Related
I just switched to TMobile yesterday and I got the LG G2. I am highly disappointed with the camera, specially the low light. I love taking photos on my cell (before this I had a Lumia 1020 which replaced my HTC One which replaced my S3) and the low light just didn't cut it.
The Z1s comes to tmobile in a week so I'm thinking of swapping it out for that. The thing is, I've heard so many mixed reviews about the Z1 and it's camera. I would love to have opinions from you all that own it. If you can compare the photos to any other phone that would be great. I was actually debating between the LG G2 and Note III and Z1, but I really think the Z1 (specs wise) might be the closest to the Lumia 1020 (which is the best smartphone camera I have EVER used....too bad it was on WP8)
Thank you in advance!
Rob
The Z1 camera is infuriating to use because it's obvious that the hardware is a beast. It's the best camera hardware you can get on an Android device. However, the software is a hit or miss. Superior auto is okay for daylight pictures but is almost unusable for lowlight pictures. However, if you take a bit of time to learn how to use the camera in manual, you will have no problem getting excellent images from the Z1. Lowlight performance is decent, better than the LG G2 but worse than the HTC One, it's just you cannot rely on Superior Auto mode to get you the best pics, usually they end up very noisy.
In daylight there is no contest, the Z1 is one of the best out there. 90% of the time Superior auto does the job well. The other 10% of time there is overexposure or noise but then you can use manual or try again and it should come out okay. Low light is tricky.
If you want a camera that 'just works' I would suggest looking at the HTC One or LG G2. However, if you are willing to spend a bit of time to explore the camera's features and functions you will love the Z1. It's definitely the most fun camera phone to use. Don't get me wrong, it's not 'bad', it's just not as good as it could be. Also, the viewfinder is one of the smoothest I've used. 60fps of awesome.
The thing about the Z1 is that is one of the best 'allround' phones. You get a premium feeling, waterproof body with the fastest processor available and an extremely good camera. There's almost nothing like it. The iPhone 5S and HTC One are probably the only other ones that can compete with the all-roundedness. The LG G2 is really good as well but IMO has a horrible, cheap looking and feeling body. For me looks matter as much as the internals because I have the phone on me at all times and is a part of me, so I want it to reflect who I am. The Z1's sharp looks do just that .
Hopefully KitKat will stabilize superior auto and make it better because it's infuriating having poor software when you have unbeatable hardware.
I will have to say that while the Camera software disappoints it really isn't that bad at all..
As far as low light pics are concerned, for me superior auto does the job well enough..and of course low light photos have the element of noise as on any camera phone but don't let it bother you too much. You will just have to compare for yourself lowlight photos between the G2 and the Z1 to see if its up to your expectations.
Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk
robamacaf said:
I just switched to TMobile yesterday and I got the LG G2. I am highly disappointed with the camera, specially the low light. I love taking photos on my cell (before this I had a Lumia 1020 which replaced my HTC One which replaced my S3) and the low light just didn't cut it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The night sky shot you took with the 1020 has a shutter delay of 4s.
Z1 has a max shutter delay in night mode of 0.8s. This is the best you have currently with android. Also the Z1 has a 2.0 aperture to the 1020's 2.2. So about 25% larger.
bear in mind the nokia's can go as slow as 4s shutter delay because WP8 allows it. So even mid range WP8 phones with nokia camera app can get the 4s shutter delay. Android at this time does not even if the hardware can support it. I see no reason why this cannot be done in the future with android if mid range WP8 phones presently allow such low shutter delay. It's an OS limitation. Another limitation with android is its not possible to manually set shutter speed or do any manual focus unlike with WP8. This limits to a certain extent or makes it harder than it would have been been with say Nokia camera.
Whereas the slowest shutter delay with the G2, note3, N5 or S4 is around 1/8s (6x faster than 0.8). What they then do is take a HDR. They cheat. This means a relatively stable hand held low light shot but if an even slower shutter speed is required then you cannot do it. Has the low light video improved on the G2 since ? as the video from examples i'd seen earlier was mostly not usable.
i have a g2, ordered z1s, z1s is beatiful phone, liked the screen and mostly everything, little snapier then g2, for some reason z1s felt a little big, battery life i was not impressed, on the first charge, 15 min screen time and down 6%, comparing to g2 where you will loose 2% tops, great phone but going back to g2, will wait for somerhing else with better cam then g2
Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
One Twelve said:
Another limitation with android is its not possible to manually set shutter speed or do any manual focus unlike with WP8. This limits to a certain extent or makes it harder than it would have been been with say Nokia camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just as a side note, the LG G2 DOES have manual focus where you can move a slider (sorta like the 1020) to focus on things.
Thank you all for the opinions. I'll have to get hands on with it I think to really get a feel for it but I'm really leaning towards it. I'd get the HTC One again in a heartbeat if it had higher MP to actually have details in the photos
Check out this video mate:
The pictures were taken on the initial software release, the software has slightly improved since then but it should gives you a good idea on how well the camera perfomes.
shem2409 said:
Check out this video mate:
The pictures were taken on the initial software release, the software has slightly improved since then but it should gives you a good idea on how well the camera perfomes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this. You put a lot of info into that video. I also watched the 3 min one you made with mostly low light pictures. Looks like the Z1 is def worth getting
robamacaf said:
Thanks for this. You put a lot of info into that video. I also watched the 3 min one you made with mostly low light pictures. Looks like the Z1 is def worth getting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I absolutely love it
I only wish the screen was better. It's not bad by any means but due to poor viewing angles the experience is not on par with other devices (oppo find 5 etc)
universal
robamacaf said:
I just switched to TMobile yesterday and I got the LG G2. I am highly disappointed with the camera, specially the low light. I love taking photos on my cell (before this I had a Lumia 1020 which replaced my HTC One which replaced my S3) and the low light just didn't cut it.
