Isn't this the big Question?
Never have I been so fuzzy about choosing a phone. I have got hold of LG G2 (which got warm, produces antutu scores of louzy 20 000, has aggressive noise reduction on photos and a screen that did not survive a 20 cm droptest after 24 hours - now in repair) and currently a 48 hour old Z1 that produces a little less noise and does not get overly hot dueing captures after the last update, but eats away battery when capturing photos. These new devices. I was actually seriously considering requesting my old xperia S back!
After googling for 12 hours I could not find answers to the following question, so I sent the questions to Sony and are waiting for an answer:
1. Is it a sensor\hardware or a software issue that produces this amount of grain and noize, particulary in the 50% peripheral part of the picture?
I used the perfectly evely lit computer screen matrix to test before and after the update. There is an actual improvement. A macro shot before the update showed marked noize in the periphery. It still does after the latest update, but it is far from as bad! It is still worse than note 3 i suspect.
This makes me inclined to say that the lenses (under macro shots at least) has peripheral distortion. The best optics one always gets when having as few lenses as possible in the objective. I guess there are quite a few in z1 compared to the competition?
2. Some rumour say that different batches of phones are of different quality. Needless to say: this has been the case on some previous massproduced gadgeds, and different fabrics might have different production quality. I have read that low quality items often are sold slightly cheaper on Ebay. So; anyone got some more "evidence" to prove such a suspicion for Z1? If so: what batches should we try to avoid?
krimskram said:
I think this is the big question. Never have I been so fuzzy about choosing a phone. I have got hold of LG G2 (which got warm, produces antutu scores of louzy 20 000, has aggressive noise reduction on photos and a screen that did not survive a 20 cm droptest after 24 hours - now in repair) and currently a 48 hour old Z1 that produces a little less noize after the last update, but eats away battery when capturing photos and occasionally gets so warm that it shuts down the camera app. Crikey! These new devices. I was actually seriously considering requesting my old xperia S back!
After googling for 12 hours I could not find answers to the following, so I sent the questions to Sony and are waiting for an answer:
1. Is it a sensor\hardware or a software issue that produces this amount of grain and noize, particulary in the 50% peripheral part of the picture?
Without uploading any picture: the computer screen matrix is evenly lit and "perfect". A macro shot before the update showed marked noize in the periphery. It still does after the latest update, but it is far from as good. This makes me inclined to say that the lenses (under macro shots at least) has peripheral distortion.
2. Some rumour say that different batches of phones are of different quality. Needless to say: this has been the case on some previous massproduced gadgeds, and different fabrics might have different production quality. I have read that low quality items often are sold slightly cheaper on Ebay. So; anyone got some more "evidence" to prove such a suspicion for Z1? If so: what batches should we try to avoid?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I have used a g2 and the z1 quite a bit. The Z1 seems to have better software. I don't care about benchmarks as they all cheat anyway. But the better software definitely makes the z1 feel snappier. I haven't noticed any major difference in apps though. The lg launcher is slow.
The camera on the g2 is OK. It is decent all round and in good light can be stunning. It takes consistently decent shots. The camera on the z1 feels totally broken even with the latest software update. I suspect there must be a hardware fault. I have yet to take a single picture I am happy with in any light conditions and it is useless in low light.
Does anyone else think we have a hardware issue here with the Z1?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
The Jones said:
So I have used a g2 and the z1 quite a bit. The Z1 seems to have better software. I don't care about benchmarks as they all cheat anyway. But the better software definitely makes the z1 feel snappier. I haven't noticed any major difference in apps though. The lg launcher is slow.
The camera on the g2 is OK. It is decent all round and in good light can be stunning. It takes consistently decent shots. The camera on the z1 feels totally broken even with the latest software update. I suspect there must be a hardware fault. I have yet to take a single picture I am happy with in any light conditions and it is useless in low light.
Does anyone else think we have a hardware issue here with the Z1?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well not mine, I also used G2 and now z1. My z1 takes better photo in low light.
Maybe its your z1 only...
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
marc_ecko28 said:
Well not mine, I also used G2 and now z1. My z1 takes better photo in low light.
Maybe its your z1 only...
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe. I do wonder if I have a faulty unit. It is so poor and shots have no detail, a ton of noise, poor focus.
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk
That's a real issue of viewpoint. In and by itself the Z1 camera isn't "bad" and the 245 firmware update fixed many issues, such as the purple fringing and the oversharpening. It doesn't however, bring the camera into "amazing" land.
Sony's much-touted DxOMark scores aren't all that cut out. While video pulls the device in second place, after the Nokia 808 and before the iPhone 5s, if you look at images alone it's 6th place, after Nokia, iPhone, and the Samsung Galaxy S4. In terms of clarity, if you neglect autofocus, the iPhone 5, non-S, beats it as well.
That's still great for a phone camera, it's just sad that the much hyped November model, running on excellent hardware, gets beat by the June model from Samsung. If you do a lot of video in good light and shoot only manual then you have a decent camera phone. If you want to go out and replace your point and shoot with this thing on a field trip or vacation, there are six or seven older phones that beat the Z1 in picture quality.
