How Does Apple Maintain Its Stranglehold On The Best Cellphone Cameras?

Let me be clear, I despise Apple. I wouldn't own an iphoney if you gave me one on a silver platter with Scarlet Johansen thrown in for free (well, maybe, just maybe).

But son of a gun they keep turning out the best cameras in the biz. In good light the Samsungs can give them a run for their money but for straight 'out-of-the-box' consistent quality in good light, low light and flash they have no peer.

The Turbo comes in with 21 MP and.....meh. Mediocre at best. Does Apple have some special alchemy that is simply impossible to copy? Is there some entirely proprietary circuitry that others can't even come close to?

After all this time it's just bizarre to imagine that with their pathetic spec's (8mp IIRC) they are still leading the field by such a ridiculous margin.

I haven't used the iPhone 6/6 plus cameras. But the S5 will take some beating (I don't care for low light shots).

Posted from my nexus 7 2013

There is one HUGE advantage Apple has over anyone else. They have their fingers in EVERY part of the camera. Lens, sensor, driver, software...

EV-ER-Y-THING!!!

Compare that with any other phone manufacturer.

Apple can code their software around, through, and with all aspects of the camera in mind. Other manufacturers have to source the camera (lens/sensor unit, and then driver software) separately and then code their software (either Android, or Windows) around it - meaning there's a much higher chance of mediocre image quality. If you want to do something, do it yourself - as Apple has done, or you can hire someone to do it for you - as pretty much every other manufacturer has to do. Even Sony, who has a pretty good camera unit, still has to code that camera into their Android skin. Apple can bake the whole works together and then optimize it all together.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an Apple fan, at this point I probably won't purchase one of their products for myself. I prefer Android - but I'm not blind to the advantages of Apple controlling all aspects of the experience, right down to the da** drivers.

If you are a photographer, you know that mps are not the only parameters that make a good camera, there is the quality of the exposure meter, the size and quality of the sensor, the quality of the lens, the filter, etc. There are 5 mp cameras that will take superior pictures to 21 mp cameras due to all the above and more. I suppose Apple works on all these parameters rather then just play the mp race.

I'm sorry but I don't think they do? Iphones cameras are not as good as the s5...

Originally Posted by tomothy94

I'm sorry but I don't think they do? Iphones cameras are not as good as the s5...

In bright light the S5 can come close but in low light or with flash it's not even a competition any more.

Originally Posted by PsychDoc

In bright light the S5 can come close but in low light or with flash it's not even a competition any more.

I've not used an iphone 6/6 +, but from images I've seen taken with those cameras the S5 takes better pictures in good lighting. The low light images I've seen are better than what the S5 can do but they are not anything special.

posted from my galaxy tab pro 10.1

Originally Posted by PsychDoc

In bright light the S5 can come close but in low light or with flash it's not even a competition any more.

I was playing around with a friend's iphone 6 the other night. I'm sorry, but that thing is awesome. Better photos and and everything is soooooo smooth.

I never see what's so good about apple camera, I have used 5s and the quality is mediocre.

Originally Posted by punk999

I never see what's so good about apple camera, I have used 5s and the quality is mediocre.

Exactly. The S5 captures so much more detail.

Posted from my nexus 7 2013

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. The iPhone camera is not the best..

I have the iPhone 5S and the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy beats the iPhone hands down.. A lot of people talk about MP, lens, sensor size, etc but not once have I heard anybody mention the rendering engine. This one item has more to do with image quality than all the other mentioned items.
Back in the film days the grade of film made most of the difference. Today it is the rendering engine..

The iPhone image quality improved only very slightly with the introduction of the motion sensor on the iPhone 6.

Mediocre lens can go along way if high quality film is used and the same with a digital camera if the camera has a high quality rendering engine. iPhones rendering engine is of average quality.
I have enlarged images taken with the iPhone to 20x30 with acceptable results but images taken with my Galaxy are of much higher quality..

MP to a degree can produce better quality images but only because higher MP can store more information but this quality cannot be detected by the naked eye..

I think it's all been said really. Part of the reason though is the fact that apple use 8mp sensor. More light hitting each pixel means better in low light.
Quality optics, hardware and software all controlled in house, all contribute to making the new iPhone 6 the best (except the top Lumias?).

8mp is fine for a phone camera. Who prints out phone camera images at A3? Not many.

The S5 takes stunning photos in good light, but it simply cannot complete in low light due to sensor size.

Posted via the Android Central App

Originally Posted by robsawalker

I think it's all been said really. Part of the reason though is the fact that apple use 8mp sensor. More light hitting each pixel means better in low light.

