Counterclockwise: the evolution of smartphone cameras in the dark
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- Anonymous
- JpI
- 18 Feb 2018
Lightning McQueen, 18 Feb 2018All of those OEM sensors from Apple, Samsung, LG, Sony, One... moreZeiss makes lenses, not sensors.
Your dear HMD NOKIA 8 has a sensor called EXMOR RS IMX 258.
Designed by Sony's Image Division and built by Sony's Semiconductors Division.
A sensor made for midrange/low end phones in 2015. It has 13MP, 1.12 mícron and size of 1/3.06". Diagonal of 5.85mm.
This sensor is used in low end phones from Sony like E5, L1 and L2. Also the original XA 2016.
Some flagships like Nokia 8 and LG G6.
- ?
- Anonymous
- pix
- 18 Feb 2018
Huawei is getting worse lol
- l
- leledumbo
- thw
- 18 Feb 2018
It's interesting to see that some has the best quality (at least in sharpness and detail) a generation before, only Google and Sony gets the best at its latest generation. Even Huawei gets its best in Mate 9, which is 2 generations older.
- TheGoldenMellifluous
- uE5
- 18 Feb 2018
Anonymous, 18 Feb 2018It's their fault when they prefer Megapixels (zoom) over im... moreWell , Sony does have 12 MP option both 16:9 and 4:3 on their camera settings to do the same as other companies did (still , i considered 12 MP both great but overrated) . But i think the team use the auto 17 MP that intact on it that could be zoomed further that look make the image even weirder . And also for Sony post-processing algorithm on Xperia , this must be something to do with Sony dedicated camera series , especially RX and Alpha series .
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- AnonD-660035
- 0$Y
- 18 Feb 2018
Anonymous, 18 Feb 2018Actually, Apple is inspired by Sony. If there's no Sony, Ap... moreI think Apple and Sony always have been the power houses of digital world - and Nokia and IBM in some decades. Even S. Jobs was inspired by Sony design and there have been ideas of cooperation with them.
South Korean and Chinese companies so far are masters in copying things and they lack creativity. For sure, this will change more and more. And Sony lost a lot of their trust because they simply didn´t deliver what you expect from Sony with their Xperia lineup when it comes to audio and especially camera quality.
- TheGoldenMellifluous
- uE5
- 18 Feb 2018
Anonymous, 18 Feb 2018There doesn't seem to be any improvement from Sony XZ to XZ1.Well , because they're preparing the best improvement on camera (possibly?) for their upcoming flagships that marked the 10th anniversary on Xperia , especially Xperia X1 and XZ1 was sacrifice for that , but still a slightly improved that maybe look no difference at all .
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- AnonD-625430
- D0g
- 18 Feb 2018
Over the past decade, smartphones cameras have truly evolved in terms of focusing speed, manual controls, ultra slow-mo, image stabilization and overall picture and video quality. Dual cameras have only recently became mainstream and they also come with different functionalities like wide angle, optical zoom & depth sensing.. Computational photography or AI assisted camera is billed as the next big thing in photography industry. Google Pixel 2 series of smartphones seem to offer excellent camera quality, despite lacking dual camera technology. I'd have got my hands on them If they were not flawed with dumb software bugs. But here I'm expecting DSLR grade pictures from smartphones and I've been disappointed with most smartphone cameras. My current Galaxy S7 camera is still flagship grade and satisfactory, in terms of insane focusing speed, image stabilization, manual controls, excellent pictures & videos quality but Samsung post processing adds sharpening artefacts which also help in retaining details while making the photo appear slightly degraded on zooming, even in auto mode which is the same with most OEMs these days.. Thankfully, these days we have option to capture RAW images but they eat up a large chunk of storage space. Here in this article, Samsung & Google manages to impress me. What I like is natural colours and pure details from cameras, with minimal noise, offering more flexibility for post editing but I don't mind slightly vivid output. The only smartphone cameras that pleasantly surprised me was the Nokia N8 and Nokia 808 and the Galaxy S7 for different reasons and I guess anyone who has been following the smartphone industry for the past decade, know the reasons. I wish Xenon flashes to make a comeback in the smartphone space pretty soon but I know it isn't likely to happen anytime soon. I can compromise looks for functionality, within a reasonable size and weight. 15mm thickness and 200 gm weight is okay if the camera is exceptional, like in case of Nokia 808. It offered smart, loseless digital zooming in quite a few modes, cleverly utilizing the huge 41 Megapixel camera, had both Xenon & LED flash. Nokia was instrumental in the evolution of the smartphone camera amongst other OEMs like Samsung. I'm mighty impressed with my S7 camera these days, for a smartphone camera, there's nothing major to complain about but you know, there's always room for improvement.. I would love to a carry a DSLR in a pocketable form someday.. :)
- ?