Now, I believe that 99% of those issues are software issues. Technically Sony's approach is sound. The BIONZ processor is one of the best IP on the market in this bracket, the Exmor RS backlit sensor used in the Z1 is also used in the iPhone 5s and RX100, and a powerhouse. So that stuff is there. The mini G-lens has great spatial properties and is one of the best when it comes to luminance. What doesn't seem to work so well is all in the software portion of the equation.
I am not giving up on Sony. I have great hardware, I hope firm- and software will catch up.
Software is something they will change, even though Sony have a bad track record in Software you should have seen the Xperia S, I had it for a few days before I had a refund, software was unbearable with the random reboots. There getting better every time.
I was not very happy with camera until last week but I received latest update and I can't be happier
Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I'm still amazed that these threads are popping up. It's like I'm using a completely different product from the rest of you, I swear.
Sure, low-light images can be a little noisy and grainy but guess what; so are ones from my point-and-shoot - there are very few stand-alone cameras in this bracket (around the £150 mark) that are entirely noise free in low light. The noise is far from "terrible" especially with the most recent firmware, and the up-side to it all is that I'm able to take picture in far lower lighting than I've even been able to on a phone before.
Here's the thing: Superior Auto, though now very much improved, still uses an ISO that borders on the insane. In low light, just put the phone on manual (I'd recommend 4:3) and snap away. Less noise and very detailed results. Indeed, the latest firmware means that both 20mp and 8mp manual shots are very respectable in low light.
I was walking around the National Railway Museum in York yesterday, taking pictures with both the QX10 and the Z1 - in many instances, the Z1 was sharper or, at least, just as sharp. And the lighting was poor.
I also did a side-by-side with my old C905 the other day. Until this point, I would've (still) put it up against any smartphone camera on the market (to me, it was Sony's last "great" camera phone). The Z1's 8mp shots were consistently better, with the exception of the Zenon Flash shot.
In response to the OP, however; the G-lens is highly convex. This results in some barreling in the corners of the image and means that the centre will always be ever-so-slightly sharper than the rest of the image (the effect is small, however). Nothing can be done about this - many point and shoot cameras and DSLR's are the same. I've had quite outstanding results from mine.
Sounds like your camera might be better than mine. Maybe what we should to is to compare shots where everyone takes a photo of the same item? I cannot think of anything easier an more available perfectly lit surface than a computer or notepad screen completley white on max luminance.
Anyway, even though my camera has some obvious distortion, it is nothing more or less than what is revealed in the numerous reviews. However - some morons have posted, what seems to be, og DSLR photos on the xperia blog an some other places claiming it to be produced with a Z1. I guess some people live to annoy other people.
Regarding the last awesome cameraphone from Sony I will give xperia S my vote. It did get a lot of pepper but it shined after several updates, and after I realized there was a prefabric screenprotector that were scratched, not my screen. Not using 2 screen protectors did help. The camera on X S excelled i macro shots and were great allround. For most users sony HOWEVER decided to kill the phone with the last update making it slow and less responsive. It lost the premium feel. An obvious sales trix. Sony replied to my question about the slow XS that "It is to be expected as your phone is too slow to effextuvley handle our new update". Well well.
Xperia S had a troublesome birth and death. For most of the time it shined. I hope this is what we are experiencing with the Z1.
krimskram said:
Sounds like your camera might be better than mine. Maybe what we should to is to compare shots where everyone takes a photo of the same item? I cannot think of anything easier an more available perfectly lit surface than a computer or notepad screen completley white on max luminance.
Anyway, even though my camera has some obvious distortion, it is nothing more or less than what is revealed in the numerous reviews. However - some morons have posted, what seems to be, og DSLR photos on the xperia blog an some other places claiming it to be produced with a Z1. I guess some people live to annoy other people.
Regarding the last awesome cameraphone from Sony I will give xperia S my vote. It did get a lot of pepper but it shined after several updates, and after I realized there was a prefabric screenprotector that were scratched, not my screen. Not using 2 screen protectors did help. The camera on X S excelled i macro shots and were great allround. For most users sony HOWEVER decided to kill the phone with the last update making it slow and less responsive. It lost the premium feel. An obvious sales trix. Sony replied to my question about the slow XS that "It is to be expected as your phone is too slow to effextuvley handle our new update". Well well.
Xperia S had a troublesome birth and death. For most of the time it shined. I hope this is what we are experiencing with the Z1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had an Xperia S and, yes, it did take very detailed shots. It's white balance wasn't always the best, however, and it was fairly terrible in poor lighting. I high contrast shots, though, the C905 would give better results - I did quite a bit of testing between the two
For examples of my work with the Z1, please look here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157635983420745/
jluster said:
That's a real issue of viewpoint. In and by itself the Z1 camera isn't "bad" and the 245 firmware update fixed many issues, such as the purple fringing and the oversharpening. It doesn't however, bring the camera into "amazing" land.
Sony's much-touted DxOMark scores aren't all that cut out. While video pulls the device in second place, after the Nokia 808 and before the iPhone 5s, if you look at images alone it's 6th place, after Nokia, iPhone, and the Samsung Galaxy S4. In terms of clarity, if you neglect autofocus, the iPhone 5, non-S, beats it as well.