Not quiet... Again it depends on the rendering engine which factors heavily in the final DXOMark. More light can translate to blown out highlights which in turn causes more noise in low light areas..

Originally Posted by robsawalker

Quality optics, hardware and software all controlled in house, all contribute to making the new iPhone 6 the best (except the top Lumias?).

But the iPhone 6 is not capable of producing images capable of enlargements above 5x7 or 8x10. I know this since mine falls short in this area.. Where higher MP's factor in is when enlarging beyond 8x10..

Originally Posted by robsawalker

8mp is fine for a phone camera. Who prints out phone camera images at A3? Not many.

You'd be surprised how many do.. I work for a pro photo lab service and we get files daily that were created with a camera phone for enlargements beyond 8x10 to as high as 20x30. You'd be surprised at how many iPhone shot fall short in quality enlargements. I have a number of 20x30's that I shot with my phone that looks as good as shots taken with my Nikon gear..

Originally Posted by robsawalker

The S5 takes stunning photos in good light, but it simply cannot complete in low light due to sensor size.

I have stunning images taken in low light with my S5 that are far and above qualitywise compared to the same taken with my 5S.

The problem as I see it is many don't know how to properly use a camera whether it be a DSLR, P&S, or camera phone.

Originally Posted by colyn1353

I have stunning images taken in low light with my S5 that are far and above qualitywise compared to the same taken with my 5S.
.

samples, please? Thanks! I'd like to learn how to take better low-light pictures with my S5. :)

Originally Posted by colyn1353

The problem as I see it is many don't know how to properly use a camera whether it be a DSLR, P&S, or camera phone.

Hands down my 4s iphone took better photos in dark areas than my Galaxy S5 does.

Originally Posted by colyn1353

I have a number of 20x30's that I shot with my phone that looks as good as shots taken with my Nikon gear..


I have stunning images taken in low light with my S5 that are far and above qualitywise compared to the same taken with my 5S.

You have lost all credibility to me based on these two statements.

There is not a chance the S5 with its tiny 1/2.6 sensor and and equally small lense is able to compare to a Nikon DSLR. Any DSLR will have a much larger sensor, a far superior lense and tremendously better image processing. I have an S5, I know the level of quality it is capable of in daylight but my DSLR still kills it in terms of image quality.


Frankly, the S5 is absolutely terrible in low light, Samsung tries to makes things better by using software tricks to stitch multiple images together in an effort to improve low light performance. The truth is that software can't replicate what superior hardware can do. The iPhone 5S has larger individual pixel sizes than the S5, as such it captures more light than the S5 thus resulting in vastly superior low light shots without the need for software trickery. There are plenty of comparisons that have shown the S5 struggling in low light while the iPhone manages to preform better.

There is nothing wrong about saying a competitor performs better in a certain area but there is something wrong with blatantly defending something even though the facts show other wise.

Anyway, I would love to see your sample images.

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Originally Posted by msavic6

You have lost all credibility to me based on these two statements.

There is not a chance the S5 with its tiny 1/2.6 sensor and and equally small lense is able to compare to a Nikon DSLR. Any DSLR will have a much larger sensor, a far superior lense and tremendously better image processing. I have an S5, I know the level of quality it is capable of in daylight but my DSLR still kills it in terms of image quality.

I have an old Sony DSLR with a lowly 7 mp rating. it has a built-in variable lens that does a fairly good job. I have to admit that I paid right at $1,000 for the thing back in 06-08.... I don't remember the year anymore. The downside of this camera is how slow it is, but image stabilization and a tripod produces some fantastic results.

At night, the internal flash on that thing outperforms a lot of External flash units. (again, the flash is slow to recharge, very slow, but powerful)
I can take pictures on the blackest night, and it will light up a parking lot and show the fence on the back perimeter. This particular parking lot was below me about 40 feet or so, maybe more. It was deep enough for 4 rows of cars.

when I took that picture, I was thoroughly resolved to maybe the first row of cars being lit up "a little bit". But, when I got home and transferred that image over to my 24 inch PC monitor, I was amazed at the fact I could see the grain in the wooden fence, and the cars were very well detailed and good color rendition.

It is all about the mechanics of the design and the software that captures that image. Sony did a great job on that old camera, it is still my only DSLR, no need to replace something that isn't broke.

Our cellphones have to make a lot of compromises to be able to retail at about $500-$600 and do everything that they can do. It is amazing how far technology has come in the last 10 years.

. My S5 has now become the only "camera" that I haul around with me anymore... I just don't do night shots as a casual sometimes picture snapper addict.

Originally Posted by msavic6

You have lost all credibility to me based on these two statements.

Since I did not ask for your approval, I won't argue..

