Most of us don't buy a phone for its camera. However, as long as the big competion *cough*Apple*cough* can mostly get their camera's pretty nice it's hard excuse Android OEMs doing less. In fact, IMO, there is no excuse at all, whatsoever. ...and just to be honest, I recently had an iPhone 5s for several weeks and I KNOW it took nice photos in many situations, including the illusive low-light scenario.
Nexus 5 is better than the iPhone.
- Thread starter Michael Jordan5
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jdlindsey7
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- Nov 12, 2013
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You expressed my main issue with the phone. I have an iPhone 5 and Nexus 5. I did not buy either for the camera, and I take very few pictures, but it is frustrating that one camera is far superior in speed and quality. I know the Nexus 5 can take good shots but it's a lot more difficult to do compared to my iPhone. If it weren't for having small kids then the camera issues wouldn't bother me.
If I had to pick quality over speed, I'd still go with quality. Most of the things I use a camera for don't require speed.
Of course ideally I'd like to have both. But if they have to cut corners somewhere, I'd rather it not be at the expense of quality.
I still wonder why is it that Apple's cameras can do both, sacrificing the least of any phone's cameras. Why is that?
G Pad 8.3
F123D
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- Oct 5, 2011
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Because apples phone cost $300 more compared to the Nexus. And to be honest, the difference in cameras isn't worth $300. I'm sure if Google charged $650 for their 16gb model, they wouldn't have to make any sacrifices in hardware.
You're right and as long as there are better cameras on other phones, there will always be that gripe of, "Why can't Google's flagship phone do such and such compared to X and Y?"
The short answer is the cost point. The iPhone is almost twice as much as the N5. As F123D posted, not sure the camera is worth $300 more. If I want speed, I bring my DSLR along because, although the sensor on the iPhone is good, it is not DSLR quality in terms of speed, low light, etc. It is good that we point out the obvious because we can only hope Google will eventually produce the perfect phone one day.
Oh, I don't need a perfect phone. I just want a damned good one and in the Nexus 5 we have that. In the G2 I have that. In the HTC One, Note 3, Moto X, etc. We have that. I just don't like anything about Apple's hardware being better than anything on an Android phone. Why? Because right now I want to act like a snotty little kid and that's how I feel.
G Pad 8.3
G Pad 8.3
Apple spends the money. They charge a mint compared to other phones, and the camera is something they won't cut corners on.
I know there are a lot of DSLR snobs here, but the reality is that most people use their phones for cameras. It's just easier, and there is less to carry around, and decent DSLRs are not cheap.
http://www.androidheadlines.com/201...asks-what-makes-a-good-smartphone-camera.html
I'd much rather they make a great camera for the phone and charge me for it than try to go cheap and charge me less. I may be alone in that sentiment.
I have what I believe are some respectable prosumer DSLRs but the truth is that my phone is so much more convenient to carry that unless I really need that quality I'll sacrifice it for convenience. As will many others. Therefore, camera quality in a phone is important. Apple realizes this and I kinda feel like everyone else should too. I know, however, that we don't live in a shiny perfect world.
G Pad 8.3
I agree actually. If I had the option of buying a $600 Nexus without cutting corners, I'd do it in a heartbeat. for a variety of reasons, thats probably not going to happen. So I have to pick and choose based on what matters most.
I could get an excellent phone camera (the Lumia 1020) but I'd have to use a crappier OS. That trade isn't worth it to me.
Exactly. And that is something the DSLR snobs can't get past.
And being a snob isn't a bad thing. I say "snob" only because they are going to be way more demanding. So demanding that it is unlikely any phone camera will satisfy them. I have photos I took with my HTC Rezound a long time ago, and I still think they look great. The camera was awful in low light, but in daylight or close up, it could take great pictures.
I totally agree. Camera quality matters. Thats why people care about these discussions. If I am shopping for a new phone, I want to hear opinions from both the fanboys and the haters so I can make a better informed decision. Saying "OMG just use a DSLR" is not a satisfactory answer to me. It is a given that DSLRs are better, but there are reasons people do not carry them around all the time. But my phone is always in my pocket.
I don't know... Waaaay back in 2011 nobody cared about the camera on a smartphone, they cared about the smart on a smartphone. I can't help but feel that marketing and tech media reviews started a trend with the preoccupation with the camera and the public all followed it like lemmings, easily swayed by trends and fashions set by the media.
Personally I've never heard a convincing reason by anyone why any of the current crop of smartphone cameras aren't good enough for casual snapshots. I've never heard a convincing reason for needing standalone camera quality shots for those casual shots.
The best reason I've ever heard was from an actual professional photographer who told me he can't always have his dedicated camera for spontaneous moments that he wants to capture and use for professional reasons. That I can understand. Professional grade images aren't required by the rest of us.
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z1
Personally I've never heard a convincing reason by anyone why any of the current crop of smartphone cameras aren't good enough for casual snapshots. I've never heard a convincing reason for needing standalone camera quality shots for those casual shots.
The best reason I've ever heard was from an actual professional photographer who told me he can't always have his dedicated camera for spontaneous moments that he wants to capture and use for professional reasons. That I can understand. Professional grade images aren't required by the rest of us.
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z1
Well, part of the reason now is that Phone cameras are not just cameras. They are attached to what is basically a minim PC that is always on the internet.
Some people notice that stuff more. My sister cannot for the life of her figure out why I cared so much about 720p displays when they first came out. To her there was no difference. To me it was obvious.
For a special event, I'd still use a DSLR. I would not want my wedding photos taken by a phone camera. But Phone cameras are the new staple for picture taking and it is perfectly reasonable to contrast and compare them to get the best one possible.
I don't want professional-grade images. I just want images as good as *that fruit phone* in the same usage scenarios. But I don't want that fruit phone.
Nexuscillin V
Nexuscillin V
I would love professional grade images. But I am willing to settle for iPhone level images.
Whatever other criticisms you level at the iPhone, they do always have great cameras.
On a recent overseas trip I brought along my fruit-device in hopes I would not carry my DSLR around. Surprisingly, said fruit-device wasn't even the best imaging device we had outside of the DSLR. Surprisingly, that honor went to the HTC One. It could have been the photographer (me) but the pictures captured on the i-fruit were less than stellar even for the casual shots (color was a little off, noisy, etc). I won't even mention the need for a wider angle lens without having to foot-zoom a million steps though the panorama option was nice. The HTC was great in most conditions but, then again, it costs a little more than the N5.
Conceded, I was more referring to how some easily led people tunnel their vision so much on the camera that you wouldn't even know there was a smartphone
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z1
I think it is because people are using cameras a lot more now. Cameras are a lot more convenient because people always have cameras with them. It used to be you only took them on special occasions, but now they are with you all the time.
Camera is not the top thing I look for in a smartphone, but it is definitely in the top 5 things. I might sacrifice storage or CPU power for a better camera.
As for iPhone comparisons...I was quite surprised to see THIS little comparison online (iPhone 5s is on top, Nexus 5 on bottom):
Click here for full size: http://forums.androidcentral.com/at...5-camera-photos-videos-thoughts-full-crop.jpg
Source: Nexus 5 camera samples appear (compared with iPhone 5s)
Check out the full images on that link...the detail is better than it seems even from this image. That is just awesome macro quality for a phone camera. I have never owned a DSLR that can do that.
Click here for full size: http://forums.androidcentral.com/at...5-camera-photos-videos-thoughts-full-crop.jpg
Source: Nexus 5 camera samples appear (compared with iPhone 5s)
Check out the full images on that link...the detail is better than it seems even from this image. That is just awesome macro quality for a phone camera. I have never owned a DSLR that can do that.
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