U11 & Nexus 6P Camera Comparison

[woainexus]

I initially posted this in the photos thread but I wanted to make sure anyone who currently has a Nexus 6P, cares about the camera and is considering the U11 to see this. I am EXTREMELY disappointed by U11's camera. I don't know how some reviewers were able to claim that the U11's camera is as good or better than the Pixel's when it can't even beat the 6P's.

I took many pictures to compare but they are mostly of my family and my house so I won't be sharing those. However, I did take a couple of comparison photos I do want to share with you guys.

Please keep in mind that all pictures were taken with HDR+ and HDR Boost on both phones and in auto mode. I shrunk the photos by 50% so they are not ridiculously large.

Bright - This was taken in my office with three 1500 lumens LED bulbs with a little bit of natural light coming in from the window to the right. The difference between the 6P and U11 is almost indistinguishable here except the colors on the U11 is a bit more natural. Although if I want to nitpick, when zoomed all the way in, the 6P has less noise.

Low Light - This was taken with the lights off with only a little bit of natural light coming in from the window. There is simply no comparison here. The picture taken by the U11 is noisier than a death metal concert and you can't read the text on the paper at all. Whereas the picture taken by the 6P is significantly better.

To be fair, the 6P had a much longer post processing time whereas the U11 was near instant. But that doesn't really matter when the end result is barely usable.

 

[Quikstep]

Re: U11 & Nexus 6P Camera Comparison

I initially posted this in the photos thread but I wanted to make sure anyone who currently has a Nexus 6P, cares about the camera and is considering the U11 to see this. I am EXTREMELY disappointed by U11's camera. I don't know how some reviewers were able to claim that the U11's camera is as good or better than the Pixel's when it can't even beat the 6P's.

I took many pictures to compare but they are mostly of my family and my house so I won't be sharing those. However, I did take a couple of comparison photos I do want to share with you guys.

Please keep in mind that all pictures were taken with HDR+ and HDR Boost on both phones and in auto mode. I shrunk the photos by 50% so they are not ridiculously large.

Bright - This was taken in my office with three 1500 lumens LED bulbs with a little bit of natural light coming in from the window to the right. The difference between the 6P and U11 is almost indistinguishable here except the colors on the U11 is a bit more natural. Although if I want to nitpick, when zoomed all the way in, the 6P has less noise.

Low Light - This was taken with the lights off with only a little bit of natural light coming in from the window. There is simply no comparison here. The picture taken by the U11 is noisier than a death metal concert and you can't read the text on the paper at all. Whereas the picture taken by the 6P is significantly better.

To be fair, the 6P had a much longer post processing time whereas the U11 was near instant. But that doesn't really matter when the end result is barely usable.

Huh, looks to me like you're getting a LOT more detail in the wood from the U11 photo...
I'd have to agree about the noise in the low light photo, though.

 

[woainexus]

Re: U11 & Nexus 6P Camera Comparison

Huh, looks to me like you're getting a LOT more detail in the wood from the U11 photo...

I went back and took another look but I'm not seeing it.

 

[Quikstep]

Re: U11 & Nexus 6P Camera Comparison

I went back and took another look but I'm not seeing it.

The details of the wood get blown out in highlights on the 6P, a sacrifice for the brightening of the image. Also, the red color looks overly saturated in the 6P, which is what Samsung always does. I'm guessing the red in the U11 image is more true to life.

 

[BrnrdCvk]

I don't have U11 (I'm still on 10), let alone Nexus, so I can't compare. From your pictures, I agree with that wood details and red being more natural on U11. And you can't read text on any (not in this resolution anyway). But first of all, don't take a picture with light source in it. It changes everything, more so if you have light on one picture and not the other. Take pictures with light source on both or none.

 

[woainexus]

Lol OK guys. Defend the U11 all you want. I'm returning this disappointment. It was fun here while it lasted.

 

[BrnrdCvk]

Lol what? You asked, we didn't agree with you and now that's the problem. And you are in U11 thread. It looks like you want to return it but you are not sure and, what, we should cry if you return it? Good luck and bon voyage.

 

[Habiib]

Since the U11 has a better camera than the S8 and Pixel, and the 6P has a better camera than the U11, that means the 6P has a better camera than the S8, U11, and Pixel!!! wow!! How the heck have these manufacturers not managed to outdo something from almost 2 years ago?