Originally Posted by msavic6

There is not a chance the S5 with its tiny 1/2.6 sensor and and equally small lense is able to compare to a Nikon DSLR. Any DSLR will have a much larger sensor, a far superior lense and tremendously better image processing. I have an S5, I know the level of quality it is capable of in daylight but my DSLR still kills it in terms of image quality.

It's not the camera. It is how you use it..

Originally Posted by msavic6

Frankly, the S5 is absolutely terrible in low light,

Personal opinion....

Originally Posted by msavic6

There is nothing wrong about saying a competitor performs better in a certain area but there is something wrong with blatantly defending something even though the facts show other wise.

What facts?

Originally Posted by colyn1353

It's not the camera. It is how you use it..

Personal opinion....

What facts?

Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me that the S5 can out preform a Nikon DSLR in terms of image quality? Considering that you ignored my request and others for sample images, I doubt you even have any and are just attempting to spur a response from others.

Personal Opinion? I have owned the S5 since launch day, I have taken well over 2000 pictures with it and am well aware of the limitations of the device. The camera is mediocre at best in low light. The ISOCELL sensor is horrible with increases in ISO leading to severe grain and noise in lower light images, don't believe me, look it up yourself. The downsides of the ISOCELL sensor is what led Samsung to utilize a Sony sensor for the Note 4.



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Originally Posted by Touchpaddle

samples, please? Thanks! I'd like to learn how to take better low-light pictures with my S5. :)

The problem with posting side by side comparisions is that the forum reduces the image size so issues like noise, etc is difficult to see however I am going to do a project comparing the S5, 5S, and my Nikon D700 on my Flickr page..

Originally Posted by msavic6

Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me that the S5 can out preform a Nikon DSLR in terms of image quality? Considering that you ignored my request and others for sample images, I doubt you even have any and are just attempting to spur a response from others.

Show me where I said outperform... I don't recall saying any such thing.. If you would like to see two images of the S5 and D700 check here.. http://forums.androidcentral.com/sam...st-images.html

Since you just want to argue and mis-quote me I will no longer respond to your posts.. I'm not here to argue..

Originally Posted by colyn1353

Show me where I said outperform... I don't recall saying any such thing.. If you would like to see two images of the S5 and D700 check here.. http://forums.androidcentral.com/sam...st-images.html

Since you just want to argue and mis-quote me I will no longer respond to your posts.. I'm not here to argue..

My apologies, you said "looks as good" which implies the quality is equivalent to a DSLR. My point still stands, the S5 can't compete.

You have essentially ignored everything I have said and responded with short and ambiguous sentences. You have not defended your argument nor proven it, all you have shown is that you blindly defend something without any respect for the contrary side.

You can dislike something and still admit it does something well, instead of spewing non-sense that has been proven wrong by many review sites. The S5 is poor in low light, it's time to face the music.

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Originally Posted by AZgl1500

I have an old Sony DSLR with a lowly 7 mp rating. it has a built-in variable lens that does a fairly good job.

I had the same camera. Back in the day it was a very good camera. I replaced it with a used Nikon D200 and thought I had died and gone to heaven.. This one too has been replaced by the D700 and D800..

I like these Nikons in part because I can use my 40+ year old AI glass...

Originally Posted by colyn1353

The problem with posting side by side comparisions is that the forum reduces the image size so issues like noise, etc is difficult to see however I am going to do a project comparing the S5, 5S, and my Nikon D700 on my Flickr page..

If your going to do a comparison of the galaxy and iphone, you should use the iphone 6. Seeing as these 2 would be each other's competitor.

Originally Posted by black_thorne

If your going to do a comparison of the galaxy and iphone, you should use the iphone 6. Seeing as these 2 would be each other's competitor.

The iPhone 5S will be my last iPhone. I played with both the 6 and 6 plus at the AT&T store and found them to be nothing more than an enlarged 5S.

Don't get me wrong.. Both are fine phones but I still much prefer Android..

I'll keep the iPhone around for awhile since I want to keep that number active..

Originally Posted by colyn1353

The iPhone 5S will be my last iPhone. I played with both the 6 and 6 plus at the AT&T store and found them to be nothing more than an enlarged 5S.

Don't get me wrong.. Both are fine phones but I still much prefer Android..

I'll keep the iPhone around for awhile since I want to keep that number active..

What I meant was, if your going to do a photo comparison, compare the galaxy S5 against the iphone 6 instead of the 5S.

Originally Posted by black_thorne

What I meant was, if your going to do a photo comparison, compare the galaxy S5 against the iphone 6 instead of the 5S.

I agree...

