Related
Or is mine bad?!? Seriously, is no one else getting this problem with blown highlights and over-exposure, or are y'all accepting it? I bought this phone for its "superior camera" and while yes it can take pictures in low light I was not willing to give up taking good pictures in good lighting >8(
I installed Android Revolution 8, then 9, to get the "updated" camera- stock kernel, Dev. Ed.
Attached photo taken with stock camera with auto settings, no custom settings, no hdr (though that has been disappointing as well). Oh and white balance was about 5-800 Kelvin too yellow as well... (sigh)
So do I send it back to get cameras as good as everyone else's or start watching the Sony rumors again? Because my 18 month old Galaxy Note could get this picture right...
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
The camera is awesome, its just you have to play around with the settings. Cange the sharpness to -1 and contrast to +1 for day light pictures. Also focus manually before taking pics.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using XDA Premium HD app
What were u expecting from a phone camera?
If you want realy good pictures you need to buy a good standalone camera..
The time isnt still there (and will be for along time) before phone cameras can compete with good standalone cameras...
I also find the camera disappointing. I love the software features like Zoe, but I personally can't rely on this camera to quickly capture a good picture. And I don't think the low light performance is very good either.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Those pictures do not look nearly as good as pictures I have taken with mine,using stock settings. Here's a couple for example. The pictures look a lot better in original format as well in full resolution.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
I love this camera, it lacks the raw specs but it manages to capture those special moments very well, better than even a camera.
The camera has impressed me so far, especially the speed and the amazing colours.
Completely stock trickdroid settings for camera here
@jeeptrash love your cat
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta
My camera is working fine too
it's not perfect but it works
john291 said:
What were u expecting from a phone camera?
If you want realy good pictures you need to buy a good standalone camera..
The time isnt still there (and will be for along time) before phone cameras can compete with good standalone cameras...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
John, my expectations are to not move BACKWARD in quality. Trust me I carry my X100 half the time, but the other half this phone was supposed to fill in and it doesn't cut it.
It's your phone also blowing highlights and having white balance problems? I'm trying to understand if this behavior is typical or not.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
The overexposure thing is a little annoying it's true. HDR mode seems to recover lost shadow detail but doesn't seem to help with blown-out highlights.
Setting contrast to +1 is definitely *not* going to help it.
When you know there will be difficult highlights, setting exposure to -1 in normal non-HDR mode seems like the only response. Not ideal I know. Especially when making such a simple, temporary adjustment requires a lot of fiddling around with menus.
Yep, been playin with my camera all day, had no work in. Found the adjustment settings werent fine enough - swung too much one way or the other on +/- 1.
And indoor pictures where theres any daylight showing (doors/windows etc) caused the images to be washed out, even when focused on the lightest part first.
I think the hardware is fine, just some software improvements are needed. So its not all bad.
davedigerati said:
John, my expectations are to not move BACKWARD in quality. Trust me I carry my X100 half the time, but the other half this phone was supposed to fill in and it doesn't cut it.
It's your phone also blowing highlights and having white balance problems? I'm trying to understand if this behavior is typical or not.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello yes it have the white balance problems sometimes..
I think they need to finetune the software better..
But it can also make some nice pictures too...
But a fine tuned software would be great..
---------- Post added at 10:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:07 PM ----------
davedigerati said:
John, my expectations are to not move BACKWARD in quality. Trust me I carry my X100 half the time, but the other half this phone was supposed to fill in and it doesn't cut it.
It's your phone also blowing highlights and having white balance problems? I'm trying to understand if this behavior is typical or not.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the way this was a simple picture i took out of my window..
Here i like the shadow detail and the natural look of it..
The camera does over expose yes. If you want an easy to use camera. Get the S4/iPhone 5.
Can you control, ISO, shutter speed, Exposure compensation?
Turn ISO off automatic and set it to like 50
Terrorantula said:
Can you control, ISO, shutter speed, Exposure compensation?
Turn ISO off automatic and set it to like 50
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can control iso but you cant get below 100..
The shutter speed cant be controlled manual..
The exposure can be set.
Terrorantula said:
Can you control, ISO, shutter speed, Exposure compensation?
Turn ISO off automatic and set it to like 50
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ISO & exposure yes, you can, and even better if you want to monkey with settings for every shot I recommend FV-5 which I use frequently
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...NvbS5mbGF2aW9uZXQuYW5kcm9pZC5jYW1lcmEucHJvIl0.
The point of my post though is not to find workarounds but to see if this is COMMON, or my camera chip has issues.
I'm puzzled by the lack of complaints out there and feel like the photo I posted was a good example of average sunny day conditions, done badly. Indoors, low light, we're fine, it's the sunny days that are the issue.
Everyone quiet means either
a) everyone is accepting poor quality sunny day photos
b) my camera has issues and everyone else's is fine
c) everyone is feeling a little bit bad that the camera they were promised would offer 'a great leap in the quality of point-and-shoot photos and video' (http://www.htc.com/www/zoe/) frankly isn't, and reluctant to say so, or
d) other?
So everyone shooting sunny day pics please chime, in I appreciate your input- if your pics are coming out great without clipping I'll start the RMA process, or if yours are getting blown I'll fire up the angry fan-boi machine and pester every HTC channel I can hit with requests for a camera update.
Cheers,
Dave
The latter option.
