There have been a few amateur comparisons posted here in this thread, which frankly aren't very accurate or well done, nor are the small 1-page or even 1 paragraph reviews of the camera buried inside the overall phone review on many tech media websites. So I found a much more professional and also the most in depth camera shootout on the web at this time. Unlike what some would have you believe, the Xperia Z1 possesses one of the highest scoring smartphone cameras. There were so many photos taken in this extensive review that I'm not even going to try reproducing them all here. What I will do is post Phonearena's rankings for each category and leave it to you to hit up this link for the full article
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Outdoors at night time were a disappointment, so in this case I would suggest NOT using Superior Auto mode for those shots, as many others have suggested. Try Manual, 8MP, auto ISO, -1 to -2 ev
For a more professional touch I went to one of the most credible photography sites and got their take on the Z1 Camera comparisons. You can read the full shootout here. They were very critical of all tested phones, however the Z1 again did very well on this site:
In our tests the Nokia Lumia 1020 arguably offers the best all-around image quality. It captures great detail in good light and its Xenon flash provides excellent performance in very dim light situations. There is a lot of luminance noise in its high-ISO output but chroma noise is well under control and the very large 38MP image files mean that at normal viewing and printing sizes noise becomes much less visible.
If you only want to share your pictures online you can also set the device to only save 5MP images and conserve space in the phone's internal memory. Thanks to Nokia's clever downsampling algorithms the lower resolution images are comparatively clean even at higher ISOs and still show good detail. They might look a little oversharpened for some people's taste though.
The 1020 only struggled in our night shot. We took 30 shots with the Nokia but the shutter speed in such a dark environment was just too slow to get even a single 100% sharp image. In those situations we recommend upping the ISO manually in order to achieve a faster shutter speed. As we've already pointed out in our full review, the Nokia's performance can occasionally feel a little sluggish.
The Sony Xperia Z1 also offers very high resolution results, but suffers from noise and artifacts at all ISO settings. This is only really visible at large magnifications though and the Sony's good exposure and usually pleasant color response make it a good alternative for those who only share their pictures online at smaller resolutions. Another advantage of the Sony is that thanks to its responsiveness and dedicated shutter button, in terms of operations it comes as close to a compact camera as a smartphone can get.
The LG G2's image quality is not quite on the same level as the Nokia's and Sony's. Its efficient optical image stabilization helps keep things very steady in low light but very strong noise reduction is applied at all ISO levels and its auto white balance tends to capture slightly cool colors. Like the Sony, its LED flash cannot compete with the much more powerful units on the Nokia and Samsung. There's nothing wrong with the LG's camera but its image quality is simply not up there with the best of the 2013 smartphone generation.
Despite its 1/2.3 sensor the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom doesn't capture any more detail than the current generation of smartphones. In fact, the lens of our test unit appeared to be slightly soft at its wide angle setting. However, the Samsung is worth a look for those mobile photographer who want a powerful flash and an optical zoom
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Unlike the Phonearena comparisons, in this case the Z1 took much nicer outdoor night time photos.
omnius1 said:
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Surprising that G2 would do better than Z1 in low light.
omnius1 said:
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This one needs serious work from Sony. Samsung is the king when it comes to panorama.
omnius1 said:
Outdoors at night time were a disappointment, so in this case I would suggest NOT using Superior Auto mode for those shots, as many others have suggested. Try Manual, 8MP, auto ISO, -1 to -2 ev
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You mean that all these photos were taken with SA ?
This isn't a camera shootout. Its a shootout over how well the auto program works in each phone. If that's in various stages of maturity then this review is not representative. There are no reference shots so how do we know which camer got it right or over exposed/underexposed.
Apple won't allow access to ISO in the api, you cannot set ISO in an iphone.
From the article..
Focal length of Htc one - 28mm
focal length of Z1 - 27mm
hmm, Z1 must be doing some serious cropping here.
Does not distinguish between 2-axis OIS vs 3-axs OIS.
One Twelve said:
This one needs serious work from Sony. Samsung is the king when it comes to panorama.
You mean that all these photos were taken with SA ?
This isn't a camera shootout. Its a shootout over how well the auto program works in each phone. If that's in various stages of maturity then this review is not representative. There are no reference shots so how do we know which camer got it right or over exposed/underexposed.