The Z1s comes to tmobile in a week so I'm thinking of swapping it out for that. The thing is, I've heard so many mixed reviews about the Z1 and it's camera. I would love to have opinions from you all that own it. If you can compare the photos to any other phone that would be great. I was actually debating between the LG G2 and Note III and Z1, but I really think the Z1 (specs wise) might be the closest to the Lumia 1020 (which is the best smartphone camera I have EVER used....too bad it was on WP8)
Thank you in advance!
Rob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a G2 and while I liked it I decided to not keep it. Just got my Z1s on Monday and was very impressed with the handful of shots I took, and find I like the Z1s all-around more than I did the G2: better design, better android skin, better battery life & performance (and the G2 was no slouch in either of those two areas), and at least based on first impressions better camera.
I am exchanging my Z1s because of some difficulty getting it to acknowledge long press while holding the phone (started a thread on that), but other than that was very happy with it and am looking forward to getting my replacement.
Any opinions on the battery life? I know the G2 and Z1 and the same sized battery and so far I've had the G2 off of charger for 6 hours and it's only at 91%. I've made some phone calls, checked emails, sent hangout messages through out the day. Connected to WIFI and 4G. It's fantastic
Battery life is not G2 good but it's still excellent. I usually get 6-8 hours screentime on, which is much better than most phones out there.
Tough decision for me, sell my G2 and payoff my EIP or keep it and sell the Z1S and profit a bit and wait for something else.
Sent from my LG-D801 using xda app-developers app
robamacaf said:
I just switched to TMobile yesterday and I got the LG G2. I am highly disappointed with the camera, specially the low light. I love taking photos on my cell (before this I had a Lumia 1020 which replaced my HTC One which replaced my S3) and the low light just didn't cut it.
The Z1s comes to tmobile in a week so I'm thinking of swapping it out for that. The thing is, I've heard so many mixed reviews about the Z1 and it's camera. I would love to have opinions from you all that own it. If you can compare the photos to any other phone that would be great. I was actually debating between the LG G2 and Note III and Z1, but I really think the Z1 (specs wise) might be the closest to the Lumia 1020 (which is the best smartphone camera I have EVER used....too bad it was on WP8)
Thank you in advance!
Rob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check My Low light photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157637726566185/
you will also find Htc One set and Comparison Set between note3 vs z1
Me also swapped the htc one with the z1
reason: Purple tint camera and very long time focusing during night and mostly out of focus
how do i compare : Z1 blew away Htc faster lock never out of focus and Better lowlight
you can see in the sets both taken with htc and z1 ... Just to mention i never used Superior Auto i always use manual @all auto .. except if i want to capture a night landscape or scene with longer exposure i choose Night Mode from scenes and rest my arm on somethings
by the way
note3 camera at night it [email protected] !
ashouhdy said:
Check My Low light photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157637726566185/
you will also find Htc One set and Comparison Set between note3 vs z1
Me also swapped the htc one with the z1
reason: Purple tint camera and very long time focusing during night and mostly out of focus
how do i compare : Z1 blew away Htc faster lock never out of focus and Better lowlight
you can see in the sets both taken with htc and z1 ... Just to mention i never used Superior Auto i always use manual @all auto .. except if i want to capture a night landscape or scene with longer exposure i choose Night Mode from scenes and rest my arm on somethings
by the way
note3 camera at night it [email protected] !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow! Those are fantastic! Thank you
I've had a play with a G2 and it's a cracking handset, but not a patch on the Z1 in terms of the on screen user experience, the LG skin looks too much like Touchwiz, which is hideous. The camera rocks, all round anyway, no phone camera I've ever come across actually performs perfectly, but the Z1 comes close.
robamacaf said:
I just switched to TMobile yesterday and I got the LG G2. I am highly disappointed with the camera, specially the low light. I love taking photos on my cell (before this I had a Lumia 1020 which replaced my HTC One which replaced my S3) and the low light just didn't cut it.
The Z1s comes to tmobile in a week so I'm thinking of swapping it out for that. The thing is, I've heard so many mixed reviews about the Z1 and it's camera. I would love to have opinions from you all that own it. If you can compare the photos to any other phone that would be great. I was actually debating between the LG G2 and Note III and Z1, but I really think the Z1 (specs wise) might be the closest to the Lumia 1020 (which is the best smartphone camera I have EVER used....too bad it was on WP8)
Thank you in advance!
Rob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Z1 is really the best camera in an Android phone. The flash sucks, specially compared to the 1020's (and the 808's, still the best camera phone by a huge margin) xenon, of course; but it's bad for a LED. However, its low light, non-flash performance is way above the rest of the pack. More comparable to the 1020's non-flash pics than to the G2's. You will also have the benefit of some lossless zoom. As a camera, it's definitely an upgrade over the S3/One/G2, and a clear downgrade all around from the 1020.