That's still great for a phone camera, it's just sad that the much hyped November model, running on excellent hardware, gets beat by the June model from Samsung. If you do a lot of video in good light and shoot only manual then you have a decent camera phone. If you want to go out and replace your point and shoot with this thing on a field trip or vacation, there are six or seven older phones that beat the Z1 in picture quality.
Now, I believe that 99% of those issues are software issues. Technically Sony's approach is sound. The BIONZ processor is one of the best IP on the market in this bracket, the Exmor RS backlit sensor used in the Z1 is also used in the iPhone 5s and RX100, and a powerhouse. So that stuff is there. The mini G-lens has great spatial properties and is one of the best when it comes to luminance. What doesn't seem to work so well is all in the software portion of the equation.
I am not giving up on Sony. I have great hardware, I hope firm- and software will catch up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that is really annoying thing with Sony, they obviously haven't learnt anything from Xperia Z launch, release substandard firmware in the final release to public that everyone uses to review, therefore gets reviews that are not as good as they could have been, which will loose them sales. If they want to reach their goal of Number 2 Android selling phone. They have to wake up, trawl through the main forums, and review sites and make sure the phone they release is top notch, and make tiny tweaks later on.
Really why can't Sony get their sensor to work as well as Apple? Surely they should be able to get the most out of their sensors than anyone else?
The only substandard part of the hardware that I have noticed moving to Sony is the accelerometer and GPS accuracy, the rest has been robust and fixed with firmware updates.
If you want to get the best from the camera, you must run in manual mode. Because the software makes some pretty bad decisions a lot of the time.
Timaustin2000 said:
I had an Xperia S and, yes, it did take very detailed shots. It's white balance wasn't always the best, however, and it was fairly terrible in poor lighting. I high contrast shots, though, the C905 would give better results - I did quite a bit of testing between the two
For examples of my work with the Z1, please look here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157635983420745/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice shots! I've been scratching my head though with one of the shots you had, the one of the food / burger stall.
It seemed REALLY sharp and detailed so I looked in the exif data and saw it was ISO 64 / 100! Shutter speed was just a mere 1/8s so I'm wondering how did that happen with that particular low-light scenario?
The other pictures I can relate to
Here are a couple shots I took (though not as good as yours I am thinking)
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6YHwWcrqzNhbEtLUGFKNmk1SVU&usp=sharing
All taken in Manual Mode too (plant / garden shots are taken in 153 firmware)
bloodfire1004 said:
Nice shots! I've been scratching my head though with one of the shots you had, the one of the food / burger stall.
It seemed REALLY sharp and detailed so I looked in the exif data and saw it was ISO 64 / 100! Shutter speed was just a mere 1/8s so I'm wondering how did that happen with that particular low-light scenario?
The other pictures I can relate to
Here are a couple shots I took (though not as good as yours I am thinking)
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6YHwWcrqzNhbEtLUGFKNmk1SVU&usp=sharing
All taken in Manual Mode too (plant / garden shots are taken in 153 firmware)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The burger stall image was actually taken with Superior Auto (I know!). It decided to throw the phone into "Spotlight" shooting mode and that was the result. A very good result.
By the way, I really like your Garden party image. Well exposed, nicely detailed.
I completely agree with the comments, above, about Sony missing a trick by releasing hardware with incomplete software. There was a very distinct feeling of the camera firmware being unfinished on release. It is now firing on all cylinders but the review damage has been done.
You can see the difference when you look at GSM Arena's initial review of the phone and their following camera comparisons, post update. One is "disappointed", the others are full of praise.
And Sony have no-one to blame but themselves, for that.
Timaustin2000 said:
The burger stall image was actually taken with Superior Auto (I know!). It decided to throw the phone into "Spotlight" shooting mode and that was the result. A very good result.
By the way, I really like your Garden party image. Well exposed, nicely detailed.
I completely agree with the comments, above, about Sony missing a trick by releasing hardware with incomplete software. There was a very distinct feeling of the camera firmware being unfinished on release. It is now firing on all cylinders but the review damage has been done.
You can see the difference when you look at GSM Arena's initial review of the phone and their following camera comparisons, post update. One is "disappointed", the others are full of praise.
And Sony have no-one to blame but themselves, for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, basically everyone so far think it is a software issue.
I took some afternoon shots driving in 80 . The camera performs - now- without noise and got a crisp picture at what must be a really low shutterspeed. WTF?!
A situation Im never likøey to ever use the camera in again. Sigh, at drive by shooting it excels.
At indoor shots, it is agamble. Even with thenew firmware. It i proves markedly by manual exposure.
A total conclusion: it would be interrestimg having raw file possibilties. The camera is markedly better after the firmware update, and having the features in the camera button I am very pleased, however, where Im likley to use the camera most , indoors, it really needs an overhaul. I dont aleays have the time to enter manual mode! It is annoying that it defaults to full auto. Let me diecide!
Any other opinions
krimskram said:
So, basically everyone so far think it is a software issue.
I took some afternoon shots driving in 80 . The camera performs - now- without noise and got a crisp picture at what must be a really low shutterspeed. WTF?!