Apple won't allow access to ISO in the api, you cannot set ISO in an iphone.
From the article..
Focal length of Htc one - 28mm
focal length of Z1 - 27mm
hmm, Z1 must be doing some serious cropping here.
Does not distinguish between 2-axis OIS vs 3-axs OIS.
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Click to collapse
Really? I think this is the most extensive comparison we can find so far on the web. I didn't pick apart the engineering specs behind it, but I think the photos they took with the Z1 looked fantastic against the competition. Which is what it's all about really. With the exception of the outdoor night and pano, I agree.
No they didn't have reference shots but they did take DSLR photos I think as well. However you have to read the article as well, where they do specifically mention which shots were closer in color and detail to the actual live scene.
However if you look at the night shots the digital camera review site took with it, his are actually pretty good in comparison.
Surprising that G2 would do better than Z1 in low light.
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I don't think it did, that was an outdoor night ranking, they posted a separate ranking for indoor low light
Thanks for sharing the phonearena link, I hadn't seen it
Sent from my Xperia Z1 using Tapatalk
omnius1 said:
Really? I think this is the most extensive comparison we can find so far on the web. I didn't pick apart the engineering specs behind it, but I think the photos they took with the Z1 looked fantastic against the competition. Which is what it's all about really.
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Original photos here
omnius1 said:
No they didn't have reference shots but they did take DSLR photos I think as well. However you have to read the article as well, where they do specifically mention which shots were closer in color and detail to the actual live scene.
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Read it now and i realise they DID provide reference shots with the panasonic lumix so this at least is better than other reviews i've seen.
omnius1 said:
I don't think it did, that was an outdoor night ranking, they posted a separate ranking for indoor low light
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The problem with auto is its quite variable. I think of it as a random sampling. Lumia has problems with white balance which can be set manually. The night time shots with lumia which has the slowest exposure of 4s should beat the competition. But if auto did not do it correct then the 1020 gets a low score.
The problem i have generally with these sorts of comparisons is it requires expert users of the cameras concerned to see the best the camera can provide. Auto is not going to do this. Auto will tell you that chances are your experience is going to be similar but then the sample size is small, so its 50-50. You might get better shots or worse than what is shown here.
In other words take this review along with others with a grain of salt
I don't view this review as gospel of course, but in lieu of any others, it's the more extensive than any others I've seen on the Web. I took it for what it's worth, which is to say that the Z1 camera performed quite a bit better than what some individual posters or bloggers would have you believe. Could it be better? Sure, there's always room for improvement. Is it still really good? It looks so.
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z1
which firmware ? LG G2 better in low light ! its very very OverProcessed and Smoothed ...
Let's go to town on this one
omnius1 said:
Outdoors at night time were a disappointment, so in this case I would suggest NOT using Superior Auto mode for those shots, as many others have suggested. Try Manual, 8MP, auto ISO, -1 to -2 ev
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Church
LG (1/12s, ISO 800, 13MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/13s, ISO 400. 20MP, Auto)
The LG took a cleaner shot at twice the ISO as the Z1. Z1 in this review is using the latest .257 firmware.
The Z1 looks little over exposed. It's a pity they didn't take an 8MP as the noise would be less. Cannot see any camera shake here. ISO 200 might have been more clean.
Side street
LG (Shutter speed & ISO unknown, 13MP, Auto) Since this one is more clear, i assume it was taken at a faster shutter speed.
Z1 (1/8s, ISO 400, 20MP, Auto).
Reference (2 sec, ISO 160, 15.9MP, Auto)
Obvious camera shake if you see the moneygram sign on the left. camera shake affects picture quality.
1020 (1/8, ISO 800, 38.2MP, Auto) This one is clear.
Intersection
LG (1/14, ISO 400, 13MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/20, ISO 500, 20MP, Auto)
No noticeable camera shake here. Z1 still looks over exposed. ISO 200 with little EV would have been better.
Building
LG (1/15, ISO 300, 20MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/32, ISO 320, 20MP, Auto)
These look pretty similar, Z1 could have done with ISO 200. Also a spot meter rather than centre-weighted in an area between light & dark could have helped.
