JeffDenver yes, it definitely does. The Nexus excels at low-complexity, low-distance photos, while the opposite is true for my standalone camera (it's not a DSLR by the way, it's an older entry-level cam for about $200). More complex scenes tend to have an artificial look to it with HDR+ enabled because the edges are too crisp.
Me and the wife are not happy at all with the camera. She is coming from an HTC One S and I have a Nexus 4. Having small kids we need a fast camera and our N5's is not cutting it. That and battery life might have me sell them.
I found a workaround on another web site: Use motion scenery mode, it reduces exposure time. For even less motion blur, use video mode and while capturing, tap the screen to take a photo. Sadly, resolution is limited to 1080p.
I honestly think once VSCO finally launches for Android, the photo quality we're used to from our phones is going to be upped significantly.
Here's one more looking right into the setting sun, again, straight outta camera HDR+ with no processing
My time in the sun has been limited( I live in seattle lol) but from cloudy days the HDR mode brightens things up. I'm not sure if it's just me but does using the camera suck down the battery for u? I'm talking like down 6-8% in a few minutes of playing around on the camera
My time in the sun has been limited( I live in seattle lol) but from cloudy days the HDR mode brightens things up. I'm not sure if it's just me but does using the camera suck down the battery for u? I'm talking like down 6-8% in a few minutes of playing around on the camera
Yeah I use a Fuji x100 primarily for stills so I'm with you, it's good enough as a phone shooter.
Definitely noticed that with the camera and the battery, yup!
These are all HDR+ mode. HDR does not necessarily give better results than normal mode. It sometimes overcompensates. IMO it should be used as a tool, not as a default. A few of these are cropped, but otherwise raw, without processing. One thing that really impresses me is how well the camera handles gradients. That was always a sore spot with me on older phone cameras.
In the 2nd to the last one I was trying to focus on the chase logo.
All the photos I've seen taken by the Nexus 5 are "squarish." I assume they've got an aspect ratio of 4:3. Is there a setting to change the camera to take pictures in a 16x9 aspect ratio?
Can anyone answer this? I am wondering the same.. not seeing it in the stock app. I do however see the option when using Vignette.
These are all HDR+ mode. HDR does not necessarily give better results than normal mode. It sometimes overcompensates. IMO it should be used as a tool, not as a default. A few of these are cropped, but otherwise raw, without processing. One thing that really impresses me is how well the camera handles gradients. That was always a sore spot with me on older phone cameras.
In the 2nd to the last one I was trying to focus on the chase logo.
Great shots here, especially the bottom two. After more experimentation, I find myself leaning on the HDR+ mode more and more, which is disappointing considering I don't like using the stock camera app. More pointedly, do you know of a way to control the exposure in the stock camera? I'm talking something simple like on the iPhone where tapping an area of the screen dictates the exposure priority.
It does this somewhat in more balanced settings but if there's a bright source in frame and a dark source forget about this thing allowing you to meter for the dark source. Well, let me change that, if you try, try, try, try, try you can sometimes trick it into letting you purposely under/over expose things.
This is why I marvel at your last two photos, especially the CHASE one: getting the camera to expose a scene that way has been the hardest task for me
Great shots here, especially the bottom two. After more experimentation, I find myself leaning on the HDR+ mode more and more, which is disappointing considering I don't like using the stock camera app. More pointedly, do you know of a way to control the exposure in the stock camera?
Yeah. Go to options (the circle) then the +/- symbol...thats exposure.
I have never had good results messing with exposure though. Only time I would use it is if clarity, not quality, was the issue (like text or something).
I'm talking something simple like on the iPhone where tapping an area of the screen dictates the exposure priority.
You can do that in normal mode, but it will focus on that area as well. If you want exposure and focus to be different for a given tap, the default app does not do that. What you are wanting is possible, but it is a software issue, and the default camera app is not great.
It does this somewhat in more balanced settings but if there's a bright source in frame and a dark source forget about this thing allowing you to meter for the dark source. Well, let me change that, if you try, try, try, try, try you can sometimes trick it into letting you purposely under/over expose things.
Thats what I do. If it is an image where everything will be focused about the same, I tap on a bright area or dark area...it will adjust exposure to that level. I did that in that last shot you see in my post you quoted. I wanted to make sure the sunset was not washed out and that the building were not drowned in shadow.
This is why I marvel at your last two photos, especially the CHASE one: getting the camera to expose a scene that way has been the hardest task for me
On the Chase one I tapped-to-focus on the chase logo specifically. The downside of this is the rest of the image will not be in focus...this is usually only an issue in close-up (Macro) shots though.
It's not ideal at all, but they made the default app to be intuitive, not flexible.
The thing I marvel at myself is the smooth gradients this camera delivers, even in low light. That was IMPOSSIBLE to do on the Nexus 4. Low light photos were a grainy mess. On the Nexus 5, there is very little noise on anything...that impresses the hell out of me.
Here is a direct comparison between the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 cameras. The first image is the Nexus 4. The 2nd is the Nexus 5 in normal mode. The last is the nexus 5 HDR+.
All the photos I've seen taken by the Nexus 5 are "squarish." I assume they've got an aspect ratio of 4:3. Is there a setting to change the camera to take pictures in a 16x9 aspect ratio?
Originally Posted by paa79594
Can anyone answer this? I am wondering the same.. not seeing it in the stock app. I do however see the option when using Vignette.
Most sensors are close to a 4:3 aspect ratio. When you have an option for 16:9 all it really does is crop the top and bottom.
Totally boring and unspectacular photos here, but...
Right before I went to sleep last night I took a photo with my Nexus 4 and a photo with my Nexus 5. Just a small bedside light was on. As you can see, the N5 does a much better job in low light. (auto mode, no flash, no hdr)