I second, go for the latter
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
davedigerati said:
ISO & exposure yes, you can, and even better if you want to monkey with settings for every shot I recommend FV-5 which I use frequently
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...NvbS5mbGF2aW9uZXQuYW5kcm9pZC5jYW1lcmEucHJvIl0.
The point of my post though is not to find workarounds but to see if this is COMMON, or my camera chip has issues.
I'm puzzled by the lack of complaints out there and feel like the photo I posted was a good example of average sunny day conditions, done badly. Indoors, low light, we're fine, it's the sunny days that are the issue.
Everyone quiet means either
a) everyone is accepting poor quality sunny day photos
b) my camera has issues and everyone else's is fine
c) everyone is feeling a little bit bad that the camera they were promised would offer 'a great leap in the quality of point-and-shoot photos and video' (http://www.htc.com/www/zoe/) frankly isn't, and reluctant to say so, or
d) other?
So everyone shooting sunny day pics please chime, in I appreciate your input- if your pics are coming out great without clipping I'll start the RMA process, or if yours are getting blown I'll fire up the angry fan-boi machine and pester every HTC channel I can hit with requests for a camera update.
Cheers,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have posted few times in this forum about disappointing camera or my expectation is too high. Maybe the next HTC software update would fix them. I like the speakers though which is undeniable to be the best.
Camera is superb.
But it's not all things to all men. If you prepared to fanny around with lighting, settings, angles etc for a photo, and expect a high res masterpiece, this isn't your bag. If you want a point and shoot camera which takes nr unbeatable pictures quickly, then this is it.
Mega bright lights will screw any photo up. Your picture is remarkable given the phone was able to cope at all.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
UPDATE Comparison Pics with Galaxy S4 and 808pv added
I Really got frustrated by how they review cameras in web sites.
Although am not a photographer but atleast i know the basics and photography is my hobby.
First if all; What made me write (type!) This post because i noticed that many maanyyy dont know how to deal with this beast inside ?
So i have owned every well made camera phone till i settled with the one. I used the 808 pureview the N8 S3 and S4 also the Note2 so the pris and cons for each i passed through till am satisfied now with the One.
So first what is UltraPixel. Its a big sized pixel 2 micron which allow it to be able capturing more light than usual. Just for comparison the iphone5s pixel size is 1.5 micron (was adv. As super light sensitive)
Pixels and sensor size are directly proportional the bigger size of both the better light performance. So basically more megapixels (13) with the same sensor size mostly used (1/3") means smaller pixel size so lower light sensitivety and more noisy capture.
Most phone makers to get bright low light pics they raise the iso. Raising iso really gives more bright image but with more noise. So the right formula is to long expose the sensor to more light with bigger pixel size to get the perfect shot.
The draw back is the long exposure the slower shutter so the more blurred pics you have.
Htc added optical image stabilizer to compensate for hand shakes during longer exposure time to get blur free pics.
So Htc One is getting very near to the perfect formula a bigger pixel size (but same small sensor) with ois and some how longer exposures to get a better low light performance.
So why didnt they put a larger sensor with more pixel and join the megapixel race? The point is a big camera bump at the back as the 808pv or lumia1020 which ruins the beauty of the phone.
Htc one went for fewer pixel to allow a bigger size on the same thin and small sensor adequate for cellphone.
This very long introduction was mandatory just for everyone to know what to read when comparing cell phone camera spec.
F 2.0 means wider basically wider aperature to receive light so faster capture. So now we have a device with
Ultra big pixel f2.0 and ois
With my trials with the one to get the best pic i found that it works best with touch to focus
So just touch the area you want the phone to focus then tab the shutter button.
I found that the phone uses a matrix or centre focus metering mode by default. So you may find your self getting a very bright over exposed pic. Just touch to where you want and the metering mode will turn to Spot meter mode. Example is the lamp pic. First the phone used a centre weighted metering mode but to spot the lamp i touch to focus the lamp and its clear now.
The htc one flash is amazing. Its the only flash i used in phones that preserve the human skin tine perfectly not blue washed as samsungs or yellow washed as iphones. Try it and u will be amazed.
The flash is very strong really strong u may say double the S4 power! It never failed me. (But no near to xenon)
The Night mode in the htc one apply longer exposure time and lowers the iso to get a perfect clear bright night shot. The only draw back is u have to be steady even with the ois and be sure to touch focus on what you want and notice the focus. .. once it locked correctly press the shutter.
There is also l0ck af/exposure feature. Long press on area and the phone will lock the focus and exposure so you can talk dramatic nice shots!
The htc one captures videos @60 fps i dont know why all reviewers dont mention it while they mention it say for the note3 as a premium feature! The htc one captures 720p @60fps thats a very fluid hd video recording try it.
I like how they decided to go 720p instead of the 1080p for the @60fps cause the file size for the 1080p will be amazingly huge that u may find your self filling your 32gb version in alittle period if time.
The hd recording is just fine plenty of details and balanced video file size.
So the point is touch to focus then the shutter.
In video mode the focus is locked so to not let the phone hunts for focus every now and then. But if u want to let hunt for focus turn this feature off (not recommended in low light)
ironically the reviewers when comparing with other phones the point the device to focus during video comparison and sure its locked by default then they say mmm... Failed to focus bad camera ??