Bench
LG (shutter speed & ISO unknown, 13MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/8, ISO 400, 13, Auto)
Clear example where manual EV compensation would have brought out more details in both cameras and they could have used a lower ISO. So you can see how Auto can get it wrong some times. And scores averaged off auto will be equally flawed.
1020 (0.3s, ISO 4000,38.2MP, 17.2MB)
Reference (0.3s, ISO 1250, 15.9MP, 5.5MB, Low contrast, Manual WB)
It's curious why the LG dropped shutter & ISO info twice out of 4 pictures.
One Twelve said:
Let's go to town on this one
Church
LG (1/12s, ISO 800, 13MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/13s, ISO 400. 20MP, Auto)
The LG took a cleaner shot at twice the ISO as the Z1. Z1 in this review is using the latest .257 firmware.
The Z1 looks little over exposed. It's a pity they didn't take an 8MP as the noise would be less. Cannot see any camera shake here. ISO 200 might have been more clean.
Side street
LG (Shutter speed & ISO unknown, 13MP, Auto) Since this one is more clear, i assume it was taken at a faster shutter speed.
Z1 (1/8s, ISO 400, 20MP, Auto).
Reference (2 sec, ISO 160, 15.9MP, Auto)
Obvious camera shake if you see the moneygram sign on the left. camera shake affects picture quality.
1020 (1/8, ISO 800, 38.2MP, Auto) This one is clear.
Intersection
LG (1/14, ISO 400, 13MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/20, ISO 500, 20MP, Auto)
No noticeable camera shake here. Z1 still looks over exposed. ISO 200 with little EV would have been better.
Building
LG (1/15, ISO 300, 20MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/32, ISO 320, 20MP, Auto)
These look pretty similar, Z1 could have done with ISO 200. Also a spot meter rather than centre-weighted in an area between light & dark could have helped.
Bench
LG (shutter speed & ISO unknown, 13MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/8, ISO 400, 13, Auto)
Clear example where manual EV compensation would have brought out more details in both cameras and they could have used a lower ISO. So you can see how Auto can get it wrong some times. And scores averaged off auto will be equally flawed.
1020 (0.3s, ISO 4000,38.2MP, 17.2MB)
Reference (0.3s, ISO 1250, 15.9MP, 5.5MB, Low contrast, Manual WB)
It's curious why the LG dropped shutter & ISO info twice out of 4 pictures.
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never seen such bad low light fotos from the z1 before ... sure you know what i mean cuz you know the pics i take from the flickr Set !
thats one photo just with manual and night scene ! i will not follow any photo comparisons from reviewers anyMORE !!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/10985713943/in/set-72157637726566185
ashouhdy said:
never seen such bad low light fotos from the z1 before ... sure you know what i mean cuz you know the pics i take from the flickr Set !
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Exactly. Your photos are adequate proof of what a few tweaks here & there can do to overall picture quality, with any phone.
But nearly all your photos are 8MP. I found a couple at 20MP. People want to know why 20MP cannot do good shots if 1020 at 38.3MP can do it. But you can if people look at these two
20MP
8MP
The 8MP is correctly exposed, but if you used ISO 200 with the 20MP it also would have been the same.
Plus you use the slowest shutter speeds possible ie 0.8s going no faster than 0.3s. Other than the 1020 which can go as slow as 4s, none of the cameras reviewed can go slower than 0.3s. In this review the slowest shutter on the Z1 is 1/8 and they still got blur in one. So people will look at this review and think G2 can do better outdoors night shots than Z1
One Twelve said:
Exactly. Your photos are adequate proof of what a few tweaks here & there can do to overall picture quality, with any phone.
But nearly all your photos are 8MP. I found a couple at 20MP. People want to know why 20MP cannot do good shots if 1020 at 38.3MP can do it. But you can if people look at these two
20MP
8MP
The 8MP is correctly exposed, but if you used ISO 200 with the 20MP it also would have been the same.
