G4 camera: officially disappointed

[limeaid]

Let me be clear here. I'm not saying that the G4 doesn't take some amazing shots. This camera is certainly *capable* of taking the best photos of any camera phone on the market. The issue is that in automatic mode under anything less than ideal lighting conditions (indoors, low light), the G4 makes some awful choices in terms of both focus and exposure.

Photos are constantly out of focus because the phone either chooses to focus on the background, or in the case of moving objects, the phone chooses too low of an ISO while combining that with too slow of a shutter speed.

White balance is also off consistently, especially under incandescent lighting.

Sure, this can all be corrected by using manual mode, but no one has time for that when trying to capture a scene that might be gone within seconds.

I traded a gs6 for this phone because I expected the G4 to have better battery life and at the very least, a camera that was equal in quality. While the G4 beats the gs6 in battery life (barely), the camera unfortunately doesn't come close.

Considering going back to the gs6 and just carrying around external battery packs for the rest of my life if LG can't release a software update quickly to fix these issues.

 

[Duncan1982]

Let me be clear here. I'm not saying that the G4 doesn't take some amazing shots. This camera is certainly *capable* of taking the best photos of any camera phone on the market. The issue is that in automatic mode under anything less than ideal lighting conditions (indoors, low light), the G4 makes some awful choices in terms of both focus and exposure.

Photos are constantly out of focus because the phone either chooses to focus on the background, or in the case of moving objects, the phone chooses too low of an ISO while combining that with too slow of a shutter speed.

White balance is also off consistently, especially under incandescent lighting.

Sure, this can all be corrected by using manual mode, but no one has time for that when trying to capture a scene that might be gone within seconds.

I traded a gs6 for this phone because I expected the G4 to have better battery life and at the very least, a camera that was equal in quality. While the G4 beats the gs6 in battery life (barely), the camera unfortunately doesn't come close.

Considering going back to the gs6 and just carrying around external battery packs for the rest of my life if LG can't release a software update quickly to fix these issues.

Thanks for sharing your experience, i however find the G4's camera to be quite stellar and i also have the S6E.

There are things the G4 does better and vice versa in the optics its then just down to preferences.

We are becoming rather spoilt and thus why our expectations are high.

I very much appreciate both in this area tbh for me i wouldn't say one is better than the other. Just as i stated above each does things slightly differently.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[limeaid]

Thanks for sharing your experience, i however find the G4's camera to be quite stellar and i also have the S6E.

There are things the G4 does better and vice versa in the optics its then just down to preferences.

We are becoming rather spoilt and thus why our expectations are high.

I very much appreciate both in this area tbh ?????? for me i wouldn't say one is better than the other. Just as i stated above each does things slightly differently.

Posted via the Android Central App

Let me be even clearer. Where the G4 performs poorly is in automatic mode in anything less than well lit conditions. In brightly lit scenes, it takes fantastic photos with no adjustments.

The gs6 is a much more well rounded camera and handles all situations well in auto mode (which is what most ppl use 99% of the time) Especially moving objects indoors. This is where the G4 is quite frankly [language removed by mod] poor.

 

[TNCattleDog]

In Auto mode, you can direct the focus on the object that you are trying to take a picture of by tapping on the object on the screen.

Incandescent lighting or flourescent (CFL) bulbs? CFL tend to skew the white balance to a more blue hue, especially if there is indirect sunlight added in. Noticed that not only with the G4 camera but others as well.

David

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

My only issue with the camera is that it overexposes the sky in pictures. Images on my S6 which would show clouds appear just white on my G4.

Other than that, I think it's a great camera. If I played around with the manual settings, I'm sure I'd be able to take better shots than the auto mode.

 

[limeaid]

In Auto mode, you can direct the focus on the object that you are trying to take a picture of by tapping on the object on the screen.

Incandescent lighting or flourescent (CFL) bulbs? CFL tend to skew the white balance to a more blue hue, especially if there is indirect sunlight added in. Noticed that not only with the G4 camera but others as well.

David

I'm familiar with tap to focus. I'm not an *****. In a situation where you're taking a quick photo with a clear foreground, this shouldn't be necessary. Other cameras, including the gs6, handle this situation easily in auto mode. The G4 doesn't.

White balance can be difficult for a lot of cameras in certain situations. I'm just pointing out that the G4 seems to do worse in a lot of these situations

 

[limeaid]

My only issue with the camera is that it overexposes the sky in pictures. Images on my S6 which would show clouds appear just white on my G4.

Other than that, I think it's a great camera. If I played around with the manual settings, I'm sure I'd be able to take better shots than the auto mode.

This too. I forgot to mention this one. The G4 overexposes frequently. In my experience, it's not just limited to the sky

 

[BBSeattle]

Interesting, I have been simply amazed at the photos I've taken in full auto.
At the same time I have never purchased or traded a Phone over the camera.

 

[GibMcFragger]

Is auto HDR on? That slows the camera down noticeably.