Since iPhone upgraded the 6 and 6 plus sensors to the motion sensor there is a slight difference between the 5S and 6..

iPhones beat Droids because of software optimization. Even HDR quality is good. But Lumias with Pureview can take absolutely better shots than iPhones if one knows how to play with its manual settings.

Originally Posted by black_thorne

What I meant was, if your going to do a photo comparison, compare the galaxy S5 against the iphone 6 instead of the 5S.

I'm confident that the S5 will beat the iPhone 6 /6+ in good lighting.

Posted from my S5

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

I'm confident that the S5 will beat the iPhone 6 /6+ in good lighting.

Posted from my S5

The only difference between the iPhone 5S and 6/6+ is the addition of the motion sensor so I tend to agree with you.

Most changes in the camera market whether it be a camera/phone or DSLR is so minute that the increase in quality can only be measured with test equipment..

Originally Posted by black_thorne

Hands down my 4s iphone took better photos in dark areas than my Galaxy S5 does.

Then you are using your S5 wrong. My S5 takes better low light pictures than my iPhone 5 ever did. The only camera aspect my iPhone 5 has produced better shots with is its front facing camera compared to my S5's front facing camera. That was until I disabled beauty mode on my S5, now they all look fine and not heavily processed.

Originally Posted by P_Devil

Then you are using your S5 wrong. My S5 takes better low light pictures than my iPhone 5 ever did. The only camera aspect my iPhone 5 has produced better shots with is its front facing camera compared to my S5's front facing camera. That was until I disabled beauty mode on my S5, now they all look fine and not heavily processed.

Lol. Because there's so many custom controls on a phone camera.

Originally Posted by black_thorne

Lol. Because there's so many custom controls on a phone camera.

Exactly, it's hard to "mess" up a photo on a smartphone unless your composition is horrific and you shoot directly into the sunlight or your hand shakes during the shot.

Some people on these forums have a hard time admitting specific aspects of the S5 are lacking in comparison to other devices.

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I have photos I've taken with an old CoolPix 3MP camera and the photos look better than the S5 ,5S and 6/6+

It has more to do with how you use it and experience in knowing how to use it.

Originally Posted by black_thorne

Lol. Because there's so many custom controls on a phone camera.

There are actually tons of options with the S5's camera. My point is that the iPhone 5 featured a better camera than the iPhone 4S yet I've continually taken better shots with my S5 even in low light conditions. I'm not delving deep into the S5's settings either, just messing around with HDR mode (on-screen HDR correction is something Apple needs to do) and anti-shake mode. Both produce better low light shots than my iPhone 5 did with HDR enabled. It was particularly evident for me when I was comparing photos taken at a concert.

Originally Posted by P_Devil

There are actually tons of options with the S5's camera. My point is that the iPhone 5 featured a better camera than the iPhone 4S yet I've continually taken better shots with my S5 even in low light conditions. I'm not delving deep into the S5's settings either, just messing around with HDR mode (on-screen HDR correction is something Apple needs to do) and anti-shake mode. Both produce better low light shots than my iPhone 5 did with HDR enabled. It was particularly evident for me when I was comparing photos taken at a concert.

Could you please list the tons of custom controls the phone camera has?

Originally Posted by black_thorne

Could you please list the tons of custom controls the phone camera has?

HDR mode, picture stabilization, selective focus, face detection, ISO settings, burst shots, image size, exposure settings, white balance settings, and various other effects. It's more than what Google offers in their camera app and more than what my iPhone 5 offered.

Originally Posted by P_Devil

HDR mode, picture stabilization, selective focus, face detection, ISO settings, burst shots, image size, exposure settings, white balance settings, and various other effects. It's more than what Google offers in their camera app and more than what my iPhone 5 offered.

Out of all of those listed, only three will have an effect on low light image quality.

- Picture Stabilization which is Samsung's method of concealing the physical weaknesses of the sensor by taking multiple shots and fusing them together in an effort to create a better resulting image.

- ISO Settings are a joke on the S5, sure they may make the image brighter but the ISOCELL sensor is terrible in dealing with ISO and thus increases noise and grain tremendously at "higher" ISO settings. The result is worse image quality but a marginally brighter shot.

The camera on a smartphone should be sufficiently capable of capturing spur of the moment shots with decent quality. There is no point in me having to set up my smartphone and then adjust multiple settings in an effort to produce a marginally better shot. The chances of me getting the shot using this method is next to none, things don't exactly stand still and wait for you.

If you have ever used an HTC One M7/M8, you know the ease of taking good low light shots, the phone focuses in a split second and takes the shot without any delay. Sure the resolution may not be all that high but for spur of the moment shots with good consistency, it is hard to beat.

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Originally Posted by msavic6

Out of all of those listed, only three will have an effect on low light image quality.