A situation Im never likøey to ever use the camera in again. Sigh, at drive by shooting it excels.
At indoor shots, it is agamble. Even with thenew firmware. It i proves markedly by manual exposure.
A total conclusion: it would be interrestimg having raw file possibilties. The camera is markedly better after the firmware update, and having the features in the camera button I am very pleased, however, where Im likley to use the camera most , indoors, it really needs an overhaul. I dont aleays have the time to enter manual mode! It is annoying that it defaults to full auto. Let me diecide!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, any other opinions?
krimskram said:
So, any other opinions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One: you can set your camera to launch in Manual from the launcher dock without having to re-set it. Just add a "shortcut" to your homescreen, select camera and select manual. Pop that in the docked section at the bottom of the screen and you'll always have quick access to it.
Just a shame they don't give you the option to launch camera in manual by long-pressing the camera button.
Oh, and to the fella above who says that there are "6 other models" from earlier in the year that will beat the XZ1 in good light? With respect, I'm going to disagree: There's no way that an S4, One or G2 can beat the Z1 in good light - and I'm not sure I could point to any other Android that does. (note: the iPhone 5 isn't as good but the 5s comes darned close,... in good light. Thought it over-saturates light a *****).
The S4 over-saturates, the G2 has even worse post-processing than Sony (it's artifact central on a G2 - FAR too much artificial sharpening) and the One? Well, it's the One, isn't it? Yuck. And the Z1 has better detail and dynamic range than all of the above in good light - it has been remarked on numerous times in a good many reviews.
The only place it really falls down is exposure - sometimes it blows out light objects if left to it's own devices. But you have an exposure toggle to fix that so problem solved.
In all honesty, I don't think I've ever been as happy with a phone camera. In any light.
Related
I think this is the big question. Never have I been so fuzzy about choosing a phone. I have got hold of LG G2 (which got warm, produces antutu scores of louzy 20 000, has aggressive noise reduction on photos and a screen that did not survive a 20 cm droptest after 24 hours - now in repair) and currently a 48 hour old Z1 that produces a little less noize after the last update, but eats away battery when capturing photos and occasionally gets so warm that it shuts down the camera app. Crikey! These new devices. I was actually seriously considering requesting my old xperia S back!
After googling for 12 hours I could not find answers to the following, so I sent the questions to Sony and are waiting for an answer:
1. Is it a sensor\hardware or a software issue that produces this amount of grain and noize, particulary in the 50% peripheral part of the picture?
Without uploading any picture: the computer screen matrix is evenly lit and "perfect". A macro shot before the update showed marked noize in the periphery. It still does after the latest update, but it is far from as good. This makes me inclined to say that the lenses (under macro shots at least) has peripheral distortion.
2. Some rumour say that different batches of phones are of different quality. Needless to say: this has been the case on some previous massproduced gadgeds, and different fabrics might have different production quality. I have read that low quality items often are sold slightly cheaper on Ebay. So; anyone got some more "evidence" to prove such a suspicion for Z1? If so: what batches should we try to avoid?
To be honest, i think you should avoid Sony completely and do all of us a favour, if you are not prepared to read or search threads then you are not worthy of Sony or any other products. 'Pensky Material' you are not!
At the very least use the built in spell checker!
I am seriously considering the Z3 Compact - they have fixed almost all the limitations I was concerned about
and unlike Galaxy Alpha have a large Battery, SD Card, and fairly powerful Speakers.
The Camera performance is according to some Reviews equal to Iphone5s ,slightly better in some ways but some say closer to Galaxy S5.
Either way hands on reviewers suggest that the new Sensor is not maximized by the Software Engineers.
Will we see an Update from Sony which will be a major step up .
robertkoa said:
I am seriously considering the Z3 Compact - they have fixed almost all the limitations I was concerned about
and unlike Galaxy Alpha have a large Battery, SD Card, and fairly powerful Speakers.
The Camera performance is according to some Reviews equal to Iphone5s ,slightly better in some ways but some say closer to Galaxy S5.
Either way hands on reviewers suggest that the new Sensor is not maximized by the Software Engineers.
Will we see an Update from Sony which will be a major step up .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android L will bring a completely new camera implementation :good:
robertkoa said:
I am seriously considering the Z3 Compact - they have fixed almost all the limitations I was concerned about
and unlike Galaxy Alpha have a large Battery, SD Card, and fairly powerful Speakers.
The Camera performance is according to some Reviews equal to Iphone5s ,slightly better in some ways but some say closer to Galaxy S5.
Either way hands on reviewers suggest that the new Sensor is not maximized by the Software Engineers.
Will we see an Update from Sony which will be a major step up .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion the pictures/videos really depend on the situation. Sometimes the Sony's are better sometimes other phones. The phones do fairly poor in low light situations.
Dsteppa said:
In my opinion the pictures/videos really depend on the situation. Sometimes the Sony's are better sometimes other phones. The phones do fairly poor in low light situations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
I wonder how well they will perform in well lit interiors with flourescent and incandescent lighting and if they can enable some better
semi automated easy 20 megapixel modes
Or , merely maximize the 20 megapixel mode to be a top performer.