This is an interesting comparison of the Z1 with Nokia's last few cameraphones:
http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/item/18845_Smartphone_camera_shootout_the.php
Note that no non-Nokia phone had ever beaten the N8 on that site. But I'd suggest you to rate the pictures by yourself. Assign points to each, then assign a factor of importance to each category, and sum up the scores (multiplied by the importance of each category). You may come to a different conclusion than Steve.
Another interesting data point is this:
http://connect.dpreview.com/post/44...1-vs-nokia1020-vs-lgg2-vs-samsunggalaxys4zoom
Which includes a direct comparison between the Z1 and your previous two phones. I suggest the same approach, assigning your own scores and importances to come to your own conclusion.
Sorry to hijack the topic here but how does z1's camera compare to iPhone 5s' then? I was under the impression z1's was better even before the FW updates but after reading this thread I am not so sure..
fmmsf said:
Sorry to hijack the topic here but how does z1's camera compare to iPhone 5s' then? I was under the impression z1's was better even before the FW updates but after reading this thread I am not so sure..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it's WAY better. I don't have the shots with me, but when we went on vacations, my Z1's pictures were always better than my wife's 5S's. The Z1 focuses better (and faster), isn't as noisy, and exposes much better on low light. Also, the 5S has an annoying tendency of keeping the flash on for 1-2 seconds while it focuses, while the Z1 does it way faster; that much time with the LED on makes the subjects uncomfortable, and spoils the images. Whenever we took pictures of the same scene on both phones, mine were better (so much better that most of hers were instantly deleted). I usually don't shoot videos, so I can't comment on video quality.
Steve_max said:
Yes, it's WAY better. I don't have the shots with me, but when we went on vacations, my Z1's pictures were always better than my wife's 5S's. The Z1 focuses better (and faster), isn't as noisy, and exposes much better on low light. Also, the 5S has an annoying tendency of keeping the flash on for 1-2 seconds while it focuses, while the Z1 does it way faster; that much time with the LED on makes the subjects uncomfortable, and spoils the images. Whenever we took pictures of the same scene on both phones, mine were better (so much better that most of hers were instantly deleted). I usually don't shoot videos, so I can't comment on video quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, that's awesome! And how long does it take for the phone to bring up the camera app after you press the shutter button on the Z1? (That's a feature, right?)
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
First, I'd like to say that I'm not trying to hate on Sony or bash them, just pointing out that what they call "the best of Sony" isn't exactly great or better than the competition, though I really just want to point out about the display and camera. I moved on from the Note 3 to the Z1 (lost my Note 3, wanted a good phone with a good camera for a low price so I got an Xperia Z1), and here's what I've noticed.
Display:
Well, there's no other way to say it: for a flagship phone, the Z1's display isn't that great. Viewing angles are poor, and viewing it at even small angles puts a whitish hue over it that just doesn't look good. It might be good for privacy, but otherwise it's plain to see that they're using an inferior IPS tech than other manufacturers. The Note 3 or the Nexus 5's displays are clearly much better, and so is the one on the HTC One from early 2013. I've heard that the Z1 Compact finally has a great screen among Sony devices, so that's great, but I feel that many Sony fans are clearly ignorant of how much greener the grass in on the other side when it comes to displays.
Camera
To be honest, this is the biggest disappointment I've had with the Z1. I don't know if Sony was focusing purely on lossless zoom when adding the 20MP camera, but when it comes to resolved detail and visible noise, the Note 3's camera was better despite no fancy tech and standard sensor. Sure, it has a 13MP camera while the Z1 takes photos at 8MP after downsampling, but in general its photos are clearer and more detailed. I've tried taking 20MP pics, and they just do not come out as great as one would expect (if they focused on lossless zoom, even that hasn't worked out well in general outdoor photos), and Sony has basically squandered a nice opportunity.
But on the flip side, I love some things about the camera. It's fast to open (mainly thanks to the camera button), it's smooth, and is quick to change modes, which helped a lot on my weekend trip with my family.) I don't like that HDR isn't a dedicated mode and is simply a switch when you select 8MP photos in Manual, but other than that, it's pretty good overall. In fact, the quickness and the shutter button are what make me ignore the fact that in quality I've come down to a noticeably not-so-great-at-capturing-detail camera (the Note 3 took ages to select modes, open the camera app, and open pictures.)
That's something that's true in Sony's software overall: it's beautiful, sleek, and quick and responsive. I do miss some features from the Note 3 (Multi-Window, Smart Stay (extremely useful when you can't be bothered touching the screen to keep it awake), some camera modes, and the better multitasking (my Z1 is abysmal at holding apps in memory, and not because it's just 2GB of RAM.) It feels good to use, and that's a pretty good thing.
But again, the screen and camera have let me down considerably. Again, on the flip side, I love the phone's build (though it's a bit too bulky, but then it is waterproof), and things like the lanyard slot and camera button (conveniences manufacturers have forgotten in their quest to copy and follow Apple since the first iPhone arrived on the market).
So in the end it's clear that "the best of Sony" just isn't the right thing to say when your tech is behind the competition in some things and just isn't as great as owners of flagship devices of the competition have become used to. The pricing is great, though, but I kinda don't think I'd want to save a few bucks next time I want a phone, not unless Sony focuses on making the hardware more complete regarding awesomeness.