- Picture Stabilization which is Samsung's method of concealing the physical weaknesses of the sensor by taking multiple shots and fusing them together in an effort to create a better resulting image.

- ISO Settings are a joke on the S5, sure they may make the image brighter but the ISOCELL sensor is terrible in dealing with ISO and thus increases noise and grain tremendously at "higher" ISO settings. The result is worse image quality but a marginally brighter shot.

The camera on a smartphone should be sufficiently capable of capturing spur of the moment shots with decent quality. There is no point in me having to set up my smartphone and then adjust multiple settings in an effort to produce a marginally better shot. The chances of me getting the shot using this method is next to none, things don't exactly stand still and wait for you.

If you have ever used an HTC One M7/M8, you know the ease of taking good low light shots, the phone focuses in a split second and takes the shot without any delay. Sure the resolution may not be all that high but for spur of the moment shots with good consistency, it is hard to beat.

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I don't really take a lot of low light photos but I've never had to mess around with the settings to get a good picture. I've been pleased with all the pictures I've taken with my S5. It's never let me down yet.

Posted from my S5

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

I don't really take a lot of low light photos but I've never had to mess around with the settings to get a good picture. I've been pleased with all the pictures I've taken with my S5. It's never let me down yet.

Posted from my S5

In Daylight, the S5 is a great performer, the issues begin to arise in indoor conditions where there is artificial lighting.

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Originally Posted by msavic6

In Daylight, the S5 is a great performer, the issues begin to arise in indoor conditions where there is artificial lighting.

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I've been able to get good pictures indoors where there is sufficient light. It's never disappointed me.

However we all have different standarda/needs/desires.

Posted from my S5

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

I don't really take a lot of low light photos but I've never had to mess around with the settings to get a good picture. I've been pleased with all the pictures I've taken with my S5. It's never let me down yet.

Posted from my S5

Truth be known a lot of people including myself agree with you..

There is no best for everybody but many agree the S5 has one of the best camera/phones on the market..

I enlarged a S5 low light image today at work to 20x30. I was asked if it was one of my Nikon shots... My iPhone will do the same but I have to do slight editing to get the correct color rendition on enlargement. The iPhone images tend slightly toward magenta with enlargements above 8x10 but no correction is required with the S5.

Originally Posted by colyn1353

Truth be known a lot of people including myself agree with you..

There is no best for everybody but many agree the S5 has one of the best camera/phones on the market..

I enlarged a S5 low light image today at work to 20x30. I was asked if it was one of my Nikon shots... My iPhone will do the same but I have to do slight editing to get the correct color rendition on enlargement. The iPhone images tend slightly toward magenta with enlargements above 8x10 but no correction is required with the S5.

Could you upload that image to Flickr or another site that doesn't reduce quality? I would love to see the quality of the shot, I find noise tends to creep in on the shot often leading to unnatural skin tones and blotches on subjects.

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The only thing the iPhone 6 camera is better at is the faster shutter response.
I do love how fast I can take photos with it. Other than that I haven't had the time to compare images with my Samsung's but I only use my phone camera for just snap shots any ways so no biggie.

Originally Posted by msavic6

Could you upload that image to Flickr or another site that doesn't reduce quality? I would love to see the quality of the shot, I find noise tends to creep in on the shot often leading to unnatural skin tones and blotches on subjects.

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I have large image viewing and download blocked for everybody except myself on my Flickr page. I've had too many images stolen..

If you are referring to the image I printed today, there is none of the above plus no person is visible in the image for skin tone checks.

If you know what you are doing, you can pretty much create outstanding images with just about any camera whether it be film or digital and since I have shot film for nearly 50 years as well as digital since the days of 640x480 digital backs for the Nikon F and F2 both professionally and as a hobbiest I have extensive experience in this area.

One area where most low light images fail is the shooter is handholding the camera. You mount the camera on a tripod and use the selftimer to trip the shutter, it makes all the difference in the world.. A cleaner sharper image...

You harp on the ISOCELL used in the S5. Did you know it is partly modeled after the eye of certain nocturnal creatures? That along with Samsung's Backside Illumination as well as isolating each pixel cell prevents bleeding of stray light to other cells.. This in turns reduces noise and color inaccuracy.. Noise comes from bleeding of stray light in any digital camera. Many DSLR's use simular technology therefore the S5 uses DSLR technology to a certain degree..

If you have the S5 why not run some test images yourself to see.. Any camera/phone should be very capable of producing excellent results you just have to know how to use it to your advantage..

Originally Posted by msavic6

Out of all of those listed, only three will have an effect on low light image quality.