And add a few 20 megapixel Auto Modes.
geronimoid said:
Android L will bring a completely new camera implementation :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android L isn't going to be some miracle for the average user...
From I recall it'll give third party apps more access to and control over the camera.
King p1n said:
Android L isn't going to be some miracle for the average user...
From I recall it'll give third party apps more access to and control over the camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm more interested in what Sony will add to the package than the OS itself. This source claims a replacement for SA mode.
i'd say its a good chance that the camera firmware gets update sometime close to launch. This has been the case i've noticed for Sony phones...always a camera fix and always a little after launch. I could be wrong though.
robertkoa said:
Thanks.
I wonder how well they will perform in well lit interiors with flourescent and incandescent lighting and if they can enable some better
semi automated easy 20 megapixel modes
Or , merely maximize the 20 megapixel mode to be a top performer.
And add a few 20 megapixel Auto Modes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The full resolution images will always look worse than the downscaled ones. The 8mp superior auto pictures are created from 20mp images using a procedure called 'oversampling', which results in sharper images with less noise (a 20mp image is shrunken and resampled). But Sony's resampling algorithm just isn't very good. When I take a 20mp test image from a review and downscale it to the 8mp dimensions myself, using irfanview, I get a much cleaner and sharper looking result.
Sony X3 Compact Camera Resolution
Thanks DeGraff-
You would think Sony would have a better Algorithm for Downsampling an Image from 20 megapixel down to 8 megapixel than you are using-
Unless the algorithms that.do this well are math /CPU Intensive and would require too much time to process ?
As it stands the Sony XperiaZ3 Conmpact and Xperia Z3 seem to be on still
Images slightly below the sharpness of Iphone 5s , Galaxy S5, and LG G3
on most that I have seen, these photos are Online and I am viewing on a low res
phone but that's what I am seeing.
I want to be able to take some good photos for slide shows etc. and to email presentations- Galaxy S5 is sharper but TOO BIG to carry.
I hope SONY develops better Software but if they could, they would have already right ?
Is it possible to put a caption below each photo on Xperia?
Will image quality improve on software update ?
Better Downsampling Algorithm for Z Cameras ?
After I get my Z3 I would DEFINITELY pay $ 20 for a proven set of
Camera Downsizing Algorithms , one for Macro , one for Indoor Shots etc.
Could this possibly happen with Developers or as a Co - effort with Sony and Devs ?
Why doesn't Sony have Camera Software equal to Apple and Samsung.
You guys are Devs. Is digital noise reduction and correction so expensive and
hard to develop that Sony can't do it ?
Are there only 3 Guys that have the Math ?
Lol.
robertkoa said:
After I get my Z3 I would DEFINITELY pay $ 20 for a proven set of
Camera Downsizing Algorithms , one for Macro , one for Indoor Shots etc.
Could this possibly happen with Developers or as a Co - effort with Sony and Devs ?
Why doesn't Sony have Camera Software equal to Apple and Samsung.
You guys are Devs. Is digital noise reduction and correction so expensive and
hard to develop that Sony can't do it ?
Are there only 3 Guys that have the Math ?
Lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that I think of it, it might have to do with the split between Sony and Ericsson. Since the Sony Xperia Z, Sony decided to make their own phones, I don't know what they did with the people that work at Ericsson, but I assume they didn't took over everyone. So it might be a reason, that they have some people with lesser experience.
Sent from my D5803
I will be getting the USA Sony Unlocked D5803 which is the same as the Europe
Version except more money but enables a $79.99 great warranty including the
Butterfly Glass breaking ( my nickname lol).
Hopefully SONY got some GG3 or Dragontrail on these latest production runs.
I hope they tweak the Auto Modes in Android L and add some User,Presets for
different shots.
Either way, the Camera has been compared a tier below the Big,Boys
Iphone6, Note 4, etc. still good but with tweaking, or for example 2 different
Downsizing Algorithms, and a few tricks could be right up there....
You Devs who work with Photo Algorithms, a serious opportunity for a
big dollar App here , right ?
I will pay$20 , maybe $40 for an App that kicks a Z3C into top Lumia Category...
robertkoa said:
I will be getting the USA Sony Unlocked D5803 which is the same as the Europe
Version except more money but enables a $79.99 great warranty including the
Butterfly Glass breaking ( my nickname lol).
Hopefully SONY got some GG3 or Dragontrail on these latest production runs.
I hope they tweak the Auto Modes in Android L and add some User,Presets for
different shots.
Either way, the Camera has been compared a tier below the Big,Boys
Iphone6, Note 4, etc. still good but with tweaking, or for example 2 different
Downsizing Algorithms, and a few tricks could be right up there....
You Devs who work with Photo Algorithms, a serious opportunity for a
big dollar App here , right ?
I will pay$20 , maybe $40 for an App that kicks a Z3C into top Lumia Category...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some time ago, I emailed the developer of an app called "Open Camera" asking if he would add an option to simulate oversampling by automatically downsampling maximum-resolution photos. He liked the idea and he said he will try to add such a feature some time in the near future. It will be the first third-party android camera app to ever simulate oversampling. I'm curious to see he will manage to use a better downsampling algorythm than the one used by superior auto mode.