Other reviewers take a shot in dim conditions and say mmm.... The one didnt light up the scene as phone x.. . Thats because pointing the phone into bright direct point turns to spot metering it and dims the scene down ... ?? why you dont just touch focus and see the magic! I dont know!
Here is some pics i clicked hope u like it. Feel free to correct/add any part ?
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
All Default / Just touch to focus Once locked perfectly i tab the capture.
The Boat/Moon photos are Night Mode with touch to focus (5 trials were made to get the perfect focus)
Another perfect shots are found in the other thread of sharing the one photos.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
You forgot to mention all the people with defective (or so we would hope) cameras. Some issues include: Purple tint in the picture, noise, inability of the camera to focus in dim settings, inability of the camera to focus at long distances, inability to focus on one side of the picture, inability to stabilize etc.
Moral of the story: if you are extremely lucky, you can get your hands on a perfect One and you'll have a great camera. For the rest of us, nothing has changed.
And does it record at 60 fps by default? I thought you had to select Fast HD from the settings for that.
sauprankul said:
You forgot to mention all the people with defective (or so we would hope) cameras. Some issues include: Purple tint in the picture, noise, inability of the camera to focus in dim settings, inability of the camera to focus at long distances, inability to focus on one side of the picture, inability to stabilize etc.
Moral of the story: if you are extremely lucky, you can get your hands on a perfect One and you'll have a great camera. For the rest of us, nothing has changed.
And does it record at 60 fps by default? I thought you had to select Fast HD from the settings for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the camera sure will not focus in pitch black cause due to the lack of auto-focus assist light
and yes in very dim conditions it takes many trials about 5 times to get the perfect focus point.
up in the boat pics my previous S4 failed to focus. it focused only after many trials on the moon.
Sometimes it focus automatic but you will have to re-focus again by touch focus. thats too in all cameras. All this issues in dim conditions not in bright light.
the purple tint i saw some sadly affected with it and heard that in the rolling out update 4.3 will be fixed. And yes my screen turns Red when i cover the lens with my hand.
No the 60fps isn't default but its very nice to have it specially in sporty occasions that needs fast buttery smooth HandyCam video recording
Fast HD (60 FPS 720p) is not enabled by default.
My thoughts?
IMO HTC One has a great macro shot capability. It also has an amazing HDR capturing ability. Using it during low light conditions also sometimes gives amazing shots. Everything else for me is decent.
is your camera settings set to default or customized some ?
Nokiacrazi said:
Fast HD (60 FPS 720p) is not enabled by default.
My thoughts?
IMO HTC One has a great macro shot capability. It also has an amazing HDR capturing ability. Using it during low light conditions also sometimes gives amazing shots. Everything else for me is decent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes .. you are totally right. one guy made a light paint with the hdr mode at night
Nightf0x_007 said:
is your camera settings set to default or customized some ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All Default / Just touch to focus Once locked perfectly i tab the capture.
The Boat/Moon photos are Night Mode with touch to focus (5 trials were made to get the perfect focus)
ashouhdy said:
the camera sure will not focus in pitch black cause due to the lack of auto-focus assist light
and yes in very dim conditions it takes many trials about 5 times to get the perfect focus point.
up in the boat pics my previous S4 failed to focus. it focused only after many trials on the moon.
Sometimes it focus automatic but you will have to re-focus again by touch focus. thats too in all cameras. All this issues in dim conditions not in bright light.
the purple tint i saw some sadly affected with it and heard that in the rolling out update 4.3 will be fixed. And yes my screen turns Red when i cover the lens with my hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Browski, I'm not exactly sure if you're trying to insult me, but it's not going to work. I realize that no camera will focus when there is no light. I'm saying that my camera, once in a while, simply refuses to focus, even though the lighting is somewhat decent. I'm not saying that you are lying or wrong. I'm just saying that it's apparent that not all One's created equal and therefore not everyone will be able to get the same experience as you did.
People in the Taiwan forums and those with dev editions have confirmed that the 4.3 update doesn't fix the camera tint problem. Go figure.
sauprankul said:
Browski, I'm not exactly sure if you're trying to insult me, but it's not going to work. I realize that no camera will focus when there is no light. I'm saying that my camera, once in a while, simply refuses to focus, even though the lighting is somewhat decent. I'm not saying that you are lying or wrong. I'm just saying that it's apparent that not all One's created equal and therefore not everyone will be able to get the same experience as you did.
People in the Taiwan forums and those with dev editions have confirmed that the 4.3 update doesn't fix the camera tint problem. Go figure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey! Why should i insult you or even be rude! We r just discussing a simple point dont get the point wrong here.
Am sad you got a defective unit i think u should return it if the tint bother you alot.
Other people here in xda confirmed the purple issue gone after the 4.3 update ... I will get u the link.
Wish you best of luck. And i didnt made the thread to say that the purple tint is user fault am just trying to help other users with a simple info or trick for better photography.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
Here u are
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=
The issue with the purple tint is the camera software telling the camera to crank up the ISO and exposure automatically.
It's possible to keep the photo ISO down and there's no purple tint. But when recording video there are no manual settings options other than changing the resolution. Cinedroid sort of allows you to manually override the exposure level but the ISO is still maxed out so the image is underexposed but the purple tint remains and the image doesn't look anywhere near the way it should look as if it was a photo.
So a software update should be able to fix it.