- Anonymous
- yAL
- 18 Feb 2018
TheGoldenMellifluous, 18 Feb 2018But at least they the company in the smartphone world that ... moreActually, Apple is inspired by Sony. If there's no Sony, Apple probably wouldn't be where they are today. They were smart to copy them when it comes to quality and culture.
- R
- Romie Lee
- UNA
- 18 Feb 2018
vrvly, 18 Feb 2018Please do nokia, lumia, lg and htc!Those are almost daying company and almost no fanbase, almost no one cares or let just say, not that relevant enough. so what's the point anyway...
- TheGoldenMellifluous
- uE5
- 18 Feb 2018
Panino Manino, 18 Feb 2018I like Sony phones, EXCEPT for the cameras.
It's bullshit ... moreThe only logical reason why Sony has bad camera quality on their smartphones are these following reasons :
1.) They doezn't want to hurt their RX camera sellings as both Xperia and RX has both same technology such as 960fps@720p or even their Alpha series , as Xperia could afford them 20-60% cheaper than RX or Alpha series .
2.) They want you to be at least good doing basic professional photography stuffs such as tripod as well forced us to use Manual modes more than Auto modes as Reviewers forced to do Auto things to match with Apple that doesn't proper Manual setups (Sony relied more on Manual than most company Auto)
3.) To see better cropped photos in larger screen / zoomed photo. 12 MP photo that is offered at most companies nowadays does look better on phone screen . But that's gonna change if you look at 55" 4K TV would like a be pixelated photo and look worse compared lets say iMX400's 19 MP or 20 MP or even Lumia's 41 MP photo at that TV screen as it's zoomed or fitted to the TV resolution (this why Sony prefered MP and High ISO over OIS until Dynamic Vibration System was trademark earlier as Sony attempt on OIS on Xperia)
4.) Most Sony Xperia technology on smartphones was considered new when they reached the market and it was ahead of their time and they did in 1st stage first to prevent more loss if they do it more but fail such ZL's slim bezel , Z5P's 4K resultion, XZ's 5-axis-stabilization , XZP 960fps@720p , XZ1's 3D Creator , M2's affordable water resistant phone , etc.
- Panino Manino
- 8MW
- 18 Feb 2018
TheGoldenMellifluous, 18 Feb 2018But at least they the company in the smartphone world that ... moreI like Sony phones, EXCEPT for the cameras.
It's bullshit and no excuses, the image quality is bad, bad, and bad.
It's a joke and an offense for the entire company. How is this possible? They make the best hardware for cameras, their professional like is cutting edge, they have no excuses and must be shamed.
- TheGoldenMellifluous
- uE5
- 18 Feb 2018
AnonD-730705, 18 Feb 2018This shows that Sony is a total waste in the smartphone industry.But at least they the company in the smartphone world that contributed very much new features and improving user experience than other OEM currently , even with some comapny so-called with new features that actually already existed in the first place . Here's what Sony contributed in the smartphone world :
Fixing 250 bugs and giving LDAC codes to Google for free with royalty in Android 8.0 Oreo
Super slow-motion at 960fps in 720p/HD and Predictive Capture that could be useful
First company to make DRAM-built-in camera 3-stacked
Father founding of slim bezel phone with Xperia ZL (yes , ZL was the slimmiest bezel phone at that time (2013) with 75,6% STB)
How to make AR works in a smartphone without needing extra hardware with Xperia Z1 to inspired Apple to make ARKit and Pixel with AR Visual Core
Popularizing water and dust resistant that led the 1+ 5T criticised in review due lack of IP ratings
The returned dual-glass-sandwich design on original Xperia Z forced Samsung to change it on S6 and Apple to return in 8/8+/X
3D creator that can make a 3D things without internet or dual camera helps that inspired Samsung to do 3D Emoji and Apple with Animoji , etc.