Thanks De Graff : you might want to tell this Dev that is he can get sharper photos
perhaps by using 3 Different Downsizing Algorithms:
One for Indoors, one for Indoors with Flash etc etc or maybe one that only downsizes from 20.7 to the 15 megapixel setting ?
And tell him many of us will PAY if he gets less noise, sharper, better exposure.
Xperia MAX Cam-maximize your Z3.
With it looking like the nexus 6 will perhaps be a bigger moto x, can anyone tell me what the camera is in medium light?
My note 3 takes really poor pictures and lags taking shots indoors unless in bright sunlight. Most of the time I get a blurr where my son has moved before its taken the shot.
I'm considering ditching samsung as the note 4 sounds to be just the same.
Any info much appreciated
With normal shots it gets grainy in places with shadows in any lighting situation. In low light situation it is very grainy, in fact the Moto G 2014 take less grainy pictures in low light. This is also software things related to post processing technology, not so much the hardware.
In order to get great pictures with this phone and prevent grains, I use HDR mode, which will significantly improve the details in the shadows and also significantly reduce grains.
Unfortunately the camera is still not good, particularly in low light situations. My old S4 and even an iPhone 5S have way better cameras...
I've been disappointed in the camera and feel like it's performing worse than my old phone (Moto X 2013). I've tried different settings without success, but I haven't tried a different app. What I've read says it uses the same sensor as the G3, which does quite well with pictures, so I'm guessing it's either the optics or software. If it's the latter, then it could improve.
Sent from my XT1096 using XDA Premium HD app
I wish they would have included OIS, if I rest the phone on something and hold it completely still I can get pretty decent shots
After repeated attempts, including stabilizing with a rail, this was the best picture I could get in an outdoor setting in overcast daylight. The others were blurrier and noisier. This one is still pretty bad (zoom in to see how bad). Hopefully they'll update the camera software and improve things.
Sent from my XT1096 using XDA Premium HD app
I don't have the phone, I should not comment, but I have seen at least 100 samples from different sources, anyone can if wants, and to my eyes the camera might be slightly better in capturing details under bright light, but it is significantly worse in low light when compared with previous generation's X. Yes, it's normal, as the previous OMV sensor was meant to capture more light, but this Sony one doesn't, but that can't be a reason to not match G3's or S4's IQ while they all have the same sensor! Okay, not same IQ, but at least this sensor should give those phones some minimum competition right? But nah, it doesn't! I literally have no idea what and how Motorola messed up with the sensor! Also notice that the camera is still inconsistent. One shot looks pretty fine, and the other looks awful! Exposure too is all over the place!
In simple words, in 2014, this picture quality is not acceptable. And I am extremely sad and disappointed with that.
Lipito said:
Unfortunately the camera is still not good, particularly in low light situations. My old S4 and even an iPhone 5S have way better cameras...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. Motorola still hasn't "caught up" to the competition when it comes to cameras. The S4 takes far better pictures. If MOTOROLA is producing the Nexus 6 then that also gives me pause, despite the beefy specs.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Free mobile app
I am in the market for a new phone. I use an old Samsung S3 now. The Z3Compact seems perfect, but my only concern is the camera. I use my phone as my main camera, but general consensus seems to be that it is not as good as the camera on the S5 of iPhone6. I like to shoot directly in HDR mode, but that seems to be a problem on the Z3. Without rooting, could I install the Google Camera apk and if so, would the Z3C be able to use the HDR mode from the Google Camera app?
Or should I change my plans and go for the S5?
The Google camera app on the Play Store installs fine. I'll post some comparison shots later this morning.
My sister has an S3 and we were taking comparison photos in her kitchen yesterday - obviously the z3c is a significant step up in quality from the S3, though I realize that's not really your question.
Thanks! And it is no problem to use the HDR setting in the Google Camera app? On my Nexus 7 the HDR is greyed-out in the Google Camera App, it will nog show up on every device i read in the Google Q&A
Google camera app permits HDR on the z3c.
Sony camera app also has HDR toggle in manual mode, but is grayed out if resolution is set higher than 8mp.
I know of several reviews claiming that Sony's Superior Auto mode isn't HDR, but since that mode captures at 8mp I'm wondering if it doesn't use it's internal HDR algorithm in auto mode, despite what I've seen the reviewers claim. I can't really tell the difference between Superior Auto and Manual 8mp HDR photos taken with the Sony camera app.
---------- Post added at 12:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 PM ----------
Ok, here are some comparison pictures of the Z3C's camera, using both the Sony Camera App, and the Google Camera App from the Play store.
I have uploaded the pictures to an imgur album, and added descriptions for the six photos. Just for clarity's sake, I should mention I am not really into photography that much, and my skills are probably not up to par for composing or technique, so take that into account.
There are six pictures (they're labeled appropriately in the album, but I'm reproducing them here so people can decide if they're interested before viewing them, since the images are large):
1) Sony App, Superior Auto setting (8mp), No Flash
2) Sony App, Superior Auto setting (8mp), Flash
3) Sony App, Manual Setting at 20mp, No Flash
4) Sony App, Manual Setting at 20mp, Flash
5) Google App, HDR setting at 20mp, No Flash
6) Google App, HDR setting at 20mp, Flash
Here is the link to the imgur album:
http://imgur.com/a/KjL4D#0
Hope this is helpful.