Is it hard for htc to turn on this assist light while AFing? Its ridiculous
Wysłane z mojego HTC One przy użyciu Tapatalk 4
drakexpl said:
Is it hard for htc to turn on this assist light while AFing? Its ridiculous
Wysłane z mojego HTC One przy użyciu Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that would save lots of problems.
There is a workaround but it takes too much time.
What's that mate?
Wysłane z mojego HTC One przy użyciu Tapatalk 4
To get rid of the purple try adding contrast to the photo. +2 will end it completely
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
drakexpl said:
What's that mate?
Wysłane z mojego HTC One przy użyciu Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Start video recording , hold on the spot you want to picture so you lock the focus then turn off recording and snap the photo ( remember don't touch anything after stopping the recording ) keep in mind this can mess things up sometimes and make super bright photos.
Here's one tip for far flash photos :
Increase exposure , if you use max exposure you better be 10/15 meters from the target , flash is very powerful with increased exposure , especially if using max , it performs like it has xenon.
If using max exposure + max contrast you better be 20+ meters away it's even more powerful.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Shan89 said:
Start video recording , hold on the spot you want to picture so you lock the focus then turn off recording and snap the photo ( remember don't touch anything after stopping the recording ) keep in mind this can mess things up sometimes and make super bright photos.
Here's one tip for far flash photos :
Increase exposure , if you use max exposure you better be 10/15 meters from the target , flash is very powerful with increased exposure , especially if using max , it performs like it has xenon.
If using max exposure + max contrast you better be 20+ meters away it's even more powerful.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will try it but i guess will be noisy and over exposed.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
Here is a simple comparison from my x-phone the Nokia 808 pv vs htc one at the same places. old pic found on my flickr account when i had the 808 ... photobucket links for larger resolution. i dont believe in the cropping thing and comparing minute pixels. i believe in the overall picture apperance as i view them on my monitor !
http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ashouhdy/1003833_Fotor_Collagevs2_Fotor_zpsf5225095.jpg
http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ashouhdy/10k_Fotor_Collagevs1_Fotor_zps77461877.jpg
Is it so difficult for a developer to make a tweak to give us flash when touch to focus? This is the biggest problem of the camera in my opinion as I never had purple tint
drakexpl said:
Is it hard for htc to turn on this assist light while AFing? Its ridiculous
Wysłane z mojego HTC One przy użyciu Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Corduroy-21 said:
Yeah, that would save lots of problems.
There is a workaround but it takes too much time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
morfini said:
Is it so difficult for a developer to make a tweak to give us flash when touch to focus? This is the biggest problem of the camera in my opinion as I never had purple tint
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
me too is wondering what prevented them from adding the led focus assisst in low light. it already fire before focusing !
To switch to Night mode video capture. Just choose Night Mode then tab the video capture
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
Hey guys, I've had my Moto X for a week now and I might return to my Note 3. I really like this phone overall, but man the camera really is that bad. I read all the stories but hoped the update would be good enough for me. Unfortunately it hasn't been.
I can't even imagine how bad the camera must have been before the update. The camera is simply dreadful. Do I have a defective Moto X or is it really this bad?
If I'm not outside on a sunny day or in a really well lit room, it's the worst camera I've ever had on any smartphone that I've ever owned. And that includes phones from over 4 years ago. Is it really this bad?
Here are some sample shots. I took these same shots with my Note 3, and those shots blew these away. I will try to post those later.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Yes, It is that bad. Coming from a S4 and I know what you mean. But I still love being free with a unlocked bootlaoder and would not go back.
Ughh, I was afraid of that. I really like the phone, but not sure I can deal with this. Thanks bro.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I don't think the camera is bad at all. I didn't get to experience how it was before any of the updates though.
So far color representation looks to be spot on. I was even impressed by the low light quality. I took a picture last night in a dimly lit room and was astounded at how good the picture came out. It's way better than my last phone (EVO 3D).
ahhh ya i came from an iPhone 4 which is 3.5 yrs old and the camera on that was better in every category except low light performance.
Are you using HDR?
I also see that your flash seems to be firing. I have Auto Flash OFF because the pictures to look very washed out with the bright white flash. I find that the camera works much better and has much better saturation in lower light with the flash off.
If I'm just taking a picture of a list or piece of paper and I only need to be able to see/read it, I use the flash, otherwise I keep the flash off for "nice" photos.
Have you tried using any camera apps. I would recommend the following two apps :"a Better Camera "almost fully functional in the free version and FV-5, a paid app and I don't believe there is a trial version. I have been experimenting with both apps and have been quiet successful getting some really decent low light shots. Both apps allow you to set the ISO level and "a Better Camera" allows you to set the amount of noise reduction for low light shots (the options are None, Minor & Hard). Worth trying out either app in my opinion.
Sent from my XT1060 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I've got pics of the kids inside at night, with flash on... And the pics are easy better than my s2 was. I find background light can make the pic taking tricky tho. I have to move slightly one easy or the other and when I get it right the pics are just fine. Maybe other phones handle background light easier.... But with a little practise, I find this camera pretty good.
That's just me.
Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 12:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 PM ----------
And yes... Sometimes you think you need a flash inside... When you don't. And the pics are easy better with no flash. Again... I had to play around and get to know how and where the best pics turn out.
But again.... I'm one of those, it's just a phone camera guys... I'm maybe not as picky. I'm not trying to sell my pics, so I'm happy. If I know I want to take very good pics somewhere... In advance... I bring my camera.
Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk
Right about now it would be nice to see 4.4.2 with camera update. Noise/quality are un-exeptable for a $500+ phone. Yes S4 is night and day difference with Moto X in camera.
S4 was the FIRST camera in phone that I used and I took many pictures, most came out usable and some pretty impressive. With MX, most pictures indoors I cant even look at.....I delete all of them right away.
The only place I find camera quality to be bad is in low light, but it's not the hardware, it's the software. The camera software just sets the ISO higher than it should and overexposes everything in low light. I use FV-5 to manually set a lower ISO and manually set the metering point so that it doesn't overexpose the shot, and then I can get great shots in low light. If you don't know a little about cameras or aren't willing to take the time to manually adjust low light shots though, you'll be disappointed. In decent lighting I can get some great shots even with the stock camera app though, especially with HDR.
gtg465x said:
The only place I find camera quality to be bad is in low light, but it's not the hardware, it's the software. The camera software just sets the ISO higher than it should and overexposes everything in low light. I use FV-5 to manually set a lower ISO and manually set the metering point so that it doesn't overexpose the shot, and then I can get great shots in low light. If you don't know a little about cameras or aren't willing to take the time to manually adjust low light shots though, you'll be disappointed. In decent lighting I can get some great shots even with the stock camera app though, especially with HDR.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps you are right. But how hard is it for a TEAM of developers at Motorola/Google to figure this out ? We are on 2nd camera update here its still ****
PS. on S4 I used only 2 modes and didnt even touch settings, Auto and Night Mode......thats all I needed to take excellent photos.
few night/low light shots from S4, last one was taken in almost complete darkness, camera just picked up light from night club flashing lights
I agree. I love this phone but the camera sucks. Snoop Dogg came to my Christmas party and I was so excited to get some shots.
They all came out blurry all my buddies with S4s got killer shots. I don't know, maybe I'll blame it on the alcohol....
That ticked me off a bit.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
gtg465x said:
The only place I find camera quality to be bad is in low light, but it's not the hardware, it's the software. The camera software just sets the ISO higher than it should and overexposes everything in low light. I use FV-5 to manually set a lower ISO and manually set the metering point so that it doesn't overexpose the shot, and then I can get great shots in low light. If you don't know a little about cameras or aren't willing to take the time to manually adjust low light shots though, you'll be disappointed. In decent lighting I can get some great shots even with the stock camera app though, especially with HDR.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. For low light shots, I either use fv5 or take the photos with the stock camera and run them through Perfectly clear. I've gotten a lot of fantastic shots with my X. Low-light is the only setting in which I need to kind of finagle anything.
WizeGuyDezignz said:
Hey guys, I've had my Moto X for a week now and I might return to my Note 3. I really like this phone overall, but man the camera really is that bad. I read all the stories but hoped the update would be good enough for me. Unfortunately it hasn't been.
I can't even imagine how bad the camera must have been before the update. The camera is simply dreadful. Do I have a defective Moto X or is it really this bad?
If I'm not outside on a sunny day or in a really well lit room, it's the worst camera I've ever had on any smartphone that I've ever owned. And that includes phones from over 4 years ago. Is it really this bad?
Here are some sample shots. I took these same shots with my Note 3, and those shots blew these away. I will try to post those later.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you take a pic of your tree with an SLR with the same exposure settings and you'll get an equally awful pic.
honestly i think the camera on the X is fine. i think it could be better but i think overall its a pretty good camera, on par with some point and shoots i've used. it all comes down to lighting, plus the HDR mode really helps.
Been using Camera FV-5 for whenever I need low light shots. First one is the stock camera app and the second shot is via Camera FV-5. These were shot in very low light conditions.
il buono said:
Been using Camera FV-5 for whenever I need low light shots. First one is the stock camera app and the second shot is via Camera FV-5. These were shot in very low light conditions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gonna give it a try. Big difference there
kolyan said:
Gonna give it a try. Big difference there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CameraZoomFX lets you pick the ISO setting too, which could increase the exposure.
640k said:
if you take a pic of your tree with an SLR with the same exposure settings and you'll get an equally awful pic.
honestly i think the camera on the X is fine. i think it could be better but i think overall its a pretty good camera, on par with some point and shoots i've used. it all comes down to lighting, plus the HDR mode really helps.
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I am curious if these photos were taken with the stock camera app or a 3rd party app?
Sent from my XT1060 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
telefoner said:
I am curious if these photos were taken with the stock camera app or a 3rd party app?
Sent from my XT1060 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Stock. You can tell from the image properties.
EDIT: I take it back. There's no specific information that says what app took the pic, only what device. Technically we're talking about the inability of the Moto X's sensor to perform adequately. Different apps can force different settings/processing techniques, but you're still limited to the sensor/lens capability of the device.
Here's a CameraZoomFX photo taken with a DROID4:
It's all about lighting.
