Camera question

[shortarc]

Currently have a two year old HTC Incredible and thinking about getting a Razr M. One of my main concerns is the camera as I have read a lot of complaints.

Will the Razr M be as good as the one on my old Incredible? Or do I need to start looking at a different phone.

 

[bmetelsky]

I think they are about the same, just so-so.
This is not a problem here - I just ordered a digital camera.
The phone is great for phone and internet, work connectivity, etc.
It is not great as a camera.

 

[RoboCuz]

Currently have a two year old HTC Incredible and thinking about getting a Razr M. One of my main concerns is the camera as I have read a lot of complaints.

Will the Razr M be as good as the one on my old Incredible? Or do I need to start looking at a different phone.

I had the Incredible and Incredible 2, and I found the Incredible had a VERY good camera, and took some amazing pictures. I actually found the Incredible 2 took slightly lower "quality" pictures. The Incredible just had wonderful sharp properly colored pictures, impressed me repeatedly.

The camera on the M is not nearly as good, at least mine. I find it isn't always in focus, and the color is off, and it can be too slow to focus. I have just recently tried Camera ZOOM fx, and have had a little better luck, but I think it really is either the hardware, or I actually suspect the driver. Anyway, coming from those two phones, I love the M and am very happy with it, in all ways but the camera.

 

[RoboCuz]

BTW, my wife got the Incredible 4g, and I actually like my phone better, and am happier with it; but that thing does take amazing pictures.

 

[shortarc]

Thanks for the reports. My main reason for considering the M is signal reception improvement, my Incredible has always been lacking in that department and it is starting to have other glitches.

Most of the photos I take are close up shots of welded parts or parts that are broken and need repair and thats one thing I have liked about my old Incredible.

 

[RoboCuz]

I haven't really taken pictures of that sort with the M, so it might be fine there. I'm talking more about indoor "party" or "family" type pictures, mostly.

As for reception, it seems fine. I don't know if I would say outstanding, but I have had no issues.

 

[bigbadwulff]

The camera is fine. No different than any phone I've had. It's the only thing "professional reviewers" could find fault with. People read them and just take it at face value. I see nothing wrong with the camera myself. After all.....it's a phone.
Yes there are faster phone cameras. Yes there are ones that take better photos. Yes, some are better in low light. But....

Looks decent enough for me:

 

[bigbadwulff]

Thanks for the reports. My main reason for considering the M is signal reception improvement, my Incredible has always been lacking in that department and it is starting to have other glitches.

Most of the photos I take are close up shots of welded parts or parts that are broken and need repair and thats one thing I have liked about my old Incredible.

If you want to get better Macro photos(close ups), use the app "Magnifier". Pretty impressive close ups with it.
But that is one short coming of the stock M camera or software....bad macro pics. But, there's an app for that

 

[RoboCuz]

I am not a photo or any kind of camera snob, but I have had years of turning out pictures on my two Incredibles that my wife (who actually is a professional photographer) was impressed with. When I changed to my Razr M, I have months of pictures that many I won't even show her. They are DEFINITELY not as good.

The picture someone posted above is outside, of stills.. I have found it reasonably good outside and for still environments. In any kind of indoors, and with motion (people), it seems to really struggle to focus correctly, and the resulting picture is frequently out of focus and/or blurry because it took to long and people moved, and frequently off color (although that less than the focusing issue). So in a party environment, I find it very frustrating.

Feel free to disregard my opinion, as it of course is an opinion, but please don't say that I formed it only from reading a review when I actually have hundreds of examples of empirical evidence. I had NEVER looked for a camera app replacement for my Incredibles; they took great pictures. This last week, after a NYE party, is the second time I have tried to "fix" my camera's abilities and went for a third party app. I didn't notice much difference the first time, so went back to stock; but again this holiday, I got so frustrated by the camera missing shots that I never would have missed with my old phone that I tried again.

It's too early to tell if this time it will help at all. It isn't clear to me (no pun intended), but seems like it might help slightly in taking pictures a little faster, so I can get a picture before everyone moves; but it still seems to be out of focus or something. I don't know, I just know they don't look nearly as good as the old phone's pictures; and by someone that isn't overly particular and not a professional photographer, that says it is noticeable.

That being said, you are trying to use it for Macro pictures, which I have never used it for, and under good lighting, stills using the macro setting might be fantastic! So take this only as a comment in the conditions described.

Cheers

 

[bigbadwulff]

I don't take a lot of indoor pics. Never have much. I don't take a lot of pictures of people but that is just me. I expect indoor pics to be suspect and don't really expect much out of that. But I do want good outdoor pics and need to do marcos every now and then.
I think those that don't like the camera are indoor, people picture-takers and may have a point.

But this turned out fine. Normal indoor lighting and knowing me, no flash. I rarely, ever use the flash. And if I do, the subject is less than 10 feet away. Flashes are not effective beyond that and I believe that is a main reason for bad pics.

 

[TG1]

Motorola has never been known for great cameras on their smartphones and the M is no exception. I would say it's merely average in the world of smartphones. About what you would expect from a discounted phone like the M. My girlfriend's S3 absolutely blows it away in picture quality. If the camera is important to you, I would really look elsewhere.