Surface Duo photo reveals the phone's camera quality — but we have mixed feelings

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The photo looks good but is it 'world-class?'

Microsoft Surface Duo: Rumors, release date, price and what we want
(Image credit: Microsoft)

The Microsoft Surface Duo, a dual-screen phone running Android, is still set to launch during the holiday season this year. While we haven't gone hands-on with the device, a number of leaks and teases are helping paint a clearer picture of its capabilities. 

The latest nugget of info comes from Microsoft chief product officer Panos Panay, who posted to Instagram the first photo shot with the Surface Duo.  

There doesn't appear to be a rear world-facing camera on the Surface Duo so we believe this was taken with the front-facing selfie cam. 

Sharing a special moment captured on my Surface Duo. While I am working from home, Costas is learning from home. We're sharing my office today, he's studying for his CAL mid-term. It's great for him to have tools like #Windows and #Surface to help him study in this time. #workfromhome #learnfromhome Panos Panay

A photo posted by @panospanay on Apr 7, 2020 at 1:09pm PDT

As Panay wrote, the above photo shows his son, Costas, working from home. At first glance, the image looks sharp and colorful. You can see the gradient of the carpet and the fire is the proper shade of orange. 

Look closely and you'll notice some softness on the edges of the shot, particularly on the right side by the sofa. There is also some visual noise, although the photo looks to have been taken in less-than-ideal indoor lighting. 

It's worth reiterating that this shot was posted to Instagram, so it went through considerable compression. Perhaps the full-res image will show the "world-class camera" Panay promised. 

Phillip Tracy
Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.