Sorry for the rant, and again, I wasn't bashing, overall I like my Z1, just don't love it (yet)!
P.S.: My Galaxy Gear is also now sitting idle, but I guess we can blame Samsung for making its watch incompatible with other devices. It's a useful watch, but not in use anymore. There is a hack to make it work with others, I tried it with the Z1, but most stuff just doesn't work. So I guess I'll buy Sony's smartwatch next. :silly:
P.P.S.: I hope KitKat comes soon. I like that Sony takes time to test its software, but with Samsung and HTC moving pretty quick with KitKat despite having heavy skins, and Samsung has even managed to not introduce any quirky bugs (they disabled third-party accessories, but an update over the weekend reversed that), I really want KitKat to come quick. I want wireless printing support (Samsung had this even before KitKat, one of the few reasons I appreciate Samsung's bloat sometimes, it has some useful features), and it might also solve the issue of lack of RAM on the Z1, even if only a little bit.
This is what you do on Sunday afternoon? We know Z1 is not best like expected.
eclyptos said:
This is what you do on Sunday afternoon? We know Z1 is not best like expected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's Sunday night where I am, and I had to get my thoughts out there after using the Z1's camera extensively the last two days (I bought the phone on Thursday.)
addicted2088 said:
It's Sunday night where I am, and I had to get my thoughts out there after using the Z1's camera extensively the last two days (I bought the phone on Thursday.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Saturday Night? You should be in some club! ..ahah...just kidding...I know...I am really disappointed by the camera too....what I can surely said is that the problem of the camera quality is related to the Software, but I don't know if we will get better pictures. Many telling me that the Z1 make amazing pictures but mine is not fake and I still not get clear pictures like it should be. Full of Noise, and with Unlocked Bootloader get even worse.
I understand what you're saying, and you have valid points, but these type of complaints come up with every phone out there.
The HTC One has exactly the same Camera complaint that you do. The UltraPixel was a big disappointment for some. The thing about the Z1's camera is that it CAN be improved. The camera is actually extremely good if you use it in manual, and the pictures that come out are the best I've seen on an Android phone. Superior Auto is a bit of a mess though. That's a software problem, not hardware, so we hope kitKat can fix that.
The display is a valid complaint, but I feel head on it's better than the Note 3. The Z1 has one of the most color accurate screens out there, which I prefer over AMOLED oversaturation. The viewing angles personally for me isn't a problem but yes, it is a negative about this phone.
So in the end it's clear that "the best of Sony" just isn't the right thing to say when your tech is behind the competition in some things and just isn't as great as owners of flagship devices of the competition have become used to
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the Z1 IS the best of Sony...not sure what you're trying to say. I still feel like the Z1 is one of the best phones out there. Although lacking in some parts, the overall package is hard to beat: Snapdragon 800 processor, great battery life, great camera (Yes the camera is still very very good, just not as good as advertised), and best of all premium feeling. There is really no other phone that has all that together in one package right now. The Note 3 is better in some respects but for me feels cheap, and that is a HUGE con for me that overshadows anything else. The Nexus 5 has meh battery life and camera. The HTC One has a meh camera and lower end specs. The Galaxy S4 is no longer talked about when discussing high-end phones.
The point is there's no 'perfect' phone, and I concede that the Z1 does have weaknesses, but so does every other electronic device out there
addicted2088 said:
First, I'd like to say that I'm not trying to hate on Sony or bash them, just pointing out that what they call "the best of Sony" isn't exactly great or better than the competition
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uh huh.
My advice to you, since it appears you wrote this to practice the writing career you're hoping to have, is to consider other career options. You're not good at this.
learn to make the picture and you will find Z1 camera is great. all the comparatives with Note 3 and the other smartphones take Z1 on the top of Android world
display is very good. poor viewing angle are not a gap, but I can assume it is subjective.
when I watch photos and videos on Z1 display they are much nicer than on other displays.
kantk20111 said:
I understand what you're saying, and you have valid points, but these type of complaints come up with every phone out there.
The HTC One has exactly the same Camera complaint that you do. The UltraPixel was a big disappointment for some. The thing about the Z1's camera is that it CAN be improved. The camera is actually extremely good if you use it in manual, and the pictures that come out are the best I've seen on an Android phone. Superior Auto is a bit of a mess though. That's a software problem, not hardware, so we hope kitKat can fix that.
The display is a valid complaint, but I feel head on it's better than the Note 3. The Z1 has one of the most color accurate screens out there, which I prefer over AMOLED oversaturation. The viewing angles personally for me isn't a problem but yes, it is a negative about this phone.
Well, the Z1 IS the best of Sony...not sure what you're trying to say. I still feel like the Z1 is one of the best phones out there. Although lacking in some parts, the overall package is hard to beat: Snapdragon 800 processor, great battery life, great camera (Yes the camera is still very very good, just not as good as advertised), and best of all premium feeling. There is really no other phone that has all that together in one package right now. The Note 3 is better in some respects but for me feels cheap, and that is a HUGE con for me that overshadows anything else. The Nexus 5 has meh battery life and camera. The HTC One has a meh camera and lower end specs. The Galaxy S4 is no longer talked about when discussing high-end phones.
