We put the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra through our rigorous DXOMARK Camera test suite to measure its performance in photo, video, and zoom quality from an end-user perspective. This article breaks down how the device fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases and is intended to highlight the most important results of our testing with an extract of the captured data.
Overview
Key camera specifications:
- Primary: 50MP 1″ sensor, f/1.6-4.0-aperture lens, DualPD AF, Sensor-shift OIS
- Ultra-wide: 40MP, f/2.2-aperture lens, QuadPD AF
- Tele: 50MP, f/2.1-aperture lens, QuadPD AF, OIS
Scoring
Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
163
camera
169
Photo
Exposure
130
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Color
128
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Autofocus
125
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Texture
120
124
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Best: Apple iPhone 15 Pro (124)
Noise
117
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Artifacts
81
82
Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G
Best: Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G (82)
85
Bokeh
Bokeh
85
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
82
Preview
Preview
82
91
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Best: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max (91)
164
Zoom
Tele
119
120
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Best: Xiaomi 14 Ultra (120)
Wide
122
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
148
Video
Exposure
115
116
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Best: Apple iPhone 15 Pro (116)
Color
115
119
Honor Magic6 Pro
Best: Honor Magic6 Pro (119)
Autofocus
120
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Texture
111
118
Oppo Find X6 Pro
Best: Oppo Find X6 Pro (118)
Noise
110
119
Oppo Find X7 Ultra
Best: Oppo Find X7 Ultra (119)
Artifacts
75
86
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
Best: Xiaomi 12S Ultra (86)
Stabilization
115
118
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Best: Apple iPhone 15 Pro (118)
Use cases & Conditions
Use case scores indicate the product performance in specific situations. They are not included in the overall score calculations.
Top score
Outdoor
Photos & videos shot in bright light conditions (≥1000 lux)
Top score
Indoor
Photos & videos shot in good lighting conditions (≥100lux)
Top score
Lowlight
Photos & videos shot in low lighting conditions (<100 lux)
Top score
Friends & Family
Portrait and group photo & videos
Position in Global Ranking 1st
1. Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
163
2. Honor Magic6 Pro
158
3. Huawei Mate 60 Pro+
157
3. Oppo Find X7 Ultra
157
5. Huawei P60 Pro
156
6. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
154
6. Apple iPhone 15 Pro
154
8. Google Pixel 8 Pro
153
8. Oppo Find X6 Pro
153
10. Honor Magic5 Pro
152
11. Oppo Find X6
150
11. Vivo X100 Pro
150
13. Huawei Mate 50 Pro
149
13. Xiaomi 14 Ultra
149
15. Google Pixel 8
148
16. Google Pixel 7 Pro
147
16. Honor Magic4 Ultimate
147
18. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
146
18. Apple iPhone 14 Pro
146
20. Apple iPhone 15 Plus
145
20. Apple iPhone 15
145
22. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
144
23. Huawei P50 Pro
143
24. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
141
24. Apple iPhone 13 Pro
141
24. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
141
27. Google Pixel 7
140
27. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
140
27. Vivo X90 Pro+
140
27. Xiaomi 13 Ultra
140
31. Huawei Mate 40 Pro+
139
32. Xiaomi 14
138
33. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
137
34. Google Pixel 8a
136
34. Vivo X90 Pro
136
34. Xiaomi 13 Pro
136
34. Xiaomi 12S Ultra
136
38. Huawei Mate 40 Pro
135
38. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
135
38. Vivo X80 Pro (MediaTek)
135
41. Google Pixel 6 Pro
134
41. Vivo X70 Pro+
134
43. Apple iPhone 14 Plus
133
43. Apple iPhone 14
133
43. Google Pixel Fold
133
43. Google Pixel 7a
133
43. Samsung Galaxy S24+ (Exynos)
133
43. Samsung Galaxy S24 (Exynos)
133
43. Samsung Galaxy S23+
133
43. Samsung Galaxy S23
133
51. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
131
51. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
131
51. Xiaomi 13T Pro
131
54. Motorola Edge 40 Pro
130
54. Oppo Find X5 Pro
130
54. Xiaomi 13
130
57. Huawei P40 Pro
129
57. Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra
129
57. Xiaomi 12T Pro
129
57. Xiaomi 12 Pro
129
61. Oppo Find X3 Pro
128
61. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
128
63. Apple iPhone 12 Pro
127
63. Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
127
63. OnePlus 11
127
63. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
127
63. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
127
68. Google Pixel 6
126
68. Honor Magic4 Pro
126
68. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
126
68. Vivo X60 Pro+
126
72. Apple iPhone 13 mini
125
72. Apple iPhone 13
125
72. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
125
72. Vivo X50 Pro+
125
76. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
124
76. Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro
124