Joke or not, there are more options with the S5 camera app than with the iPhone 5 camera app. Even with those settings, I'm getting better low light shots with my S5 than my iPhone 5. I know the HTC One M8 has that over current smartphones and that was one reason why I considered getting the M8 over my S5. The low light shots looked better but the M8's daylight pictures were a step back and that's what I take the most.

Either way, the S5 is fine for low light shots though not the best. I still don't think Apple has a "stranglehold" on smartphone cameras (I would say that goes to Microsoft). My comments were also mainly towards black_thorne who said that his iPhone 4S took better photos than his S5 in low light conditions when my experience has been the opposite with my S5 and iPhone 5 which has a better camera than the 4S.

Originally Posted by P_Devil

HDR mode, picture stabilization, selective focus, face detection, ISO settings, burst shots, image size, exposure settings, white balance settings, and various other effects. It's more than what Google offers in their camera app and more than what my iPhone 5 offered.

These are all preset modes, a far cry from custom settings.

Your original post was trying to make the point a person doesn't know how to use their phone camera at night. Other than HDR, there isn't a whole lot that is changing the picture quality on the camera phone in low light.
It doesn't matter how many more options this phone has over others. That isn't the issue. Just because something has more options than another doesn't make it better.

I think its funny that some people are blinded by their loyalty to their phone that they make banket statements. Like "Im confident the S5 will be better than that product". Your confident? Really? Is your confidence a field tester? How about do some actual comparisons instead of just making statements and thinking, 'theres just no way something might be better than my phone'.

I own the S5, its a great product, but I don't think its the best in all aspects. Its better is some areas compared to other phones, and falls short in others.

Most people don't know how to use their camera so they will claim it's the best. If you know how to exploit it's features it can be the best for you..
HDR can be adjusted with apps such as Snapseed..

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Originally Posted by black_thorne

I think its funny that some people are blinded by their loyalty to their phone that they make banket statements. Like "Im confident the S5 will be better than that product". Your confident? Really? Is your confidence a field tester? How about do some actual comparisons instead of just making statements and thinking, 'theres just no way something might be better than my phone'.

I own the S5, its a great product, but I don't think its the best in all aspects. Its better is some areas compared to other phones, and falls short in others.

I based that statement upon photos I have seen taken in good lighting on the iPhone 6 and 6 plus and I compared them to shots I have taken on the S5. I did not say that I think the S5 will have a better camera in all areas, such as low lighting as the evidence I have seen suggests that it wouldn't be. I'm sorry but I have no intention of buying an iPhone 6 /6+. All I can do is read reviews and then formulate my own opinions based on the information that I have. I do not believe that the S5 is the best in all areas. There are obviously categories where other devices are stronger like low light performance and general fluidity and performance.

Posted from my S5

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

I based that statement upon photos I have seen taken in good lighting on the iPhone 6 and 6 plus and I compared them to shots I have taken on the S5. I did not say that I think the S5 will have a better camera in all areas, such as low lighting as the evidence I have seen suggests that it wouldn't be. I'm sorry but I have no intention of buying an iPhone 6 /6+. All I can do is read reviews and then formulate my own opinions based on the information that I have. I do not believe that the S5 is the best in all areas. There are obviously categories where other devices are stronger like low light performance and general fluidity and performance.

Posted from my S5

The thing about online reviews are, you can find someone saying the S5 sucks at this, while someone else says the iphone sucks at the same thing. You need to go out and find out for yourself and not just make empty claims to people that are looking for advice.

For example, yesterday I went down to Best Buy and played around with the iphone 6+. I took multiple photos of the exact same thing with my S5 and the iphone 6+.

The iPhone took a cleaner picture than my S5. The colors in the photo came out more realistic than my S5 and we're sharper. My S5 took a darker picture and changed the real color. When I zoomed in on the image, the iphone was clearer, while the S5 had rougher edges. I could read words in the distance once zoomed in on the iphone that I couldn't read on the S5.

I don't hold an allegiance to either phone. What ever works better, works better.

Originally Posted by black_thorne

The thing about online reviews are, you can find someone saying the S5 sucks at this, while someone else says the iphone sucks at the same thing. You need to go out and find out for yourself and not just make empty claims to people that are looking for advice.

For example, yesterday I went down to Best Buy and played around with the iphone 6+. I took multiple photos of the exact same thing with my S5 and the iphone 6+.

The iPhone took a cleaner picture than my S5. The colors in the photo came out more realistic than my S5 and we're sharper. My S5 took a darker picture and changed the real color. When I zoomed in on the image, the iphone was clearer, while the S5 had rougher edges. I could read words in the distance once zoomed in on the iphone that I couldn't read on the S5.