Plus you use the slowest shutter speeds possible ie 0.8s going no faster than 0.3s. Other than the 1020 which can go as slow as 4s, none of the cameras reviewed can go slower than 0.3s. In this review the slowest shutter on the Z1 is 1/8 and they still got blur in one. So people will look at this review and think G2 can do better outdoors night shots than Z1
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its the night scene that puts the shutter to 1/8 ... Also i doubt the LG can get close to the low light performance of the Z1 Due to Sensor Size 1/2.3" vs 1/3"
And Yes the 20MP i guess its as if a RAW image ... but thats my sensation am not sure. Also i noticed that with 20MP the Bionz Procss. imaging Ship is Deactivated.
i Guess Sony Tweaked the Phone for the Optimium 8MP with Pixels Binning and the BionZ image ship.
the last pic i posted the FOG is amazingly clean ... believe me some Hand As Shot DigiCams will not capture the Fog that clean.
i will try to take some 20MP vs 8MP in other time
They did not use night mode in any shots. It was all auto for every camera. if auto was so good then why are these modes present in the camera in the first place. They are specialised presets for special situations. Auto cannot do it all (unless its iphone) that is why they are there.
Remember wezzel's laser shots, they were ISO 200 with +2EV.
(in theory) ISO 200 +2EV is like ISO 800 with 0EV. Not sure if its completely linear.
Difference is ISO 200 is fine grain whereas ISO 800 is more grainy.
One thing i notice in the first LG night shot, G2 is using ISO 800 but the shot is quite clear, I do not see much noise. Also in the last one the 1020 is using ISO 4000. Again very clear shot. If you try ISO 4000 with Z1 you will get an oil painting.
Clean low light shots with Z1 = low ISO + slow shutter speed (+ EV if necessary).
Z1 sensor cannot produce clean shots with high ISO. Which is a pity beause shutter speed will be much faster so chances of blur are much lower. The result is you got to work harder to get good shots with Z1 but when you do the others cannot match it, barring the 1020 ofc.
20MP jpg is not RAW its jpg.
RAW is TIFF ie no compression.
One Twelve said:
They did not use night mode in any shots. It was all auto for every camera. if auto was so good then why are these modes present in the camera in the first place. They are specialised presets for special situations. Auto cannot do it all (unless its iphone) that is why they are there.
Remember wezzel's laser shots, they were ISO 200 with +2EV.
(in theory) ISO 200 +2EV is like ISO 800 with 0EV. Not sure if its completely linear.
Difference is ISO 200 is fine grain whereas ISO 800 is more grainy.
One thing i notice in the first LG night shot, G2 is using ISO 800 but the shot is quite clear, I do not see much noise. Also in the last one the 1020 is using ISO 4000. Again very clear shot. If you try ISO 4000 with Z1 you will get an oil painting.
Clean low light shots with Z1 = low ISO + slow shutter speed (+ EV if necessary).
Z1 sensor cannot produce clean shots with high ISO. Which is a pity beause shutter speed will be much faster so chances of blur are much lower. The result is you got to work harder to get good shots with Z1 but when you do the others cannot match it, barring the 1020 ofc.
20MP jpg is not RAW its jpg.
RAW is TIFF ie no compression.
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Click to collapse
Also the SA somtimes kicks the ISO up to 1600 with the night mode i've seen it many times. SA puts a night scene down beside a guy running (i guess it means hand held) the average is ISO 1600 with 1/8 exposure (the rail way photo in my set) and yes leads to blur free images as advertised.
Also did you noticed that the LG pics the over all scene is not bright just the Centre where it is meant to focus .. in contraversry the Z1 all around scene is much brighter the church photo is a good example.
if i tab to focus on the church i guess u could get similar results with lg
That's good review!
One Twelve said:
They did not use night mode in any shots. It was all auto for every camera. if auto was so good then why are these modes present in the camera in the first place. They are specialised presets for special situations. Auto cannot do it all (unless its iphone) that is why they are there.
Remember wezzel's laser shots, they were ISO 200 with +2EV.
(in theory) ISO 200 +2EV is like ISO 800 with 0EV. Not sure if its completely linear.
Difference is ISO 200 is fine grain whereas ISO 800 is more grainy.
One thing i notice in the first LG night shot, G2 is using ISO 800 but the shot is quite clear, I do not see much noise. Also in the last one the 1020 is using ISO 4000. Again very clear shot. If you try ISO 4000 with Z1 you will get an oil painting.
Clean low light shots with Z1 = low ISO + slow shutter speed (+ EV if necessary).
