Camera questions.

[Professor_Viking]

here is my situation. I have a 4S and have come to hate apple. buisness practices, bugs with ios6, ect...

I use my smartphone without a wireless carrier. I use google voice/ talkatone to make calls through WiFi.
I also take a fair ammount of pictures.

Those two things are my priority.

So the Nexus 4 seemed perfect as far as price goes. Its an amazing phone for the price and without requiring a contract... However, from what ive seen so far, the pictures it takes are pretty sub par. Dull colors and all that.

So I suppose im wondering if there are any other good android phones with a kickass camera, and something that would be a good solution for a wifi/ prepaid phone.

Also, how much is camera quality dependent on software? Is there a chance that with an upgrade to 4.3 or a different photo app, that the camera would be allot better?
The Xperia TL and the HTC take great pics, but it looks like I would have to sign a contract with a carrier, cancel my contract, and eat the cancellation fee. And I would rather not do that.

 

[anon(1019781)]

To be honest...I have yet to see any Android phone tout a truly kickass camera. Even the Xperia TL you mentioned produces washed out looking images, despite the clarity. Every Android phone we've seen this year simply does not produce something on par with the pictures that the iPhone 5 or Lumia 920 take.

I don't want it to be true, but it is. Android does not have a camera champion like the competition does.

Then again, for me, the camera does not mean as much to me as the specs and the software abilities.

 

[Winterfang]

I have the one for you.

 

[Professor_Viking]

Ya. I saw that. That just goes too far with the bulk. At least for me.

 

[johnp888]

Have to remember with the nexus line it's meant to be a reference android phone. Google doesn't want to upset their hw partners. Plus open source sw and low cost does not allow for the bleeding edge in sw imaging algorithms that are licensed by Samsung and HTC among others. Even though I love android iPhone 5 takes pretty amazing shots. So do Nokia phones. Good luck and let us know what you decide

 

[zero neck]

The s3 and one x have the best cameras i think.

 

[shea-bird]

Agreed, but the Nexus 4 takes some quality pics...Yes, software plays a lot into the equation. I would not be surprised if the sony BSI f/2.4 in the Nexus is the same optics that is in the iphone 5. Android def needs to step its game up with camera software...that's why the One X is so good- HTC spent a lot of time with that, not to mention the special imaging chip- although a S4 pro should be able to handle all those duties w/o breaking a sweat.

 

[anon(847090)]

nexus 4 use the same camera as iphone 5.

 

[ragnarokx]

The s3 and one x have the best cameras i think.

This is what I hear on the interwebs as well. If one doesn't mind spending hundreds more over the price of the Nexus 4, these are your best bet.