Sure , Sony aint a perfect company with perfect things , including smartphone world in the dark night photoshoot . But with that contirbution on smartphone world that other OEM hasn't reach at that point , you should give Sony a credit for it .
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- Lightning McQueen
- KSE
- 18 Feb 2018
All of those OEM sensors from Apple, Samsung, LG, Sony, OnePlus...etc etc are bad. Nokia Zeiss sensor are the best we can possibly have. Might as well stick to my Nokia 8 and Lumia 925. ;)
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- AnonD-720333
- 3I{
- 18 Feb 2018
How about Nokia phoned like lumia and Hmd designd.?
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- Anonymous
- IW@
- 18 Feb 2018
worst unfair tsk fail i still love sony lol
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- AnonD-738554
- JpI
- 18 Feb 2018
AnonD-660035, 18 Feb 2018That´s in good light. If you look at real world night... moreI forgot to say..
Phones have different focal length. Narrower lenses have advantage over wider lenser when you shoot from same distance.
They explain that when they did G6 x S8 x XZP.
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- AnonD-738554
- JpI
- 18 Feb 2018
AnonD-660035, 18 Feb 2018That´s in good light. If you look at real world night... moreIt is not processing issues.
I have no idea why Sony chooses high ISO over OIS. Must be a reason behind it.
If you check daylight shots the phones use often base ISO which is 40.
Outdoors low light shots the phone will probably choose more than 700. So shutter goes faster to prevent blur.
Phones with OIS will often use ISO below 250.
But if you get any phone ( Samsung, Huawei , LG, Moto etc) and check samples at ISO 700, 1000, 1400 the samples will look awful too.
Cameras have giant sensors, so even ISO 10000 wont ruin the photos. Alpha 9 can handle more than 200000 ISO.
Mine dont have controls like newer Xperia, just the SCN for 8MP.
If I choose NIGHT SCENE the shutter goes 0.5 or 1s and ISO goes down to 100, 50..
The results are completely different from samples with high ISO.
Once you go to manual and set ISO 50, it remains that way. It does not take 1s to go from auto to manual. Just swipe down and shoot.
The user just needs to want do it..
- J
- Jman
- dQa
- 18 Feb 2018
Imagine what these phones could do with a Xenon Flash.....
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- AnonD-731363
- SH3
- 18 Feb 2018
Well Sony camera is really bad.
So we know big megapiels arent everything.
But have to say Nokia 1020 or 808 Purewiev despite 6 years old can beat present competitors with ease.
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- AnonD-660035
- 0$Y
- 18 Feb 2018
AnonD-738554, 18 Feb 2018https://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=4&idPhone1=... moreThat´s in good light. If you look at real world night pictures, also from the reviews here, you can see that the camera algorithms of Xperias aren´t very good. I had Z, Z1, Z3, XZ, XZP, XZs and XZ1. Also S8 (bad camera in daylight, mushiness), Huawei P10 (bad camera, lack of details and softness), HTC U11 (problems with overblown light sources), Pixel 2 and currently I use the "old" Pixel.
XZ1 has better low light quality than its predecessors but its simply worse than a Pixel or a HTC U11. When you have a street with light bulbs you can see more details of trees f.e. With Xperia you need slower shutter speeds and tripod to get good results - but even than you don´t have that details. Also the results are inconsistent.
It´s simply not acceptable that you have to try many settings for each and every scene in low light to get a result that´s often even worse than of a Pixel in auto mode.