The point is there's no 'perfect' phone, and I concede that the Z1 does have weaknesses, but so does every other electronic device out there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not so sure about that ...
HTC has the best software updates ATM and fastest after Google.
It has the best low light camera + best smart flash with the 5 modes
Average daylight shots
best front cam with wide angle
The best mics hdr mics
The best speakers
The best headphones sound
It's the most quality phone
It has the best screen in overall
It has unmatched feel in the hand
Ir blaster
Ois
60 fps video + zoe + really working hdr video
BlinkFeed which is still unmatched with copies
Decent battery life
Great xda development
Most of these things aren't yet matched by the competition which is shame imo since htc one is 1 year old and it's still considered the best overall package phone even in 2014 and I doubt anything but HTC one 2 will surpass it which is only a month or two away.
A lot on that list are gimmicks and a few items there are disputable. If HTC were as ahead of everyone as you make them appear to be, then that's extremely incongruent to the terrible shape the company is in.
Another "OMG Sony why did you do this to me" thread.
Sony rules!!
Shan89 said:
Not so sure about that ...
HTC has the best software updates ATM and fastest after Google.
It has the best low light camera + best smart flash with the 5 modes
Average daylight shots
best front cam with wide angle
The best mics hdr mics
The best speakers
The best headphones sound
It's the most quality phone
It has the best screen in overall
It has unmatched feel in the hand
Ir blaster
Ois
60 fps video + zoe + really working hdr video
BlinkFeed which is still unmatched with copies
Decent battery life
Great xda development
Most of these things aren't yet matched by the competition which is shame imo since htc one is 1 year old and it's still considered the best overall package phone even in 2014 and I doubt anything but HTC one 2 will surpass it which is only a month or two away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't want to get in a fight about whose phone is better, but everyone's got different preferences in a phone. A lot of the points you mentioned are opinions, and really can't be said in a comparison.
The most 'quality' phone and 'ummatched feel' is extremely subjective.
The Z1 is no less in quality than the HTC One and has as premium materials.
The Moto X and Z1 compact both have better feel, just because they're smaller.
Z1's battery life has been much better for me than HTC One in my experience.
Headphone sound is exactly the same for me. Beats is a gimmick and just a equalizer preset which I can also set on my Z1.
I will admit the HTC One's speakers is miles ahead of the Z1's and the display is better.
Camera as well is a lot better in the Z1 in daylight, but I remember you're the guy who wrote that HTC One vs Z1 camera test and I don't want to get in a fight again about that, so I won't go there. HTC One's better in low light, but the Z1 isn't that bad either.
The Z1's camera has a ton more features as well that are pretty cool to play around with. Gimmicks? Sure, but they're still fun. Also the Z1's viewfinder is much smoother.
All front facing cameras suck equally and don't believe there's a 'best' front facing camera.
edit: Oh, also concerning updates: This is the first time HTC have actually done well with updates. We'll see a year from now how they treat HTC One users. One X and One X+ users are stuck with official 4.2 while the Xperia T, which came out around the same time+, just got updated to 4.3. Sony might be slower at giving updates but they support their phones longer.
See, I just refuted half of your points. Of course you will disagree with me, but that's what's great about Android: everyone has different preferences and different opinions on what's the best. The HTC One is a fantastic phone and is my number 2 after the Z1, but it's still not the best for me. Nothing wrong with that.
omnius1 said:
A lot on that list are gimmicks and a few items there are disputable. If HTC were as ahead of everyone as you make them appear to be, then that's extremely incongruent to the terrible shape the company is in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly is gimmic ?
Ir blaster is very useful
Ois is very helpful in low light / movement or any other type of using the camera / 60 fps video is smooth as camera app on z1 and looks like you're looking thru the glass when watching an video / hdr video is awesome as well at low light , so is the zoe especially if you wanna take out some snaps after which are full sized , I forgot slow motion video as well which is fun tho.
Smart flash is very useful indeed and can take photos from 5cm in pitch black up to 10 meters , with the walls it can go even further
Stereo frontal speakers ...how is this a gimmic lol , anything you do on a phone sounds crazy good + loud + it hits you in the face.
Full metal body is always a good thing , it screams premium ...
Feel in the hand indeed is unmatched due metal + device shape
hdr mics pick up the sound you wouldn't believe that the phone is doing it.
I've forgot also talking via phone is unmatched as well , you get stereo sound + you can talk in super loud environment perfectly fine.
Headphones sound wouldn't be a gimmic as well lol ... Ppl just use that ...on daily bases ..
Software updates is definitely not an gimmic we all want fast and working updates ASAP ,which is not the case with the Sony , it's far from it.
Xda development for me personally is very important since I love to flash + the fact HTC one has about 9/10 times more development it's a must have for me.
The only gimmicky thing would be if you don't like the the BlinkFeed that'd be all which can be turned off.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
We have to open a thread " @@Shan89 VS @kantk20111 " ..hahah..
Ladies and Gentlemen may I present, Shan89 from HTC Section VS kantk20111 from Sony section, Round 2.
FIGHT!
:laugh:
lol
I had Xperia z1 , camera sucked , phone was too hot and screen is utter **** , so I changed to HTC one for the same stuff you wrote here!