78. Xiaomi 13T
123
79. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
122
79. Google Pixel 6a
122
79. Honor 90
122
79. OnePlus 10 Pro
122
79. OnePlus 9 Pro
122
84. Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G
121
85. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
120
85. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
120
85. Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G
120
88. Honor Magic Vs
119
88. Sony Xperia 5 IV
119
90. Sony Xperia 5 V
118
90. Sony Xperia 1 IV
118
92. Apple iPhone 12 mini
117
92. Apple iPhone 12
117
92. Honor Magic V2
117
92. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
117
92. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
117
92. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Snapdragon)
117
98. Apple iPhone 11
116
98. Asus Zenfone 8
116
98. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
116
101. Honor 70
115
101. Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (Snapdragon)
115
101. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
115
101. Xiaomi 12T
115
105. Nothing Phone(1)
114
105. OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
114
105. Oppo Reno8 Pro 5G
114
105. Oppo Find X5
114
105. Oppo Find N2 Flip
114
110. Crosscall Stellar-X5
113
110. OnePlus 8 Pro
113
110. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G
113
110. Xiaomi 12
113
114. Oppo Reno8 5G
112
114. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
112
116. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
111
116. Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (Exynos)
111
116. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Exynos)
111
119. Google Pixel 5
109
119. Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G
109
121. Asus ROG Phone 7
108
121. Fairphone 5
108
121. Samsung Galaxy A55 5G
108
121. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Exynos)
108
121. Xiaomi 11T Pro
108
126. Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
107
127. Oppo Find X3 Neo
106
128. Sony Xperia 1 III
105
129. Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
104
130. Motorola Edge 40 Neo
103
131. Huawei P40
102
131. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G
102
133. Black Shark 5 Pro
101
133. Motorola Edge 30 Pro
101
135. Apple iPhone SE (2022)
100
135. Google Pixel 4a
100
137. ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
96
138. Oppo Find X5 Lite
95
139. Oppo Reno4 5G
94
140. Oppo A94 5G
93
140. Vivo X80 Lite 5G
93
142. Samsung Galaxy A72
92
142. Samsung Galaxy A34 5G
92
142. Samsung Galaxy A25 5G
92
145. Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G
91
146. Oppo Reno6 5G
89
147. Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
88
147. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
88
149. Motorola moto g54 5G
85
149. Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
85
151. Honor Magic6 Lite (5300 mAh)
84
151. OnePlus Nord CE 5G
84
153. Samsung Galaxy A15 5G
83
153. Vivo Y76 5G
83
155. Samsung Galaxy A15 LTE
81
156. Honor 90 Smart
79
156. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
79
158. Sony Xperia 10 V
78
158. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
78
160. TCL 40R 5G
76
161. Realme 9i 5G
75
161. Xiaomi Redmi Note 13
75
163. Honor Magic5 Lite 5G
74
164. Honor 90 Lite
73
165. Samsung Galaxy A23 5G
70
166. Fairphone 4
69
166. Oppo A78 5G
69
166. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G
69
169. Motorola moto g34 5G
67
169. Samsung Galaxy A14 5G
67
171. Motorola Moto G62 5G
66
172. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
65
173. Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G
64
174. Sony Xperia 10 IV
63
174. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12
63
174. Xiaomi Redmi 13C
63
174. Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G
63
178. Honor X7
61
178. Honor Magic4 Lite 5G
61
180. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
60
180. Xiaomi Redmi 13C 5G
60
182. Honor 70 Lite
58
183. Motorola Moto G23
54
184. Oppo A77 5G
53
185. Honor X8 5G
52
185. TCL 406
52
187. Xiaomi Redmi 10 2022
51
188. Crosscall Action-X5
50
189. Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
48
190. Crosscall Core-Z5
47
191. Oppo A57
46
191. Oppo A16s 5G
46
193. Samsung Galaxy A05s
45
193. Xiaomi Redmi 12C
45
Position in Ultra-Premium Ranking 1st
1. Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
163
2. Honor Magic6 Pro
158
3. Huawei Mate 60 Pro+
157
3. Oppo Find X7 Ultra
157
5. Huawei P60 Pro
156
6. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
154
6. Apple iPhone 15 Pro
154
8. Google Pixel 8 Pro
153
8. Oppo Find X6 Pro
153
10. Honor Magic5 Pro
152
11. Oppo Find X6
150
11. Vivo X100 Pro
150
13. Huawei Mate 50 Pro
149
13. Xiaomi 14 Ultra
149
15. Google Pixel 7 Pro
147
15. Honor Magic4 Ultimate
147
17. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
146
17. Apple iPhone 14 Pro
146
19. Apple iPhone 15 Plus
145
20. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
144
21. Huawei P50 Pro
143
22. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
141
22. Apple iPhone 13 Pro
141
22. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
141
25. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
140
25. Vivo X90 Pro+
140
25. Xiaomi 13 Ultra
140
28. Huawei Mate 40 Pro+
139
29. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