Z1 sensor cannot produce clean shots with high ISO. Which is a pity beause shutter speed will be much faster so chances of blur are much lower. The result is you got to work harder to get good shots with Z1 but when you do the others cannot match it, barring the 1020 ofc.
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So basically what I take from this is that as long as you take the time to learn how to optimize the settings for certain scenes that auto superior doesn't handle well, we've got one of the best smartphone cameras available
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z1
omnius1 said:
So basically what I take from this is that as long as you take the time to learn how to optimize the settings for certain scenes that auto superior doesn't handle well, we've got one of the best smartphone cameras available
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Yes but many will not be prepared to put in that effort.
Once you've driven 10,000 miles handling a car is second nature, almost reflexive.
Once you've taken over a 1000 photos the same applies with any phone camera. Ideally, with experience, you see a shot, know what exposure to use regardless of the lighting, click and get it right more times than not. This is a skill. People want to get it right with no skill. In good light you can get away with it, once the light dips it gets harder.
Phone cameras still do not help to get a good shot unlike dslrs. You have no clue what the sensor sees and decides to use for ISO/shutter speed, i wish it would display that info before taking the photo. What it thinks TTL (through the lens) is the best setting to use to get a properly exposed shot. So you take the shot, preview, tweak, try again until right. It could be easier.
There is no over-exposure warning. This is something i think should be possible with current tech. Its still too easy to overexpose in good light as well as low light with a well lit subject. Phone cameras by default, operate in aperture priority mode, cannot change aperture so they pick the right shutter speed/ISO to get the best shot. They choose wrong on occasion.
SCN modes is an attempt to fill that gap. Again these are presets that pick values from a given set given what the camera sees. These modes are supposed to be user-friendly but if you know what settings to use its much simpler to just use those and be done with it. Now you're thinking like a photographer with a dslr ergo know how to get the best shot with the device you have for a given subject's lighting.
The one thing that is still not possible is freezing motion in low light. That requires a sensor with low noise at higher ISO. But you can freeze motion to some extent if the subject is not more than 5 feet away with flash but that's about it.
One Twelve said:
Side street
LG (Shutter speed & ISO unknown, 13MP, Auto) Since this one is more clear, i assume it was taken at a faster shutter speed.
Z1 (1/8s, ISO 400, 20MP, Auto).
Reference (2 sec, ISO 160, 15.9MP, Auto)
Obvious camera shake if you see the moneygram sign on the left. camera shake affects picture quality.
1020 (1/8, ISO 800, 38.2MP, Auto) This one is clear.
Bench
LG (shutter speed & ISO unknown, 13MP, Auto)
Z1 (1/8, ISO 400, 13, Auto)
Clear example where manual EV compensation would have brought out more details in both cameras and they could have used a lower ISO. So you can see how Auto can get it wrong some times. And scores averaged off auto will be equally flawed.
1020 (0.3s, ISO 4000,38.2MP, 17.2MB)
Reference (0.3s, ISO 1250, 15.9MP, 5.5MB, Low contrast, Manual WB)
It's curious why the LG dropped shutter & ISO info twice out of 4 pictures.
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Think i found the reason why the G2 dropped the shutter & ISO info from the exif of those two pics, it switched automatically into night mode. S4 has a setting for this, switch to night mode if light detected is too low. Maybe the one in the reviewers G2 did so as well.
G2 does not mention scene type in the exif which is sloppy. But the S4 does, night mode basically means a kind of HDR, it takes a number of images and then combines them. Result is ISO & shutter speed are missing in the exif. At least samsung indicates that the S4 went into night mode. You have to wait while these images are combined before taking the next shot, so there is some delay here. Brian Klug goes into this in his anandtech review on the S4's camera.
Check out the exifs of these two pics from the G2..
Low light
Night mode
1/8 seems to be the slowest speed the G2 can go to. After that its exposure compensation image combo magic. Same applies for S3, S4, Note 3 & Note 2 as well.
!/8 + 1/8 + 1/8... is still 1/8 with less blur given the faster shutter time but you still have to hold the camera still for the duration and end up with a 1/8 exposure compensated shot.