Honestly I am huge fan of HTC but actually I do not brought HTC One, which was cheaper, just because there is no micro SD Slot, and when Apps to SD will be available on Z1, or even Apk on internal and Data on SD on Custom Roms, I will not have regrets to have Z1.
eclyptos said:
We have to open a thread " @@Shan89 VS @kantk20111 " ..hahah..
Ladies and Gentlemen may I present, Shan89 from HTC Section VS kantk20111 from Sony section, Round 2.
FIGHT!
:laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah mate it ain't fight Lol. I was just pointing that there are devices which are quite more complete. Of course I can't think of anything else besides z1 that comes equal to m7 pretty much all devices lack design and quality which both z1 and htc have.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
eclyptos said:
We have to open a thread " [MENTION=3721363 [user=4914682]@Shan89[/user][/MENTION] VS @kantk20111 " ..hahah..
Ladies and Gentlemen may I present, Shan89 from HTC Section VS kantk20111 from Sony section, Round 2.
FIGHT!
:laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No more fighting lol, just 2 guys who really love their phones alot . For me the HTC One and Z1 will always be the top of Android, with Samsung, LG and the rest way below. Sony and HTC have style along with awesome hardware.
edit: @Shan89 beat me to it
Came from the GSIII and this phone blows it out of the water, so I'm happy.
Sent from my C6916 using xda app-developers app
I came from htc one to z1 for reasons like low battery camera quality purple tint issue and worst of all its easily breakable body which produced dents on a simple fall
Sent from my C6902 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Shan89 said:
HTC has the best software updates "ATM" and fastest after Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Coming from a T-Mobile HTC One S and being left hangin' with no further updates from 4.1 Jellbean...I jumped off their bandwagon and upgraded to the Sony Xperia Z1S.
I'm glad that HTC is finally wiling to support their top tier products, but a bit too late for me...HTC lost in my book.
The clear winner (for me) is Sony! :good:
I've heard too many negative reviews about the camera and that it can be a deal breaker..so which camera is better iphone 6's camera or the axon 7's camera?
Bought the phone because previous one was stolen few days before I went traveling in China. Been more than happy with the pictures it takes. Panorama is cool too. It struggled with low light, but it improving noticably with every update.
Uploaded a few pics from a national park in China for you. You be the judge. All pics were made with auto mode.
https://apexalpha.stackstorage.com/index.php/s/NZeWb0ifRNf02aM
I have to say though. The iPhone costs $300 more. If you care so much go for the Galaxy S7 for camera (and Android)
Actually not that bad
I remember hearing tons of negative reviews on the camera and being worried that it wasn't going to be that good but after using the phone for about a week I can honestly say the camera is pretty good. It does struggle a bit in low light, though but that's simply because of the amount of megapixels. In my opinion, some reviewers are just a bit picky
memo45 said:
I've heard too many negative reviews about the camera and that it can be a deal breaker..so which camera is better iphone 6's camera or the axon 7's camera?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm coming from a Nexus 6P and the Axon 7 camera just doesn't compare, especially in low light. The 6P had a great camera. That being said, since B27 came out things have improved noticeably and while the camera still isn't ad good as the 6P, it's more usable now and does produce decent enough shots in low and pretty good ones in good light.
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
Low light scenes are very challenging for the camera. ZTE really need to improve the HDR processing, where it can't touch 2015's Nexus phones and where it trails the much cheaper Honor 7.
There's not much sun where I am and I'm really noticing the difference.
You can certainly get better-looking results by playing with white balance in manual mode but that won't help you if you want to snap a darker foreground without blowing out all the background detail - a trick the Nexus phones' HDR+ excels at. I know they are deadly slow but I'd be happy to put up with much longer exposure times if it meant better pictures.
Could you please provide some selfie snaps as I'm kindda of a selfie guy?
Also I currently have the iPhone 5 so if the axon's camera is worse than the iphone 5 I might go with the oneplus 3 even though I hate its 1080p screen
memo45 said:
Could you please provide some selfie snaps as I'm kindda of a selfie guy?
Also I currently have the iPhone 5 so if the axon's camera is worse than the iphone 5 I might go with the oneplus 3 even though I hate its 1080p screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's such thing as a sefie guy?
kidnova said:
There's such thing as a sefie guy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At least where I live?
Could someone Post some selfies?
This camera is just so bad in low light. Any fixes? I upgraded from a M8 but damn the camera is so far behind.
Bad how? I think it's good, if you hold it steady. It doesn't have OIS which is a shame, but the sensor seems particularly good and it has a wide aperture lens.
OpTune said:
This camera is just so bad in low light. Any fixes? I upgraded from a M8 but damn the camera is so far behind.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every review mentioned low light performance as one of the only 'Cons.'
OpTune said:
This camera is just so bad in low light. Any fixes? I upgraded from a M8 but damn the camera is so far behind.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, there is a fix.
Turn lights on, or pick a well lit scenario.
Jokes aside, it's just how this camera is. The sensor is bad in low light situations, as I guess it enjoys turning the ISO way high, and while a lower ISO would probably give you better pics, it would turn out blurred because the sensor is not mechanically stabilized.
It's not too bad, but shooting in auto mode tends to bump up the iso, which results in a noisy photo. I usually switch to manual mode, keep the iso around 400 and adjust shutter time according to the situation. It's maximum 1/3 of a second, so you shouldn't have too much trouble holding it still for that long.