I'm with you on this one WizeGuy. At first I didn't think the camera was as bad as people said it was. But after using it in the wild and over the course of a week, it really is disappointing. The biggest issue for me is consistency. I CAN get a decent shot if I try to. Low light performance is terrible however and it's really tough to get a good shot most of the time. I was also coming from an S4 and didn't expect it to be on the same level obviously, but now that I've played with it enough, I'm positive even my S3 was better overall. In fact, I've been comparing it with an old iPhone 4S and I couldn't say it's better than that camera (except when there is ample lighting). I take a lot of pictures and it is important to me. Yes it is a camera phone, but downgrading is harder to accept than I thought it would be. I guess I value something that is consistent and easy in auto mode when it comes to my phone. Much sadder is the fact that I really like everything else about this phone, much more than the s4. I prefer the size the moto x by far to anything out there, but the nexus 5 is tempting me right now.
Ever since I got my Z1, I have been less than impressed by the camera performance.
One of the main reasons why I upgraded from the Z to the Z1 was the much better specs on the camera the Z1 was toting. Specs aside, I feel that the camera on the Z1 really can produce very good images, but in automatic shooting mode I almost never feel that the results are satisfactory.
So when the chance arrived, I got hold of the Nokia Lumia 1020 to see if the camera on this phone could do a better job. And boy was I surprised to see how big the difference is.
In automatic shooting mode the Z1 produces images with washed out colors and blurry detail compared to the 1020´s saturated and razor sharp results. In some lighting conditions the 1020 tends to oversaturate, but in my book a little oversaturation beats washed out and blurry details any day.
I have attached two sample shots taken indoor at night to demonstrate what I am talking about.
I really hope Sony can get their act together and fix the automatic shooting mode, as using manual mode simply is not an option most of the time I use my phone to shoot day to day pictures.
(Edit: The DSC-file is from the Z1, the WP-file is from the Nokia.)
-KJ
In the sample shots above the 1020 produces colors much closer to the real thing than the Z1. If you look at the foam on the beer and the details on the bottle label you also see that the Z1 has quite a bit of noise. The 1020 on the other hand has rich detail and next to no noise.
I will try to bring both phones around a little the next weeks to take some comparison shots in other lighting conditions.
Stay tuned.
-KJ
If possible, use a 3rd party camera app so that youre using the same software on both devices.
Z1 cam is only about advertising marketing lie. As i compare it to old Nokia n 95, 7 years old Nokia with 4mpx camera make much better photos. Shame for Sony. On that international presentation i will be punishment that Japan man ceo who lying us all
I'll like to see a third party to. A friend just bought the Z1 and the indoor pics was so bad, compared to our G2, N5 and One, that we told him to get the Z1 back. Surprisingly the store told him the cam was alright, it's was supposed to have yellowish grainy pics indoor...
Sent from a mobile Gadget...
zeppelinrox said:
If possible, use a 3rd party camera app so that youre using the same software on both devices.
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This is a comparison of the stock capabilities of the phone. I bet 9x % of the people that are buying these phones are using the stock camera app. Also the 1020's camera app is a lot more advanced compared to the Z1's manual mode.
There's quite a few in depth comparisons out there comparing the hardware. I will keep this thread about the full auto experience.
-KJ
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Comparison isn't really good since it's just pic. And please post pics to Google+ or another host that shows some data about photos like ISO etc please. So we know settings are similar.
5 oversampled pixels from a 41mp sensor sure will beat the hell out of any phone. drawbacks is the Windows ecosystem. Lumia will beat z1 at any range unless u add little saturation and contrast to z1 pics. as nokia postproessing is very aggressive adding saturation and contrast to smear out noise
if you want to compare lumia then put it againest the S4 Zoom.
krabappel2548 said:
Comparison isn't really good since it's just pic. And please post pics to Google+ or another host that shows some data about photos like ISO etc please. So we know settings are similar.
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As stated, this is not about what the cameras can produce if handled by skilled users. This is about pressing the camera button to wake the phone and snapping a pic. If the Z1 chooses ISO400 and the 1020 chooses ISO200, so be it. That will ultimately be a part of what differs between the cameras and will be part of how the result will look.
i will look at sharing full size files from OneDrive, giving you full access to exif.
-KJ
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
ashouhdy said:
5 oversampled pixels from a 41mp sensor sure will beat the hell out of any phone. drawbacks is the Windows ecosystem. Lumia will beat z1 at any range unless u add little saturation and contrast to z1 pics. as nokia postproessing is very aggressive adding saturation and contrast to smear out noise
if you want to compare lumia then put it againest the S4 Zoom.
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I have the Z1, I was not satisfied with the pictures it produces and got a Lumia 1020. What does S4 Zoom have to do with that?
-KJ
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
fjevel said:
I have the Z1, I was not satisfied with the pictures it produces and got a Lumia 1020. What does S4 Zoom have to do with that?
-KJ
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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cause both are made around camera concept ... Z1 is all around winner Top Notch Performance Decent Real Camera (Natural colors) and WaterProof
Again; what on earth does that have to do with the topic I started?
Waterproofing and performance just does not matter when it comes to picture quality.
Of course personal preference will add in, but no matter how you look at the pictures I have attached here, the 1020 kills the Z1.
I am not trying to label the Z1 as a bad camera, it's just not as good as it cold be _in automatic mode_.
I have taken some night pictures with the Z1 in manual mode that I find pretty damned good for a phone. But this thread is about the default images produced with stock apps in automatic mode.
-KJ
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Call me crazy, and maybe im trolling a little, but if somebody's priority is high quality pictures, their tool of choice should be an actual camera.
ashouhdy said:
5 oversampled pixels from a 41mp sensor sure will beat the hell out of any phone. drawbacks is the Windows ecosystem. Lumia will beat z1 at any range unless u add little saturation and contrast to z1 pics. as nokia postproessing is very aggressive adding saturation and contrast to smear out noise
if you want to compare lumia then put it againest the S4 Zoom.
