Android Phone with Camera as good as iPhone 6 (autofocus speed, shutter speed, etc.)

[vi edit]

The reason Android cameras aren't accessible as quickly is the camera app has to be loaded from memory in android, and isn't allowed to stay loaded in the backround at all times on an OS level.

One thing I'll give Moto is that I don't even have to look or touch the screen to open the camera app. Grab my phone out of my pocket flick my wrist twice and it's ready to shoot by the time I pull it up by my head. Would have trouble going back to anything different now.

 

[dawheat]

OP the reason why there are a few people here who debate the iphone 6 camera supremacy is twofold:

1) This is a VERY pro-android forum. Obviously.

2) The Note 4 does do higher detail (it is 16 megapixel) IN GOOD LIGHT.


Problem is, it does worse detail in low light. The detail in provides in good light is mostly useless because very few can tell the difference. And finally, the autofocus and shutter speed are both drastically worse than the iphone 6. The ONLY time you'll see this is when taking pics of moving objects, which is why people here can cite these blind camera comparison tests that all use still images of buildings from long distances in good light (wonder why the note 4 won? lol).

Please don't allow this forum's bias to make you discount not only my advice but the majority of the reviews too. This is your kid you are talking about.

The way you're describing the Note 4 camera makes me pretty sure you don't own one. And in fairness you'd be describing pretty much any other Samsung camera. But as an owner and in reviews, the Note 4 camera is excellent all round.

It's fine to generalize and you'd mostly be right, but you seem to be giving incorrect information about the Note 4. Feel free to post links to "the majority of reviews" which support your opinion. <edit> I think most reviews have the same conclusion - both cameras are great, you'll be happy with both.</edit>

And again, I think the OP would be well served by the iPhone, It is indisputably a great choice and one of the best you can make. However, unlike 6 months ago, there is an Android phone that can go head to head.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Problem is, it does worse detail in low light.

No way! The Note 4 was Samsung's first phone with OIS. OIS makes a HUGE difference in low light quality in cell phone cameras. The 6+ is maybe better, but not the 6.

 

[ChronoReverse]

I'm sure it's improved since my Galaxy S4 days when it was like 5 seconds, but the iphone 5s, 6, and 6+ all do it in less than half a second. The camera app is somehow kept in virtual memory in springboard (not sure specifics) but it allows iOS to have super low access times for the camera.

You know, I just checked on my Galaxy S4 running Touchwiz since I know the camera does seem to take a while to load and it actually takes a shade less than 2 seconds from my lockscreen to open the camera app. So maybe you're overblowing this a bit too much.


For those who've actually used the Note 4 camera, how much has Samsung improved the launch speed of the camera?

 

[poofyhairguy]

For those who've actually used the Note 4 camera, how much has Samsung improved the launch speed of the camera?

It is faster than my S4 ever was. Faster than my GP3 M8 too. Might just be the SOC power though, the Note overall feels faster than my M8.

 

[ChronoReverse]

It is faster than my S4 ever was. Faster than my GP3 M8 too. Might just be the SOC power though, the Note overall feels faster than my M8.

Brute force is a perfectly acceptable way to make the camera load quickly in my eyes, it just ought to be quick =)

 

[Commodus]

No way! The Note 4 was Samsung's first phone with OIS. OIS makes a HUGE difference in low light quality in cell phone cameras. The 6+ is maybe better, but not the 6.

I was shooting a whole bunch with the regular iPhone 6 on a trip this week, and I was surprised at how capable it was in low light. So long as there's any shred of illumination and you have a reasonably steady hand, it'll take a sharp, focused shot. The only area where it could really use a boost (resolution notwithstanding) is in reducing noise in particularly dark situations, and that's where the 6 Plus comes into play.

 

[dainthomas]

I really don't care what you've owned. You can tell what you are by your use of unprovoked personal attacks in your argument.

The fact that we can view my Note photos on a display with 3.5x more pixels than the iPhone display probably doesn't hurt either, eh?

