The rumoured camera of the LG Nexus - how will it perform?

[Cakefish]

So, the rumour going around is that the LG Nexus will have the Sony IMX278 RGBW 13MP 1/3.06" sensor combined with an F1.8 aperture, OIS and laser auto focus.

Anandtech has already looked at a very similar camera setup in the Huawei P8 (just without the laser auto focus and with a F2.0 aperture instead). Take a look at what they thought here: Camera Still Picture Performance - The Huawei P8 Review

So, the assumptions I think we can make from this regarding the LG Nexus's camera performance are that it will have superb low-light camera performance, beating all other phones currently on the market. However, whilst the addition of laser auto focus will certainly help, it will likely not be able to capture as much detail in daytime shots as the Galaxy S6, LG G4 or Moto X Style.

What do you all think? Do you think these assumptions I've made sound reasonable enough?

 

[Kaido]

I'm not camera savvy, but I can read a spec sheet, lol.

The Oppo R7 Plus has the 13-megapixel Sony IMX278 sensor & laser autofocus. Aperture is f/2.2.

Skip to 7:30 for the camera portion

Edit:

Nexus 5X: Sony IMX278, f/1.8 Aperture, OIS, Laser Autofocus

Sony IMX278, f/2.0 Aperture, OIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcoZdVQNIvQ
6:15

Sony IMX278, f/2.0 Aperture, OIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm9LvVsAr4U
7:15

Sony IMX278, f/2.2 Aperture, Laser Autofocus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuXGdn7rh48

http://www.kimovil.com/en/list-smartphones-by-lens-model/sony-imx278

 

[Clocks]

The hardware is important, but Google has had similar hardware to previous flagships and never gets comparable image quality because (my understanding is) they can't open source the image processing software necessary to take advantage of great hardware.

 

[Ry]

Will the software be capable?

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

 

[Kaido]

Will the software be capable?

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

Well, I don't know if Google will significantly improve the image processing, but we should see a neat new camera feature.

[APK Teardown] Camera v2.5 Is Preparing A New "Smart Burst" Feature That Automatically Picks The Best Photos It Has Taken

 

[jackdubl]

The Nexus 6 camera is leaps and bounds better than any of Motorola's previous cameras. I would expect LG to trump that.

 

[Zendroid1]

My main issue with most cell phone cameras is the focus speed and the speed of the camera app in general. The only two phones that I've used that are good enough are the Galaxy S6 and the iPhone. These phones lock focus extremely fast and have a quick shutter as well. I had the G4, which had a great camera, but it was still slow to focus. It was amazing if you had time to sit there and compose a shot.

Unfortunately this is something that I don't see Google nailing in the new Nexus. Many people don't care about these things as much as I do so I'm sure the Nexus cameras will be acceptable. They should be better than last years and that was not too bad.

 

[bunique4life05]

Well 2015 N5 will have same hardware camera from lg G4 then it should be great as long as stock Android can deliver on the software side. The LG G4 camera is right there with the iPhone and S6.

 

[getbretweir]

Well 2015 N5 will have same hardware camera from lg G4 then it should be great as long as stock Android can deliver on the software side. The LG G4 camera is right there with the iPhone and S6.

I didn't see where the LG Nexus will have the same camera hardware as the G4. Not saying you're wrong, but do you have a source?

 

[bunique4life05]

I didn't see where the LG Nexus will have the same camera hardware as the G4. Not saying you're wrong, but do you have a source?

Mainly going off what LG/Google did with G2 and Nexus 5 (2013). I believe Nexus 5 2015 will have very similar camera to LG G4. It's tough say with out actually having a leaked model # of camera to be used in Nexus 5 (2015) for comparison.

 

[getbretweir]

Mainly going off what LG/Google did with G2 and Nexus 5 (2013). I believe Nexus 5 2015 will have very similar camera to LG G4. It's tough say with out actually having a leaked model # of camera to be used in Nexus 5 (2015) for comparison.

oh, gotcha! yeah from what I've read the hardware sounds decent. as I'm sure you know it'll be interesting to see how they handle the software, which has been their achilles heal

 

[Cakefish]

Nexus 5 and LG G2 have pretty different cameras actually. G2 has the Sony IMX135 (1/3.06", 13MP) sensor while Nexus 5 has the Sony IMX179 sensor (1/3.2", 8MP).

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[bunique4life05]

Nexus 5 and LG G2 have pretty different cameras actually. G2 has the Sony IMX135 (1/3.06", 13MP) sensor while Nexus 5 has the Sony IMX179 sensor (1/3.2", 8MP).

Sent from my XT1562 using Tapatalk

Picture quality and speed of both camera sensors were pretty close. The G2 had more detail because of more pixels but camera overall picture quality was the same.