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True. About the contrast and saturation part.
I always have to add a bit of contrast and saturation and it makes the images way better.
Sent from my C6902 using xda app-developers app
zeppelinrox said:
Call me crazy, and maybe im trolling a little, but if somebody's priority is high quality pictures, their tool of choice should be an actual camera.
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As someone who enjoys photography your absolutely right, but caring around my K3 at all times isn't what I do either. When I was in New Zealand I found myself using my Galaxy Note 1 quite a bit. I got some really good shots with it as well. The Z1 does have it's moments in good light but Auto mode isn't the best, but really i can't remember the last time I used a camera in auto mode anyways. The major issue is that high megapixels almost always adds noise. The Z1 has 21MP in such a tiny sensor i think it's just the nature of the beast here.
My one and major tip to those who have issues with noise is to use a good de-noising software tool. Shoot in manual at the highest settings and the use post processing to clean it up. The built in Sony algorithm is bad to say the least. The nokia does seem to take better pictures more often but not by a large amount. I have seen many cases where the Z1 beats it in colour rendition as well. I fully agree that Sony's auto mode is very hit or miss though.
Follow those threads please
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2642784
Sent from my SM-C101 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 04:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:12 AM ----------
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2648141
Sent from my SM-C101 using Tapatalk
So here are a few sample I just did. They are labeled to show one done with photoshop, one done using perfectly clear plugin from play store, one left in superior auto state and one just left with manual.
Here is the full resolution link:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bx1E2oK6YDuLTGZ0c283bGtqS2c&usp=sharing
fjevel said:
Again; what on earth does that have to do with the topic I started?
Waterproofing and performance just does not matter when it comes to picture quality.
Of course personal preference will add in, but no matter how you look at the pictures I have attached here, the 1020 kills the Z1.
I am not trying to label the Z1 as a bad camera, it's just not as good as it cold be _in automatic mode_.
I have taken some night pictures with the Z1 in manual mode that I find pretty damned good for a phone. But this thread is about the default images produced with stock apps in automatic mode.
-KJ
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Don't argue with sony fanboys, you won't win.
Z1's camera won't win when comparing with lumia 1020. Please just accept that, sony fanboys. The hardware is there, and the software as well. the latest update (or before latest) for lumia 1020 has adjusted its photo's color saturation, making its camera almost perfect. Meanwhile, sony is busy making kitkat, so let's see how that will affect our Z1's camera.
You can take some really good pics with manual settings but SA is crap.When i want to to shoot something fast i just use FV-5.The results are much better.I am mad at sony.After several months and updates the camera is still bad unless you play with manual settings...
0000alex0000 said:
Don't argue with sony fanboys, you won't win.
Z1's camera won't win when comparing with lumia 1020. Please just accept that, sony fanboys. The hardware is there, and the software as well. the latest update (or before latest) for lumia 1020 has adjusted its photo's color saturation, making its camera almost perfect. Meanwhile, sony is busy making kitkat, so let's see how that will affect our Z1's camera.
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Sony fanboy sending from his s4 zoom defending sony flagship and praising the 5 oversampled pixels of the lumia.
SOME GUYS just need to grow up a hell of a difference between Constructive Criticism and a critic for just a critic without the will to understand .
Sent from my SM-C101 using Tapatalk
Is there any thread here that talks about how to optimize the manual mode capabilities of the XZ camera? This phone has, I believe, the best camera potential; only that it needs to be unleashed via its manual mode settings. Inputs from photography enthusiasts would definitely be much appreciated. Perhaps XZ owners can even share their photo captures and the camera settings used. TIA.
Sent from my F8331 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
http://blogs.sonymobile.com/news/
If you'd look around the web you'd probably find some nice mobile tutorials.
Some of them share the knowledge with the general good photoraphy rules.
I've learned almost anything myself, just experimenting over the years.
Learn what different settings do. ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture, Metering.
Then learn about "composition".
Then start experimenting! To be able to take good quality photos you need tons of practice. So much that when you see a scene you want to snap a photo of, in your head there already should be a raw idea of what camera settings you need based on the amount of light you have, the effect you want to achieve and what effect will this photo have on people who see it.
Photography is a very complex subject, that's why a good course isn't very cheap. It's also very addicting and results are awesome as soon as you are a medium trained photographer.
What Ive found is.. in manual mode... start with 8mpx @ 16:9 on bright clear days and leave night / low light photography alone at first.. as the results can be very poor with artifacts if your not used to how phone sensors work, you may also find that you have to drop the EV down a touch.. -0.3 or even -1.0 as, like all mobile phones, it has a wide - angle lens, so it can overexpose sometimes.. also start with setting "metreing" to "touch" or "centre" .. this means it will the light reading from where you "touch" on the screen or from the "centre" of the screen.
Also, Android phones are mini Linux computers and computers mess up and sometimes a photo can turn out a complete mess for no reason.. or you moved.. whatever, so....IMO, a good ratio of good to bad images is... if you take 10 shots and you lose 2 or at the most, 3 of them.. thats an acceptable loss for a Digital IS camera.. however, 4 to 6 .. ide look at your technique or even camera issues
Ive found there is very little if any difference between 8 and 23mpx.. just take it slowly, experiment and dont take too much notice of "youtube" reviews.. alot of them are Samsung / Apple biased..
