WTF Wide angle lens?

[swarlos]

The wide angle is what kept me with LG for so many years. Was so useful. Particularly when taking photos of people like at parties or dinner. Easy to fit everyone in without having to walk back 10 feet.

But like others said..........why not both? Why omit something that most other flagships have.

Because it’s Google, no need!!

 

[anon(10092459)]

Well, for me at least, I'm a casual photographer. Really just capturing a moment here and there. So, I guess I can't miss or notice what I never used in the first place.

What's the use case for it? Like panoramic shots or group pictures or something like that?

 

[Almeuit]

What's the use case for it? Like panoramic shots or group pictures or something like that?

Getting a lot more in the shot. Trust me once you have one and see the uses .. it is really really nice to have.

 

[anon(10092459)]

Getting a lot more in the shot. Trust me once you have one and see the uses .. it is really really nice to have.

I think that's probably true.. I've never had a phone that's had it, so I'm just unaware of the benefits. I literally just open my camera and snap one or two shots. I've never even changed any setting in that thing... (I think it's bloated anyway).

 

[Almeuit]

I think that's probably true.. I've never had a phone that's had it, so I'm just unaware of the benefits. I literally just open my camera and snap one or two shots. I've never even changed any setting in that thing... (I think it's bloated anyway).

Well yeah it's hard to say if you've never had it but tapping one button to fit so much more in.. people.. places.. etc. Is awesome. It's the only reason I ever cared for LG phones.. that lens.

 

[Ben_70]

I saw a recent video review of some flagship phone (maybe one of the more recent Samsungs?) and the images taken by the super wide lens had poor detail compared with the main shooter and there was obvious distortion i.e. "fish eye" look. Looked like garbage to my eyes. Is that typical for flagship "super wides"? If so, I'm fine with Google omitting it from the P4.

 

[Mike Dee]

I got the orange, I always tend to get the crazy colors with phones instead of black or white.

You ruined my punch line but I forgive you

 

[Mike Dee]

Well, for me at least, I'm a casual photographer. Really just capturing a moment here and there. So, I guess I can't miss or notice what I never used in the first place.

What's the use case for it? Like panoramic shots or group pictures or something like that?

Well if you're ever in a situation where you can't back up to take a group photo or get more scenery in the background is where you would mostly need it.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Yeah imo a wide angle would have been preferred, for me at least. I use the wide-angle lens on my S10+ more than the telephoto, but I won't knock Google for going with the telephoto.

Telephoto + super res zoom seems pretty decent and an easy win. Maybe next year they'll add wide angle.

 

[Biggnaa20]

A super wide angle is more useful to me since I can almost always get closer to a subject (with my feet, or with zoom), but I can't always move away. Sometimes the room is only so big, or there is a cliff or street behind me.

If the Pixel had a wide angle lens, I'd have bought it. I really want a back up camera phone, but I'll wait or get one with the hardware I need.

 

[krispy_mobile]

Exactly. Ultra wide and zoom are now table stakes for flagships. Would not consider a new phone that doesn't include them. If I had to choose for some reason, ultra wide for the win.

 

[Mike Dee]

Exactly. Ultra wide and zoom are now table stakes for flagships. Would not consider a new phone that doesn't include them. If I had to choose for some reason, ultra wide for the win.

I normally don't exclude a phone missing just one feature but I agree that it should a wide angle It's certainly part of the equation that led me to ignore the 4XL.

 

[Only1Z]

Haven't used telephoto ever and 2x optical is near useless when all telephoto cameras are what 20-30x these days
Wide angle is a wide angle, that's why wide angle camera cost way more then telephoto.
Google's reason telling people They think telephoto is more important is obviously BS. The only reason they didn't include it is money, save some now and dont have to innovate in the future, it will be a huge technological breakthrough in Pixel 5 next year

Wow. There is so much wrong in your post I don't even know where to start. If anyone is reading this, please skip this guy's post as it's full of inaccurate information.