137
30. Vivo X90 Pro
136
30. Xiaomi 13 Pro
136
30. Xiaomi 12S Ultra
136
33. Huawei Mate 40 Pro
135
33. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
135
33. Vivo X80 Pro (MediaTek)
135
36. Google Pixel 6 Pro
134
36. Vivo X70 Pro+
134
38. Apple iPhone 14 Plus
133
38. Google Pixel Fold
133
38. Samsung Galaxy S24+ (Exynos)
133
38. Samsung Galaxy S23+
133
42. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
131
42. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
131
44. Motorola Edge 40 Pro
130
44. Oppo Find X5 Pro
130
46. Huawei P40 Pro
129
46. Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra
129
46. Xiaomi 12 Pro
129
49. Oppo Find X3 Pro
128
49. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
128
51. Apple iPhone 12 Pro
127
51. Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
127
51. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
127
54. Honor Magic4 Pro
126
54. Vivo X60 Pro+
126
56. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
125
56. Vivo X50 Pro+
125
58. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
124
58. Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro
124
60. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
122
60. OnePlus 10 Pro
122
60. OnePlus 9 Pro
122
63. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
120
64. Honor Magic Vs
119
64. Sony Xperia 5 IV
119
66. Sony Xperia 5 V
118
66. Sony Xperia 1 IV
118
68. Honor Magic V2
117
68. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
117
70. Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (Snapdragon)
115
70. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
115
72. Oppo Find X5
114
72. Oppo Find N2 Flip
114
74. Crosscall Stellar-X5
113
74. OnePlus 8 Pro
113
76. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
112
77. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
111
77. Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (Exynos)
111
79. Asus ROG Phone 7
108
80. Sony Xperia 1 III
105
Pros
- Nicely balanced exposure and contrast across all light conditions; outstanding rendering when viewed on HDR display
- Very nice colors when viewed on HDR display
- Fast and accurate autofocus, good video stabilization
- Variable aperture allows for optimized depth of field in each scene
- Very good texture/noise trade-off across most conditions and in all zoom settings
- Natural blur in bokeh mode, smooth gradient, and accurate subject isolation
- 3.5x tele macro shots at f/2.1 offer nice perspective and good sharpness
Cons
- Local noise in video
- Ghosting in shots with moving subjects, even in bright light
- Occasional color quantization, especially in low light
- Occasional unnatural textures in low light and night shots
- Some unnatural rendering in tele zoom shots
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra delivered outstanding performances across all areas in the DXOMARK Camera tests, securing itself the top position in our ranking. Still image results were exceptional across all camera modules, resulting in top scores not only for photo but also for zoom wide and tele. The camera’s ability to balance detail retention and noise reduction was impressive, and images showed precise exposure and a wide dynamic range, as well as pleasant colors. Thanks to its large main camera sensor and careful tuning, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra showed strong improvements in texture and noise compared to its predecessors. Good detail and exposure were maintained, even when shooting in low light. The device showed a particular ability to deliver images with natural skin-tone rendering and an accurate white balance even in very complex lighting conditions such as low light. The variable aperture helped provide optimal depth-of-field and good sharpness on all subjects in group shots. The autofocus was fast and reliable in static and dynamic scenes alike. The fast shutter time and response allowed for freezing motion and capturing the decisive moment.
Unlike Huawei’s previous flagship, the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra was tested in HDR photo mode. The wider dynamic range in this mode resulted in noticeably better contrast and color rendering. However, the Pura 70 Ultra uses a proprietary Huawei HDR format that can only be viewed on some of the latest Huawei phones and tablets. It is not widely compatible with other Android devices or even some of Huawei’s models, including laptops. We converted the images into the AVIF image file format to allow visualization outside the Huawei ecosystem for perceptual evaluation. Images included in these test results are original JPEG files from the device. Find out more about HDR imaging from capture to display in this article.
Video was tested on the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra in 4K/30fps mode using the HDR Vivid format. Although the Pura 70 Ultra progressed in certain aspects of video performance over the Mate 60 Pro+, the Pura 70 Ultra could not quite match the current best video devices, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Oppo Find X7 Ultra, when it came to the most challenging low-light test scenes.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Wide dynamic range, good exposure, vibrant colors, high level of detail.