I just did a quick Google cam vs stock cam test myself. The stock cam in auto mode definitely takes pics that are a little on the cold side. In manual mode though, it was more accurate. The google cam seemed more or less the same. I'm sticking with the stock Sony cam.
DrPanz said:
I am in the market for a new phone. I use an old Samsung S3 now. The Z3Compact seems perfect, but my only concern is the camera. I use my phone as my main camera, but general consensus seems to be that it is not as good as the camera on the S5 of iPhone6. I like to shoot directly in HDR mode, but that seems to be a problem on the Z3. Without rooting, could I install the Google Camera apk and if so, would the Z3C be able to use the HDR mode from the Google Camera app?
Or should I change my plans and go for the S5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People shouldn't act as if the camera is bad, it's not bad at all. Just in some situations it under performs against iOS and the S5 for example, but in other situations it' better.
Check out the topic I made for people with doubts, you can see samples there:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z3-compact/themes-apps/post-pictures-xperia-z3-compact-t2889119
Thank you. Not quite made up my mind yet. I read a lot of horrorstories on broken glass... maybe the S5 proves out to be a more secure option. Good camera, waterresistant and plastic - which in my S1 and S3 has survived a lot of drops.
I think it comes down to how important the form factor and potential battery life advantages are over other stuff.
There are choices with slightly better cameras and certainly ones less vulnerable to accidental damage.
For me, coming off Nexus 5 and Note 3, I am really prioritizing battery longevity, pocket friendliness and better one-handed comfort and use. So far I'm pleased but it's still early days so the jury's still out for me.
Be sure you can live with TouchWiz and other Samsung bloat (bugs with erroneous Knox warnings on the AT&T Note 3 model nearly drove me crazy). It really ruined my Note 3 experience for me and is what drove me to the Nexus 5, which in turn was somewhat spoiled by awful battery life despite rooting and aggressively optimizing (to the point of limiting usefulness) power consumption. Never got more than 8-10 realistic hours on the 5 no matter what I tried.
Form factor is great. As is battery life. That's one side. Other side is the camera, and how it stands up to a drop from the pocket. That last bit worries me.
Well I haven't had the Sony long enough to try and convince you the advantages outweigh the drawbacks - I may drop mine and destroy it this afternoon!
But I'm not sure any unprotected high end smartphone stands all that good a chance of surviving any particular dropping incident, and adding a protective case to a smaller device still nets you a slightly larger small device that is still a a lot smaller profile than a bigger device with a protective case. Just my. 02 worth.
It's not only dropping, but also spontanious cracks when carrying the Z3C in te front pocket. of your jeans. Been reading a lot of reports on that the last days.
Most of those reports are duplicates. Only a few confirmed cases.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
As far as I'm concerned, every other phone has more so-called "dealbreakers" than the Z3C. This phone has so many plusses that outweigh any possible negatives that people need to imagine faults and come up with ridiculous issues not to get it, and that's their loss.
In this German test of the Z3C the back panel cracked spontaniously:
http://www.areamobile.de/handys/4275-sony-xperia-z3-compact/testbericht
Sony states it was an isolated incident. Yeah...
DrPanz said:
I am in the market for a new phone. I use an old Samsung S3 now. The Z3Compact seems perfect, but my only concern is the camera. I use my phone as my main camera, but general consensus seems to be that it is not as good as the camera on the S5 of iPhone6. I like to shoot directly in HDR mode, but that seems to be a problem on the Z3. Without rooting, could I install the Google Camera apk and if so, would the Z3C be able to use the HDR mode from the Google Camera app?
Or should I change my plans and go for the S5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you like to take nature photos, and if you are planning to watch the photos on something larger than the phone display, the Z3/compact is a bad choice. In this post is a comparison with the galaxy note 3
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=55980596&postcount=127
Now, this is viewing the pixels 1:1, which probably most people won't bother with. But even when scaling down this particular photo to about 2MP, the compression artifacts can still be noticed, and the GN3 photo is the better one! And it definitely proves that in certain cases, like photos with much detail, there are much better cameras out there.
But in other cases the Z3 camera produces beautiful images (if you don't look too closely), and it is great for low light photos. But for anything with trees or grass - definitely no!
radicans said:
If you like to take nature photos, and if you are planning to watch the photos on something larger than the phone display, the Z3/compact is a bad choice. In this post is a comparison with the galaxy note 3
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=55980596&postcount=127
Now, this is viewing the pixels 1:1, which probably most people won't bother with. But even when scaling down this particular photo to about 2MP, the compression artifacts can still be noticed, and the GN3 photo is the better one! And it definitely proves that in certain cases, like photos with much detail, there are much better cameras out there.
But in other cases the Z3 camera produces beautiful images (if you don't look too closely), and it is great for low light photos. But for anything with trees or grass - definitely no!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. the camera performance issues, the fact that HDR is a bit of a hustle to reach, and the reports of cracking displays have made me nervous enough to put my plans for buying the Z3C on hold, and maybe buy the S5. Not as pretty as the Z3C, but it may prove out to be a safe choice for now.