---------- Post added at 10:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 PM ----------
ashouhdy said:
its the night scene that puts the shutter to 1/8 ... Also i doubt the LG can get close to the low light performance of the Z1 Due to Sensor Size 1/2.3" vs 1/3"
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No chance for G2 to beat Z1 in low light.
Z1 sensor is 33% bigger.
Z1 aperture is 50% bigger
Z1 shutter speed is 6x slower (if its confirmed 1/8 is slowest speed for G2)
Plus you can exposure compensate 2+ on Z1
Okay, I understand (what many others don't) that although the S20+ is listed as a 3X-30X zoom, the actual optical zoom is 1.08 so the focal length of the actual lens is basically the same as the non-zoom camera. This is unlike say the S10 5G which the actual lens of the camera is 2X. However Samsung makes up for this by using a 64MP sensor. This basically results in as good or better zoom shots up to about 5X zoom than a phone with a tele-camera with a 2X or 3X optical zoom lens but only a 12MP or 16MP sensor.
This is a bit astonishing considering the number of pixels decreased by the zoom factor squared when using digital zoom. So, the lowest zoom of the tele lens on the S20+ at 3X is essentially a 7MP sensor. 3 squared is 9. 64MP divided by 9 is 7.1MP. Compared to say the S10 5G which has a 2X optical zoom and 12MP sensor. So a 3X zoom for the S10 5G is a 1.5X digital zoom of the 2X optical. 1.5 squared = 2.25. 12MP/2.25 = 5.3MP. So you can see how the S20+ can keep up with other cameras with 2X or 3X optical zoom but only 12MP sensors. It's notable though that with 2X zoom, a camera with a 12MP sensor and a 2X optical zoom has a higher resolution image than the S20+ at 2X zoom since the S20+ doesn't have an optical zoom lens.
What's more interesting is the 64MP sensor on the S20+ has a 0.8um pixel pitch which means the sensor is roughly 9,500 pixels by 7,150. So at 3X zoom the sensor output is going to be digitally cropped to around 3,160 x 2,380. However no matter what zoom resolution you use, Samsung outputs a 4032x3024 size image, basically "faking" the resolution for all images taken at anything over 1X zoom. The file size goes down as the zoom goes up even though the image resolution stays at 4032x3024 because the JPEG compression algorithm basically can see it's a fake resolution (essentially a lower resolution source image interpolated up to a higher resolution.)
I'm not sure why manufacturers do this except for only from a customer satisfaction perspective as people would be complaining why their 10X zoom images are only 950 x 715 pixels. Yes, S20+ users, that is roughly the true resolution of a 10X zoom image from your phone. But consider on a 12MP sensor with 1X optical lens, that true cropped resolution is closer to 400x300!
The bottom line is the S20+ Tele Camera is basically equivalent in resolution to a phone with a 12MP camera with a 2.5X optical zoom because it's not actually an optical zoom lens. So Samsung's advertising it as a 3X "hybrid optic zoom" isn't a total lie, but 2.5x would be closer to accurate as far as the equivalent of an optical zoom on a 12MP sensor.
In reviewing tests images, to get the best images on this camera you just want to use one of the 3 cameras without manually zooming in. If you do zoom in on the tele camera, try to not go above 5X.
And no true optical zoom = no depth compression and distorted perspectives. Portraits look like crap. Fisheye effect still there, only mitigated by the fact that only the central part of the view is kept. For real portrait you need a phone with a real 2x or 3x optical zoom lens. I should have known better before buying...
Latoc said:
And no true optical zoom = no depth compression and distorted perspectives. Portraits look like crap. Fisheye effect still there, only mitigated by the fact that only the central part of the view is kept. For real portrait you need a phone with a real 2x or 3x optical zoom lens. I should have known better before buying...
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It's especially ridiculous considering the low-end S20 FE has 3X optical (although with only an 8MP sensor). I can only think the reason was to create more of a separation between the Plus and the Ultra to better justify the higher price of the Ultra with the 3X optical + 108MP sensor. They should have just put the 2X optical on it from last year's S10 5G instead of a ridiculous 1.08X.
jazee said:
It's especially ridiculous considering the low-end S20 FE has 3X optical (although with only an 8MP sensor). I can only think the reason was to create more of a separation between the Plus and the Ultra to better justify the higher price of the Ultra with the 3X optical + 108MP sensor. They should have just put the 2X optical on it from last year's S10 5G instead of a ridiculous 1.08X.