 

[Stevenmc8602]

Since the U11 has a better camera than the S8 and Pixel, and the 6P has a better camera than the U11, that means the 6P has a better camera than the S8, U11, and Pixel!!! wow!! How the heck have these manufacturers not managed to outdo something from almost 2 years ago?

Lol

 

[Stevenmc8602]

Lol what? You asked, we didn't agree with you and now that's the problem. And you are in U11 thread. It looks like you want to return it but you are not sure and, what, we should cry if you return it? Good luck and bon voyage.

Lol he or she does seem disappointed y'all didn't bash the u11

 

[sydneycooper1979]

Mod note: please keep the discussion civil and on topic please. Thank you.

 

[woainexus]

Lol what? You asked, we didn't agree with you and now that's the problem. And you are in U11 thread. It looks like you want to return it but you are not sure and, what, we should cry if you return it? Good luck and bon voyage.

I lol'ed because it's silly how some of you are defending a phone with a camera that's clearly inferior to another phone that's 1.5 years old.

Don't get me wrong, the U11 is sexy and I love just about every other aspects of it. But not having a camera that's at least on par with the one I have had for the last 18 months just won't work.

Oh, I am very sure I'm returning it. In fact, it's already packed up ready to go. I don't need anyone here to cry for me. I stated why I started this thread, which is to warn those who currently have a Nexus 6P and care about the camera to stay away from the U11.

Lol he or she does seem disappointed y'all didn't bash the u11

No, I'm just baffled how anyone who cares about the camera can possibly choose the U11 over the 6P, especially when the evidence that the latter is superior is so clear.

 

[Habiib]

I lol'ed because it's silly how some of you are defending a phone with a camera that's clearly inferior to another phone that's 1.5 years old.

Don't get me wrong, the U11 is sexy and I love just about every other aspects of it. But not having a camera that's at least on par with the one I have had for the last 18 months just won't work.

Oh, I am very sure I'm returning it. In fact, it's already packed up ready to go. I don't need anyone here to cry for me. I stated why I started this thread, which is to warn those who currently have a Nexus 6P and care about the camera to stay away from the U11.


No, I'm just baffled how anyone who cares about the camera can possibly choose the U11 over the 6P, especially when the evidence that the latter is superior is so clear.

Shouldn't you pass this warning on to the Pixel and S8 crowd as well, since the 6P has a better camera than them also? :HK:

 

[Fred98TJ]

Since the U11 has a better camera than the S8 and Pixel, and the 6P has a better camera than the U11, that means the 6P has a better camera than the S8, U11, and Pixel!!! wow!! How the heck have these manufacturers not managed to outdo something from almost 2 years ago?

If you want to see how, compare photos from the Lumia 808, Lumia 1020 and Lumia 950XL and you'll see how "old" cameras can still take on the "best" new cameras. They hold their ground extremely well and in so many cases just kick some serious butt.
Those cameras were way ahead of their time.

 

[MDMcAtee]

I don't see anything that indicates your 6p is superior to the u11. In all honesty all 6 pictures looks grainy and out of focus. The difference is that the ones that are on the right are more natural and brighter for the low light shot.

Mac

 

[BrnrdCvk]

Ok, first of all, I don't have U11 or I ever had any Nexus phone. I understand that you like your Nexus and that you are using it for 18 months. You know how camera works and all.

U11 is new to you and I'm sure that you are doing something wrong. At first, I looked at your pictures at my phone and later on on my laptop. There is no way that HTC's low light picture looks that unsharp, specially that text. Did you use squeeze to take it? And HDR is always tricky because you have to be perfectly still to take sharp picture. I never use HDR just because it's always hit or miss.

And I'll say it again - there is a HUGE difference with light source in frame (lamp or whatever that white/blue blurp in your photo far right is). It changes everything in auto mode - brightness, contrast, sharpness...

My reaction was actually triggered by you generalisation based on two pictures you took, saying that Nexus' camera is better in all situations and bashing U11 even though almost all reviewers, including DxOMark, professionals that make tests with every phone in same conditions, agree that it's one of the best (or the best) right now.

Most of the reviews of HTC One M8's 4MP camera were very bad I took some fantastic photos with mine. Now I'm with HTC 10 and my friends are always surprised how great photos I take. Well, it's because I know how, even in auto mode.

And for the end, again, what did you expect when starting this kind of post in HTC tread? We all, for one reason or another like our phones. You will return U11, you don't like it, ok. But, please, don't turn your personal experience in something that it's not.

And I mean it, good luck with your new phone choice, whatever it will be. Not HTC, I know. Too bad.