 

[Evilnut]

I'm guessing, based on every other Nexus phone that's ever released, the picture quality will be quite average and probably not the best at anything. Being that Google does not use all of the proprietary software available from imaging companies on Nexus devices, their picture quality are never going to be best in class. So, I would set expectations accordingly.

Posted via Android Central App from a beautiful Ebony backed Original Moto X or the amazing Nexus 10

 

[Cakefish]

Picture quality and speed of both camera sensors were pretty close. The G2 had more detail because of more pixels but camera overall picture quality was the same.

The amount of detail captured is a large factor into making a good quality photo though.

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[bunique4life05]

The amount of detail captured is a large factor into making a good quality photo though.

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The detail was really only seen when you zoomed in a already process image. So if you took both devices and looked at same picture they both took you won't tell difference really until you zoomed in on both images. The quality on both images are great and even identical it just if one was zoom one can tell the other capture more detail. However is that detail important to the average user I say no. How many take pictures to zoom in more after picture already processed to share with someone? The answer is not often. Most people share they took as is. FYI for example both devices would take picture of flower up close. On the LG G2 you zoom in on one of the pedals of flower and you can tell the phone capture more detail then the Nexus 5. Now again is that really a deal breaker? So my point is Nexus 5 2015 could still be a great camera based on the difference between the G2 and LG Nexus 5 (2013) were negligible for most users. Technical the G2 was better camera but did make a practical difference between both devices for most users? No.

 

[Cakefish]

Fair enough. You win there.

But the cameras for the G4 and Nexus 5 2015 are rumoured to be further apart than the G2 and Nexus 5 2013 were.

G4 -> Sony IMX234, 1/2.6", 16MP, RGB

N5 '15 -> Sony IMX278 1/3.06", 13MP, RGBW

The Huawei P8 has the Sony IMX278. Here's Anandtech's thoughts on how it fares:

"Overall the P8 impressed a lot in low-light photography. I think it's safe to say that it beats the Galaxy S6 in most scenarios. The RGBW sensor seems to have paid off in that respect as the results speak for themselves.*

However what makes a camera is more than just low-light photography, and while the P8 is able to hold its own among the best low-light shooters, it's the daylight scenes that are more concerning. Sony's RGBW IMX278 sensor just wasn't able to compete with a more traditional Bayer sensor when it comes to sheer detail in sufficiently lit conditions."

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9260/the-huawei-p8-review/9



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[bunique4life05]

Fair enough. You win there.

But the cameras for the G4 and Nexus 5 2015 are rumoured to be further apart than the G2 and Nexus 5 2013 were.

G4 -> Sony IMX234, 1/2.6", 16MP, RGB

N5 '15 -> Sony IMX278 1/3.06", 13MP, RGBW

The Huawei P8 has the Sony IMX278. Here's Anandtech's thoughts on how it fares:

"Overall the P8 impressed a lot in low-light photography. I think it's safe to say that it beats the Galaxy S6 in most scenarios. The RGBW sensor seems to have paid off in that respect as the results speak for themselves.*

However what makes a camera is more than just low-light photography, and while the P8 is able to hold its own among the best low-light shooters, it's the daylight scenes that are more concerning. Sony's RGBW IMX278 sensor just wasn't able to compete with a more traditional Bayer sensor when it comes to sheer detail in sufficiently lit conditions."

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9260/the-huawei-p8-review/9



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Great point made. I am hoping the software behind Nexus 5 will be difference. P8 has the same sensor it's not LG that install sensor and wrote code for it to work. OEM's could have all same camera sensors, running the latest version of android and chipset but doesn't me they all we same picture quality. How well each OEM writes code and optimize software to the same camera sensors can be difference why "B" has better picture quality then "A" OEM. Though I won't hold my breath that software alone will change cameras performance because it seems by comparison of P8 it's a inferior camera.

 

[Cakefish]

Nexus 5 had inferior software processing than the G2 so I wouldn't hold my breath for any miracles.

That being said, it'll have the best low light camera of any phone to date. Just a shame that it has to come at the expense of daylight shots.

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[gendo667]

Nexus 5 had inferior software processing than the G2 so I wouldn't hold my breath for any miracles.

That being said, it'll have the best low light camera of any phone to date. Just a shame that it has to come at the expense of daylight shots.

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Okay, I didn't have the G2. But I had the Nexus 5. They both had the Snapdragon 800. Both had 2 gigs of ram. I fail to understand your point. The Nexus 5 was the best phone I've ever owned. Absolutely no problems with any aspect of the software at all. On Kit Kat or Lollipop.

Edit: Or I could keep reading and see that you guys are talking about the camera software. Disregard my statements. However, after the Lollipop update, the camera software worked considerably better than Kit Kat. For me at least.