I don't hold an allegiance to either phone. What ever works better, works better.

Taking pictures in a store is not how I'd measure the quality of a phones camera. I prefer to take outdoor shots, which I can't do with both phones as I don't have an iPhone 6/6+. Also in the UK, unless you go to the Apple store phones are usually bolted down to a display which would make any comparison invalid, as you can't move the phone about. However at the end of the day it all comes down to personal opinion really. You could show be the shots you took with the S5 and iPhone 6 and I might genuinely believe that the shots are better on the S5 whilst you genuinely believe they are better on the iPhone 6 or vice versa.

At the end of the day I think both phones have good cameras. I've owned the iPhone 5S which had a good camera so the 6 would also be good. The way I see it is that the S5 is better outdoors and the iPhone 6 is better in low light. Overall they are probably about the same but I just prefer the S5 because I take most of my shots outside. If I had children then I'd probably prefer the iPhone because I imagine I'd need/want to take more shots indoors.

Posted from my S5

Originally Posted by black_thorne

The thing about online reviews are, you can find someone saying the S5 sucks at this, while someone else says the iphone sucks at the same thing. You need to go out and find out for yourself and not just make empty claims to people that are looking for advice.

Which is exactly what I have done. I have almost two years worth of pictures from my iPhone 5 and now about 5 months worth of pictures from my S5. Many were taken in similar lighting conditions, some were taken in the same room in the same lighting conditions (i.e. all the lights turned off except a few during a Halloween party) with a year in between. I'm not talking about reading reviews from Cnet that blindly praise anything Apple does and reading a review from an anti-Apple website praising the S5 just because it isn't an iPhone. Nope, I'm talking about years of real world experience.

I also wouldn't count quick shots in a store as real world experience, regardless of which smartphone you thought came out better. That's like trying to judge the audio quality of headphones using their low quality, split source or like judging the picture quality of an HDTV in the store when they are all sourced from a split, compressed image and all are calibrated to be blown way out of proportion.

Originally Posted by P_Devil

Which is exactly what I have done. I have almost two years worth of pictures from my iPhone 5 and now about 5 months worth of pictures from my S5. Many were taken in similar lighting conditions, some were taken in the same room in the same lighting conditions (i.e. all the lights turned off except a few during a Halloween party) with a year in between. I'm not talking about reading reviews from Cnet that blindly praise anything Apple does and reading a review from an anti-Apple website praising the S5 just because it isn't an iPhone. Nope, I'm talking about years of real world experience.

I also wouldn't count quick shots in a store as real world experience, regardless of which smartphone you thought came out better. That's like trying to judge the audio quality of headphones using their low quality, split source or like judging the picture quality of an HDTV in the store when they are all sourced from a split, compressed image and all are calibrated to be blown way out of proportion.

What my point was, don't go by reviews on the interwebs. Go out and check things out in person. Don't just assume something is better because of fan loyalty.

I've never been to a store around here that bolts the phone down so you can't check it out. They're connected to a coiled wire so you can move it around and play with it.

And what does comparing an S5 to an iphone 5 have to do with an iphone 6? Wouldn't that be like comparing an iphone 6 to an S4?

Originally Posted by black_thorne

I've never been to a store around here that bolts the phone down so you can't check it out. They're connected to a coiled wire so you can move it around and play with it.

The artificial lighting conditions in the stores aren't realistic, that's my point. You aren't going to take pictures at home under bright fluorescent lighting that is uniform across your ceiling, you aren't going to take pictures outside under bright fluorescent lighting, etc.

Originally Posted by black_thorne

And what does comparing an S5 to an iphone 5 have to do with an iphone 6? Wouldn't that be like comparing an iphone 6 to an S4?

Like I said before, it goes back to your comment saying that your iPhone 4S took better pictures than the S5 in low light conditions while my experience has been the complete opposite with my iPhone 5 and S5.

Originally Posted by P_Devil

The artificial lighting conditions in the stores aren't realistic, that's my point. You aren't going to take pictures at home under bright fluorescent lighting that is uniform across your ceiling, you aren't going to take pictures outside under bright fluorescent lighting, etc.

The comparison was done given those conditions, just because you aren't going to take pictures in that kind of situation doesn't mean you can discredit the difference in quality he noticed between the two devices.


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Originally Posted by msavic6

The comparison was done given those conditions, just because you aren't going to take pictures in that kind of situation doesn't mean you can discredit the difference in quality he noticed between the two devices.


