I've found that if you're into photography you need to carry 2 devices with you - a cellphone and a camera. The cheapest $79 camera outperforms anything on a cellphone. A cellphone isn't a camera you can make phone calls on, it's a phone you can take snapshots with.

 

The OP hasn't said they want a camera, they want a mobile phone with a better camera on it. The N4 camera is known for being average, so they are right to ask for alternatives if they are unhappy with the N4.

Here's a review of the One v S4 cameras.

And here's a youtube review of the N5 v S4

 

I didn't think Rukbat's was a snarky comment. It's the truth.
Even will a regular full size camera - the digital zoom isn't all that effective either.
No camera phone is perfect. The vaunted iPhone's camera has issues like the N4, N5 or One, when there is a shadow on your subject matter in broad daylight.

You buy the smartphone for the most features you can afford recognizing the camera on all of them is subpar vs. a full size camera.

 

The op at no point made a reference to wanting their phone to be as good as a camera. The only thing they want is for a better one than the nexus 4, which all of the phones mentioned do have. All they want is for some help in choosing the best one, without any reference to buying a camera.

 

Dropping $350-$500 more for a fone with a limited camera is not the smart play.
The proper response has always been if you need a better camera - carry a camera not wishing your phone was a better camera.

 

Maybe try understanding the op point of view, rather than spouting off your own agenda.

It is not the proper response to ignore someone's perfectly sensible question - which of these phones has the best camera.

There has been no mention of how the phone is intended to be used as a camera, but you eagerly jump in saying to buy a camera. Why even bother to have a camera on a phone with an attitude like that.

 

I think we've established what angiembfl is looking for, so lets move on please.

I've found Camera Zoom FX or Pro Capture pretty good alternative camera apps and whilst not amazing, they do offer slight improvements and a few more options than the stock camera app on the N4.

 

Will the improvements in 4.4.1 make it to the nexus 4?

 

I'm not sure, I'm currently looking for a changelog for the N4.

I think it's just the N5 though: https://plus.google.com/+Nexus/posts/YW8sTPpVN8W

 

D'you know, I'd never even considered using the zoom feature. As it's digital zoom, I always though you might as well take the picture without zooming then crop / expand it.

 

Yes, and of course it gives you far more options to get the composition right

There's not really any advantage to digital zoom and lots of disadvantages compared with cropping later.