 

[mfreeland]

But, please, don't turn your personal experience in something that it's not.

Well put.

 

[MDMcAtee]

Ok, first of all, I don't have U11 or I ever had any Nexus phone. I understand that you like your Nexus and that you are using it for 18 months. You know how camera works and all.

U11 is new to you and I'm sure that you are doing something wrong. At first, I looked at your pictures at my phone and later on on my laptop. There is no way that HTC's low light picture looks that unsharp, specially that text. Did you use squeeze to take it? And HDR is always tricky because you have to be perfectly still to take sharp picture. I never use HDR just because it's always hit or miss.

And I'll say it again - there is a HUGE difference with light source in frame (lamp or whatever that white/blue blurp in your photo far right is). It changes everything in auto mode - brightness, contrast, sharpness...

My reaction was actually triggered by you generalisation based on two pictures you took, saying that Nexus' camera is better in all situations and bashing U11 even though almost all reviewers, including DxOMark, professionals that make tests with every phone in same conditions, agree that it's one of the best (or the best) right now.

Most of the reviews of HTC One M8's 4MP camera were very bad I took some fantastic photos with mine. Now I'm with HTC 10 and my friends are always surprised how great photos I take. Well, it's because I know how, even in auto mode.

And for the end, again, what did you expect when starting this kind of post in HTC tread? We all, for one reason or another like our phones. You will return U11, you don't like it, ok. But, please, don't turn your personal experience in something that it's not.

And I mean it, good luck with your new phone choice, whatever it will be. Not HTC, I know. Too bad.

And yet he went back to the 6p forum and posted the same thing there.

Personally I believe that he just doesn't know how to use either camera very well. I have taken bad pictures with both of them and I would never try to blame either for my errors..

Some folks just have to bash the phone just to justify returning it... and then we have those who just love to bash the phone for no reason... Go figure..

Mac

 

[woainexus]

And yet he went back to the 6p forum and posted the same thing there.

Personally I believe that he just doesn't know how to use either camera very well. I have taken bad pictures with both of them and I would never try to blame either for my errors..

Some folks just have to bash the phone just to justify returning it... and then we have those who just love to bash the phone for no reason... Go figure..

Mac

You know nothing about me yet when I present something not to your liking you immediately attack me personally. Because it's IMPOSSIBLE that U11, the phone you chose to buy, just isn't as good as you may think it is, right?

I get that this is the U11 forum so naturally this post will not be well-received but most people who remain here are fans of this phone and no one wants other people to tell them they made the wrong choice, whether it's true or not. Interestingly, on Reddit, I posted this in /r/nexus6p, /r/htcu11 and /r/android. Not surprisingly, it received the most hostile responses in /r/htcu11 and most favorable responses in /r/nexus6p. However, it also received overwhelmingly positive responses in /r/android too. Yes, feel free to attack this by claiming "Oh, /r/android is just a Nexus/Pixel circlejerk anyway!" Tell yourself whatever you need so you can justify your purchase.

I am posting this anywhere I find relevant because I want as many people as possible to learn from my experience so they can avoid disappointment and hassle.

 

[Habiib]

You know nothing about me yet when I present something not to your liking you immediately attack me personally. Because it's IMPOSSIBLE that U11, the phone you chose to buy, just isn't as good as you may think it is, right?

I get that this is the U11 forum so naturally this post will not be well-received but most people who remain here are fans of this phone and no one wants other people to tell them they made the wrong choice, whether it's true or not. Interestingly, on Reddit, I posted this in /r/nexus6p, /r/htcu11 and /r/android. Not surprisingly, it received the most hostile responses in /r/htcu11 and most favorable responses in /r/nexus6p. However, it also received overwhelmingly positive responses in /r/android too. Yes, feel free to attack this by claiming "Oh, /r/android is just a Nexus/Pixel circlejerk anyway!" Tell yourself whatever you need so you can justify your purchase.

I am posting this anywhere I find relevant because I want as many people as possible to learn from my experience so they can avoid disappointment and hassle.

Again, why the double standard. If the camera performance is the topic of interest, then why not post the same on the Pixel, G6, and S8 forums? By default the 6p has a better camera than all of them, so if future buyers were to purchase either of those models with the camera being the top of their criteria, then they'd best avoid them and get the best camera on the market in the Nexus 6p. Otherwise, this reeks of hypocrisy and agenda. However I do see your point, but it seems you may be more underwhelmed than anything, but I personally think you're jumping the gun and not looking at things in an unbiased manner.