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But that setup wasn't representative of real world conditions. It would be like me taking 5 or so pictures in my lab under UV lighting (during experimentation) with an HTC One M8 and iPad 2 with the iPad 2 producing better shots and saying that it's better than the M8. It's a very narrow condition in which very few people are going to be taking constant shots under. Besides, again, my comments go back to their original 4S and S5 comparison. I have not messed with an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus so I can't comment on the picture quality of those compared to the S5. That being said, the few photo-centric reviews I have read (which take pictures in all sorts of different conditions with a bunch of the options enabled and disabled) say that the iPhone 6/6 Plus is better in low light conditions, their pictures are a bit more accurate when it comes to color in all lighting conditions, but the S5 has more detail due to the 16MP sensor. Those were reviews where they pulled the photos off of the phones and viewed them on properly calibrated monitors, they weren't relying on the phones' displays as those may or may not be an accurate representation of the image (especially with the S5's color saturation and the iPhone's lack thereof).

These 2 are a comparison of the 4s and S5. Both taken from the exact same position with the same low lighting and then cropped. I took photos on different settings and picked the best on the S5. ALL AUTO was what created the best imaging in low light on this S5. There isn't any real need to use different settings on the iPhone, so i just used the 1st photo.
These were the outcome. I seriously tried to be a s fair as possible with this. Mind you, this iPhone is 2 generations behind.

You can see one blends the lines and color together to make the image smoother, image is brighter but sacrifices detail and true real world color.

The other holds more detail, harder edges, and truer real world color, but creates a more grainy image.

Look at the power receptacle, phone cord receptacle, cabinet edging, top of dog treat bowl (blue scarf and writing on bowl).

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Ok. The S5 has a terrible camera. Worst I've ever seen on a smartphone. Samsung should be ashamed of themselves.

Posted from my S5

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

Ok. The S5 has a terrible camera. Worst I've ever seen on a smartphone. Samsung should be ashamed of themselves.

Posted from my S5

Now you're getting it

I'm kidding of course. I just don't agree with blind loyalty.

Originally Posted by black_thorne

I'm kidding of course. I just don't agree with blind loyalty.

+1

It's increasingly rare these days to find someone who acknowledges the pros/cons of two devices especially if it's a comparison between an Android device and an iPhone. Usually you all you get is a "Apple sucks" or "iPhone is designed for idiots"

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Originally Posted by msavic6

+1

It's increasingly rare these days to find someone who acknowledges the pros/cons of two devices especially if it's a comparison between an Android device and an iPhone. Usually you all you get is a "Apple sucks" or "iPhone is designed for idiots"

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The iPhone has a lot of things going for it. The 6/6plus was a big step forward. I prefer Android buy with the latest models it does address most of the hardware based things which were lacking in previous models i. e. larger screen, higher resolution screen etc.
If I didn't have a Samsung phone I'd probably have an iPhone. I came from an iPhone after all. None of the other android OEM's interest me.

In an ideal world Samsung and Apple would collaborate on the igalaxy and then I'd have my dream phone lol.

Posted from my nexus 7 2013

Originally Posted by black_thorne

These 2 are a comparison of the 4s and S5. Both taken from the exact same position with the same low lighting and then cropped. I took photos on different settings and picked the best on the S5. ALL AUTO was what created the best imaging in low light on this S5. There isn't any real need to use different settings on the iPhone, so i just used the 1st photo.
These were the outcome. I seriously tried to be a s fair as possible with this. Mind you, this iPhone is 2 generations behind.

You can see one blends the lines and color together to make the image smoother, image is brighter but sacrifices detail and true real world color.

The other holds more detail, harder edges, and truer real world color, but creates a more grainy image.

Look at the power receptacle, phone cord receptacle, cabinet edging, top of dog treat bowl (blue scarf and writing on bowl).

I'm wondering.. How did you secure both cameras? Did you handhold or mount both to a tripod? The reason I ask is both images have camera shake which is amplified when you crop..
A real world comparision would be to enlarge and print both images using traditional wet printing. This is the method I use when comparing digital cameras whether they be camera/phones, P&S digital, or DSLR's. Posting images on a forum is worthless since the forum will reduce image size as well as resolution... Using Wally Worlds print making machines don't work...

Of course if you want maximum quality of your images, use film. Digital has yet to catch up with the top quality resolution and sharpness of film.. Even now when I shoot for money I use film..

Both were held, which in real world I would say is exactly what you would do with a camera phone. If it were a comparison of a Nikon and a Canon DSLR in low lighting, then I would agree a tripod would be of use. Not for camera phones.

Yes, cropping will bring out imperfections, which is exactly why I cropped them. You can see all the imperfections in both images. It also brings out what the other can't do in the exact same situation.

The main reason for this comparison is because of the implication of not knowing how to use the S5 with all of its 'features'. The point is, it's a camera phone that is meant to be point and shoot.