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I think the Ultra has a straight 5x zoom, like the P40 Pro. Useless for portrait (way too much zoom), so portraits are done on the main sensor with a crop to simulate a 2x zoom !
WTF !
Latoc said:
I think the Ultra has a straight 5x zoom, like the P40 Pro. Useless for portrait (way too much zoom), so portraits are done on the main sensor with a crop to simulate a 2x zoom !
WTF !
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We're both wrong, it's a 4X optical on the Ultra. I was confusing it with the 3x "hybrid optical" zoom spec on the plus. "Hybrid Optical?" that's just another label for "Forced Digital Zoom." At least on the Plus.
jazee said:
We're both wrong, it's a 4X optical on the Ultra. I was confusing it with the 3x "hybrid optical" zoom spec on the plus. "Hybrid Optical?" that's just another label for "Forced Digital Zoom." At least on the Plus.
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Samsung is not the only one, I just got myself a Sony Xperia 5 II, thinking the 3x zoom would make nice portraits, only to find out the quality was so bad it made me want to cry (900 euros). Upon searching for answers, I found out that it too is a crop, from a 20 mpx sensor this time...
At least if you get an iphone you have true zoom... I'm tempted. But boy do I hate iOS.
AFAIKl, the zoom lenses are used when the light conditions are optimal, also have an iphone and i can assure you, it also uses crop when the scene is underlit. So you are not missing on anything. But i can say, camera's on smartphone still suck (personal opinion: i use mirrorless for photography).
sushant1thakran said:
AFAIKl, the zoom lenses are used when the light conditions are optimal, also have an iphone and i can assure you, it also uses crop when the scene is underlit. So you are not missing on anything. But i can say, camera's on smartphone still suck (personal opinion: i use mirrorless for photography).
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Yes, I have an APS-C sensor camera for when I'm *planning* to take photos of important events, on trips, etc and I don't mind carrying it around (although it is jacket pocketable because it's an APS-C platform.) The problem is, in the practical reality of life, some of the best shots are very sporadic and unplanned and most people don't carry around their DSLR with them everywhere they go all day long like a woman carries a purse. I take way more photos on my phone than my camera because I always have it with me. So why not go for the best available, within your budget.
But yes, there is a whole younger generation that wouldn't even consider buying a digital camera anymore (except if they were going into the photography profession) as the camera's on their phones are more than adequate for snap shots they are just going to post on instagram, send via MMS, add it as a wallpaper or screensaver, or include in a Blog post and *maybe* print a 5x7 of.
The reason for their decision to do this might be to enable 8K video recording as the 8K functionality uses the 48mpx sensor.
malimukk said:
The reason for their decision to do this might be to enable 8K video recording as the 8K functionality uses the 48mpx sensor.
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That explains why the Ultra has a real zoom, as it can use the 108mpx sensor for 8K...
So we lost the zoom quality for portraits of our loved ones for a gimmick which almost nobody will use...
What a shame.
Latoc said:
That explains why the Ultra has a real zoom, as it can use the 108mpx sensor for 8K...
So we lost the zoom quality for portraits of our loved ones for a gimmick which almost nobody will use...
What a shame.
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I liked samsung, when they included ir blaster, heart rate sensor and all kind of weird af stuff.
Hated it when they removed expandable storage from s6 and note 5 series but after note 7. I feel that they are less likely to take risks and try to compete with 2nd class brands like oppo and vivo which only focuses on camera for consumers. (No offense to vivo as they also spend a lot on research which include the first for indisplay fingerprint scanner and 2k screens, but they only showcase that tech on mobile world congress).
And at that time, phones used to be fun, the price was relatively affordable $600 as compared to $1200.
There are phases of popularity of features like there was phase when companies are competing on who can produce the slimmest phone. But now the phase is related to camera's, before this, it was the user experience, which made samsung to ditch the TouchWiz and come up with one ui. I was there on touchwiz for s7 edge and one ui with s8.
Also, i dont know how tech reviewers are able to get the awesome photos using auto mode.
Out of 30 pics only 3-4 are good photos.