camera questions

partridge · Feb 5, 2013

Currently stuck between going for the Xperia Z (very expensive) and the Nexus 4. The sticking point for me is that every review I've read about the N4 says the camera isn't great and lets the phone down a little.

So, as owners, what do you think of the camera? Could someone post some real world images?

Thanks

SiempreTuna · Feb 5, 2013

Can't post anything from the office, unfortunately.

I also read those comments on reviews before I bought the N4, but I get the impression it was a case of the reviewer feeling they had to find negatives and picking on things that were actually fine, but maybe not best in class.

For me, the camera quality is actually pretty good. Sure, there are probably better cameras on phones (e.g. that 12MP Nokia, maybe), but the N4 has the best camera of any phone I've ever owned.

Obviously you're not going to get Hasselblad-like pictures you can sell to magazines - no phone can do that as physics simply doesn't allow it. If your expectations are reasonable for a camera on a phone, you won't be disappointed.

NeXuS4 · Feb 5, 2013

I completely agree with the above person. It's not the best camera on the market and the Xperia is probably more powerful knowing Sony but I wouldn't let that be the reason you don't get the phone because I have had a lot of people compliment the phones objectively good pictures (especially outdoor pics).

AussieAndroid · Feb 5, 2013

I was a bit disappointed at first. I had higher expectations when the phone came out.

3months down the track and I really don't mind it. Judging by other photos I see my friends taking on their phones, mine stands above most.

Photosphere makes up a lot for any shortcomings. Ppl are always impressed with that ability.

At the end of the day, composition usually trumps picture quality

partridge · Feb 6, 2013

Thanks for the replies, I have also discovered that a colleague has this phone so I'll have a chat with him too.

I think the enormous cost associated with the Xperia Z is going to be its downfall; I can't justify nearly

alexward · Feb 9, 2013

I moved to an N4 from an HTC One X. The One X's camera is brilliant. It's best feature by far, but I find my N4 camera to be good. Not brilliant, just good. Wasn't a deal breaker for me though.
I wanted a super fast amazing handset and the N4 is just that.

SiempreTuna · Feb 13, 2013

I actually shot video last night for the first time (in anger rather than just playing around).

OMG: the quality is AWESOME! Like better than from my (admittedly, 10 year old) Sony camcorder. I shot in artificial light (indoors, at night), not low light, but not overly bright and when I watched the video on my laptop (17" screen), the picture was ridiculously good. Incomparibly better than anything I've had from any earlier phone (Desire, N958GB, N80 or my missus' iPhones).

Maybe there are phones with better cameras, but hey: the one on the N4 is actually really good!

big_mike · Feb 13, 2013

gets a little getting used to. imo

john30308 · Feb 13, 2013

I agree with some of the others. The camera is good, not great. For my purposes, it's fine and the rest of the phone is super!

MacFett · Feb 13, 2013

Coming from my budget LG Optimus Elite, this camera is wonderful. My Kodak digital camera just died too. So the N4 camera will be getting a real workout.

kevlarian · Feb 13, 2013

coming from a galaxy s 2 I find that the nexus 4 camera is better. my wife has a galaxy s 3 and I find that her camera is slightly better. but it isn't significantly better. and I am better at composing shots so my pictures have a better appearance anyway!

agree with the previous post... video quality is really really good. better than most pocket HD camcorders.

SiempreTuna · Feb 14, 2013

Even my missus - a dyed in the wool Apple-ite who curses my phone every time she has to use it - had to (very reluctantly) admit the video quality was outstanding.

jhsrennie · Feb 15, 2013

I have an old Olympus Camedia C-310 3Mpixel camera that dates from 2004, and it gives noticably better pictures than my Nexus 4 despite the better resolution of the N4 and **nine years** worth of camera development. The N4 camera is fine for snaps, but if you're serious about picture quality you won't be using the N4.

I still love my N4 though

SiempreTuna · Feb 15, 2013

Yeah, that's not really a valid comparison: the Olympus Camedia C-310 has a way deeper lens than is possible on any phone. Camera technology may change in 9 years, unfortunately physics doesn't.

