S7 Edge vs LG V20: Which phone has a better camera?

[Matty]

My vote would be with the LG V20. I personally used one and I love the photos. My favourite is the wide angle lense. Perfect for taking group photos and when you need to cram in a big landscape. Really cool!

A droid a day keeps the Apple away

 

[RaRa85]

If you're taking pictures of stationary objects I don't think you can go wrong with either one. If you're taking pictures of anything that may be subject to motion blur or low light situations (a bar or other dimly lit rooms) the s7e easily wins. It's really hard to get usable pictures of my kids with the v20 because by the time it actually focuses they've started to move again and it ends up blurry.

I have both phones btw and use the v20 as my daily because of the removable battery, storage, ir blaster and ridiculously good performance.

Manual focus has to be set in those situations unfortunately but it does solve that problem of motion blur.

 

[LeoRex]

Between those two, it's sort of a wash.... the S7 will do things better in certain situations and the V20 in others... I think its to the point where the quality of the picture is far more influenced by the skill of the person taking it, rather than the capabilities of the phone's camera. This seems simple, but phones have only just reached that point in recent generations.

I guess the only this/that would be if you were planning on taking a bunch of quick pictures where time is of the essense... there, the S7 will wipe the floor with the V20... As much as LG touts their AF stuff, every phone I've tried of theirs.. G3, G4, V10... suffers more than their fair share of focus derps. My wife has an S7 Edge and that thing focuses better than a college student hoped up on Adderall.

But if you are going to sit there and set stuff up and fuss with manual settings... both will do.

Pick whichever one you feel like that day and stick to it. At some point in the trip, you'll question your choice and think the other one, regardless of which one you picked, will do better.

 

[Mooncatt]

I think its to the point where the quality of the picture is far more influenced by the skill of the person taking it, rather than the capabilities of the phone's camera.

That reminded me of this video. Lol

https://youtu.be/jDAnNjRJxOQ

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

My only issue with the V20 camera when I had it was focus speed (in general) and shutter speed (in certain situations).

I missed so many pics of my 6 year old because of a combination of the above that I know the S7e would get.

 

[Aquila]

My only issue with the V20 camera when I had it was focus speed (in general) and shutter speed (in certain situations).

I missed so many pics of my 6 year old because of a combination of the above that I know the S7e would get.

The S7 Edge is amazingly fast and great at shots of moving kids.

 

[Mike Dee]

My only issue with the V20 camera when I had it was focus speed (in general) and shutter speed (in certain situations).

I missed so many pics of my 6 year old because of a combination of the above that I know the S7e would get.

I still feel if you want real quality pictures you have to go out of the box of smart phone cameras. Granted that we have our smart phones with us most of the time but you sometimes have to put up with bringing real photography equipment with you.

 

[Aquila]

I still feel if you want real quality pictures you have to go out of the box of smart phone cameras. Granted that we have our smart phones with us most of the time but you sometimes have to put up with bringing real photography equipment with you.

Right, but for normal quick snaps of your kids doing whatever, finding a dedicated camera is going to also result in losing the moment. These aren't shots that are being set up, it's someone's doing something awesome or cute and you want a quick photo. The Samsung phones from 2015 on, the Pixel and to a lesser extent the iPhones of 2015 and 2016 can handle this task, while a lot of other cameras just aren't focused enough on reducing the latency - which includes firing up the camera, getting acceptable focus, shutter speed and processing speed to allow you onto the next shot. For the moments we're talking about, the best camera for the shot is whatever's most accessible, which is usually your phone.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

I still feel if you want real quality pictures you have to go out of the box of smart phone cameras. Granted that we have our smart phones with us most of the time but you sometimes have to put up with bringing real photography equipment with you.

I'm not sure what you think I mean when I say "I missed so many pictures". I don't mean "the color was slightly off". I mean "they were too blurry to be usable".

I'm not talking about professional quality pictures.

 

[Almeuit]

I still feel if you want real quality pictures you have to go out of the box of smart phone cameras. Granted that we have our smart phones with us most of the time but you sometimes have to put up with bringing real photography equipment with you.

