S5 vs competition

[AlphaScorpii]

Until today I was about to buy Sony Z1 compact and replace my HTC One X (overall I was satasfied with phone, but really didn't like camera). Today I've seen S5 camera and it really impressed me (contrast, sharpness and focus speed, image quality...). Are there any other samsung phones with exactly same camera or some other nonsamsung with same camera quality? I guess Sony Z1 compact camera can't stand chance vs S5?
Reason why I don't prefer S5 is size and price.

 

[jmagid51]

Can't help with the size and price but the camera is fantastic and the best right now of any smartphone. It's a bit bulky and a bit bigger than my S4 was but the camera has it over all the others.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Jdroids]

If you don't like S5 size, you don't have many options left with other flagship phones either. M8 is even taller with less usable screen area. G3 is bigger in all direction with 5.5" screen though bezel is small. I believe Z2 is similar to G3 in size too.

 

[HAWK]

You get what you pay for... (sometimes). But the s5 in my opinion is the best phone on the market. My wife works in a cell store so I always go play with the demos and hear the horror stories from people returning certain phones which I won't mention because I don't want to hurt any feelings here. But that all being said spend the extra money and get the s5. The size will grow on you

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[AlphaScorpii]

I guess I will go with S5 then. Wondering why it has so low voting results on gsmarena?

 

[iphone5s]

I guess I will go with S5 then. Wondering why it has so low voting results on gsmarena?

It's rated fairly high from what I can see. It seems the reviews on performance are consistently high across all sites I browsed before making a purchase, while reviews on design or WOW factor for esthetics is mediocre. But most if not all pundits write Samsung has improved on the existing S platform instead of completely reinventing it, which leaves the consumer with a great phone, just not cool.
Anyway, go with what you like.

 

[AlphaScorpii]

What about S4 camera vs S5? I like S4 size which is similiar like my HOX, but 0.3" bigger display.

 

[Dizfunctions]

If you want a really good smartphone camera then the HTC One M8 is out of the picture since it probably doesn't have have the high resolution images you want. That said, wait for the G3 and then see if it fits your hand comfortably. If it does, then get that phone. It's a lot better in many ways than the S5, the tradeoff being IP67 certification.

 

[AlphaScorpii]

If you want a really good smartphone camera then the HTC One M8 is out of the picture since it probably doesn't have have the high resolution images you want. That said, wait for the G3 and then see if it fits your hand comfortably. If it does, then get that phone. It's a lot better in many ways than the S5, the tradeoff being IP67 certification.

I don't care about resolution.. I care about overall image quality, sharpness, color quality, focus speed and that pictures look "real" (on my HOX they don't... sometimes people heads looks big, dog ears looks too long etc.). That's the reason I won't go with HTC this time.
I was about to go for Sony Z1C since I thought sony has best camera (because it makes cameras for years) and because I prefered smaller phones then my HOX. But yesterday seeing S5 I really got impressed. I never actually liked samsung but started to like it .

 

[Dizfunctions]

I don't care about resolution.. I care about overall image quality, sharpness, color quality, focus speed and that pictures look "real" (on my HOX they don't... sometimes people heads looks big, dog ears looks too long etc.). That's the reason I won't go with HTC this time.
I was about to go for Sony Z1C since I thought sony has best camera (because it makes cameras for years) and because I prefered smaller phones then my HOX. But yesterday seeing S5 I really got impressed. I never actually liked samsung but started to like it .

Make sure to check it out in store or ask friend to try it out. Some people say the UI lags and others say that it's fine. It probably comes down to user preference and you should know the product well before making a purchase.

 

[jmagid51]

It takes some time and effort to set the camera to your liking but if you have the time to experiment a bit you will see the best camera smartphone on the market. Also their is quite a bit of help available in the forums on photography. The camera is the reason I upgraded from the S4. The S4 camera was great but the S5 is terrific.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AC Forums mobile app

 

[jmagid51]

As far as the US lag issue goes, there are several settings when changed eliminate the issue.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Rmedy21]

I've learned not to always go with what other people write down. The GS5 is a great phone I had the HTC one M8 for less that two weeks and I returned it. You have to check things out for yourself.

Posted via Galaxy S5

 

[AZgl1500]

I've learned not to always go with what other people write down. The GS5 is a great phone I had the HTC one M8 for less that two weeks and I returned it. You have to check things out for yourself.

Posted via Galaxy S5

I totally agree with this.

You will see a lot of posts where the author "belongs to the other camp" and is purposely down trodding xyz phone because it is NOT perfect.

Nothing is perfect, just a matter of degree.

ie, my first smartphone was a Samsung Galaxy S and I have owned it for 3 years having gotten it shortly after its' launch day.

Back then, if it was not Apple iOS it was a piece of dung, and that statement was thrown all over all of the Android forums by Apple aficionados right and left. A lot of that is still going on, and you have to read a post 3 times and analyze what you are "hearing".

If I see something that smells of dung, then it came from the pig pen and I discount it.

If it sounds like a valid technical response, then I study that and try to figure out what is going on.

I waded through a huge amount of dung learning that Galaxy S phone and what it could do, and what it could not do. The camera in that phone is "just as good" as the one in my Current S5. It just has fewer pixels, but it performs equally as well within the limits of the technology it was created with.

This camera, or "that camera" is not necessarily better or worse. Each has its' own specs and each will have its' own response times. Both are by design because of money restraints and technology limits at the time they were created AND the market for which they are being aimed at.

That does not make one camera better than the other, because "better" is a matter of personal preference and type of use needed.

You need to read all you can, and then you need to decide what will make you the happiest. I have never used anything except the two smartphones I have mentioned here. So, I cannot claim that an HTC is a piece of dung and the statement mean anything at all. I have friends with HTC and Motorola phones and they all have been happy with them. Enough so, I was really torn to leave the Samsung camp and go with one of those.

I settled on the S5 because "I was already familiar with Samsung". maybe I should have spent a lot of hours in a Best Buy store trying out the "other guys".... but it is 50 miles to the closest smartphone store and I just didn't want to take the time.

 

[sirmaru]

You may want to wait until the Amazon Fire Phone is released next month. I own the s5 but see where the Fire may have features not available on the s5.

 

[Jdroids]

I've learned not to always go with what other people write down. The GS5 is a great phone I had the HTC one M8 for less that two weeks and I returned it. You have to check things out for yourself.

Posted via Galaxy S5

Since you had M8 before S5, how do you feel about battery life of two phones?
Though spec and most reviews say S5 should last a little longer, I see a lot more battery complaints on S5 forums than M8 forums. I'm thinking of getting GS5 soon upgrading from Razr HD. But battery drain issues with Android OS or system on S5 I see on the forums makes me nervous.