Best screen I've ever seen. My girlfriend's G3 is also really good.

 

[Sweepr]

S

No way! The Note 4 was Samsung's first phone with OIS. OIS makes a HUGE difference in low light quality in cell phone cameras. The 6+ is maybe better, but not the 6.

Apple people make it sound like theres a huge difference in low light, trust me, there isn't (I've used both). Note 4 blows the S5 here thanks to OIS, and it takes photos very fast too. The real difference comes from Note 4's 16 MP photos and 4k video, they are noticeably more detailed than iP6/6+'s and look stunning in the Quad HD Oled screen.

I removed the instance of 'fanboy' from this post. Please read the sticky at the top of the subforum.

Moderator TheStu

 

[Midwayman]

FWIW Id try different camera apps before you write off Android. Often the stock ones are slow. The one that came with cyanogen mod was much faster for instance.

 

[ControlD]

FWIW Id try different camera apps before you write off Android. Often the stock ones are slow. The one that came with cyanogen mod was much faster for instance.

Agreed. The camera launches in a second or less on my Note 2 running SlimKat. I can live with that kind of delay. I assume if I was back on TouchWiz it would be slower but I'm not about to flash that to see!

 

[ChronoReverse]

FWIW Id try different camera apps before you write off Android. Often the stock ones are slow. The one that came with cyanogen mod was much faster for instance.

The problem with that is that only the stock apps have full access to the camera's abilities (it's the reason why I still run Touchwiz). Hopefully the new camera API in Lollipop will eventually lead to the end of this but for now if you want the best pictures, you have to use the stock camera.

 

[Midwayman]

The problem with that is that only the stock apps have full access to the camera's abilities (it's the reason why I still run Touchwiz). Hopefully the new camera API in Lollipop will eventually lead to the end of this but for now if you want the best pictures, you have to use the stock camera.

I think that's a big YMMV comment. It may be true, but for many phones the non-stock apps have many more options. I'm not sure what you are missing specifically on your phone though.

 

[poofyhairguy]

you have a reasonably steady hand.

Well yeah, if you have a surgeon's hand that will simulate OIS then the advantage goes away somewhat.

For a caffeine junkie like me no OIS means no low light photos. I have been grabbing my wife's phone even for dark indoor pics, which is where the M8 should shine.

 

[ChronoReverse]

I think that's a big YMMV comment. It may be true, but for many phones the non-stock apps have many more options. I'm not sure what you are missing specifically on your phone though.

What I meant is specifically things that require lower-level hardware access. It's not so much a YMMV but an unfortunate situation where even simple things like burst mode don't work as well as the stock app (for my GS4, no replacement camera app can even come close to the stock in burst speed. The difference is 2FPS vs 8FPS).

On Nexus phones this isn't an issue since it doesn't seem like those features are available but for other flagship phones, you're losing image quality and capabilities.

 

[Dulanic]

As someone /w a kid & a Note 4 I can say it works fantastic for me. I tend to use it 75% of the time where as the other 25% I use my actual camera, but for most uses, there is no reason to use my mirrorless over my note.

 

[dawheat]

Just did a non-scientific test between my Note 4 and my wife's iPhone 6. All apps closed out first. Room is moderately low lit - bright enough to see easily, but probably a touch low if you were trying to read a book.

Initial launch of stock camera app - iPhone 6 opens and is "ready" consistently about 1/2 a second faster. It is noticeable but not significant.

Taking photos without flash and HDR off - both take photos basically as soon as you hit the camera button and are ready to take another one. Excellent in both cases.

Constant focus - the iPhone 6 by default tries to constantly stay in focus so you can take immediate shots. The Note 4 auto setting by default does not - but Sports mode does. In both cases (IP6 auto and Note 4 Sports), neither create great photos if you click as soon as you point. There is some softness softness as the camera hasn't been able to well focus, but at least the shots are passable. I can see this being important for fast action where letting the camera do the full focus can result in losing the shot.

Auto focus - both take a second to focus on a particular spot on screen and once focused, create good photos.

Low light - Note 4 is a bit better than the standard iPhone 6.

Again my reco is that you'll be happy with both cameras. In your case where you value "action" shots vs. focused shots, you'll want to just leave it in Sports mode on the Note 4 if that's what you get.

 

[TreVader]

Just did a non-scientific test between my Note 4 and my wife's iPhone 6. All apps closed out first. Room is moderately low lit - bright enough to see easily, but probably a touch low if you were trying to read a book.

Initial launch of stock camera app - iPhone 6 opens and is "ready" consistently about 1/2 a second faster. It is noticeable but not significant.

Taking photos without flash and HDR off - both take photos basically as soon as you hit the camera button and are ready to take another one. Excellent in both cases.

Constant focus - the iPhone 6 by default tries to constantly stay in focus so you can take immediate shots. The Note 4 auto setting by default does not - but Sports mode does. In both cases (IP6 auto and Note 4 Sports), neither create great photos if you click as soon as you point. There is some softness softness as the camera hasn't been able to well focus, but at least the shots are passable. I can see this being important for fast action where letting the camera do the full focus can result in losing the shot.

Auto focus - both take a second to focus on a particular spot on screen and once focused, create good photos.

Low light - Note 4 is a bit better than the standard iPhone 6.

Again my reco is that you'll be happy with both cameras. In your case where you value "action" shots vs. focused shots, you'll want to just leave it in Sports mode on the Note 4 if that's what you get.

We aren't comparing to the iphone 6. We are talking about the 6 plus.


Look, I won't deny the guy will probably be ok with the note 4. It's a better camera than any other android phone, and possilby even slightly better than the regular 6. But it's worse, especially for his use, than the iphone 6 plus by a good margin. In his case I think even an iphone 6 is better than a note 4, because they both have much faster autofocus than the note 4. OIS notwithstanding, the 6 is a better camera for moving shots.


There is also the issue that bringing up the camera takes a fraction of the time on iOS vs android.


Again. If he wants the best camera, he should get a 6 plus. If his ok with sacrificing SOME image quality, not a lot, for android then it should be fine.

 

[rcpratt]

We aren't comparing to the iphone 6. We are talking about the 6 plus.

Read the OP, moron.

More inaccurate blather from iPhone fanboys.

 

[dawheat]

We aren't comparing to the iphone 6. We are talking about the 6 plus.


Look, I won't deny the guy will probably be ok with the note 4. It's a better camera than any other android phone, and possilby even slightly better than the regular 6. But it's worse, especially for his use, than the iphone 6 plus by a good margin. In his case I think even an iphone 6 is better than a note 4, because they both have much faster autofocus than the note 4. OIS notwithstanding, the 6 is a better camera for moving shots.


There is also the issue that bringing up the camera takes a fraction of the time on iOS vs android.


Again. If he wants the best camera, he should get a 6 plus. If his ok with sacrificing SOME image quality, not a lot, for android then it should be fine.

Pretty sure the OP said he has an iPhone 6 and asked if any Android phone is as good which is the basis of my response.

You have a point about auto focus speed, though Sports mode is equivalent. How you end on image quality which is basically a wash doesn't jive with anything I've seen even with the 6 Plus.

 

[gregulator]

Anyone have any updates on this, or other phone suggestions? I have used the iPhone 6 and it is pretty great for being ready to snap pictures in focus. I have a Lumia 925 and while the camera is pretty good, it is definitely slow. Are there any mid-range or older phones that are decent? I don't really want to spend $500+ on a phone, so I am willing to compromise on something good enough. I am leaning towards going back to android for the sole purpose of installing ad-block. Ads are making mobile browsing horrific!!!

 

[sweenish]

N5 or N6 with Manual Camera. Speed isn't an issue.

Quality is up to you. And you get RAW files that you can work with. Macro shots with my N5 are incredible. Compared to the stock camera, a LOT more detail is captured.

That is a campus couch someone was a slob on.