 

[Only1Z]

Well, people don't use wide angle lenses appropriately. Wide angle lenses are not for "fitting stuff in the frame" as any photographer would tell you. But 99% of the people will tell you it's nice to fit all the people in a group shot in the frame. I don't need a wide angle lens for that. I'll just step back a couple steps and use a lens that will have less distortion (the normal lens on the phone). Is it nice for landscapes? Yes! That's where I want a wide angle. However, I do that fairly infrequently and when I do, I will bring the big camera with. The telephoto is definitely more useful day-to-day IMO. Also at special events like concerts, the telephoto will be much more useful than a wide angle.

Would I have liked a wide angle lens as well? Sure. But again, knowing it's not really for "fitting stuff in the frame", I really don't care that much. And plenty of photographers love the 24mm-35mm range for everyday shooting. This is why 24-70mm lenses exist and are so readily used by pros. Your normal lens on your smartphone is going to be around 24-28mm for a starting point on the wide side which is perfect. All the other stuff is specs and nonsense. Going wider than 24mm is generally for very specialized use. And for me, my Nikon is going to do that duty. For everyday shooting, literally 97% of my photography is 24-70mm (so I can tell from Lightroom). And that's what a phone should focus on because that's the same for most people.

If you are a "I use my phone for city-scapes and landscapes" kind of person, then sure I can see why you're disappointed. For all the other people who are like, "Well I can't fit grandma in the frame unless I step back 2 steps", that's not really the purpose of a wide angle lens or why you should want one and I do NOT feel bad for you. If you take the 2 steps back, you will get a better/less distorted image anyway using the normal lens than staying 2 steps closer and using a wide angle lens. I hate distorted pictures.

 

[Only1Z]

Because it’s Google, no need!!

They do know. 24mm-70mm ranges on cameras for decades are where most informal everyday shooting takes place along with specialized events like weddings and what not. Wide angle lenses have a purpose. And it's not to "fit stuff in the frame".

Google got this one correct. Make the 24mm to 50mm shots as excellent as possible as that is where most photography happens for general walk around cameras.

 

[SupraLB]

Btw if you are in the real estate industry, wide angle is an absolute must to properly capture inside of homes, bedrooms, kitchens, etc. Anytime you're indoors really.

I think what upsets me the most about it, was the sarcastic joke the engineer said in the Google presentation. Like widescreen is just for fun and not important. He obviously has not read how reviews of the iphones and samsungs rave about the feature.

 

[Airstream25]

The wide angle vs. telephoto question totally depends on what you are photographing. An interior room would call for wide angle while photographing a wild animal would need a telephoto. I am mostly in the latter camp and would like to see even stronger telephoto lenses become available.

 

[kolyan2k]

Wow. There is so much wrong in your post I don't even know where to start. If anyone is reading this, please skip this guy's post as it's full of inaccurate information.

What's so inaccurate here. You can buy 40x optical zoom camera for like few hundred bucks. Most good cameras today are 24mm minimum and go down all the way to about 12mm. Pixel 4 lens is 28mm main and tele is only 45mm. No 28mm is not wide enough for most and no 45mm is not good enough for tele. That's what every single Pixel 4 hands on will tell u (about 28mm not being enough)

Last year Google said telephoto is not needed because they have great digital zoom, this year they said 2x optical is perfect and wide angle is unless, next year with Pixel 5 they will give you wide angle and tell you how great it is. Its almost a fact lol

 

[SupraLB]

Will Google's zoom be able to match the Huawei P30's zoom? They claim 10x I believe. Pixel 4 is 2x.

Now this would be useful. I'm not sure 2x makes that great a difference.

Below is the P30 camera's phone zoomed.

 

[Mike Dee]

Will Google's zoom be able to match the Huawei P30's zoom? They claim 10x I believe. Pixel 4 is 2x.

Now this would be useful. I'm not sure 2x makes that great a difference.

Below is the P30 camera's phone zoomed.


View attachment 311834

You would have to look at the minimum and maximum focal length to determine that. The X factor is just a multiplyer specific to that device. Having said that it's hard to imagine a 2X being as long or greater than 10X.