Top score
Friends & Family
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is a great option for capturing pictures and videos of friends and family, achieving the best friends and family score to date. The camera kept motion blur in moving scenes to a minimum, allowed for precise capture of the decisive moment, and produced images with fairly accurate skin tones. In terms of photo capture, the only real downside was an occasional ghosting effect in moving scenes, especially with backlighting. Performance in this category was lower in video mode, where our testers observed occasional underexposure on faces in low light.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Wide depth of field in group shots, good detail, nice skin tones, well-balanced exposure and contrast.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Depth of field is slightly too shallow in group shots, nice skin tones, well-balanced exposure.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Wide depth of field in group shots, good detail, nice skin tones, well-balanced exposure.
Top score
Lowlight
The Pura 70 Ultra was also the best device tested to date for low-light capture. In dim conditions, the camera offered a wide dynamic range, capturing good detail in both the highlight and shadow areas of the frame. Image noise was generally well under control, and images showed high levels of detail. However, unnatural texture rendering could be noticeable in some night scenes.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Wide dynamic range, nice colors, high levels of detail, very slight noise, accurate focus and wide depth of field.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Accurate exposure but slightly visible clipping and color quantization, very slight noise, slightly inaccurate focus and shallow depth of field.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Accurate exposure, slightly visible color quantization, very slight noise, slightly inaccurate focus and shallow depth of field.
Test summary
About DXOMARK Camera tests: DXOMARK’s Camera evaluations take place in laboratories and in real-world situations using a wide variety of subjects. The scores rely on objective tests for which the results are calculated directly by measurement software on our laboratory setups, and on perceptual tests in which a sophisticated set of metrics allow a panel of image experts to compare aspects of image quality that require human judgment. Testing a smartphone involves a team of engineers and technicians for about a week. Photo, Zoom, and Video quality are scored separately and then combined into an Overall score for comparison among the cameras in different devices. For more information about the DXOMARK Camera protocol, click here. More details on smartphone camera scores are available here. The following section gathers key elements of DXOMARK’s exhaustive tests and analyses. Full performance evaluations are available upon request. Please contact us on how to receive a full report.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra Camera Scores vs Ultra-Premium
This graph compares DXOMARK photo, zoom and video scores between the tested device and references. Average and maximum scores of the price segment are also indicated. Average and maximum scores for each price segment are computed based on the DXOMARK database of devices tested.
Photo
169
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
About DXOMARK Camera Photo tests
For scoring and analysis, DXOMARK engineers capture and evaluate more than 2,600 test images both in controlled lab environments and in outdoor, indoor and low-light natural scenes, using the camera’s default settings. The photo protocol is designed to take into account the main use cases and is based on typical shooting scenarios, such as portraits, family, and landscape photography. The evaluation is performed by visually inspecting images against a reference of natural scenes, and by running objective measurements on images of charts captured in the lab under different lighting conditions from 1 to 1,000+ lux and color temperatures from 2,300K to 6,500K.
Learn more about how we test camera
In photo mode, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra delivered the best performance of all devices tested to date. The combination of the large 1” image sensor and the f/1.6 – 4.0 variable aperture allowed for depth of field adjustments and creative flexibility that is pretty much unheard of in the smartphone world. In our tests, photos offered nice colors and good contrast when viewed on an HDR display. Dynamic range was wide, and good face exposure made for pleasant portrait shots. White balance was accurate, and the atmosphere of the ambient light was captured nicely. The autofocus was fast and accurate, and the camera managed a good trade-off between noise reduction and texture preservation.
Minor issues included some slight exposure and white balance instabilities, as well as an occasional ghosting effect, especially when shooting high-contrast scenes. Our testers also noticed slight noise in very low-light shots.
In addition, the Huawei did well when taking close-up and macro shots, thanks to the fairly wide aperture and close focus distance of the tele camera, which was used in macro mode. White balance could sometimes be slightly unstable in macro images, but other than that the pictures were detailed and pleasant, with a nice perspective compression.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra Photo scores vs Ultra-Premium
The photo tests analyze image quality attributes such as exposure, color, texture, and noise in various light conditions. Autofocus performances and the presence of artifacts on all images captured in controlled lab conditions and in real-life images are also evaluated. All these attributes have a significant impact on the final quality of the images captured with the tested device and can help to understand the camera's main strengths and weaknesses.
Close-Up
In our tests, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra captured very nice macro shots. The use of the 3.5x tele lens allowed for a longer shooting distance than most rivals and provided a nicely compressed perspective. Overall, macro and close-up shots were pleasant and showed good detail. Only occasionally did our testers notice a slightly unstable white balance.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Excellent subject isolation, thanks to the macro tele module, accurate focus.
Oppo Find X7 Ultra – Less pronounced subject isolation.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Good subject isolation, slightly inaccurate focus.
