Smartphone camera all software trickery?

[flyingkytez]

The pictures shot on the S8+, Pixel 2, and iPhone X all look great, however with the V20, it can look just as great if you just quickly use a photo enhancing app like Snapseed and boost the ambience colors. Are all the cameras basically the same, just the newer phones automatically enhances the photo?

BTW the iPhone X auto photo enhancement is too much, looks like they put makeup on people's faces..

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

It's all software, but almost none of it is "trickery". In almost all conditions, the Pixel 2 XL is legitimately a better camera than all others you listed in AUTO mode. The V20, in my limited understanding, is capable of taking better photos when using it's manual controls. That said, using a filter or similar activity in SnapSpeed or a similar app will NOT result in a better photo, because a better photo is defined as the one that best represents the reality of the subject. In that sense, the most accurate photo wins the "best camera" award, though the results vary somewhat based on conditions and the subject matter. Using a filter is causing intentionally artificial results and therefore is worsening the photo quality, though it may increase the photo's subjective value as artistic representation - that would not be a credit to the device itself though.

 

[flyingkytez]

It's all software, but almost none of it is "trickery". In almost all conditions, the Pixel 2 XL is legitimately a better camera than all others you listed in AUTO mode. The V20, in my limited understanding, is capable of taking better photos when using it's manual controls. That said, using a filter or similar activity in SnapSpeed or a similar app will NOT result in a better photo, because a better photo is defined as the one that best represents the reality of the subject. In that sense, the most accurate photo wins the "best camera" award, though the results vary somewhat based on conditions and the subject matter. Using a filter is causing intentionally artificial results and therefore is worsening the photo quality, though it may increase the photo's subjective value as artistic representation - that would not be a credit to the device itself though.

Then why does the Pixel 2 camera app automatically enhances a photo? Everytime I take a photo with it, it clearly shows that it's processing in the background. The pictures do indeed look great with the Pixel 2 camera app, though sometimes the colors can look artificial and over exaggerated. I recently used the S8+ (which has the exact same camera as the Note 8) and the camera was just mediocre, but people say it's amazing. The Pixel 1 camera was also no better than the V20. Isn't it better to take a photo without any automatic enhancement so a person can adjust the image him or herself? I believe every single flagship is using a Sony sensor which most are using the same, is that correct?

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Then why does the Pixel 2 camera app automatically enhances a photo? Everytime I take a photo with it, it clearly shows that it's processing in the background. The pictures do indeed look great with the Pixel 2 camera app, though sometimes the colors can look artificial and over exaggerated. I recently used the S8+ (which has the exact same camera as the Note 8) and the camera was just mediocre, but people say it's amazing. The Pixel 1 camera was also no better than the V20. Isn't it better to take a photo without any automatic enhancement so a person can adjust the image him or herself? I believe every single flagship is using a Sony sensor which most are using the same, is that correct?

That processing time is because it takes a half a dozen photos of then uses software to combine bits and pieces of each into one photo that's better than all of the individual shots they took.

 

[Mike Dee]

The pictures shot on the S8+, Pixel 2, and iPhone X all look great, however with the V20, it can look just as great if you just quickly use a photo enhancing app like Snapseed and boost the ambience colors. Are all the cameras basically the same, just the newer phones automatically enhances the photo?

BTW the iPhone X auto photo enhancement is too much, looks like they put makeup on people's faces..

Snapseed won't improve dynamic range

 

[Rukbat]

Google figured out that the "biggest bang for the buck" at the moment would be enhancing the dynamic range, so they did it, first with the Pixel, now even faster with the Pixel 2. That's why everyone is comparing their dynamic range to the Pixel 2. They fake a pretty good portrait mode with a single camera too.

The best phone, though, is still almost any DSLR. (And the best dynamic range is still a film camera, with the shot taken properly and the film processed properly. A $5 disposable film camera can get better dynamic range, if processed properly, than any digital camera.)

 

[Mike Dee]

Google figured out that the "biggest bang for the buck" at the moment would be enhancing the dynamic range, so they did it, first with the Pixel, now even faster with the Pixel 2. That's why everyone is comparing their dynamic range to the Pixel 2. They fake a pretty good portrait mode with a single camera too.

The best phone, though, is still almost any DSLR. (And the best dynamic range is still a film camera, with the shot taken properly and the film processed properly. A $5 disposable film camera can get better dynamic range, if processed properly, than any digital camera.)

If only they could sensors to react like film

 

[Chudo1979]

If only they could sensors to react like film

Well you can take the shot in .dng (raw) and do whatever you want with it