Sadly, SONY has gotten themselves a bit of a poor reputation because their cameras/speakers and battery life have been very hit and miss since the Z1, and alot of folk.. love to bash SONY because their camera software and optics have been terrible, IMO.. SONY shouldve fired their camera software department years ago.. but the XZ has improved the camera alot.
Remember that every single mobile camera looks different on every phone and image quality is in the eye of the photographer, not youtube.. and there alot of very knowledgable girls and boys on XDA.. Im a candid photographer (i photograph situations or "real time moments").. search the forum and youll find great tips and tricks
Have a look at this... it mainly points at Windows Phones... but the photography basics are all the same for any device / phone or DSLR
http://forums.windowscentral.com/gu...so-you-want-take-better-pictures-[guide].html
Enjoy
Copying from another post I wrote on the subject:
Very generally speaking, since the aperture is fixed (at f/2.0), the USUALLY best way to take a sharper photo is to use as low of an ISO you can.
PERSONALLY I find that a lot of the oversharpening you get with Xperia cameras comes from the auto mode using too high ISO. If you define the ISO yourself in manual mode, the SONY camera will automatically choose a shutter speed.
So, the bottom limit of the ISO you can set will generally be if the image is too dark, or you can't hold the phone steady enough for a longer exposure. As a general rule of thumb, in broad daylight with great lighting you can use ISO 50 or 100. Indoors during the day I might try 200. At night indoors, like in a restaurant I'll use 400. And in darker shots I'll try ISO 800.
I would try not to mess with EV unless you absolutely need it in order to get a picture of something at all. Regarding megapixels, 8mp seems to be best on these phones as they use the full 24mp to supersample data for the 8mp photo.
Thread is here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-xz/help/manual-camera-settings-t3501516
maidguitar said:
Copying from another post I wrote on the subject:
I would try not to mess with EV unless you absolutely need it in order to get a picture of something at all. Regarding megapixels, 8mp seems to be best on these phones as they use the full 24mp to supersample data for the 8mp photo.
Thread is here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-xz/help/manual-camera-settings-t3501516
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Agreed about the 8mpx ..
Do you not find with phone cameras, because of their wide angle lens, you need to drop the EV a half or even a full stop?...
NightOrchid said:
Agreed about the 8mpx ..
Do you not find with phone cameras, because of their wide angle lens, you need to drop the EV a half or even a full stop?...
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Click to collapse
At the ISO's I use, things tend to be pretty good I think. If there was ever a situation where I'd have to drop EV something like a full stop I'd just set ISO lower. I don't think I've ever had to drop EV when at ISO 50. That said, I've never really cared about getting the "perfect" photo with my phone. The XZ tends to take really great looking phone-display-sized photos. If I'm really fussed to want to take nice photos, that's when the Nikon gets brought along :good:
https://www.instagram.com/dominikstrycharski/
Sony Xperia photos only
maidguitar said:
At the ISO's I use, things tend to be pretty good I think. If there was ever a situation where I'd have to drop EV something like a full stop I'd just set ISO lower. I don't think I've ever had to drop EV when at ISO 50. That said, I've never really cared about getting the "perfect" photo with my phone. The XZ tends to take really great looking phone-display-sized photos. If I'm really fussed to want to take nice photos, that's when the Nikon gets brought along :good:
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Click to collapse
Hmm.... Ive only had the XZ 2 days, so im quite new to its updated camera... but Ill give that a try.... Ive found certainly with SONY phones of the past.. Z2, even the Z5P... they lower the ISO to 50 by default.. which can give a softer brighter image. I also have a CANON DSLR, so yes.. you can never get a perfect shot with any phone.. even the "babe" of youtube reviewers, the S7E... but its good to have a good Phone camera in your pocket for those moments
Ill post back how i get on
---------- Post added at 03:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:18 PM ----------
doministry said:
https://www.instagram.com/dominikstrycharski/
Sony Xperia photos only
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They are great quite interesting photos and great quality.. what settings did you use?
NightOrchid said:
Hmm.... Ive only had the XZ 2 days, so im quite new to its updated camera... but Ill give that a try.... Ive found certainly with SONY phones of the past.. Z2, even the Z5P... they lower the ISO to 50 by default.. which can give a softer brighter image. I also have a CANON DSLR, so yes.. you can never get a perfect shot with any phone.. even the "babe" of youtube reviewers, the S7E... but its good to have a good Phone camera in your pocket for those moments
Ill post back how i get on
---------- Post added at 03:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:18 PM ----------
They are great quite interesting photos and great quality.. what settings did you use?
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Always Manual. Usually 8mpx.
Just applying settings according to situation:
- ISO - as low as possible
- Or sometimes shutter speed (XZ)
- EV in my case - always below 0
- Sometimes White Balance according to the weather and lighting
- It's also important to choose proper light metering
- Always touch to focus, it's important to test it - usually some focus points give much better results than others...
In Manual
Shutter Priority,you can set EV trying to reduce ISO
Keep press the diaphragm button on the camera,you can get WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)
Release the button,XZ take the picture just like screenshot
I hope you can understand what I was saying.
I pose a viedo on youtube "Xperia XZ&XC How to take picture at night "