Exposure
130
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
Exposure is one of the key attributes for technically good pictures. The main attribute evaluated is the brightness of the main subject through various use cases such as landscape, portrait, or still life. Other factors evaluated are the contrast and the dynamic range, eg. the ability to render visible details in both bright and dark areas of the image. Repeatability is also important because it demonstrates the camera's ability to provide the same rendering when shooting several images of the same scene.
The camera managed accurate target exposure with a very wide dynamic range across all light conditions. In combination with the very good HDR format rendering, this resulted in some of the best balanced images we have seen on a smartphone. Contrast was very pleasant as well, even when shooting difficult scenes.
This said, our testers noticed some slight exposure instabilities in challenging conditions, for example, some backlit scenes. In such conditions, results could be inconsistent across a series of consecutive shots.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Accurate target exposure, outstanding contrast on HDR display.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Accurate target exposure, very good contrast on HDR display.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Accurate target exposure, good contrast on HDR display.
Color
128
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
Color is one of the key attributes for technically good pictures. The image quality attributes analyzed are skin-tone rendering, white balance, color shading, and repeatability. For color and skin tone rendering, we penalize unnatural colors but we respect a manufacturer's choice of color signature.
Color was rendered nicely, with generally accurate white balance and only occasional color casts, resulting in the device reaching the top score in color. Skin-tone rendering was good across all types of skin tones and light conditions. The HDR format also helped improve color rendering, with nice color contrast in all scenes, but especially backlit portrait shots. On the downside, our testers observed some slight white balance instabilities in all light conditions.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Accurate white balance and color rendering, pleasant skin tone.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Slightly cold color cast, accurate color rendering, pleasant skin tone.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Accurate white balance and color rendering, pleasant skin tone.
Autofocus
125
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
Autofocus tests concentrate on focus accuracy, focus repeatability, shooting time delay, and depth of field. Shooting delay is the difference between the time the user presses the capture button and the time the image is actually taken. It includes focusing speed and the capability of the device to capture images at the right time, what is called 'zero shutter lag' capability. Even if a shallow depth of field can be pleasant for a single subject portrait or close-up shot, it can also be a problem in some specific conditions such as group portraits; Both situations are tested. Focus accuracy is also evaluated in all the real-life images taken, from infinity to close-up objects and in low light to outdoor conditions.
In our tests, the Pura 70 Ultra autofocus was fast and accurate, allowing for sharp images and capture at the decisive moment. The variable aperture system in combination with the large image sensor meant that the Huawei was capable of optimizing depth of field for each scene. For example, in group portraits, the Huawei produced a wider depth of field than competing devices, providing good sharpness across all subject distances. The camera was capable of picking the best aperture for all our portrait test scenes, from single subjects to larger groups.
Edge acutance irregularity and average shooting delay along all tested conditions
This graph illustrates focus irregularity and speed as well as zero shutter lag capability, for different light conditions. Each point is the result of the aggregation of the measurements for a group of 30 pictures per conditions. The y-axis shows the average acutance difference with the best focus in percentage. The lower the better. On the x-axis, a negative delay means the photo is taken just before the user triggers the shutter, a positive delay means the photo is taken just after. The closer to 0 ms, the better. Acutance and delay are measured respectively using the Dead leaves chart and the LED Universal Timer, on the AF HDR Setup.
Autofocus irregularity and speed: 5Lux Δ0EV Tungsten Handheld
This graph illustrates focus accuracy and speed and also zero shutter lag capability by showing the edge acutance versus the shooting time measured on the AFHDR setup on a series of pictures. All pictures were taken at 5Lux with Tungsten illuminant, 2000ms after the defocus. The edge acutance is measured on the four edges of the Dead Leaves chart, and the shooting time is measured on the LED Universal Timer.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra - Wide depth of field allows sharp background subject.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max - Shallow depth of field makes background subject blurry.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ - Wide depth of field allows sharp background subject.
Texture
120
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
124
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Texture tests analyze the level of details and the texture of subjects in the images taken in the lab as well as in real-life scenarios. For natural shots, particular attention is paid to the level of details in the bright and dark areas of the image. Objective measurements are performed on chart images taken in various lighting conditions from 1 to 1000 lux and different kinds of dynamic range conditions. The charts used are the proprietary DXOMARK chart (DMC) and the Dead Leaves chart.
In our tests, the Pura 70 Ultra captured high levels of detail and images with natural texture rendering. The excellent real-life results were confirmed by objective measurements in the lab. Texture was very fine and accurate, providing natural detail rendering on a wide range of scenes, from skin texture in portraits to distant vegetation in landscape shots. In addition, the level of captured detail remained high in low and very low light conditions. This said, our testers observed a local loss of detail in some scenes, especially in low light.
