Anyone hear about camera performance from this phone?

[Antony Guan]

Google says its the best camera with DXO mark 89, but ironically, when DXO tested the HTC 10, they gave it a score of 88 just like the S7 camera, once they were put to the test the HTC 10s camera performance/quality was behind the S7 which had the same score! I feel like Google didn't make the best camera in it's class because they just showed us a number, instead of comparing the Pixels camera vs its competitors.

 

[akin_t]

When people want to believe something, they will find information that supports their claim. It's called confirmation bias.

However, that being said, we've seen real images from the Pixel and they look good.

Using only f/2 on the front camera is worrying though. No way does it outperform Samsung's f/1.7, that's just physics.

 

[jam4775]

Now I don't know a whole lot about cameras... but from what I understand there's multiple things that come into play here, and not just one spec that makes or breaks the camera quality. There's four things that I understand that come into play they are...
1. Pixel count, like 12.3 megapixel
2. Aperture size, like f/2.0
3. Sensor size, like 1/2.3
4. Pixel size, like 1.55u

All of these things are working against each other, what I mean by that is if you increase any of these specs the physical camera size is going to increase. So in order to keep the camera size small enough to fit a smartphone, if you increase one spect you'll have to decrease another spec.

From what I understand the Aperture, Sensor Size, and Pixel Size, all help low light capability. The Pixel and the Samsung have about the same size sensor. But the Samsung has a better Aperture... whereas the Pixel has a better Pixel Size, which helps it offset the aperture. Maybe that's why they call the Pixel the Pixel... cuz it's got big pixels? Lol

I'm far from a camera expert so I could be way off here... If anybody else wants to chime in and correct me feel free.

 

[anon(596177)]

I'm not going to correct you because that's about the extent of my knowledge too, but to answer OPs question the photos and videos that have leaked from the pixel so far all look very good and very promising. Like most cell phone cameras nowadays, the pixel should do its job perfectly for what it's intended for.

 

[Jeremy8000]

Jam4775, one thing I'd definitely add in beyond the hardware aspects you listed is the software. The same sensor in two different phones can yield drastically different results based on software. This is an area where Google made huge strides from the N5 to N6, then N6 to N5x/N6p - the HDR+ has gotten really good. Hopefully there's another substantial jump with the Pixel/Pixel XL (and it looks like they've managed to deal with the lag previously associated with HDR+ processing).

 

[EnemiesInTheEnd]

I can tell you that the Samsung cameras are better than the Pixel in low light based on images a Reddit user showed comparing the Pixel XL to a Nexus 6P. The Nexus 6P and Pixel XL produce nearly the same images in low light.

 

[Bankz111]

Low light isn't all there is to photography. I mean, what's so special about low light pics anyway? how many people actually snap in low light aside those test shots to show off camera capabilities? Its like the CPU wars we have now where they're all thesame in everyday use but you see people pushing these CPU's to their limit just to see which one is a little faster.
This is not a dslr we're talking about here and at best the GS7 will be marginally better than the pixel in low light. Btw that's just one persons comparison let's wait for the official reviews and btw, I prefer the Nexus 6p's camera to the GS7's. So much saturation, like you edited the shots.

Anyway the pixel should have one of the most capable cameras in the mobile space. At least as good as any of its peers.

Imo, the best camera of all time (among mainstream flagships) is the samsung galaxy S6. Yes!!! The GS6.

 

[dsignori]

I can tell you that the Samsung cameras are better than the Pixel in low light based on images a Reddit user showed comparing the Pixel XL to a Nexus 6P. The Nexus 6P and Pixel XL produce nearly the same images in low light.

Well the AA comparison shows otherwise IMO. With almost all of the low light pics I see here, I prefer the Pixel photos to the Samsung ones. And I have a Note 7 (and a Note 5 that a family member is using now). We will see soon enough, but there is definitely no way we can say the Pixel is worse now ...


Also for that AMA, I saw the opposite of you. Pixel looks far cleaner and brighter in every way to me.

6P: ​ https://imgur.com/gallery/IyFXJ

​Pixel: https://imgur.com/gallery/OWHZU​

We'll see, but early results look very promising. I am somewhat confident that this will be a pretty great shooter.

 

[Bankz111]

Exactly this..

 

[EnemiesInTheEnd]

Well the AA comparison shows otherwise IMO. With almost all of the low light pics I see here, I prefer the Pixel photos to the Samsung ones. And I have a Note 7 (and a Note 5 that a family member is using now). We will see soon enough, but there is definitely no way we can say the Pixel is worse now ...


Also for that AMA, I saw the opposite of you. Pixel looks far cleaner and brighter in every way to me.

6P: ​ https://imgur.com/gallery/IyFXJ

​Pixel: https://imgur.com/gallery/OWHZU​

We'll see, but early results look very promising. I am somewhat confident that this will be a pretty great shooter.

I have a Note 5 and my camera takes better pics than what I've seen with the Pixel phones. The Pixel takes noisy images in low light.

 

[dsignori]

I have a Note 5 and my camera takes better pics than what I've seen with the Pixel phones. The Pixel takes noisy images in low light.

I see you keep repeating this. But you can't know this without having the 2 phones side by side taking the same photo in the same lighting. I know this is your opinion, but we just don't know this yet. The PIxels take great photos in low light from what I have seen, mostly noise free IMO. Again, we will know soon enough . Seems pointless to guess now, right?

Are you getting one?

 

[Shepx13]

The lens appears to have a big smudge on the Note and it sure seems to affect the photos because of it. I had much better luck with mine than the got. But I don't expect a big difference between any of these 4, they all have great cameras. Just with Google would get with the times and add manual controls to their app. IPhone has had it for a few years now and they are the Kings of Simple.

 

[EnemiesInTheEnd]

I see you keep repeating this. But you can't know this without having the 2 phones side by side taking the same photo in the same lighting. I know this is your opinion, but we just don't know this yet. The PIxels take great photos in low light from what I have seen, mostly noise free IMO. Again, we will know soon enough . Seems pointless to guess now, right?

Are you getting one?

I had a preorder, but I cancelled it. I am waiting to see more camera tests and I need to know more about battery life - particularly the standby times. My Note 5 has a battery drain issue. It is fine when near a charger, but on day trips it basically dies every time.

 

[dsignori]

I had a preorder, but I cancelled it. I am waiting to see more camera tests and I need to know more about battery life - particularly the standby times. My Note 5 has a battery drain issue. It is fine when near a charger, but on day trips it basically dies every time.

Yup, those are my 2 concerns as well. Camera and battery. I took a flyer as I have to return my Note 7 now, so I am hoping for good things as well.

 

[jam4775]

The lens appears to have a big smudge on the Note and it sure seems to affect the photos because of it. I had much better luck with mine than the got. But I don't expect a big difference between any of these 4, they all have great cameras. Just with Google would get with the times and add manual controls to their app. IPhone has had it for a few years now and they are the Kings of Simple.

Yeah something must have been up with the lens on the N7... I think both the Pixel and iPhone took better pictures than the N7 there... To me the N7 was barely better than the V20. I swear my wife's N7 took better pictures than that, but than again I never compared it to anything else like that.

But either way the Pixel's pictures look great. I feel pretty confident in it's capabilities.

 

[Aquila]

HTC scored an 88 with the S7 and because dxomark measures the capability of the sensor and they have a really good one. What they don't spend as much time on is how easy it is for an average user to consistently get great shots. Also, Samsung would rate higher if they didn't force their processing to skew colors in order to make it look better on a small oversaturated screen. All three phones are going to have strengths and weaknesses and the difference between an 89 and three 88s is pretty minimal.