 

[SCjRqrQCnBQ19QoYCtdl]

I think that the s6 is probably the best camera for those not wanting to mess around with manual mode. I came to that conclusion before buying the s6 for my wife and the g4 for me.
I think anyone who seriously researched the two phones would come to the same conclusion. s6 will beat the g4 in both auto camera and in video.

I like to mess with the settings to get the best possible shot but my wife doesn't. That is why I got the g4 for me and the s6 for her. I bet that I get better pictures than her though

 

[limeaid]

I think that the s6 is probably the best camera for those not wanting to mess around with manual mode. I came to that conclusion before buying the s6 for my wife and the g4 for me.
I think anyone who seriously researched the two phones would come to the same conclusion. s6 will beat the g4 in both auto camera and in video.

I agree with this. But how often do you really have time to mess with manual exposure before taking a photo? Even if you're a photography enthusiast (which I am), you're going to be using auto mode a good amount of the time. Especially if you're taking photos of moving objects like kids.

 

[limeaid]

Is auto HDR on? That slows the camera down noticeably.

In both cases, on and off, I'm having the focus issues

 

[tardus]

I'm familiar with tap to focus. I'm not an *****. In a situation where you're taking a quick photo with a clear foreground, this shouldn't be necessary. Other cameras, including the gs6, handle this situation easily in auto mode. The G4 doesn't.

White balance can be difficult for a lot of cameras in certain situations. I'm just pointing out that the G4 seems to do worse in a lot of these situations

I'd rather choose my focus point instead of letting the phone pick it for me. This is actually not a bad thing. For people that want everything automatic - maybe the S6 camera is better?

I use DSLR's - I have two full frame DSLR's - and I'd NEVER let the camera choose the focus point except for fast action sports - which is well beyond what a phone's camera is capable of.
I'm more than happy with the G4 camera and pretty amazed by the images it produces.

 

[falc39]

For those that aren't satisfied with the auto mode, have you tried other 3rd party camera apps? I'm happy with the G4's auto mode so far. But with my last phone, it took horrible auto pictures so I downloaded a camera app people who had that phone was recommending (Vignette) and was very happy with the auto mode/post processing results of that app instead. Things like auto mode is all comprised by settings that can ultimately be changed and doesn't mean the phone's hardware is bad. Maybe your issues can be solved with a different app.

 

[limeaid]

I'd rather choose my focus point instead of letting the phone pick it for me. This is actually not a bad thing. For people that want everything automatic - maybe the S6 camera is better?

I use DSLR's - I have two full frame DSLR's - and I'd NEVER let the camera choose the focus point.
I'm more than happy with the G4 camera and pretty amazed by the images it produces.

Even when choosing the focus point, it still chooses the wrong exposure in auto mode for moving objects, resulting in a blurry photo. Why? Because it chooses too low of an iso and too slow of a shutter speed. This is just bad auto programming on LG's end. There's no getting around that

 

[tardus]

This too. I forgot to mention this one. The G4 overexposes frequently. In my experience, it's not just limited to the sky

I look at the image on the screen before I push the shutter and move angle a bit if needed for good exposure - jpg auto mode. No problem with overexposure.

 

[limeaid]

For those that aren't satisfied with the auto mode, have you tried other 3rd party camera apps? I'm happy with the G4's auto mode so far. But with my last phone, it took horrible auto pictures so I downloaded a camera app people who had that phone was recommending (Vignette) and was very happy with the auto mode/post processing results of that app instead. Things like auto mode is all comprised by settings that can ultimately be changed and doesn't mean the phone's hardware is bad. Maybe your issues can be solved with a different app.

I've tried procapture and your suggestion vignette and haven't noticed an improvement. If anyone has found something that works, would love to hear it

 

[SCjRqrQCnBQ19QoYCtdl]

I agree with this. But how often do you really have time to mess with manual exposure before taking a photo? Even if you're a photography enthusiast (which I am), you're going to be using auto mode a good amount of the time. Especially if you're taking photos of moving objects like kids.

I am always playing with the settings. Most of the time the pictures I take aren't brief opportunities or if I am a situation where that will happen I will use one of my real cameras.

I also guess I will learn when I can get away with using auto and when manual will be needed - but the fact that I can use manual/RAW is why I got the g4 over the s6.

 

[SCjRqrQCnBQ19QoYCtdl]

We just got our phones on Wednesday night so not a lot of chance to compare and contrast - but here is an example of my wife shooting the s6 and me shooting the g4 of the same subject to kind of illustrate our different approaches and why the s6 is best for her and the g4 me.

Galaxy s6


LG G4

 

[falc39]

We just got our phones on Wednesday night so not a lot of chance to compare and contrast - but here is an example of my wife shooting the s6 and me shooting the g4 of the same subject to kind of illustrate our different approaches and why the s6 is best for her and the g4 me.

Wow, your shot looks really good... settings?