A camera hatchet job?

[missouriexile]

Come on. The v20 camera does not deserve such an unbalanced review. (Florence Ion)
Ms Ion needs to be a better writer so her article can kill a little more subtlety.
This camera does not deserve such a clumsy hatchet job.

 

[SpookDroid]

Actually I don't think she's wrong. After 'living' with the V20 for a couple of weeks, the camera experience is just not consistent, and even less so when you compare it to the likes of the S7 or the Pixel (I've owned the first, not the latter, though).

The first thing I noticed is how 'unfit for cropping' the pictures looked, especially on the Wide Lens camera. And it seems I'm not alone. I didn't, however, experience the shaky video she did.

But yeah, when you market this as a 'content creation' device, it certainly doesn't live up to the marketing hype.

It's not a bad device. I like how fast it is (definitely zippier than an S7), but the camera leaves much to be desired when it's competing against top shooters like Samsung's or Apple's.

For reference, in case anyone wants to read the review
http://www.androidcentral.com/lg-v20-camera-review

 

[ajb1965]

I think the review is justified and fair. The LG build up for this phone was all about the camera and the ability to create media. The points made are very valid. I have experienced some of the inconsistencies that were brought up, and am disappointed in the camera overall. As the review pointed out, other programs produce good results, so perhaps a software update can resolve some of this. The question is, do I want to wait that 50/50 chance out, or return this before my 14 days are up. Decisions decisions.

 

[Jeremiah Bonds]

Let's see if LG releases an update for the camera..... and let's see if anyone covers it.

 

[rushmore]

They are comparing point and shoot. Seems the V20 point and shoot appears inferior. LG should have made more of an effort optimizing auto modes.

Most users are not photographers and just want to take quick pics without manual tweaks to mess with.

 

[rushmore]

I think the review is justified and fair. The LG build up for this phone was all about the camera and the ability to create media. The points made are very valid. I have experienced some of the inconsistencies that were brought up, and am disappointed in the camera overall. As the review pointed out, other programs produce good results, so perhaps a software update can resolve some of this. The question is, do I want to wait that 50/50 chance out, or return this before my 14 days are up. Decisions decisions.

If they would optimize auto modes that would rock. LG appears to have assumed everybody would want to mess with manual settings, which is incorrect for most camera phoners.

Let's see if LG releases an update for the camera..... and let's see if anyone covers it.

 

[Mike Dee]

Actually I don't think she's wrong. After 'living' with the V20 for a couple of weeks, the camera experience is just not consistent, and even less so when you compare it to the likes of the S7 or the Pixel (I've owned the first, not the latter, though).

The first thing I noticed is how 'unfit for cropping' the pictures looked, especially on the Wide Lens camera. And it seems I'm not alone. I didn't, however, experience the shaky video she did.

But yeah, when you market this as a 'content creation' device, it certainly doesn't live up to the marketing hype.

It's not a bad device. I like how fast it is (definitely zippier than an S7), but the camera leaves much to be desired when it's competing against top shooters like Samsung's or Apple's.

For reference, in case anyone wants to read the review
http://www.androidcentral.com/lg-v20-camera-review

I find the camera excellent however I don't crop the wide angle shots that much if at all. I let the camera do the cropping by taking those type of shots with the regular camera.

 

[SpookDroid]

I find the camera excellent however I don't crop the wide angle shots that much if at all. I let the camera do the cropping by taking those type of shots with the regular camera.

Problem is that it's not just for cropping, it's for printing as well. If you zoom into a picture taken with the V20, most of the time you'll see really 'rough', blurry pixels around edges. That's no bueno when you're going to print in anything larger than a letter-sized picture.

 

[Jeremiah Bonds]

Problem is that it's not just for cropping, it's for printing as well. If you zoom into a picture taken with the V20, most of the time you'll see really 'rough', blurry pixels around edges. That's no bueno when you're going to print in anything larger than a letter-sized picture.

That's exactly how the pics have been on the LG phones I've had..

LG G2, LG G4, LG V10, (my wife's LG G%) and this one, the LG V20.

 

[SupraLB]

The wide angle camera lens only being 8mp is the only flaw. I noticed it in the G5, and was hoping V20 would upgrade up to more pixels. They still look great in every day shots, but I took some wide angle photos in the Caribbean few months ago that I wish had more detail when blown up full size.

I think this review was just a rush job someone put together in a hurry. I've seen far more impressive reviews online, particularly the V20 vs Pixel posted the other day.

 

[Mike Dee]

Problem is that it's not just for cropping, it's for printing as well. If you zoom into a picture taken with the V20, most of the time you'll see really 'rough', blurry pixels around edges. That's no bueno when you're going to print in anything larger than a letter-sized picture.

Cropping and zooming amount to the same thing since it is a digital zoom. If you're referring to the wide angle shots you are starting out with less resoulution.

 

[Mike Dee]

The wide angle camera lens only being 8mp is the only flaw. I noticed it in the G5, and was hoping V20 would upgrade up to more pixels. They still look great in every day shots, but I took some wide angle photos in the Caribbean few months ago that I wish had more detail when blown up full size.

