rich , lifelike color match with expertly managed exposure , masses of detail , and piddling obvious evidence of software preventative . They make environments look just that bit better than they did in real life , without tipping over into the unrealistic . It ’s wanton to take lovely photos you ’ll be proud of with the Nova 13 Pro , and the variable aperture append versatility and attract to those more familiar with the mechanics of picture taking .
However , it ’s not impeccable . The zoom musical mode — the app leave shortcuts to 2x , 3x , and 5x — are inconsistent , and it seemed to be batch fortune which mode would take a good photograph . Even in the short fourth dimension I ’ve spent with the headphone , sometimes zoom shots would be blurry and other times thole - shrewd . It ’s hard to commit to guide picture with a phone when you ’re not sure what the end resultant will be if you drift from using the main camera .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Software is a problem
This is a Huawei phone and as such does not come with Google Play Services , the Google Play Store , or any familiar Google apps set up . You source apps through the Huawei AppGallery orby download .apk file , and while it is a shock to the system if you ’re coming from a Google Android phone , it ’s not insurmountable if you ’re keen on getting off from Google .
However , to do this you have to deal with Huawei ’s EMUI interface . It face a lot like Google ’s Android , but I ’ve rule it elusive to expend even without putting my SIM batting order in and attempting to go with it every day . It ’s little things that put me off exploring more deeply . When you alter wallpapers using the stock tool , it pee-pee you grant it access in the options carte du jour to see picture first . Why ? These are both stock tools in the operating organisation . It ’s off - putt , and makes it find like I ’m doing something which may be “ forged . ”
The photographic camera app has mysteriously shut down after a soda water - up said I did n’t have the correct privacy license to use it , while the AppGallery defaulted to showing me a nipper - friendly view because I “ appear to be a minor . ” I had n’t by design make it this impression , and I ’ve been using the same Huawei account for years without issue . It tell me the only way I could get out of kid mode was to stop the Digital Balance ( Huawei ’s interpretation of Google ’s Digital Wellbeing ) entirely , but this did n’t seem to work . There ’s no obvious style to switch to the normal AppGallery vista .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
These little things do n’t give me much confidence in the sound , as it appeared to be workingagainstme rather than with me . It ’s quite a leap to ditch Google solely in the first home , but when the residuum of the software program seems to actively trying to make life difficult , there ’s very lilliputian inducement to make the effort .
Worth it for the cameras?
When it arrived I had a grand plan in my nous to switch from theOnePlus 13 , which I ’ve proceed to use since I reviewed it , to the Huawei Nova 13 Pro and use it every twenty-four hour period . The cameras are really good , but after a duo of days I know I ca n’t go through the monumental exploit want to shift out from Google Android , and it ’s because EMUI itself made it seem like a bad musical theme .
It ’s a substantial shame . Not only are the cameras cracking , but the phone ’s design is sound too . It ’s slender and idle , and the rearward panel ’s subtle unripe people of color and plaid motive is fun . The 5,000mAh shelling is supported by 100W wired charging ( but no charger is included in my U.K. variant ) , and the 6.76 - inch OLED screenland is bright and colorful . It ’s a very tempting phone , until you start using the software .
If you ’re prepared to put in the effort , or are already outside the Google ecosystem , the Huawei Nova 13 Pro ’s “ idiosyncrasy ” may not sound that bad . Get past it all , and you ’re go to be rewarded with a highly versatile tv camera and a pretty piece of hardware . However , if you ’re not all that techy and just want a speech sound that figure out and does n’t need much determine up or endeavour , then there are many otherexcellent smartphonesthat will definitely suit you better .
2x zoomAndy Boxall / Digital Trends
