Verizon Motorola DROID Turbo How is the camera?

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BlueBlazer60

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These samples seem to reflect my expectations of cell phone cameras. Some of them tend to the very good side and others leave something to be desired. Problem with sample photos is you never know how many shots were taken to get the one selected. I watched two ladies taking a selfie the other day - shoot - delete - shoot. They must have taken 15 before they got the one they liked.

Whether you like the Turbo camera is the same as for any other cell phone camera. It will depend on how you use it. If future samples I expect to see soon for early purchasers stay close to these samples, it would serve my needs.

Some what of a serious photographer. If I want high quality pictures, I would be using one of my four dedicated cameras at least one of which is close to the size of the Turbo.

Wish that OIS had been included. Guess I will have to keep my old shaking hands stable.
 

PowrDroid

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These samples seem to reflect my expectations of cell phone cameras. Some of them tend to the very good side and others leave something to be desired.

Whether you like the Turbo camera is the same as for any other cell phone camera. It will depend on how you use it. If future samples I expect to see soon for early purchasers stay close to these samples, it would serve my needs.

Some what of a serious photographer. If I want high quality pictures, I would be using one of my four dedicated cameras at least one of which is close to the size of the Turbo.

The thing is, other companies can make phones that take really good photos--Apple, Samsung, Sony, so why can't Motorola?

Here is an objective web site that has an honest test of cameras.

http://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=1&idPhone1=6434&idPhone2=6665&idPhone3=4666

They use the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 as the standard, but I think it's somewhat oversaturated. I prefer the Apple 6 plus. Anyway you can compare three different camera reference shots. Load the Apple 6 plus as the center camera and then select Moto Razr Maxx as the bottom camera. (I have it set that way in the link, I hope it keeps it when you click on it.) Then in the left hand window with the photo reference (ISO 12233 chart) drag the green view finder box to the color sample bar. Run the view finder across the colors. Notice the problem with greens and yellow with the Moto. Green looks like teal; yellow looks like cream. Switch the photo reference chart to the color poster, then slide the green view finder box over to the purple daisy and you can see the differences. Also get the viewfinder box so the eyes of the woman on the left are in the viewfinder. Compare the colors. Samsung oversaturated, Apple accurate, Moto inaccurate, washed out. Also check out the floral print dress on that same female model.

Yes, I know this isn't the Droid Turbo being compared and we'll have to wait for it to be extensively reviewed, but from what I'm seeing of the sample photos being posted from the Turbo from yesterday and today, they look exactly like past Motorola photos--inaccurate and undersaturated.

Wish that OIS had been included. Guess I will have to keep my old shaking hands stable.

To get around this problem on my Razr Maxx HD, I assign the volume rocker as the shutter. While holding down the volume rocker (shutter), I tap the screen to focus, then hold the phone with both hands to stabilize it, then release the volume rocker. Gets me better shots. Also whenever possible, I brace my elbow(s) on something solid to further steady my shot. But we shouldn't need to do this--just give us OIS. The maddening thing is, it is built into my RMHD, but the stock camera doesn't use it. I tested several third party camera apps, some with OIS, but they weren't as good as the stock camera app without it.
 

BlueBlazer60

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Interesting compare tool. Thanks for sharing it. Do you have any idea how often they update the list of phones? Or how they select which phones to include?
 

PowrDroid

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Interesting compare tool. Thanks for sharing it. Do you have any idea how often they update the list of phones? Or how they select which phones to include?

Sorry, no, I don't know answers to either of your questions. But it's got the Apple 6 plus and the Galaxy Tab 4, both came out in September.
 

crazyralph90

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Besides that...Youtube still doesn't support 60fps unless it's a Twitch feed or something gaming. Even then it's still only a handful of videos.

Does now

Posted via Android Central App
 

duketreo

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I've come to grips with all my concerns on the Turbo- even the no data while calling disaster. However, the one thing I can't believe is how slow the camera lag is. In store, I could snap a picture of my hand, move my hand afterwards, and the hand would never be in the picture. It was pathetic. A phone next to it, which I would rather not buy, had an instantaneous click and picture capture. My current DNA is faster and even with that I've been longing for a better camera. Any chance a software patch can speed this up to almost instantaneous like a phone with these specs should be able to handle?
 

Firedogee

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I've come to grips with all my concerns on the Turbo- even the no data while calling disaster. However, the one thing I can't believe is how slow the camera lag is. In store, I could snap a picture of my hand, move my hand afterwards, and the hand would never be in the picture. It was pathetic. A phone next to it, which I would rather not buy, had an instantaneous click and picture capture. My current DNA is faster and even with that I've been longing for a better camera. Any chance a software patch can speed this up to almost instantaneous like a phone with these specs should be able to handle?

Did you accept the software updates? This appears to have fixed it on mine. One update is from Settings>System Updates and the other is the actual Moto Camera app that you can today from Google Play Store

Sent Turbo fast from my 64GB Droid Turbo
 

duketreo

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I didn't buy it yet. Couldn't walk out with a camera like that. The pictures seemed good enough but I can't deal with that lag. So after the update, the picture capture is instantaneous with the press like my wife's iPhone? That would make me feel much more comfortable so I could purchase it. I hate missing pictures repeatedly or telling people 3,2,1, they smile and by the time the picture is captured their attention is gone. Doesn't go over well with children especially.
 

Xelios

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The update didn't change my camera speeds. Mine is still fairly slow but more than well enough for me. I think in phonearena's review, they said the camera shutter is about 2.5 or so. Having a hard time taking pictures of my dog since she's pretty inattentive too. But for still objects, it's pretty great.
 

JIH2009

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Is the sotck camera app the same as the Google camera app in the Play store? Differences? Should I install the Play store version? Thanks
 

duketreo

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Disappointing to hear that speed wasn't enhanced after upgrade. I don't know how anybody who actually uses the camera for things other than inanimate objects can be alright with that kind of lag. My Treo had better performance. 21MP is useless if it can't capture what you're trying to photograph.
 

Snareman

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I think maybe the camera speed is slightly better since the software update. Or maybe I'm imagining it It says the Moto camera app was last updated on 10/9 and apparently shows that I have the latest since it didn't offer me to update when I go to the my apps tab on my phone. That compare tool says that the Turbo is only 0.01s slower than the G3, which doesn't seem right since the G3 has that super duper laser beam focusing. I don't remember how the G3 is in person, but I thought it seemed almost instantaneous.
 

Snareman

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I don't know how Moto could get so many things right on the phone with amazing specs and knowing that their cameras have always been lackluster not add some sort of impressive camera features like laser focusing, OIS, or just a better overall camera.
 
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