DrPanz said:
Thanks. the camera performance issues, the fact that HDR is a bit of a hustle to reach, and the reports of cracking displays have made me nervous enough to put my plans for buying the Z3C on hold, and maybe buy the S5. Not as pretty as the Z3C, but it may prove out to be a safe choice for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The HDR is easy, you just have to set it to 8MP or less, then HDR switch becomes available. And with the Z3 there is no point whatsoever to shoot in anything larger than 8MP anyway!
But yeah, if I would have known about the camera compression/oversharpening issues I would have settled for another phone. And speaking of compression, the funny thing is that in the comparison photos i posted, the file size of the inferior Z3 photo is about twice as large over the galaxy note photo!! Nice one Sony..
What would have been the smartphone you would have chosen in stead?
Well, there are not many options, if you want to keep pocketability, form factor and dedicated camera button.
I have some nice results with Pro Capture, but compared to stock camera app with a little touch of post processing (Snapseed e.g.), the camera is capable of some nice shots. But it's nothing THAT special really.
Still, beats my Nexus5 in terms of focus speed, which is kinda important for me, so...
But, YMMV.
DrPanz said:
What would have been the smartphone you would have chosen in stead?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I really want the "small" form factor of Z3c, but without compromises. So that leaves most phones out I guess. Samsung galaxy alpha would have been nice, if it wasn't for the battery time and the big price tag. Probably would have waited with the purchase another 6 months or so, and see what the market looked like at that point.
I know I have ranted lots on the camera, but all things considered, it's still a great phone!
Sending back my Nexus 6p to replace with op3t been wanting this phone for some time. Aside from asking many different questions my main thing would be the camera . Initially videos and blogs on the camera said it's in n par with a s7 or note 5 quality . But I'm hearing negative talk about the rear cam blur and clarity. Is there a known issue ? A camera mod or fix or is this just bias opinion. I guess I'll find out soon .
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA-Developers Legacy app
androidddaaron said:
Sending back my Nexus 6p to replace with op3t been wanting this phone for some time. Aside from asking many different questions my main thing would be the camera . Initially videos and blogs on the camera said it's in n par with a s7 or note 5 quality . But I'm hearing negative talk about the rear cam blur and clarity. Is there a known issue ? A camera mod or fix or is this just bias opinion. I guess I'll find out soon .
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me the camera it just fine , I mean I don't expect professional results it is a phone camera if I want better results go for a pro one
One a bright day the camera is perfect wonderful pics , but as light reduces the camera loss some quality and sharpness
I mean for 439 dlls it a good camera
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
I love this phone and the latest. Oxygen OS update fixes alot of the camera issues witch were fine according to me but im not a camera guy. I got it for the processor and 6 gigs of ram and so far this thing has only impressed at ever corner you can't go wrong with this phone especially at this price point.
I'd say given good amount of lightning, the camera gets pretty decent performance. Once its in lowlight, it definitely has some catching up to do compared to devices like S7, 6p.
There is apparently an issue with the camera on OnePlus 3T where focus stops working. I have read multiple reports now and I am affected myself. Some say this is a hardware issue and some had their phones already fixed by OnePlus. Someone else said a software update fixed it for him so maybe there are multiple issues at work. But those are all defects where the camera stops working properly. Until this happened, the camera was fine and I couldn't complain about the quality at all.
Outdoor photos with any degree of sunlight are excellent. Indoors, with any amount of sun coming through windows also are great. Indoors, with artificial lighting is where it gets trickier. The lower the light, the longer it takes to auto focus; and if your subject is moving, the pics are more likely to blur. If you have some patience, and know how to take pictures, you can get decent results. And you may have to take several photos, knowing some will have blur.
The best example would be indoor pics of my young kids (which I take a lot) which can never stand still for long, even for a picture. But even with some decent amount of artificial light, and a bit of patience, I get some very good pics most of the time.
Another option on the OP3T, is you can change the camera to "manual" mode. This allows you to manually set the ISO, white balance (type of light), etc. This can get you faster focus and better results in lower light. But not everyone may want to take the time to manually tweak these settings.
I take a good amount of smartphone pics, and the camera is important to me. Overall, I'm pleased with the camera on the OP3T. But given, I'm coming from an older phone, the HTC M8 (which is going on 3 years old). On the other hand, the amount of effort it takes to get unblurred photos on the OP3T is not out of line with when I use my DSLR camera.
Maybe a phone like the Samsung GS7 can take more focused pictures, more consistently, and with less effort. And of course there is something to be said about that. But there is also a price. Most folks who criticize the camera on the OP3T are comparing it to flagships like the iPhone 7 or Samsung GS7 which cost almost twice as much (okay, the price of phones vary a lot over time and by region - but you see what I'm getting at). The OP3T simply can't compete as it lacks the fancy features such as dual camera, laser focus + phase detection etc. which all cost money. But what you have is a phone which competes with the current flagships on almost every level (processor, RAM, build quality) with just a bit of compromise on the camera, screen resolution, and waterproofing.
came from a 6p, have had trouble getting my camera to focus, but still love the phone