So .. That is an excuse for a smartphone to take a bad picture? I am not following what you're saying here.

 

[Mike Dee]

I'm not sure what you think I mean when I say "I missed so many pictures". I don't mean "the color was slightly off". I mean "they were too blurry to be usable".

I'm not talking about professional quality pictures.

Neither am i

 

[Mike Dee]

So .. That is an excuse for a smartphone to take a bad picture? I am not following what you're saying here.

I'm not making excuses for smartphones taking bad pictures. For my spontaneous needs the V20 and most other smart phones don't take bad shots.... I simply don't believe in using smartphones for quality photography. I take snapshots with a smartphone.... For everything else I use a dedicated camera.

 

[Almeuit]

I'm not making excuses for smartphones taking bad pictures. For my spontaneous needs the V20 and most other smart phones don't take bad shots.... I simply don't believe in using smartphones for quality photography. I take snapshots with a smartphone.... For everything else I use a dedicated camera.

And I would completely get that if this was a "Smartphone VS DSLR" thread but we are talking phone cameras here since that is the title of the thread .

 

[Mike Dee]

And I would completely get that if this was a "Smartphone VS DSLR" thread but we are talking phone cameras here since that is the title of the thread .

Well for my needs the V20 works great so that's the basic reason for my comments. I don't have small children as seems to be the concern for some. When I did I planned accordingly and either carried a pocket camera or a DSLR. I know carry a pocket DSLR because I have that luxury. I just think that consumers in general expect too much from smartphones and hence my comments. It doesn't make me wrong or right... I just have different expectations.

 

[Almeuit]

Well for my needs the V20 works great so that's the basic reason for my comments. I don't have small children as seems to be the concern for some. When I did I planned accordingly and either carried a pocket camera or a DSLR. I know carry a pocket DSLR because I have that luxury. I just think that consumers in general expect too much from smartphones and hence my comments. It doesn't make me wrong or right... I just have different expectations.

I don't think they expect too much. When one phone can do it and the other can't then that proves it CAN be done so why can't it on the other?

 

[Aquila]

It's not just small kids. Active pets, anything happening in the real world that isn't scenery. A DLSR can't be the answer - it's enormous, takes more time to get set up than double pressing a power button (and by a lot) and isn't even meant for the kinds of photos we're talking about. I don't know what a "pocket DSLR" is because, even though I wear clothes with HUGE pockets, none of the DSLR's I've ever seen are going to comfortably fit in anything but a jacket pocket.

DSLR's are a) not mobile friendly at all b) super slow c) not meant for the shots we're talking about.

Here's how I look at it: If you're going somewhere with the intent or reasonable expectation of taking a LOT of photos that you want to turn out great, then take your camera. If you're just doing what you do and an opportunity for a quick snapshot comes up then your phone better be capable of capturing the moment that you are wanting to preserve. If your phone fails at that, your phone sucks. Get one that doesn't suck.

How's that translate to this thread? If you frequently find yourself needing to take off the cuff action shots, the V20 is NOT for you. If you frequently find yourself wanting to take still shots of complicated scenes for which you need manual controls... GET THE V20! Or you know, anything with the Camera2 API's. The other use case in favor of the V20 is if you're recording video and need high quality audio with it.

 

[Aquila]

Quiz Time: This gadget with a camera is typically in your hands or otherwise very nearby when you're sitting, doing not much and spontaneously want to grab a photo?

 

[Mike Dee]

I don't think they expect too much. When one phone can do it and the other can't then that proves it CAN be done so why can't it on the other?

Don't know what to tell you.... As someone who owns a V20 I find it adequate for quick photos so it works for me.

 

[Almeuit]

Don't know what to tell you.... As someone who owns a V20 I find it adequate for quick photos so it works for me.

Exactly but you admit to using a DSLR for your main photos. You aren't in the majority when it comes to that since most use mobile phones for life moments.

 

[Mike Dee]

Exactly but you admit to using a DSLR for your main photos. You aren't in the majority when it comes to that since most use mobile phones for life moments.

No... Just unplanned life moments