Photos come out more detailed and sharper that way. Much better than in auto mode.
Also coming from the m8.. camera quality and detail really suck in comparison. Especially detail.
Considering this is the same camera as the Galaxy s7... Motorola could have done a lot more with the firmware.
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
Ok, now I agree...
I'm actually very upset at how bad the camera sucks, it's quite upsetting. After reading about what sensor it has, it's actually quite shocking how really bad this phone's camera is.
I was getting better pictures on my Oneplus One that was over three years old when the Moto G5 Plus came out, there simply is no reasonable excuse for performance this poor.
I think I'll want to never buy another Moto/Lenovo product again, unless they do something to remedy this situation.
critofur said:
I'm actually very upset at how bad the camera sucks, it's quite upsetting. After reading about what sensor it has, it's actually quite shocking how really bad this phone's camera is.
I was getting better pictures on my Oneplus One that was over three years old when the Moto G5 Plus came out, there simply is no reasonable excuse for performance this poor.
I think I'll want to never buy another Moto/Lenovo product again, unless they do something to remedy this situation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you root your phone and enable camera 2 api you will see drastic improvement.. But currently if you root you will loose access of Stock OTA..
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
critofur said:
I think I'll want to never buy another Moto/Lenovo product again, unless they do something to remedy this situation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They wont, you have a mid range phone that is only going to get one major update, lets be honest if you wanted better you should have bought another flagship.
---------- Post added at 10:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:13 AM ----------
OpTune said:
This camera is just so bad in low light. Any fixes? I upgraded from a M8 but damn the camera is so far behind.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The M8 had a sensor with large pixels and a low pixel count specifically to perform better in low light.
It's a shame that no one buys products and reviews them for the community, so they can make an informed decision on the pros and cons of a particular product before spending a bunch of money on them...
Well, my experience has been totally opposite, this thing has probably the best low light camera along with top dogs like s7/8 u11, pixel.
although it requires moded libs for it.
My experience is that the low light on mine is comparable to my m8 the color is poor but after color correction they come out decent.
kraatus90 said:
Well, my experience has been totally opposite, this thing has probably the best low light camera along with top dogs like s7/8 u11, pixel.
although it requires moded libs for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're joking, right? Swapping in hacked libs that make your phone take crappy 2MP photos in exchange for "software enhanced" photos is not putting it on par with the S6/7 lol
mikeyinid said:
You're joking, right? Swapping in hacked libs that make your phone take crappy 2MP photos in exchange for "software enhanced" photos is not putting it on par with the S6/7 lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No i'm not talking about 2mp photos but full 12mp.
Ofc it's not going to give you 100% same results cuz there are still some hardware is lacking like OIS. but you haven't paid 100% same price either.
so you gotta consider that too .
I think it's something to do with the image processing. The Snapdragon 625 has pretty decent low light image processing but I don't think it's as good compared to something like the sd 820, 821 or even 835.
Hi everyone.
I'm looking for a new phone that could be solid and valuable for everyday use, but I have a budget limit of 250 $. I'll certainly buy a top of the line device later but, since my needs are really basic, I prefer to have a cheaper phone along this period, and change it without too many worries once I'll have the chance.
The Mi A1 seems really promising, but I also read mixed thoughts about it. I mainly use the phone for social apps, light gaming and I like to do a lot of photos, but always intended for social use. I'll try to summarize all my doubts:
1) the update plan: A1 is an Android One device. Can I expect a reasonable amount of updates compared to other phones or other devices by Xiaomi with Miui? I'd really hate to buy a phone that will be "dead" (under the updates point of view) soon.
2) Camera: as I said before, I use the camera a lot. I read that A1 allows to take good photos for its price range. The only cons is the quality of the camera under low-light conditions. Beside this, does it have a good camera? Are its limits solvable with updates or are they hardware limits?
3) Front Camera: is it good? I watched some tests, and I noticed it can make good selfies, but I'd like some other feedbacks. Is the front camera good, even if it only is a 5 mp?
So, the final question: do you recommend this phone according to my budget? Are there better phones around with better camera and performance?
As far as I know, A1 is a best buy, since it's difficult to reach the same overall quality price ratio at that price. Other phones on the same price range have better cameras, but worse performances, or they won't get updates anymore. I'd like some other feedbacks before deciding.
Thanks in advance!
as from experience, value for money, YES the MiA1 provide that kan of leverage.. and without NFC though... just to keep that in mind
the front facing camera with 5MP sensor is horrible.. and the rear facing ones, in outdoor light it is great but in low light it doesn't count much in sattisfaction
BUT for the camera purpose, you could root the device with magisk then sideload GCam HDR+ for a better an awesome results :victory: the hardware has many potential, but the software side it's provided by xiaomi themselves and until this day no software update is present..
wait for this years release of phones including note 5, moto g6 play etc. They will have better processor, oreo out of the box( meaning they will have Project Treble). Even with Snapdragon 630 you will get bluetooth 5.0.
adfds said:
wait for this years release of phones including note 5, moto g6 play etc. They will have better processor, oreo out of the box( meaning they will have Project Treble). Even with Snapdragon 630 you will get bluetooth 5.0.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go with 630.
wawing_b said:
the front facing camera with 5MP sensor is horrible.. and the rear facing ones, in outdoor light it is great but in low light it doesn't count much in sattisfaction
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a really bad news, since the front camera is one of my priorities I was sure it was good, the quality of the shots I found online was more than average :crying:
adfds said:
wait for this years release of phones including note 5, moto g6 play etc. They will have better processor, oreo out of the box( meaning they will have Project Treble). Even with Snapdragon 630 you will get bluetooth 5.0.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a really good advice. Thanks. I guess I have to find a really cheap phone that allows me to survive until some interesting devices come out.
