Last Thursday, HTC unveiled two new devices designed to target photography enthusiasts, namely the RE camera and the Desire Eye Smartphone. While the RE is an L-shaped camera without a viewfinder, the Desire Eye sports a 13-megapixel front camera to ensure one's selfies are of high quality.
For the RE, HTC is seeking to appeal to target markets that take pleasure in devices such as the GoPro outdoor cams. Interestingly, the RE comes with a periscope-shaped shooter with a wide-angle lens that can view up to 146 degrees, increasing the chances of capturing anything that the camera is pointed at.
With a 16-megapixel camera, the RE can also capture 1080p HD videos, and it offers support for slow motion and time lapse recording.
Despite the absence of a built-in viewfinder, HTC has made Android and iOS apps available to allow the RE to use the display of a device in order for users to view their own photos and videos.
"We are taking you out from behind the viewfinder and putting you back where you belong, at the heart of the action," HTC CEO Peter Chou said.
With the Desire Eye, the company appears to be addressing "selfie"-related needs by providing 13 megapixels for both its rear and front cameras. BSI sensors have also been integrated to capture sharp photos within a low light environment.
Interestingly, there are also dual LED flashes for both the rear and front cameras that significantly contribute to the brightness of the captured images.
Also integrated into the phone is the HTC Eye Experience, an editing software that is ideal for touching up faces with live skin smoothing, and generating content from videos simultaneously captured using the rear and front cameras.
Users can easily trigger the shutter of the front camera, thanks to the recognition of voice commands.
While the Desire Eye can be deemed as a reliable phone for users engaged in photography, HTC's RE may sell well in its target market if it can be considered as an essential phone accessory.