DXOMARK CHART (DMC) detail preservation score vs lux levels for tripod and handheld conditions
This graph shows the evolution of the DMC detail preservation score with the level of lux, for two holding conditions. DMC detail preservation score is derived from an AI-based metric trained to evaluate texture and details rendering on a selection of crops of our DXOMARK chart.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra - Excellent level of details
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max - Good level of details
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ - Good level of details
Noise
117
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
Noise tests analyze various attributes of noise such as intensity, chromaticity, grain, structure on real-life images as well as images of charts taken in the lab. For natural images, particular attention is paid to the noise on faces, landscapes, but also on dark areas and high dynamic range conditions. Noise on moving objects is also evaluated on natural images. Objective measurements are performed on images of charts taken in various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux and different kinds of dynamic range conditions. The chart used is the Dead Leaves chart and the standardized measurement such as Visual Noise derived from ISO 15739.
In our tests, the Pura 70 Ultra kept image noise very well under control across all test conditions. Luminance noise was managed well, but chroma noise and color quantization could sometimes be noticeable, especially when shooting in low light.
Visual noise evolution with illuminance levels in handheld condition
This graph shows the evolution of visual noise metric with the level of lux in handheld condition. The visual noise metric is the mean of visual noise measurement on all patches of the Dead Leaves chart in the AFHDR setup. DXOMARK visual noise measurement is derived from ISO15739 standard.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra - Very well-controlled noise even in very low light.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max - Slight noise in very low light.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ - Very well controlled noise in very low light.
Artifacts
81
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
82
Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G
Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G
The artifacts evaluation looks at lens shading, chromatic aberrations, geometrical distortion, edges ringing, halos, ghosting, quantization, unexpected color hue shifts, among others type of possible unnatural effects on photos. The more severe and the more frequent the artifact, the higher the point deduction on the score. The main artifacts observed and corresponding point loss are listed below.
In some instances, image artifacts such as fusion were occasionally observed, especially in strong contrast conditions.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra - Fusion artifact
Main photo artifacts penalties
Bokeh
85
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
Bokeh is tested in one dedicated mode, usually portrait or aperture mode, and analyzed by visually inspecting all the images captured in the lab and in natural conditions. The goal is to reproduce portrait photography comparable to one taken with a DLSR and a wide aperture. The main image quality attributes paid attention to are depth estimation, artifacts, blur gradient, and the shape of the bokeh blur spotlights. Portrait image quality attributes (exposure, color, texture) are also taken into account.
When shooting in bokeh mode, the Pura 70 Ultra captured images with a generally natural blur effect, smooth blur gradient and accurate subject isolation.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Natural blur effect, smooth blur gradient, very accurate subject isolation.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Natural blur effect, smooth blur gradient, accurate subject isolation.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Natural blur effect, smooth blur gradient, accurate subject isolation.
Preview
82
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
91
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Preview tests analyze the image quality of the camera app's preview of the image, with particular attention paid to the difference between the capture and the preview, especially regarding dynamic range and the application of the bokeh effect. Also evaluated is the smoothness of the exposure, color and focus adaptation when zooming from the minimal to the maximal zoom factor available. The preview frame rate is measured using the LED Universal Timer.
Our specialists observed a noticeable improvement in the preview quality of the Pura 70 Ultra compared to the Mate 60 Pro+, but it was still not on the same level as the class-leading iPhone 15 Pro Max. The Pura 70 Ultra’s preview was quite similar to the capture in terms of target exposure, dynamic range, and color rendering. However, during testing, our evaluators detected some slight differences between the preview and final images, particularly in bokeh mode, where depth estimation sometimes differed, resulting in less accurate bokeh simulation on the preview. Nevertheless, the dynamic range in the preview remained fairly accurate across various conditions, closely resembling the captured image.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Preview
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Capture
Zoom
164
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
About DXOMARK Camera Zoom tests
DXOMARK engineers capture and evaluate over 400 test images in controlled lab environments and in outdoor, indoor, and low-light natural scenes, using the camera’s default settings and pinch zoom at various zoom factors from ultra wide to very long-range zoom. The evaluation is performed by visually inspecting the images against a reference of natural scenes, and by running objective measurements of chart mages captured in the lab under different conditions from 20 to 1000 lux and color temperatures from 2300K to 6500K.
Learn more about how we test camera
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra produced exceptional results not only with its primary module but also with its telephoto and ultra-wide cameras, achieving the best results in the tele and wide categories to date. Images showed good detail, and the effective noise reduction did not compromise fine textures. The autofocus system performed reliably, and zoom images had a wide dynamic range, nice skin tones, and accurate white balance.
However, our testers also observed minor color instabilities and slight ringing or aliasing on high-contrast edges. This said, overall zoom images were consistently pleasing across the zoom range, and texture measurements were quite high. The Pura 70 Ultra’s performance was excellent at medium and long-range tele zoom settings, matching the very best in class. At close and extra long tele settings, the Huawei delivered the best results we have seen to date, with beautiful texture rendering, especially in portraits, and minimal noise, even when shooting in low light.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra Zoom Scores vs Ultra-Premium
This graph illustrates the relative scores for the different zoom ranges evaluated. The abscissa is expressed in 35mm equivalent focal length. Zooming-in scores are displayed on the right and Zooming-out scores on the left.
Video Zoom
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra provided a very good level of detail in video zoom, even though occasionally, some camera jumps as well as exposure and color variations were visible while zooming. The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max still offers a smoother user experience for video zoom.
Wide
122
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
These tests analyze the performance of the ultra-wide camera at several focal lengths from 12 mm to 20 mm. All image quality attributes are evaluated, with particular attention paid to such artifacts as chromatic aberrations, lens softness, and distortion. Pictures below are an extract of tested scenes.
The performance in wide was the best we have tested so far at DXOMARK, with an excellent level of detail and very well-managed noise levels in the whole field of the 13mm ultra-wide module. Dynamic range was wide, and exposure and white balance were accurate.The color rendering was pleasant in most conditions.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Wide dynamic range, pleasant colors, excellent level of details.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Wide dynamic range, slight white balance cast, excellent level of details.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Wide dynamic range, very slight white balance cast, excellent level of details.
Tele
119
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
120
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
All image quality attributes are evaluated at focal lengths from approximately 40 mm to 300 mm, with particular attention paid to texture and detail. The score is derived from a number of objective measurements in the lab and perceptual analysis of real-life images.
Similar to the wide camera performance, the Pura 70 Ultra’s tele performance was at the top of our database, with an excellent level of detail, low level of noise, and pleasant color rendering across the entire zoom range. Perceptual results and measurements were similar to the Mate 60 Pro+ except in very long range (>150mm), which still showed good improvements.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra - 3.5x - Accurate exposure, pleasant skin tone, excellent level of detail.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max - 3.5x - Accurate exposure, pleasant skin tone, slight loss of detail.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ - 3.5x - Accurate exposure, pleasant skin tone, very good level of detail.
- 5 lux
- 20 lux
- 100 lux
- 1000 lux
DXOMARK CHART (DMC) detail preservation score per focal length
This graph shows the evolution of the DMC detail preservation score with respect to the full-frame equivalent focal length for different light conditions. The x-axis represents the equivalent focal length measured for each corresponding shooting distance and the y-axis represents the maximum details preservation metric score: higher value means better quality. Large dots correspond to zoom ratio available in the user interface of the camera application.
DXOMARK CHART (DMC) detail preservation score per focal length
This graph shows the evolution of the DMC detail preservation score with respect to the full-frame equivalent focal length for different light conditions. The x-axis represents the equivalent focal length measured for each corresponding shooting distance and the y-axis represents the maximum details preservation metric score: higher value means better quality. Large dots correspond to zoom ratio available in the user interface of the camera application.
DXOMARK CHART (DMC) detail preservation score per focal length
This graph shows the evolution of the DMC detail preservation score with respect to the full-frame equivalent focal length for different light conditions. The x-axis represents the equivalent focal length measured for each corresponding shooting distance and the y-axis represents the maximum details preservation metric score: higher value means better quality. Large dots correspond to zoom ratio available in the user interface of the camera application.
DXOMARK CHART (DMC) detail preservation score per focal length
This graph shows the evolution of the DMC detail preservation score with respect to the full-frame equivalent focal length for different light conditions. The x-axis represents the equivalent focal length measured for each corresponding shooting distance and the y-axis represents the maximum details preservation metric score: higher value means better quality. Large dots correspond to zoom ratio available in the user interface of the camera application.
Video
148
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
158
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
About DXOMARK Camera Video tests
DXOMARK engineers capture and evaluate more than 2.5 hours of video in controlled lab environments and in natural low-light, indoor and outdoor scenes, using the camera’s default settings. The evaluation consists of visually inspecting natural videos taken in various conditions and running objective measurements on videos of charts recorded in the lab under different conditions from 1 to 1000+ lux and color temperatures from 2,300K to 6,500K.
Learn more about how we test camera
In our video tests, the Pura 70 Ultra’s autofocus performance was excellent, with quick reactions and smooth transitions. Exposure and colors were accurate in most conditions, but our experts noticed some slight instabilities in low light. Color rendering in bright light was improved over the Mate 60 Pro+, with higher levels of saturation. However, colors still could not quite match the vibrance of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Levels of captured detail were high, and noise was well under control in bright light and when shooting indoors. However, some noise could be noticeable in low light, especially on moving elements in the scene. Chroma noise could be visible in the shadows. Video stabilization was effective, with very few sharpness differences between video frames across all light conditions. Camera shake was only slightly noticeable in the recorded footage.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra Video scores vs Ultra-Premium
Video tests analyze the same image quality attributes as for still images, such as exposure, color, texture, or noise, in addition to temporal aspects such as speed, and smoothness and stability of exposure, white balance, and autofocus transitions.
Exposure
115
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
116
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Exposure tests evaluate the brightness of the main subject and the dynamic range, eg. the ability to render visible details in both bright and dark areas of the image. Stability and temporal adaption of the exposure are also analyzed.
In video mode, target exposure was generally accurate and dynamic range was fairly wide, providing good highlight preservation in high-contrast scenes across all light levels.
Color
115
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
119
Honor Magic6 Pro
Honor Magic6 Pro
Image-quality color analysis looks at color rendering, skin-tone rendering, white balance, color shading, stability of the white balance and its adaption when light is changing.
White balance was accurate in most test conditions, but some slight adaptation issues could sometimes be noticeable in very challenging scenes.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Accurate skin tones, slightly visible color adaptations.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Accurate skin tones, slightly visible color adaptations.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Accurate skin tones, slightly visible color adaptations.
Autofocus
120
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Highest Score
The autofocus performed particularly well in video mode, with smooth and accurate focusing, even in difficult scenes.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Fast and smooth autofocus.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Fast and smooth autofocus.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Fast and smooth autofocus.
Texture
111
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
118
Oppo Find X6 Pro
Oppo Find X6 Pro
Texture tests analyze the level of details and texture of the real-life videos as well as the videos of charts recorded in the lab. Natural videos recordings are visually evaluated, with particular attention paid to the level of details in the bright and areas as well as in the dark. Objective measurements are performed of images of charts taken in various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux. The charts used are the DXOMARK chart (DMC) and Dead Leaves chart.
Video texture measurements in the lab were high across all test conditions. This was confirmed by our results in real-life recording, with good texture across all types of subjects, including faces. However, our testers noticed some moving texture artifacts, especially when shooting video in low light.
DXOMARK CHART (DMC) detail preservation video score vs lux levels
This graph shows the evolution of the DMC detail preservation video score with the level of lux in video. DMC detail preservation score is derived from an AI-based metric trained to evaluate texture and details rendering on a selection of crops of our DXOMARK chart.
Noise
110
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
119
Oppo Find X7 Ultra
Oppo Find X7 Ultra
Noise tests analyze various attributes of noise such as intensity, chromaticity, grain, structure, temporal aspects on real-life video recording as well as videos of charts taken in the lab. Natural videos are visually evaluated, with particular attention paid to the noise in the dark areas and high dynamic range conditions. Objective measurements are performed on the videos of charts recorded in various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux. The chart used is the DXOMARK visual noise chart.
Video noise was generally well under control in static scenes, including our lab tests. Some noise could be noticeable in low light, especially on moving elements in the scene. Chroma noise could be visible in the shadow portions of the frame.
- Spatial Noise
- Temporal Noise
Spatial visual noise evolution with the illuminance level
This graph shows the evolution of spatial visual noise with the level of lux. Spatial visual noise is measured on the visual noise chart in the video noise setup. DXOMARK visual noise measurement is derived from ISO15739 standard.
Temporal visual noise evolution with the illuminance level
This graph shows the evolution of temporal visual noise with the level of lux. Temporal visual noise is measured on the visual noise chart in the video noise setup.
Stabilization
115
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
118
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Stabilization evaluation tests the ability of the device to stabilize footage thanks to software or hardware technologies such as OIS, EIS, or any others means. The evaluation looks at residual motion, smoothness, jello artifacts and residual motion blur on walk and run use cases in various lighting conditions. The video below is an extract from one of the tested scenes.
Video stabilization did a very good job at compensating for camera motion, but it could not quite match the best-in-class devices. Artifacts, such as the jello effect or sharpness differences between frames were well under control.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra – Excellent stabilization
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Excellent stabilization
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ – Excellent stabilization
Artifacts
75
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
86
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
Artifacts are evaluated with MTF and ringing measurements on the SFR chart in the lab as well as frame-rate measurements using the LED Universal Timer. Natural videos are visually evaluated by paying particular attention to artifacts such as aliasing, quantization, blocking, and hue shift, among others. The more severe and the more frequent the artifact, the higher the point deduction from the score. The main artifacts and corresponding point loss are listed below.
In our video tests, we noticed some unwanted artifacts, including scene integrity artifacts, judder, and aliasing. Unlike the class leader in video, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Pura 70 Ultra does not offer a fast 60fps frame rate in bright daylight conditions and when recording indoors.
Main video artifacts penalties