Heisenbear said:
That's a really bad news, since the front camera is one of my priorities I was sure it was good, the quality of the shots I found online was more than average :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well it might be good..
but if you wanted the best quality in front facing camera I guess you have to look elsewhere and streching your budget a bit to strive fort that quality.. at least a minimal of 8 MP or above for the front camera
and if you still wanted the MiA1, you could side load GCam HDR+ after rooting it... and another one, Portrait cam if I'm not mistaken.. on the hardware side it's plausable, but then on the software side xiaomi hasn't publish any cam app update (yet)
wawing_b said:
well it might be good..
but if you wanted the best quality in front facing camera I guess you have to look elsewhere and streching your budget a bit to strive fort that quality.. at least a minimal of 8 MP or above for the front camera
and if you still wanted the MiA1, you could side load GCam HDR+ after rooting it... and another one, Portrait cam if I'm not mistaken.. on the hardware side it's plausable, but then on the software side xiaomi hasn't publish any cam app update (yet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know, a 8 mp camera would be a sensible improvement, but my low budget limit is due to the fact that it will be only a temporary device, until the moment I'll buy a top-of-the-line smartphone later.
I just need a reliable phone for this period, capable of doing almost everything in an acceptable way.
This explains my question. Is the front camera so horrible? I was pretty satisfied with my iphone 5 front camera, which is only a 1,2 MP. I doubt the shots of a 2017 phone could be worse than those ones
It's not so much the MP that really matters, it's the processing and the sensor. In good lighting, the front camera is not bad. In lower lighting, it makes everyone look like a wax figure (bad processing + high ISO + heavy noise reduction).
goofball2k said:
It's not so much the MP that really matters, it's the processing and the sensor. In good lighting, the front camera is not bad. In lower lighting, it makes everyone look like a wax figure (bad processing + high ISO + heavy noise reduction).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's true. It's undeniable, the pics under low-light conditions are really insufficient. I clearly noticed this watching the various samples around. I could be wrong, but it's a common problem for low budget phones, so there're not many choices within that range of price.
I have another doubt, speaking of xiaomi phones. How is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4x, compared with A1 or other low budget phones? Could it be a valid alternative?
The camera is a shocker and the android one program a joke. Don't even consider it.
Wait.
Value for money.. Yes.. considering the cost to hardware ratio definitely VFM..
Updates is under Mi.. Dont fall for the android one tag.. Buggy os, poor updates.. Almost 5 months and they couldn't solve the contact linking issue..
Back camera takes good pics in good lighting condition.. Front camera module is same as that of Redmi note 4, i've read.. Only problems most pics don't look natural..
Loudspeakers actually loud.. I can hear ringtones for once..
Havent felt audio is that great.. havent experienced white noise issue..
Batterys good..
The biggest letback of the device is its os.. Very poorly developed.. Lots of bugs.. I've had more than 5 redmi devices.. The software experience was solid.. But here its pathetic & very frustrating.. U often get the feeling u r running a WIP custom rom.. So much potential in the phone & very much wasted.. This is the most frustrating device i have used till date.. So this is one device i won't recommend..
as an owner of mia1 , now i would have bought the new nokia 6 (2018) , xiomi is a total disaster with software, i got mia1 thinking google would take care of the software but that would have been to good to be true
wawing_b said:
as from experience, value for money, yes the mia1 provide that kan of leverage.. And without nfc though... Just to keep that in mind
the front facing camera with 5mp sensor is horrible.. And the rear facing ones, in outdoor light it is great but in low light it doesn't count much in sattisfaction
but for the camera purpose, you could root the device with magisk then sideload gcam hdr+ for a better an awesome results :victory: The hardware has many potential, but the software side it's provided by xiaomi themselves and until this day no software update is present..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i bought a1 in october and got about 15 updates .
Best choice?
Yes and no.
Some like it some hate it.
I bought it, because it's dirt cheap and has all I need.Clean android(with mi camera and remote), good battery, dual sim, nice design.If you like that and don't want to spend money on pixel, this is a poor man pixel.
If you don't like clean android, it's not for you.
I optimised it, have zero bugs, don't have issues with hissing or screen, or reboots or whatever is reported here.
But others here are reporting that they have bugs.So there might be quality control issues.You can end up with a good unit, or with a bad one.
Bad thing is no kernel source yet, though it's xiaomi, they always delay that for months, but there was a rumour that they will release it till the end of january.We'll see.As a user point of view, not a big deal...but as a developer, it's a crap.
So if you are a developer, it's not for you.
As for updates, they are regular, don't know what others had before, but, just like nexus/pixel line(although it gets updates days after them and it is not on 8.1 yet) it will be covered for 2 years with updates and 3 with security patches.
So...no one can help you with that, but you.If you can, check it in a store, to see if you like it or not.
Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk