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Hey guys,
So I have been playing around with the camera on my Z Ultra and I wanted to share a few things with you.
1. DO NOT use Superior Auto at all!!
It destroys pretty much every photo and has too much noise and no sharpness. It's just shockingly bad.
2. Always use normal shooting mode.
3. Become comfortable adjusting settings and actually getting to know the camera so you know when to use appropriate ISO etc.
4. Adjust ISO yourself and keep it at 400 or below. Use in combination with HDR for some very pleasing results.
Those are the 4 most important tips I think. Never ever ever use superior auto. The results with normal mode are very crisp and have lots of sharpness and contrast.
Overall the camera I believe is better than the Xperia Z. I own both and with the right settings, the Z Ultras images appear sharper.
I'll post a few examples.
Thanks and how are you all liking the camera so far?
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Here are a few examples.
1 taking with Superior Auto. The other taking with Normal mode on ISO 100.
Be sure to zoom.in on the bottle. You can see so much noise on the photo taking with Superior Auto.
Hopefully the results speak for themselves
If you want other photos I'll be happy to provide them.
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Way to much red in the photos taken with Superior Auto. Hopefully Sony will fix this in the next update. Btw, do you have the old Sony UI or the new one? (Old has a dark settings menu, while the new one is white)
I have the Old UI with the Bravia Engine 2.
New UI should be released in about a months time. Hopefully sooner
When are you buying your Ultra?
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
ScottishSwan said:
I have the Old UI with the Bravia Engine 2.
New UI should be released in about a months time. Hopefully sooner
When are you buying your Ultra?
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
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Click to collapse
I'm buying it as soon as it hits the stores in Norway, which i believe is in the first week of september(?), like the rest of Europe.
Unless a different beast emerges from the depths of hell somewhere, that is (which i highly doubt, so ZU it is.)
Is it not the last week of September it gets released in Europe?
Its funny right now, I am slowly becoming to accept the Z Ultras size as normal and the 6.4" display as normal.
Even when I pick up a 5" device now, it feels so tiny!! Haha
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
According to news sources, the release date for europe is september 6th.
I had the same experience when i got my Note. I came from the Desire HD with a 4.3" display, so the Note's size was ridiculous at that time, and i remember laughing my ass of when i unboxed it! Now? Not big at all. It's the same thing with the iPhone. I had the first gen. from the states and a 3GS, and they were really big at the time, but i just laugh at its tiny body now
When do you think phones will stop growing? I imagine 7" with almost no bezels at all will be the limit.
Unboxing my Ultra though, I did laugh when I seen it and my first day carrying it to work etc, quite a surprise haha.
Me personally I love big phones though, can never understand people who say they don't want anything bigger than 4.5 - 4.7 inches.
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Good question, and i have no idea, but i think we are near the limit now. IF the OEM's are planning on something even bigger, then i guess they'll have to make them without any bezels. That would be awesome and i guess a little science fiction looking
Something like this:
ScottishSwan said:
Is it not the last week of September it gets released in Europe?
Its funny right now, I am slowly becoming to accept the Z Ultras size as normal and the 6.4" display as normal.
Even when I pick up a 5" device now, it feels so tiny!! Haha
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
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Click to collapse
I agree. I love big devices and my Xperia Z feels really tiny in comparison but one thing is for sure: I think the Ultra is the biggest size that a phablet can have and still being pocketable.
It fits my pockets but I notice that I can't carry a bigger device in them. The future development could be smaller bezels and therefore perhaps a 6,8 and perhaps even a 7 inch screen. I would even guess that the small tablets like the Nexus 7 will be replaced by phablets with the same screen size but smaller body (Ultra size).
So the future market will offer phablets up to 7 inch, then tablets starting at 8 inches and upwards followed by dockable "tablets" with screens of 12 inches and bigger. The small tablet is going to become a phablet - adding smaller bezels and a smaller body to the existing 7 inch screen and putting a dialer on is a straight forward development, especially when the Nexus 7 has connectivity to mobile networks already and the old Galaxy Tab could make calls.
I wouldn't be surprised if the 2014 edition of the Nexus 7 will be a phablet and that Sony are creating a partly new market with the Z Ultra.
Coming from iPhone 5, the UZ produces astoundingly bad overprocessed images. What's coming off the sensor is actually pretty good as you can see if you shoot in burst mode since that is the only setting that doesn't add a massive sharpness filter to the output. All other modes are crap. Massive over sharpening and then saving at what has to be 50% jpg quality. I don't get the mentality of putting in user defined ISO settings but forcing sharpening and jpg quality.
Taco Jackson said:
Coming from iPhone 5, the UZ produces astoundingly bad overprocessed images. What's coming off the sensor is actually pretty good as you can see if you shoot in burst mode since that is the only setting that doesn't add a massive sharpness filter to the output. All other modes are crap. Massive over sharpening and then saving at what has to be 50% jpg quality. I don't get the mentality of putting in user defined ISO settings but forcing sharpening and jpg quality.
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I do not have these issues. The only problems i have is when the phone is using Superior Auto.
Any other mode is perfectly sharp and noise free. I have also compared it to my iPhone 5 and the photos are very very comparable when you get the settings right.
Please tell me the about camera settings for best output of images in Xperia Z Ultra .. i donno how to configure my z ultra for best output images .. so please any one help abt best camera settings
Xperia Z Ultra said:
Please tell me the about camera settings for best output of images in Xperia Z Ultra .. i donno how to configure my z ultra for best output images .. so please any one help abt best camera settings
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Click to collapse
sounds like u need a crash course on photography instead.
Xperia Z Ultra said:
Please tell me the about camera settings for best output of images in Xperia Z Ultra .. i donno how to configure my z ultra for best output images .. so please any one help abt best camera settings
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Click to collapse
1. Always set the camera to Normal mode.
2. Set the ISO at a maximum of 400 and not higher.
3. Use HDR on occasions where it might be needed.
On those settings you will get sharp images. Of course, you have to learn the camera a little yourself too.
Xperia Z Ultra said:
Please tell me the about camera settings for best output of images in Xperia Z Ultra .. i donno how to configure my z ultra for best output images .. so please any one help abt best camera settings
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Click to collapse
Frankly, that's not how you learn stuff. What's wrong with just experimenting like normal people do?
Excuse Peppa pig, this was ISO 200, hdr with center focusing
Sent from my C6802 using Tapatalk 4
Looking good
What are your thoughts on the camera?
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Does it miss not having any kind of flash?
Super Chimp said:
Does it miss not having any kind of flash?
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Click to collapse
For me personally, in the 10 days I have owned the Z Ultra I have not missed flash at all.
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Hey guys, I have a Z Ultra and a Z1 (my dad's). He's letting me keep his Z1 in exchange for my Ultra. But I like my Ultra's screen but the Z1 has a better camera
Here are the pros of the devices as I see them:
Z Ultra -
1. Bigger screen
2. Can use a pencil
3. I've grown to like it :silly:
Z1:
1. Better ROMs (or at least, more)
2. Good camera
3. Bigger speakers
4. Smaller overall size
Now, the screen size of the Z1 is really small, I mean, it's tiny ! But it's got a better camera and 2 months of college have taught me how important a camera is . Add to that the fact that it has a better contrast ratio than the Z Ultra and I've got a sound conundrum on my hands...
Do any of you have any advice ?
@moderators this thread isn't intended to start a war between fanboys, please let it remain open. If you lock it, I'll have to take the coin-toss approach
Thank you all for taking the time to read this !
Sent from my Xperia Z Ultra using xda app-developers app
warfareonly said:
@moderators this thread isn't intended to start a war
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Okay, WAREFAREONLY (LOL), I would pick the Ultra. The screen is huge and has way better viewing angles than the Z1 (Ultra uses an AH-IPS LCD while the Z1 uses a VA LCD) and therefore it's easier to use (browsing, gaming etc.), its design is much better than the Z1 (subjective) and it's so freaking thin. We got ROMs and the Z1 and Ultra share the same internals, so cross development is expected down the road, so it's all good in that department. The only negative aspects of it is the camera.
Z1: Chubby with a nice camera
Ultra: Anorexic with a bad camera
Sent from my Z Ultra, using XDA Premium 4
warfareonly said:
Hey guys, I have a Z Ultra and a Z1 (my dad's). He's letting me keep his Z1 in exchange for my Ultra. But I like my Ultra's screen but the Z1 has a better camera
Here are the pros of the devices as I see them:
Z Ultra -
1. Bigger screen
2. Can use a pencil
3. I've grown to like it :silly:
Z1:
1. Better ROMs (or at least, more)
2. Good camera
3. Bigger speakers
4. Smaller overall size
Now, the screen size of the Z1 is really small, I mean, it's tiny ! But it's got a better camera and 2 months of college have taught me how important a camera is . Add to that the fact that it has a better contrast ratio than the Z Ultra and I've got a sound conundrum on my hands...
Do any of you have any advice ?
@moderators this thread isn't intended to start a war between fanboys, please let it remain open. If you lock it, I'll have to take the coin-toss approach
Thank you all for taking the time to read this !
Sent from my Xperia Z Ultra using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, this is how I see it from the XZU point of view.
1. Camera isn't an issue. For perfectly good quality pictures, use a decent third party app. OK, no flash is an issue if night pictures are required. Personally I've never seen the appeal of phone cameras... I'd always use an slr.
2. Yes, the z1 has more developers, but I guarantee we'll be getting those roms as pretty much direct ports.
3. Speakers on a phone have never been intended as anything other than for notifications. Headphones will always be needed for actual media unless you're a bit weird.
4. If you got the XZU, there's something in you that loves this screen. I've looked at all the other 5.8 inch and lower screens and they are far too small. This is a true phablet and makes media stand out by a mile. You won't get that many other places. Thats all this phone is really about.
Stick with XZU. No comparison.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Stick with the Ultra.
My wife has the Z1 and I find the screen to small for my work. I have gotten used to carrying the Ultra now.
Now, the screen size of the Z1 is really small, I mean, it's tiny ! But it's got a better camera and 2 months of college have taught me how important a camera is . Add to that the fact that it has a better contrast ratio than the Z Ultra and I've got a sound conundrum on my hands...
Do any of you have any advice ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well.. you are only going to get a bias opinion from us. We are ultra owners.. so we obviously want the big screen.
I moved from the Galaxy S4 to the Ultra. Purely for the screen size.
I still had my S4 a few days ago, until i sold it. I picked it up to take some better images, but didn't want to use it. It has a better camera (like the Z1) but its just too small. In fact its bordering on ugly!
The Z1 is similar, but just to fat. Like Lord says.. I can't go to a fatter device, or a smaller device... The Ultra is for me! and I would think you would hate moving to a smaller device also.
Additionally @SpyderTracks makes a good point. I've made 3 posts in the app section regarding mods that were originated on the Z1, and will work for the ultra. So expect what ever happens with the Z1 to happen to the ultra.
Well, you decide whats better for you, but there are some facts and imprecision to revaluate in your points:
Z1 has not a better Rom, they have just updates at different stage.
Z1 has not a "tiny" screen, is a top huge smartphone sized for its class.
Ultra is +- 6mm thick
Z1 has not a better screen than Ultra
Ultra is more suitable for book reading too
Z1 has a better camera but now there is the option QX10 around: Ultra + QX10 = better camera than Z1, of course..for who dont care carrying much sized stuff outside.
warfareonly said:
Hey guys, I have a Z Ultra and a Z1 (my dad's). He's letting me keep his Z1 in exchange for my Ultra. But I like my Ultra's screen but the Z1 has a better camera
Here are the pros of the devices as I see them:
Z Ultra -
1. Bigger screen
2. Can use a pencil
3. I've grown to like it :silly:
Z1:
1. Better ROMs (or at least, more)
2. Good camera
3. Bigger speakers
4. Smaller overall size
Now, the screen size of the Z1 is really small, I mean, it's tiny ! But it's got a better camera and 2 months of college have taught me how important a camera is . Add to that the fact that it has a better contrast ratio than the Z Ultra and I've got a sound conundrum on my hands...
Do any of you have any advice ?
@moderators this thread isn't intended to start a war between fanboys, please let it remain open. If you lock it, I'll have to take the coin-toss approach
Thank you all for taking the time to read this !
Sent from my Xperia Z Ultra using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
coming from the note 2 to the ZUltra was worth it. I was playing with my note 2 and couldn't adjust to the small screen. Go big or go home xD
That's it, I'm sticking with the Ultra !
I just can't be separated from this huge, beautiful screen !
Thanks for your opinions guys ! Much appreciated
Or you could just get the best of both worlds
Walking around with nearly 1500 USD stuffed in my pockets is not really an option
warfareonly said:
Hey guys, I have a Z Ultra and a Z1 (my dad's). He's letting me keep his Z1 in exchange for my Ultra. But I like my Ultra's screen but the Z1 has a better camera
Here are the pros of the devices as I see them:
Z Ultra -
1. Bigger screen
2. Can use a pencil
3. I've grown to like it :silly:
Z1:
1. Better ROMs (or at least, more)
2. Good camera
3. Bigger speakers
4. Smaller overall size
Now, the screen size of the Z1 is really small, I mean, it's tiny ! But it's got a better camera and 2 months of college have taught me how important a camera is . Add to that the fact that it has a better contrast ratio than the Z Ultra and I've got a sound conundrum on my hands...
Do any of you have any advice ?
@moderators this thread isn't intended to start a war between fanboys, please let it remain open. If you lock it, I'll have to take the coin-toss approach
Thank you all for taking the time to read this !
Sent from my Xperia Z Ultra using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same family so share! Solved.:highfive:
Now that the Ultra LTE is finally available at the Sony Stores, there is only one question - should i get this or the Z1?
I cant decide. I really like this phone but the camera is sub par with no flash. The Z1 has a decent shooter, but the design is not so thin and the screen had some negative reviews. ohh and its 1.4" smaller
what do you guys say?
X1? Haha or you mean Z1
Sent from my C6802 using xda app-developers app
soncarl said:
X1? Haha or you mean Z1
Sent from my C6802 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
lol yes, i meant z1
It really depends..overall Z1 is a better phone than the Z ultra. (unless the screen is as bad as some reviewers are saying..the screen on the z ultra is amazing)
If you like big screens than obviously Z ultra
If you take a lot of photos than obviously Z1
That's pretty much the difference between the two.
I had this same dilemma and chose Z ultra simply because I wanted a big (the biggest) screen and although the camera is not that great, it's okay because i don't take photos anyway.
bryanky5 said:
It really depends..overall Z1 is a better phone than the Z ultra. (unless the screen is as bad as some reviewers are saying..the screen on the z ultra is amazing)
If you like big screens than obviously Z ultra
If you take a lot of photos than obviously Z1
That's pretty much the difference between the two.
I had this same dilemma and chose Z ultra simply because I wanted a big (the biggest) screen and although the camera is not that great, it's okay because i don't take photos anyway.
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i guess thats the issue. although i dont take a lot of photos, but when i do, my cellphone is my main (and only) camera. lol
so i expect decent pictures. Ultra really fails at that, especially in low light
intolaomair said:
i guess thats the issue. although i dont take a lot of photos, but when i do, my cellphone is my main (and only) camera. lol
so i expect decent pictures. Ultra really fails at that, especially in low light
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Click to collapse
In decent lighting i think the z ultra is okay for the occasional shot. It's not THAT bad but yeah in low light it really suffers.
Same here, my phone is my only camera, but since I watch much more videos, play more games and browse the web far more often than i take photos, choosing the z utlra was a no brainer..
So I guess it depends on what you need most.
If only the z ultra had a good camera, it would be a perfect phone!
bryanky5 said:
In decent lighting i think the z ultra is okay for the occasional shot. It's not THAT bad but yeah in low light it really suffers.
Same here, my phone is my only camera, but since I watch much more videos, play more games and browse the web far more often than i take photos, choosing the z utlra was a no brainer..
So I guess it depends on what you need most.
If only the z ultra had a good camera, it would be a perfect phone!
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Click to collapse
If the ultra had a good camera it would be as thick as a ****ty One Max and lose much of it's appeal.
I got both the Z1 and Z Ultra. If I had to chose I'd pick the ultra. It's just the best phone to work with in the whole world. Size is an issue but you can always manage somehow.
Zabatoozl said:
If the ultra had a good camera it would be as thick as a ****ty One Max and much of it's appeal.
I got both the Z1 and Z Ultra. If I had to chose I'd pick the ultra. It's just the best phone to work with in the whole world. Size is an issue but you can always manage somehow.
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Click to collapse
Yeah I agree one max is too thick. Stupid actually from HTC
Actually the Z ultra still fits in my jeans pocket so for me size is not so bad!
Sent from my C6802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Z1 is the better all round phone in my opinion. Z Ultra has the better and bigger screen, but sacrifices the camera and is less portable due to the size.
All smartphone cameras are terrible anyways when compared to a DSLR.
For me its all about the screen. Its large enough so that it can replace your tablet and forms your primary reading/media consumption device as well as phone.
Z1 is just another phone with an overrated camera.
Both cameras will be fine for social media/happy snaps.
YMMV.
Yep I agree, if camera is ok enough for social media sites, I'm a-ok with that! Hence, I decided to get the XZU. I'd rather have a unique looking phablet (in terms of size) that I can browse, read, text, call and take pics with.
I was in the same boat last week. I went with ZU because the extra screen estate was on top of my list. You need to sort out your priorities as well. For me, ZU replaced a 5 inch phone and a 7 inch tablet all together. So it was a no-brainer. I also considered z1 for its camera. Like someone else said, ZU camera is not bad at all and I never used flash to take low light pictures (it freaks people out and these cheap $1 flash on smartphones basically ruin lowlight pictures). To sum it up
For big screen, sleek profile, excellent display, tablet usage, decent camera - go for ZU. Get the Sony CP12 3000 mAh power cover and double up on battery life.
For compact size, excellent camera - go for z1.
Performance of both are pretty much the same.
So an update for the OP I looked at the Z1 in store and reviewer's were right. The Z1's screen is washed out when compared to the Z ultra's and the viewing angles are comparable to the original Z
Sent from my C6802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
yeah i noticed the same.
I called all the sony stores in Toronto and NONE of them had the unlocked ZU in stock. Apparently they don't have stock :S
I may just order online from the sony store. Its weird how they have NO cases on the sony store website for the phone either.
all the cameras on cell phones to me are the same with the exception of the nokia lumia and HTC one because the yhave optical image stabilization. A sony store employee told me last week when choosing the Z1 or ZU that they don't have OIS because they sell the QX100 and QX 10.
Funny, probally everybody went trough this process. I also hesitated when I heard of the camera.
But this screen is awesome, its like having a new high end lcd tv. But the in your hand.
The device is very thin, it gives it a very sophisticated look. Because its so thin i've the feeling it makes the phone look smaller then it actually is. And as mentioned before in daylight pictures are ok. Pictures outside are just the same as any other phone. Actually a photo outside and subject closeby it makes very decent photos.
When people see me with the phone, they first make a joke or something. When i turn the screen on, they're openly asking themselves if they also should buy and then where they should put it
Let me tell u something in terms of picture quality. It os beaten by even the ipad and ipad mini. Video recording. Quality is pretty good. But this is the worst.shooter.
Sent from my C6833 using xda app-developers app
Not a pro when taking photos. I take photos too but not too often, sometimes at daytime and seldom in the night. actually it's terrible at night. however, as i mentioned, I'm not a pro but for normal use, under normal, ISO and other adjustments would be better than auto. Just give a shot bro.
And for z1, i think camera is the only advantage.
Zu, fails for camera, but wins for all.
Cuz i like bigger screen and thinner body more than a camera which i could buy a real camera in the future.
Sent from my C6802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Hi all,
What's up with the z2 primary cam? I've got a nexus 5, an lg g2, a galaxy s3 here at home aside from the z2. The camera pics seem to be comparable to the nexus 5 or g2? I was expecting a lot better being all the branding and the megapixels at its disposal... The images seem to be drawn on sandpaper( grainy on zooming) I don't get why... being the hardware is present am I the only one with this issue or is this a software thing that needs to be fixed? Any cam mods that solve this? Cybershot mod or the xposed mod?
Thanks a ton in advance, I'm worried I'm the only one with the grainy images...
mokaigutti said:
Hi all,
What's up with the z2 primary cam? I've got a nexus 5, an lg g2, a galaxy s3 here at home aside from the z2. The camera pics seem to be comparable to the nexus 5 or g2? I was expecting a lot better being all the branding and the megapixels at its disposal... The images seem to be drawn on sandpaper( grainy on zooming) I don't get why... being the hardware is present am I the only one with this issue or is this a software thing that needs to be fixed? Any cam mods that solve this? Cybershot mod or the xposed mod?
Thanks a ton in advance, I'm worried I'm the only one with the grainy images...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was similarly surprised when looking at the photos that I take with my Z2... However, I think it's understandable. In Superior Auto mode, the resolution is only 8MP, so that could be why your images are looking similar to that of the N5 and G2... If you switch to manual mode and up the resolution to the full 20MP, the pictures are quite clearly much higher quality. You can zoom in after taking the photo and not lose much if any clarity. As for the graininess, you have to remember that they're fitting 20700000 pixels into an area of about 1cm^2, so they're going to be tiny pixels. This means not much light will reach them. Hence why HTC have gone for a 4MP main camera, but with much bigger, more light absorbing pixels to focus on getting the minimal amount of grain, whilst sacrificing some resolution (on the M8). So in short, there's nothing wrong with the camera, the reason it's grainy is because it's ultra sensitive to low light conditions. To get amazing high resolution images with the Z2, you'll need a well lit, well balanced environment. It's a good camera, but it is designed for great photos, and that means perfect environments are required. If you leave it on Superior Auto, it will take photos that are just fine and hold up to scrutiny against those of the Nexus 5 and LG G2, they just can't hold up to all the branding and advertising that Sony have been giving, since you are unlikely to get the perfect picture taking environment in every day usage. I suggest putting the camera on Manual mode and fiddling with the in depth settings when lining up a shot. Don't push it all the way up to 20MP as you lose the ability to do HDR or Stabilisation, but at 15MP with the correct exposure and ISO settings, the photos can look incredible.
Hope that cleared things up, and sorry if it answered none of your questions x'D
Most of the time superior auto produces just as good quality as 20mp manual, and no its an insult to compare camera to g2 or nexus5, its way better
Agree with what u said but the superior auto I find takes better snaps than the max resolution in most cases. And the reason why I'm disappointed is that it is indeed comparable to the other two, which indeed is an insult!
So everybody gets the grainy images on zooming then? And is this fixable via a firmware or software update?
Put up some originals so we can see what you mean.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5whd6h9620kemdu/DSC_0036.JPG untouched pic here... Is this the best I can get? ( I have 3 more similar shots, this is the best one of the bunch)
feis said:
Most of the time superior auto produces just as good quality as 20mp manual, and no its an insult to compare camera to g2 or nexus5, its way better
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Click to collapse
The G2 with the camera mod available to it produced incredible photos and when I got my z2 I didn't really notice a difference other than the extreme amount of postprocessing that sometimes makes photos look like absolute crap... I just wished there was a way to remove all the processing of the image so we can tweak it ourselves
mokaigutti said:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5whd6h9620kemdu/DSC_0036.JPG untouched pic here... Is this the best I can get? ( I have 3 more similar shots, this is the best one of the bunch)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try to get slightly better with manual and iso 50, yours was iso 84 but the difference will only show up in zooming.
If you're not zooming in a 3.5MP photo will be sharper still.
---------- Post added at 04:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:40 AM ----------
mokaigutti said:
I've got a nexus 5, an lg g2, a galaxy s3 here at home aside from the z2. The camera pics seem to be comparable to the nexus 5 or g2? I was expecting a lot better being all the branding and the megapixels at its disposal...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a similar photo from those cameras. It's best to take a shot of a similar subject, same angle and lighting conditions and let's see what you are comparing with.
s3 & n5 are 8mp so are comparable. The g2 makes 13MP so you should reduce it to the same resolution as what you are comparing with.
mokaigutti said:
The images seem to be drawn on sandpaper( grainy on zooming) I don't get why... being the hardware is present am I the only one with this issue or is this a software thing that needs to be fixed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see a lot of grain in this picture with iso 84, zoomed in at 100%. Grain starts at 400-800 and beyond.
When the light goes down the others will struggle to keep up. They won't match video of z2 with the s3 coming the closest but stabilisation on the z2 will beat it. Z2 is a general purpose camera.
But those cameras have f2.4 or a half stop smaller apertures so this means more of the background will be in focus behind where you focus with the z2. This is the tradeoff for better bokeh and low light in video. But it only applies if you focus on a subject that is close.
mokaigutti said:
Thanks a ton in advance, I'm worried I'm the only one with the grainy images...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you put up a 20MP photo, try to take it with the on screen button instead of camera button as this reduces camera shake. Let's see how good your lens is.
xperia z1 ad z2 have poor processing algorithms. since the release of xperia z1 sony improved the image quality, but still needs improvements.
the grain in the pictures is NOT because of the tiny pixels, the xperia z2 has 1.175u pixels, larger than the 1.12u pixels in galaxy s5 and s4 for example, and both of them doesnt suffer from that level of grain and noise. if you take into consideration that sony has a bigger pixel, bigger sensor and resolution, wider aperture lens (can capture more light) than any other android smartphone and produces pictures comparable with an iphone 5 or gs4 with 1/3.2 sensor and f2.2 camera its a big shame for sony.
at 20mp you will have even more noise and grain. when shooting at 8Mp, the phone downsample the image utilizing the better pixels to provide a better picture (similar to what nokia does with its pureview lumia 1020 41Mp camera). shooting in manual mode is better for properly adjusting exposure, white balance and ISO, but the processing itself is the same, so apart from those parameters, nothing else will change
you can see the advantages of the big sensor and wide aperture lens in very low light videos for example. it produces much brighter and lower noise videos than others competitors, but the imaging from sony is terribly inconsistent. there is grain, noise and alias everywhere and and blur smeared inconsistently in pictures. and you can easily notice it in any picture taken with z1/z1c/z2. videos also suffers with lots of aliasing
with android L and the new and much improved camera API, lets hope from better camera firmwares from sony, and with DNG support, at least 3rd party camera apps will support it. then maybe we will have good quality pictures without the terrible post processing from sony
I guess the post processing is the problem. If I flash aosp or aokp the Google camera will use the stock processing right? And not sony's? Will that be better?
I'll try with the manual mode enabled and play with the iso as suggested as well.
And the 21mp are marginally worse than the superior auto so there isn't a point in uploading that... Ill upload pics from the 3 phones with a similar subject as suggested by today or tomorrow at the latest!
Thanks a ton for the feedback guys!
pepeo123 said:
xperia z1 ad z2 have poor processing algorithms. since the release of xperia z1 sony improved the image quality, but still needs improvements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
File sizes of z2 are larger than z1 so there is less processing in z2. The numerous complaints i saw with z1 picture quality are very few with z2 largely because auto in z2 does a better job. What does auto do better in z2 ? the same thing people did in manual with z1, use the lowest iso possible.
pepeo123 said:
but the imaging from sony is terribly inconsistent. there is grain, noise and alias everywhere and and blur smeared inconsistently in pictures.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want consistent then you have to go with manual. No two ways about it.
Then you need to have a pretty good idea of how the sensor works in varying light conditions. You need to take loads of pictures to better understand which settings give the best picture depending on light. This is the same with any camera for that matter, assuming these others even allow some sort of manual intervention to begin with. With the g3 or moto x there is nothing, iphone is only marginally better in allowing exposure setting.
Don't want to do that ? then you will be taking 2 or 3 shots to get it right.
pepeo123 said:
if you take into consideration that sony has a bigger pixel, bigger sensor and resolution, wider aperture lens (can capture more light) than any other android smartphone and produces pictures comparable with an iphone 5 or gs4 with 1/3.2 sensor and f2.2 camera its a big shame for sony.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try comparing a 20MP pic with the smaller resolutions of the others and see how much more you can zoom. There may be more artifiacts in some situations but details will be better preserved. An 8mp iphone 5 cannot have the same details as a 20MP from the z2. In the same way as 13MP from the g2/s4 or 16MP from the s5 will have more detail than a 8mp auto from z2.
---------- Post added at 05:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:43 PM ----------
mokaigutti said:
I guess the post processing is the problem. If I flash aosp or aokp the Google camera will use the stock processing right? And not sony's? Will that be better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doubtful. Or put it this way. i've yet to see someone make this claim in the z2 photo thread. For the simple reason that 3rd party apps cannot access iso setting in the camera libs. best camera app you can use is stock. The xposed mod allows to take auto in 20mp instead of 8mp. This i've seen to actually work. if you need it.
Whatever complaints people have about processing its better in the z2 than it is in the z1 when it came out. The only time i've seen the z1 do better is when there were lens issues with the reviewer's z2.
mokaigutti said:
And the 21mp are marginally worse than the superior auto so there isn't a point in uploading that...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to check if the lens is ok. I've seen samples where 20MP are not as sharp with some models as others. See the pictures from this post.. Or even from an earlier post here.
Download the pictures from both posts and do a 1:1 compare, there is a subtle but noticeable difference between the two. This is a hardware defect and causes a softer than otherwise photo. You only see it in 20mp, 8mp will mask it.
What is the manufacturing date of your model ? should be in the format 14wxy, you will find it printed on a sticker under the micro-sd tray.
mokaigutti said:
Ill upload pics from the 3 phones with a similar subject as suggested by today or tomorrow at the latest!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah let's see the difference.
bear in mind that doing this sort of comparison on a sample size of a few pictures is tricky at best. Yes, in some instances some photos may be better, but what does it mean. You'd have to take many photos to draw a conclusion that this or that model is better than another, that too only in certain situations. Koreans tend to do more sharpening in their photos & videos which is perceived by some to be better. Debatable.
One Twelve said:
File sizes of z2 are larger than z1 so there is less processing in z2. The numerous complaints i saw with z1 picture quality are very few with z2 largely because auto in z2 does a better job. What does auto do better in z2 ? the same thing people did in manual with z1, use the lowest iso possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes the z2 pics are indeed larger (some are actualy 2x larger) probably mostly because lower compression. there is also processing changes too like you said, but both of them still badly processed. http://blog.gsmarena.com/sony-xperia-z2-vs-z1-camera-comparison/
One Twelve said:
If you want consistent then you have to go with manual. No two ways about it.
Then you need to have a pretty good idea of how the sensor works in varying light conditions. You need to take loads of pictures to better understand which settings give the best picture depending on light. This is the same with any camera for that matter, assuming these others even allow some sort of manual intervention to begin with. With the g3 or moto x there is nothing, iphone is only marginally better in allowing exposure setting.
Don't want to do that ? then you will be taking 2 or 3 shots to get it right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when i mean inconsistent, i dont mean that the camera is inconsistent trough various pictures(wich is, in superior auto, like you said, but can be solved shooting in manual adjusting correctly the parameters if you have enough knowledge in the equipment you are using, like you said too), i mean inconsistency in the picture itself. the picture is not uniform, it has random blured areas like if the lens was astigmatic or myopic giving the impression of a defocuesed image in some random areas (im not talking about the defective lens gsmarena unit)
http://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=3&idPhone1=4238&idPhone3=6144&idCamera2=30013
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/ca...ng-Galaxy-S5,LG-G3/phones/8323,8202,8347?st=2
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/camera/Sony-Xperia-Z2,Samsung-Galaxy-S5,LG-G3/phones/8323,8202,8347
One Twelve said:
Try comparing a 20MP pic with the smaller resolutions of the others and see how much more you can zoom. There may be more artifiacts in some situations but details will be better preserved. An 8mp iphone 5 cannot have the same details as a 20MP from the z2. In the same way as 13MP from the g2/s4 or 16MP from the s5 will have more detail than a 8mp auto from z2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes at 20mp you will have much more deatil thanks to the much larger resolution, but when i mean it was a big shame, i mean that at 8mp, the xperia z2 has comparable if not worse pictures in some cases than iphone 5 or lg g3, gs5, etc even with all those hardware advantages of it. and this is again caused by the processing. lots of grain, noise, alias, blur, too high contrast, etc, etc, etc (yes noise can be reduced using lower iso in manual, but when i mean more noise, i mean more noise in the same iso settings as the competitors)
an interesting thing to note is that if you compare raw pictures of the nokia 1020 with the jpeg ones from it for example, there is a HUGE diference between them, and nokia is know from doing really good processing in cameras in general. so this makes me think how much extra performance can be achieved from the z seris with it great hardware
I'm just worried this could be a hardware issue, mine is a 14W21 phone. I'm gonna do some extensive photo sessions and if they don't work out maybe try a replacement
pepeo123 said:
yes the z2 pics are indeed larger (some are actualy 2x larger) probably mostly because lower compression. there is also processing changes too like you said, but both of them still badly processed. http://blog.gsmarena.com/sony-xperia-z2-vs-z1-camera-comparison/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, i checked the 20MP manual mode shots at 100% and can say the z2 shot is visibly better than the z1 if you look at the balcony railings left of centre and building detail right of centre.
gsmarenas z2's lens does not have any issues that i can notice. I don't know if the z1 lens is ok though.
pepeo123 said:
when i mean inconsistent, i dont mean that the camera is inconsistent trough various pictures(wich is, in superior auto, like you said, but can be solved shooting in manual adjusting correctly the parameters if you have enough knowledge in the equipment you are using, like you said too), i mean inconsistency in the picture itself. the picture is not uniform, it has random blured areas like if the lens was astigmatic or myopic giving the impression of a defocuesed image in some random areas (im not talking about the defective lens gsmarena unit)
http://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=3&idPhone1=4238&idPhone3=6144&idCamera2=30013
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/ca...ng-Galaxy-S5,LG-G3/phones/8323,8202,8347?st=2
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/camera/Sony-Xperia-Z2,Samsung-Galaxy-S5,LG-G3/phones/8323,8202,8347
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, i see the underlined bit at 20MP with the z2 , but check out the SA of the iso chart from gsmareana (phonearena did not have SA images to compare)
http://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=1&idPhone1=6033&idPhone3=6144&idCamera2=30013
Much clearer to see the chart in SA than 20MP isn't it. Note that you see same blur with 20MP here too.
I added z1 into comparison in phonearena's chart, can you see the difference between z1 & z2.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/ca...ony-Xperia-Z1/phones/8323,8202,8347,8000?st=2
z1 is less blurred but the compression is much more than z2. If you try to reduce the size of the image in phonearena, the z2 image remains blurred but if you look at the SA, its much more clear as shown in gsmarena.
pepeo123 said:
yes at 20mp you will have much more deatil thanks to the much larger resolution, but when i mean it was a big shame, i mean that at 8mp, the xperia z2 has comparable if not worse pictures in some cases than iphone 5 or lg g3, gs5, etc even with all those hardware advantages of it. and this is again caused by the processing. lots of grain, noise, alias, blur, too high contrast, etc, etc, etc (yes noise can be reduced using lower iso in manual, but when i mean more noise, i mean more noise in the same iso settings as the competitors)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Underlined bit is somewhat true in good light, but not in low light.
Why the pictures look better, requires explanation of what better means. Did you see DxO's tests. compare z1, 5s, s5 & z2 on 7 parameters for still photo. Exposure, ontrast & Noise is very well controlled in the Z2. Artifacts is the only parameter where the Z2 trails the others. To notice that you will have to zoom into edges to see it. Not very apparent without zooming.
Exposure and contrast
---------------------
90 Apple iPhone 5s
88 Sony Xperia Z2
88 Samsung Galaxy S5
85 Sony Xperia Z1
80 LG G2
Colour
------
82 Apple iPhone 5S
82 Samsung Galaxy S5
80 Apple iPhone 5
77 Sony Xperia Z1
76 LG G2
74 Sony Xperia Z2
Autofocus
---------
84 Sony Xperia Z2
81 Apple iPhone 5S
74 LG G2
73 Sony Xperia Z1
69 Samsung Galaxy S5
Texture
-------
83 Sony Xperia Z2
78 Samsung Galaxy S5
69 LG G2
66 Sony Xperia Z1
59 Apple iPhone 5S
Noise
-----
84 Sony Xperia Z2
84 Sony Xperia Z1
83 LG G2
78 Samsung Galaxy S5
70 Apple iPhone 5S
Artifacts
---------
91 Apple iPhone 5S
89 LG G2
83 Samsung Galaxy S5
74 Sony Xperia Z1
68 Sony Xperia Z2
Flash
-----
85 Sony Xperia Z2
84 Sony Xperia Z1
83 Apple iPhone 5S
82 Samsung Galaxy S5
72 LG G2
DxOMark Still Photo (overall rank)
-------------------- -
81 Nokia 808 PureView
81 Sony Xperia Z2
80 Samsung Galaxy S5
78 Apple iPhone 5S
77 Sony Xperia Z1
77 LG G2
These are the differences observed after analysis of over 400 photos.
pepeo123 said:
an interesting thing to note is that if you compare raw pictures of the nokia 1020 with the jpeg ones from it for example, there is a HUGE diference between them, and nokia is know from doing really good processing in cameras in general. so this makes me think how much extra performance can be achieved from the z seris with it great hardware
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is something we will only find out when android L comes out. having said that the oppo find 7a can output raw images from its 13MP sensor, and its a sony one to boot. Lumia 1520 can already output RAW.
The question that remains to be answered is, what is the shot to shot turnaround with RAW in a mobile phone. Without dedicated image processors that specialise in it things will be slow.
---------- Post added at 05:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:06 AM ----------
mokaigutti said:
I'm just worried this could be a hardware issue, mine is a 14W21 phone. I'm gonna do some extensive photo sessions and if they don't work out maybe try a replacement
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So that is not an earlier build. i don't see anything to worry about given what little you have posted so far.
One Twelve said:
ok, i checked the 20MP manual mode shots at 100% and can say the z2 shot is visibly better than the z1 if you look at the balcony railings left of centre and building detail right of centre.
gsmarenas z2's lens does not have any issues that i can notice. I don't know if the z1 lens is ok though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes z2 is superior, i dont know right now since this review was done in older firmware and both z1 and z2 received some firmware upgrades and z1 is even in 4.4.4. the good new for z1 owners is that its possible to port the camera apk. for z1 like they did with the 4k mod, and therefore things will be the same
One Twelve said:
Yes, i see the underlined bit at 20MP with the z2 , but check out the SA of the iso chart from gsmareana (phonearena did not have SA images to compare)
http://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=1&idPhone1=6033&idPhone3=6144&idCamera2=30013
Much clearer to see the chart in SA than 20MP isn't it. Note that you see same blur with 20MP here too.
I added z1 into comparison in phonearena's chart, can you see the difference between z1 & z2.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/ca...ony-Xperia-Z1/phones/8323,8202,8347,8000?st=2
z1 is less blurred but the compression is much more than z2. If you try to reduce the size of the image in phonearena, the z2 image remains blurred but if you look at the SA, its much more clear as shown in gsmarena.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly, regarding the blurred areas, SA is better than 20mp downsampled to 8MP, and this could mean 2 things. either sony is using diferent processing, or the downsample algorithm is doing its job right. or maybe both. either way, this shows that sony has work to do
One Twelve said:
Underlined bit is somewhat true in good light, but not in low light.
Why the pictures look better, requires explanation of what better means. Did you see DxO's tests. compare z1, 5s, s5 & z2 on 7 parameters for still photo. Exposure, ontrast & Noise is very well controlled in the Z2. Artifacts is the only parameter where the Z2 trails the others. To notice that you will have to zoom into edges to see it. Not very apparent without zooming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes in low light the phone really shows its big sensor and wide aperture lens advantage, pictures are brighter and capture more, while others have darker pictures and less detailed, although the focus in low light is terrible, something that is possible to be corrected using manual mode. low light videos z2 crushes its oponents too, other phones look like they are in a darker place lol
One Twelve said:
This is something we will only find out when android L comes out. having said that the oppo find 7a can output raw images from its 13MP sensor, and its a sony one to boot. Lumia 1520 can already output RAW.
The question that remains to be answered is, what is the shot to shot turnaround with RAW in a mobile phone. Without dedicated image processors that specialise in it things will be slow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, oppo, lumia 1020 and lumia 1520 can output raw and use sony sensors
maybe taking raw pictures is even faster, since it just takes the picture but doesnt process nothing else like it would do with JPEG,or maybe it could take longer because since its a large file, saving would take a little bit longer but? i really have no knowledge in what i am talking about here, so this is purely an speculation made by me
I was being dumb by comparing the images on the respective phone displays... On transferring them to my laptop the z2 has visibly better images overall, especially low light this is the good news... The bad news is the presence of graininess on full zoom. This is normal? (spoilt solid by previous phones, Sony satio, Nokia n8, and the best one n82)
mokaigutti said:
I was being dumb by comparing the images on the respective phone displays... On transferring them to my laptop the z2 has visibly better images overall, especially low light this is the good news... The bad news is the presence of graininess on full zoom. This is normal? (spoilt solid by previous phones, Sony satio, Nokia n8, and the best one n82)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Full zoom graininess? You realize there isn't a single phone that isn't completely grainy at full zoom right? Literally not one.... Because the zoom is digital vs optical.
TechSavvy2 said:
Full zoom graininess? You realize there isn't a single phone that isn't completely grainy at full zoom right? Literally not one.... Because the zoom is digital vs optical.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I didn't mean zooming in during the shot, I meant after the shot is taken... In the album app. I just feel spoilt after seeing the first page of the"post your z2 snaps here" post.
mokaigutti said:
I was being dumb by comparing the images on the respective phone displays... On transferring them to my laptop the z2 has visibly better images overall, especially low light this is the good news...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The opposite can also apply, photos can look good on the z2 screen and when transferred over to a laptop appear dull or washed out. Simple reason is photo was taken in too much light ie sun light. The wider aperture and bsi sensor means chances of over exposure are more than with other cameras that do not do as well in low light or have narrower apertures. So you will have to use -EV if colours do not appear natural or alternatively take photos in softer light rather than harsh light. You have to understand how light works to get the best photos with any camera.
So ensure bravia engine is switched off in the Z2 otherwise you might think photos are better than they actually are. can always correct things in post but its less work if you get it more or less right at the outset.
mokaigutti said:
The bad news is the presence of graininess on full zoom. This is normal? (spoilt solid by previous phones, Sony satio, Nokia n8, and the best one n82)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What frame of reference are you using to say it is grainy ? What are you comparing it with.
You started this topic on that basis and have yet to substantiate it. So post photos of the same subject from other models.
I'm stuck at work and haven't been home in a while, the moment I am ill post some similar pics to compare with. I say grainy as in the images seem to be oversharpened. I'll upload some pics in a few minutes so it's a little easy to understand
Sony Xperia 5 II:
* standard camera, no tinkering
* pro camera, auto mode
* pro camera, P mode with HDR, no other tinkering
Oneplus 6:
* standard camera
* Marco's GCam 6.1 MJL v3.7 Miniflex, day mode, AWB off, no other tinkering
(Sorry for the un-professionality of the shots and the general mess.)
I'm finding the Xperia 5II camera and pro camera... underwhelming to say the least. I'm sure that pro camera, used by people who are used to more complex non-smartphone cameras can give great photos, but to less camera-savvy people like me the results are... terrible. Coming from a great gcam port that basically performed perfectly right out of the box (big kudos to Marco's amazing work), I find it pretty disappointing to see this.
I can only hope that a good gcam port comes out fast.
(The Xperia otherwise is a pretty darn good phone imho, aside from some minor annoying things that hopefully will be improved/fixed in next updates.)
(x-posted from my thread on r/SonyXperia)
I don't understand why everyone is praising the xperia cameras. They are just not as good as many other phones. I come from an s10 plus and pictures were just better on the s10, especially in low light. My real issue is that there is NO way to take 16:9 video with manual focus (or even tap to focus) on either the simple camera app or the pro: The simple camera doesn't have manual focus and the pro is locked at 21:9 for some reason... This is simple functionality, yet Sony in their all "camera wisdom" couldn't provide it on any of their apps....
I agree that a good (or at least functional) gcam port is our only hope (as is for any xperia device). Sony is full of marketing BS on every xperia release about their cameras and somehow they always manage to be underwhelming and a few generations behind.
palamosteliaro said:
I don't understand why everyone is praising the xperia cameras. They are just not as good as many other phones. I come from an s10 plus and pictures were just better on the s10, especially in low light. My real issue is that there is NO way to take 16:9 video with manual focus (or even tap to focus) on either the simple camera app or the pro: The simple camera doesn't have manual focus and the pro is locked at 21:9 for some reason... This is simple functionality, yet Sony in their all "camera wisdom" couldn't provide it on any of their apps....
I agree that a good (or at least functional) gcam port is our only hope (as is for any xperia device). Sony is full of marketing BS on every xperia release about their cameras and somehow they always manage to be underwhelming and a few generations behind.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like them because the colors are almost accurate and not blown up....
But everyone to their own i guess
yekollu said:
I like them because the colors are almost accurate and not blown up....
But everyone to their own i guess
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't talking about colors, colors are subjective and everyone has different taste. Noise however, isn't. You can zoom on both pictures and see that the 5 ii has more noise and "blurriness" compared to the oneplus. And this has been a tradition with xperia phones as long as I remember. Always a few generations behind on image clarity. I don't think anyone likes noise on their pictures... Professional reviews are misleading, since they are usually done in good (or even professional) lighting on a stand, so they are not representative of real life. If you are not a ...tourist, most of your pictures will be indoors and/or in random lighting scenarios with auto settings, on your hand, for a fast and easy picture. Xperia phones produce the worst results in those real life scenarios every time. If you want to take pictures on a stand, after tinkering with settings for the best results, you should be using a DSLR not a phone imo.
KiraV said:
Sony Xperia 5 II:
* standard camera, no tinkering
* pro camera, auto mode
* pro camera, P mode with HDR, no other tinkering
Oneplus 6:
* standard camera
* Marco's GCam 6.1 MJL v3.7 Miniflex, day mode, AWB off, no other tinkering
(Sorry for the un-professionality of the shots and the general mess.)
I'm finding the Xperia 5II camera and pro camera... underwhelming to say the least. I'm sure that pro camera, used by people who are used to more complex non-smartphone cameras can give great photos, but to less camera-savvy people like me the results are... terrible. Coming from a great gcam port that basically performed perfectly right out of the box (big kudos to Marco's amazing work), I find it pretty disappointing to see this.
I can only hope that a good gcam port comes out fast.
(The Xperia otherwise is a pretty darn good phone imho, aside from some minor annoying things that hopefully will be improved/fixed in next updates.)
(x-posted from my thread on r/SonyXperia)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've just compared both standard photos.
IMHO
* Xperia colors are more natural (more red/blue, OnePlus has more green)
* I can see more noise on OnePlus and more sharp edges, seems a bit artificial
* Xperia photo is less sharp/more soft, especially in the background. Not sure but it may be related with bigger sensor and lower DoF
Are both photos were taken on the same day/the same time ? The posters in background are different
I have both the 7pro and the 5ii and the 5ii is way more satisfying with photos for me, my experience is completely the opposite. I will say the biggest downside is consistency with the sony camera, but when it takes a great shot it is significantly more satisfying than a lucky 7pro shot and it should be since the sensor is better.
palamosteliaro said:
I wasn't talking about colors, colors are subjective and everyone has different taste. Noise however, isn't. You can zoom on both pictures and see that the 5 ii has more noise and "blurriness" compared to the oneplus. And this has been a tradition with xperia phones as long as I remember. Always a few generations behind on image clarity. I don't think anyone likes noise on their pictures... Professional reviews are misleading, since they are usually done in good (or even professional) lighting on a stand, so they are not representative of real life. If you are not a ...tourist, most of your pictures will be indoors and/or in random lighting scenarios with auto settings, on your hand, for a fast and easy picture. Xperia phones produce the worst results in those real life scenarios every time. If you want to take pictures on a stand, after tinkering with settings for the best results, you should be using a DSLR not a phone imo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what photos you've been looking at but the Xperia is completely smooth compared to the OnePlus. Yes, the Xperia is also a bit softer because of the shallower DoF and because of less aggressive sharpening which Sony is known to do. But based on those photos I'd take the Sony any day.
I have to say that coming from OnePlus 6 into Sony Xperia 5 II I totally agree that the camera in standard mode the OnePlus performs better.. but the manual mode in the Sony Xperia if you know about photography it definitely out performs the OnePlus 6.. I'll recommend reducing the brightness in the standard mode and you will see a better quality pic in the Sony Xperia.
zwirek75 said:
I've just compared both standard photos.
IMHO
* Xperia colors are more natural (more red/blue, OnePlus has more green)
* I can see more noise on OnePlus and more sharp edges, seems a bit artificial
* Xperia photo is less sharp/more soft, especially in the background. Not sure but it may be related with bigger sensor and lower DoF
Are both photos were taken on the same day/the same time ? The posters in background are different
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same day, same time, around 10 minutes difference I think? What's the difference you're seeing? The Xperia makes everything much more pink-ish, if that's what you're referring to. Imho from how the light was irl the gcam got the most accurate colours, my room does have a kinda "washed out" light when it's cloudy and the lights are off.
Also why would I lie? I got accused of lying and about the irl colors on the Xperia reddit thread ("do you have green light? " when these were made without turning the light on...), now you're saying the background looks different... What would I even gain by lying, I'm not a pro, I don't get money, I'm not even a reviewer, just a rando posting a simple comparison of what I saw and instead I got insulted and accused of lying... for simply stating my opinion? Wtf. I just wanted to make a comparison before selling my old OP6, that's all. I did the comparison, I sold the op6, I'm happy with the Xperia, I'm just disappointed by the camera. Simple camera app is too simple, the Pro one is too complex and even after days of watching tutorials I can manage to get decent pictures only outdoors with a good light... which might be great for a photographer - but if I was a photographer I would use an actual camera tbh -, but for normal real life situations in which you don't have time to configure everything (especially if you want to take pictures of animals - i.e. my cats) and the light 90% of the times is not perfect... the Xperia performed worse imho.
EDIT: btw here's your proof. Luckily I sent the pics via Bluetooth to the new phone before selling the old one.
luis.manuel.cb said:
I have to say that coming from OnePlus 6 into Sony Xperia 5 II I totally agree that the camera in standard mode the OnePlus performs better.. but the manual mode in the Sony Xperia if you know about photography it definitely out performs the OnePlus 6.. I'll recommend reducing the brightness in the standard mode and you will see a better quality pic in the Sony Xperia.
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I didn't even noticed that I could reduce the brightness in standard mode, now I feel really dumb. Still, I would replace any day standard camera app with Marco's GCam...
KiraV said:
Same day, same time, around 10 minutes difference I think? What's the difference you're seeing? The Xperia makes everything much more pink-ish, if that's what you're referring to. Imho from how the light was irl the gcam got the most accurate colours, my room does have a kinda "washed out" light when it's cloudy and the lights are off.
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Apologies, I just took these background pictures as different, but its the same picture presuming different time.
My mistake.
As an avid photographer with a nice collection of bodies and lenses, I will say that I'm pleased with the pictures from the 5 II. I picked one up a few weeks ago to replace my P30 Pro. I definitely get better pictures from the Pro app than the Standard camera app. But, since I have a Sony ILC, I like the familiar interface, and you can learn to get good pictures from it quickly.
KiraV said:
Sony Xperia 5 II:
* standard camera, no tinkering
* pro camera, auto mode
* pro camera, P mode with HDR, no other tinkering
Oneplus 6:
* standard camera
* Marco's GCam 6.1 MJL v3.7 Miniflex, day mode, AWB off, no other tinkering
(Sorry for the un-professionality of the shots and the general mess.)
I'm finding the Xperia 5II camera and pro camera... underwhelming to say the least. I'm sure that pro camera, used by people who are used to more complex non-smartphone cameras can give great photos, but to less camera-savvy people like me the results are... terrible. Coming from a great gcam port that basically performed perfectly right out of the box (big kudos to Marco's amazing work), I find it pretty disappointing to see this.
I can only hope that a good gcam port comes out fast.
(The Xperia otherwise is a pretty darn good phone imho, aside from some minor annoying things that hopefully will be improved/fixed in next updates.)
(x-posted from my thread on r/SonyXperia)
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I'm coming from an OP6 and couldn't agree with you more. The 5ii auto focus on objects less than 6ft away is unbelievably bad. The detail in the 5ii pics are underwhelming compared to the OP6 GCAM.
I've decided to take my OP6 with me when I know I'm going to be taking pics.
Though it's off topic I totally regret getting the 5ii and could happily go back to my OP6. Gonna sell 5ii and get the next OnePlus when it comes out.
cdkg said:
I'm coming from an OP6 and couldn't agree with you more. The 5ii auto focus on objects less than 6ft away is unbelievably bad. The detail in the 5ii pics are underwhelming compared to the OP6 GCAM.
I've decided to take my OP6 with me when I know I'm going to be taking pics.
Though it's off topic I totally regret getting the 5ii and could happily go back to my OP6. Gonna sell 5ii and get the next OnePlus when it comes out.
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Well, you are not pro camera user. If you had any Sony DSLR you would know. Everything is in manual mode, not auto mode. The same situation is on Sony phones. I have XPERIA 1 II and after many updates photos from Camera app auto mode is much better, but still not good as iPhone 12 Pro Max auto mode. When I use Program Auto or Manual Exposure in Photo Pro and adjust setting result is different. Photos are much better taken with XPERIA 1 II. So, why did you buy XPERIA 5 II if you are not pro camera user? Sony philosophy is if you want to take full advantage from sensor and camera, use Photo Pro app : Auto mode for social networks, Program Auto if you are begginer, Shutter Priority for fast moving objects and Manual Exposure if you are camera pro user. Memory Recall is just for most used settings values and modes.
I've actually been pleased with low light photo quality of the standard camera app. Very close to my P30 Pro.
Unfortunately I completely agree that OP somehow delivers better photos than overhyped, much more expensive Xperia 5 II. I've got my Xperia 5 II just few days ago (didn't see the warning "For Pro Photographers only" on the box or anywhere else). Compared to my "old" Pixel 4, I'm disappointed so far. I clearly see that Pixel makes better pictures with zero efforts in all situations regardless of shakeness of my hands and photo skills. Certainly Xperia has focusing issues in some situations. I struggled to focus on objects with Xperia whereas I didn't with Pixel 4 at the same time. Xperia photos look soft / less sharp, blurry in not ideal conditions, hit or miss experience damn to often, horrible selfie camera etc. Going to spend some time with this phone (one month or so), give Xperia a chance to shine and then decide what to do. Thankfully I didn't sell my Pixel 4 yet...
It's all subjective, but to me the Xperia wins here. To my eyes the exposure is better, the white balance is better, the colors are more natural and overall it has a more realistic rendition (not overly sharpened). And the subtle bokeh its larger sensor gets is just icing on the cake.
Sony goes for naturalistic processing which I appreciate. People used to Samsung's bold processing might be let down initially.
u bought a phone has camera,not a camera which calls
A. With the plethora of resources I don't know why anyone would buy a Sony Xperia and be surprised at what they get. I wasn't. I looked at a lot of YouTube videos about Sony Xperias.
B. "U bought a phone has camera, not a camera which calls." I think I understand what you're saying but I'm not sure you're qualified to say what anyone bought except yourself. I was late to phones because I'm quite deaf and don't do phone calls but I'm also old and got tired of toting cameras and lens. I had a Pixel that took great photos and then a Huawei P30 that also took great photos but I was missing taking photos. I'm sure the phone was having fun but I wasn't. Their "pro" mode sucked. For example, in pro mode, their little white icons disappeared when I was taking photos on the white sand of the beach at Huatulco or the white stone pavement in Oaxaca. Now, I enjoy taking photos again with my Xperia.
C. If you want AI to take photos for you, don't get a Sony Xperia. If you actually enjoy photography, you might enjoy having a Sony Xperia. This is a Sony Xperia forum so I don't mind posting my opinion but I am in no way denigrating those who enjoy iPhones or Pixels or Pocos. Choices are great.
patrickt said:
A. With the plethora of resources I don't know why anyone would buy a Sony Xperia and be surprised at what they get. I wasn't. I looked at a lot of YouTube videos about Sony Xperias.
B. "U bought a phone has camera, not a camera which calls." I think I understand what you're saying but I'm not sure you're qualified to say what anyone bought except yourself. I was late to phones because I'm quite deaf and don't do phone calls but I'm also old and got tired of toting cameras and lens. I had a Pixel that took great photos and then a Huawei P30 that also took great photos but I was missing taking photos. I'm sure the phone was having fun but I wasn't. Their "pro" mode sucked. For example, in pro mode, their little white icons disappeared when I was taking photos on the white sand of the beach at Huatulco or the white stone pavement in Oaxaca. Now, I enjoy taking photos again with my Xperia.
C. If you want AI to take photos for you, don't get a Sony Xperia. If you actually enjoy photography, you might enjoy having a Sony Xperia. This is a Sony Xperia forum so I don't mind posting my opinion but I am in no way denigrating those who enjoy iPhones or Pixels or Pocos. Choices are great.
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i was surperised that someone really reply like i offend anyone.However, i am more pro sony than oneplus(even i had oneplus 1). Now i am holding Xperia5ii which i am satisfied the most in any android phone(sizewise Iphone12&13mini is better).
i personally buy this phone for its size which onehand controls fine.But more than that I prefer unlock the bootloader and put aosp roms instead of offical that drains the battery fast and laggy some how. So i may not buy this phone for the photos but can anyone buy this phone for other reasons?i dont think i am qualified to say the reason what anyone buys neither you are. But i think forum is a free place for any ideas and any opinions i assume. Good day with ur xperia although we love xperia for different reasons.