Krivs · Feb 15, 2013

Is there any way to do rapid shots like on the HTC One X & get "Best Pic"

SiempreTuna · Feb 18, 2013

I'd be interested to know which phone the OP went for in the end ..

partridge · Feb 19, 2013

I am the proud and happy owner of the Nexus 4

I had the chance to try out an Xperia Z in a shop last week and it didn't wow me like I expected it to. No doubt it is a great phone, but it's not worth the huge amount of extra money!

I'm really pleased with the N4, although it is super slippy and I'm waiting for a rear cover to arrive to give it some grip.

Happy with the camera, I've not had much chance to try out photosphere, early efforts were mixed; is it best to use the phone horizontally or vertically for this feature, or does it not matter?

charliecc · Feb 19, 2013

partridge said:
Happy with the camera, I've not had much chance to try out photosphere, early efforts were mixed; is it best to use the phone horizontally or vertically for this feature, or does it not matter?

Glad you went with the N4, the best choice.

WRT to photosphere, I find horizontally works best. Also, you need to be in a fairly large space to get good results, preferably outside or in a large building. Anything close won't always look great.

When using the photosphere feature, try not to move your arms about too much, the best results come from keeping the phone in as static a 3D position as possible and just tilting it, rather than moving it up and down and side to side.

SiempreTuna · Feb 19, 2013

partridge said:
I am the proud and happy owner of the Nexus 4

Congratulations!

partridge said:
I had the chance to try out an Xperia Z in a shop last week and it didn't wow me like I expected it to. No doubt it is a great phone, but it's not worth the huge amount of extra money!

Yeah, it's really hard to compete with the price of the N4 - what extra features can a phone have that are worth $100s ..?

partridge said:
I'm really pleased with the N4, although it is super slippy and I'm waiting for a rear cover to arrive to give it some grip.

I kept the original plastic on mine. Been nearly 2 months and it's still there but I guess I will have to think about replacing it at some stage ..

partridge said:
Happy with the camera

Hopefully, that means you feel we didn't lead you astray then

Xuthus · Mar 1, 2013

What a coincidence I should find this thread now. I have just got home from The Carphone Warehouse where I was looking at a Nexus 4 and the Xperia Z.

In enquired how much the Xperia Z was to buy and they said that, for the time being, they were unable to sell them without a contract. For an unlimited data plan they want GBP 44/month which would work out at GBP 1,056 over the two years.

As an alternative I have seen it on Amazon for GBP 522. I have an existing contract with unlimited data for a little under GBP 15/month so that would be GBP 360 making a total cost of GBP 882 so one thing is certain - I am not about to line their pockets with GBP 234 for nothing I need or want.

The Nexus 4 is even cheaper - GBP 279 on Google Play. The total cost with my existing contract over two years would be GBP 639.

Subjectively, the larger screen on the Xperia is nice and the phone feels quicker. The water resistance and SD card are also nice features but I am certainly wondering if the Xperia is better enough to justify the extra GBP 243. I also note that the Xperia seems to have a light UI theme which I suspect is to avoid highlighting the less than top class contrast ratio of the screen as reported by gsm arena.

SiempreTuna · Mar 5, 2013

Is it just coincidence that

ooberandy · Mar 5, 2013

Dont forget the 6 months difference between the Nexus 4 and Xperia 7 getting Key Lime Pie, which is one of my main reasons for moving to a Nexus device.

sean76 · Mar 5, 2013

The camera is honestly fine. I take alot of pics, and 9 times out of 10 it's the person taking the pic, not how good the camera is.

I have both an iphone 5 and nexus 4 and I can pretty much nail a photo on either phone. However my sister has the iphone 5 and all her pics come out crappy, she'll constantly ask me how I take such good pics and she cant take one for the life of her.

Does the nexus 4 have the best camera ever on a phone? Probably not, but I can confidently say I can pretty much take a real good shot in any environment with my n4.

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