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Comment by cameronh90 | Hacker News Reader

Modern sensors combined with computational photography does seem to be changing this though.

For example, I now use my phone camera to see where I'm going at night if it's dark, and to read distant text. This is despite my (corrected) eyesight being better than 20/20 and I have better than usual night vision.

The eyes are fantastic organs, but the thing that makes them exceptional is the brain. Computers seem to be catching up with that.

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Flashlight's have come a long way. I much prefer that to using my phone, especially on Android where opening the camera can be finicky and turning on the lamp requires a ridiculous amount of steps compared to the iPhones. Especially handy if out in the cold with gloves. Armytek prime c2 pro is pretty great.

I do love a good torch, and I keep one on me most of the time.

However, I meant non-illuminated phone camera. The new low light sensors combined with AI is incredible. They can see things when it looks pitch black to me.

Also not sure how opening a camera is finicky, just double tap the power button and it opens for me, and turning on the flash takes two taps - though I rarely use the flash.

Sounds like I need a new phone then. I'm still on the pixel 3.

Double tapping the power button on Android has been the shortcut to open the camera for quite a long time. It should work on the Pixel 3.

Why do you have to open the camera in order to use the flashlight on an android phone? The button to turn the flashlight on is in the quick settings panel which can also be opened from the lock screen.

On my older Motorola it was even a gesture of shaking it twice like a hatchet would turn the flashlight on and off.

How I miss the Moto X 2014, probably my favorite phone of all time.

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