I think this review was just a rush job someone put together in a hurry. I've seen far more impressive reviews online, particularly the V20 vs Pixel posted the other day.

If we didn't have a wide angle camera that would solve most of the problems.

 

[SupraLB]

If we didn't have a wide angle camera that would solve most of the problems.

Yeah, but I wouldn't buy this phone without it. My single favorite feature.

 

[SpookDroid]

Cropping and zooming amount to the same thing since it is a digital zoom. If you're referring to the wide angle shots you are starting out with less resoulution.

Nope, the problem is the software processing. It's not just the cropping that's a problem (and yeah, I know that you have a lower-MP count with the Wide Angle lens... which only makes me wonder why the FURUNCULUM did LG choose to 'tie' the resolutions of both cameras; if you select a lower resolution for the Main Camera, the same applies for the Wide Angle one, but that's a different 'issue'). Even if you take a full-blown picture with EITHER of the cameras (although it's way more apparent in the Wide Angle one), the pixels appear to be blotched, blurry and rough when looked up close, and that shows up in large-media print, and makes editing a PITA since you basically have an already crappy original (just like the point of the review where it mentions that the RAW file is so noisy that there's not much you can do for it).

 

[Mike Dee]

Nope, the problem is the software processing. It's not just the cropping that's a problem (and yeah, I know that you have a lower-MP count with the Wide Angle lens... which only makes me wonder why the FURUNCULUM did LG choose to 'tie' the resolutions of both cameras; if you select a lower resolution for the Main Camera, the same applies for the Wide Angle one, but that's a different 'issue'). Even if you take a full-blown picture with EITHER of the cameras (although it's way more apparent in the Wide Angle one), the pixels appear to be blotched, blurry and rough when looked up close, and that shows up in large-media print, and makes editing a PITA since you basically have an already crappy original (just like the point of the review where it mentions that the RAW file is so noisy that there's not much you can do for it).

What I'm saying is a crop is the same as digital zoom.

 

[Mooncatt]

As I said in the comments to the article, I think most reviews are missing the point that LG never marketed this as a quick snap/point and shoot camera. So by reviewing it based on what it wasn't mainly geared towards is doing it a disservice. The people the cameras were designed for (Or at least the impression I got from their marketing) are the ones that do want to take the extra time to manually set up the shot and create something that is their own, not simply accept whatever the auto mode thinks it should be.

Sure, auto mode could do with some tweaks for the masses, but I think reviewers should report based on what the camera is fully capable of to those that it's meant for.

 

[scottcraft]

I'm probably going to try to get this phone in the next couple of weeks and point and shoot in auto mode is probably the only concern I have. Seems like it gets mixed reviews. Guess if I don't like it I can take it back.

 

[Guyinbox]

As I said in the comments to the article, I think most reviews are missing the point that LG never marketed this as a quick snap/point and shoot camera. So by reviewing it based on what it wasn't mainly geared towards is doing it a disservice. The people the cameras were designed for (Or at least the impression I got from their marketing) are the ones that do want to take the extra time to manually set up the shot and create something that is their own, not simply accept whatever the auto mode thinks it should be.

Sure, auto mode could do with some tweaks for the masses, but I think reviewers should report based on what the camera is fully capable of to those that it's meant for.

That's really giving LG a pass for crappy software. If a reviewer is consistently getting less than stellar pics from the camera, I would fully expect them to include this in an article, along with comparisons to other top tier smartphone cameras. Samsung phones have manual modes as well, they just happen to be able to get great pics without having to setup each shot.

With LG's mobile division hemorrhaging money, I highly doubt they're only trying to make the v20 appeal to artsy city dwellers lol. They need their phones to do everything as well as the competition, and right now their displays and cameras are lagging behind. Hopefully, we get an update to make the camera better, because right now it's not in the same league as the s7 in auto mode (the way the vast majority of users are going to experience it.)

 

[Mooncatt]

That's really giving LG a pass for crappy software.

No, that's putting things into the proper context that the cameras were not marketed or meant to be the most stellar for point and shoot. We could debate whether this was the intent of LG, but their marketing makes it appear this is the case. So to that end, it's my opinion they have succeeded in their goal. No one said they had to market to the masses.

"If we judge a fish by its ability to walk on land, it'll go through life thinking it's a failure."

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

No, that's putting things into the proper context that the cameras were not marketed or meant to be the most stellar for point and shoot. We could debate whether this was the intent of LG, but their marketing makes it appear this is the case. So to that end, it's my opinion they have succeeded in their goal. No one said they had to market to the masses.

"If we judge a fish by its ability to walk on land, it'll go through life thinking it's a failure."

One could argue that LG did that specifically because they know it doesn't hold up to the competition in full auto mode. One could also argue that the reviewer has a responsibility to deviate from the marketing material when reviewing a phone.

It's also a little ridiculous to think that they want users to use manual mode for every single picture just to get something that would widely be considered equal to what the competition can do in full auto.

tl;dr - "let's focus on manual mode since we get owned in auto mode" (I'm overstating a bit, but only just a bit)