DXOMark rates HTC M9 Camera only one point above M8's

[ollieg]

It's not pretty...

Pros
- Nice and pleasing colors in bright light
- Very good details shown in bright light
- Good autofocus in bright light
Cons
- Colors are oversaturated in low light
- White balance is often inaccurate in both bright light and low light
- Loss of sharpness around image corners
- Strong quantization on uniform tones and in color gradations
- Strong ringing and slight fringing

HTC One M9 Review: M8's successor on DxOMark - DxOMark

 

[Rukbat]

Most reviews of the M9 amount to "they shouldn't have bothered". It wasn't even putting lipstick on a pig (not that the M8 was a pig), it was more like having lipstick in the same room as the pig. The most significant change was the model number.

 

[fernandezhjr]

Everyone already knows that the camera is not the strongest point of the M9. There is a software update that fixes it, that is barley released and will soon be available to everyone. But even then, it still may not be the best phone camera out there. However, it will be greatly improved to the point that most will be happy. Just be patient. If you can't , there are other phones available.

 

[fernandezhjr]

Most reviews of the M9 amount to "they shouldn't have bothered". It wasn't even putting lipstick on a pig (not that the M8 was a pig), it was more like having lipstick in the same room as the pig. The most significant change was the model number.

So if the M8 is a good phone, then the M9 should be a good phone right? Not everyone expects every single release to be cutting edge. The S6 doesn't seem to be fairing to well against the S5. Touchwiz was dumbed down (yeah I know, it didn't help), SD card slot was removed, and battery life is worse. The S6 is hardly cutting edge over the S5 when so many users are displeased that Touchwiz is unimproved, removable battery was taken away, and there is no SD card slot.

 

[Lamensterms]

Everyone already knows that the camera is not the strongest point of the M9. There is a software update that fixes it, that is barley released and will soon be available to everyone. But even then, it still may not be the best phone camera out there. However, it will be greatly improved to the point that most will be happy. Just be patient. If you can't , there are other phones available.

Will it be a Play Store app update or a system update that fixes the camera? I was reading there is no optical image stabilisation as well. That's hardware and cannot be compensated for.

 

[James E1]

Will it be a Play Store app update or a system update that fixes the camera? I was reading there is no optical image stabilisation as well. That's hardware and cannot be compensated for.

It's a system update. The M9 has EIS and can be effective if software is optimized correctly. In some cases it can be better than OIS.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Lamensterms]

Oh, I didn't know that. Thanks for the tip. Looking forward to the update now. Are you expecting a big improvement?

 

[fernandezhjr]

Check this post from over at XDA for details and samples:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=60851454

Here is some more sampling of the new camera software:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=60952541

Thanks to the posters for providing these.

 

[James E1]

Check this post from over at XDA for details and samples:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=60851454

Here is some more sampling of the new camera software:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=60952541

Thanks to the posters for providing these.

I believe vegetaleb is cool Jeff from here.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Zoostation]

It's a system update. The M9 has EIS and can be effective if software is optimized correctly. In some cases it can be better than OIS.

Posted via the Android Central App

Im no camera junkie but OIS is almost always better than EIS. The M9 is a good phone nonetheless overall. However as someone who has had two HTC phones, I would have strongly considered staying with them of they had a better camera out of the box, and a QHD display. I can tell the difference. I do think that the 4K displays we'll see I'm another year or two are overkill though.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[fernandezhjr]

Im no camera junkie but OIS is almost always better than EIS. The M9 is a good phone nonetheless overall. However as someone who has had two HTC phones, I would have strongly considered staying with them of they had a better camera out of the box, and a QHD display. I can tell the difference. I do think that the 4K displays we'll see I'm another year or two are overkill though.

Posted via the Android Central App

I've always considered the cameras on the iPhone top notch, so no doubt to me the job can get done with EIS. I do agree with the screen resolution opinion. Although, I have to wonder, for a cell phone, if even 2k is fully worth the trade off for battery life. No doubt 4k, or even 3k, is overkill.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

It has the same sensor as the Lumia 930, but the 930 takes better shots.

I take that down to the 930 having OIS, a Zeiss lens and better software.

I'm just hoping that HTC takes the camera more seriously and gives it a more reasonable MP count and OIS. I find 20MP bad for low-light and the lack of OIS makes this problem worse.

In normal daylight, then it can match up with the competition. It's situational, which is not a good type of camera for a phone. I'm optimistic that software updates can improve it, but like I said above, I hope HTC takes the camera more seriously this time.

inb4someonecallsmeignorant

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

 

[fernandezhjr]

View attachment 178433

Umm, yes, we have all seen that. That is without the software updates, especially the one that is coming. The iPhone 6 uses EIS, so if Apple has faith in being able to use it, it should be doable. I understand the iPhone probably has a bit better hardware, but still, with the right software improvements coming, the M9 camera will be much better.

 

[jrvtecaccord]

Umm, yes, we have all seen that. That is without the software updates, especially the one that is coming. The iPhone 6 uses EIS, so if Apple has faith in being able to use it, it should be doable. I understand the iPhone probably has a bit better hardware, but still, with the right software improvements coming, the M9 camera will be much better.

You review what's available at the time of testing. Waiting for the "magical" update is not applicable for a typical user who wants to walk in a retailer today and purchase a phone. If the consumer has done basic research and viewed reviews for the M9 regarding the camera they will note the camera is not its strong point.

Sent from my Nexus 6

 

[James E1]

You review what's available at the time of testing. Waiting for the "magical" update is not applicable for a typical user who wants to walk in a retailer today and purchase a phone. If the consumer has done basic research and viewed reviews for the M9 regarding the camera they will note the camera is not its strong point.

Sent from my Nexus 6

This may be true but DXOMARK is an absolute joke with their ranking. You can look at their previous ranking and see where they have ranked some of the well known better cameras and you will see what I talking about.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[msm0511]

View attachment 178433

So they give the iPhone 6 Plus the same score as the 6, but the Plus has OIS and the 6 has EIS. So apparently IOS isn't the end all be all.

 

[fernandezhjr]

You review what's available at the time of testing. Waiting for the "magical" update is not applicable for a typical user who wants to walk in a retailer today and purchase a phone. If the consumer has done basic research and viewed reviews for the M9 regarding the camera they will note the camera is not its strong point.

Sent from my Nexus 6

Updates are a common place in the industry, and not just with the camera. The typical retailer today doesn't do research or even care about these rankings, with good reason. For the typical consumer, the camera on the M9 is fine and about to get better.

 

[DJ Grand Theft Audio]

Where the he'll is the LG G3 and G4 in this list. They have Laser focus and OIS so want to see where they should be in list.

 

[msm0511]

Where the he'll is the LG G3 and G4 in this list. They have Laser focus and OIS so want to see where they should be in list.

I can see why the G4 isn't. It's too new. I don't understand why the G3 isn't on there though.