What if the camera is not great? #surfacephone

[fatclue_98]

I still think for any mobile device that replaces your phone, it needs to have a pretty good camera to succeed. Don't you guys think?

Tablet cameras have been largely overlooked thus far. It's smartphone or bust - or so it seems.

Sent from my HP Elite x3 on mTalk

 

[etphoto]

The "best" Windows phone, according to a WC article, is the Elite x3 and its camera is mediocre at best. Does that answer your question?

Sent from my HP Elite x3 on mTalk

Excellent point.

Twitter: @PhotographyET

 

[bulls96]

Tablet cameras have been largely overlooked thus far. It's smartphone or bust - or so it seems.

Sent from my HP Elite x3 on mTalk

Tablets were not supposed to replace the smartphone. The "surface mobile" is supposed to (i hope)

 

[mtf1380]

Since the subject has been raised, I will ante my two cents... I would 'also' love to see a great camera on the back facing side of the Surface Pro (opposite the screen side); when I'm at a convention and taking notes with my SP, it would be great to be able to snap some professional looking pictures of the product I'm looking at, at the time, and have them available on the same page as the notes I took.

 

[fatclue_98]

Since the subject has been raised, I will ante my two cents... I would 'also' love to see a great camera on the back facing side of the Surface Pro (opposite the screen side); when I'm at a convention and taking notes with my SP, it would be great to be able to snap some professional looking pictures of the product I'm looking at, at the time, and have them available on the same page as the notes I took.

The closest I've seen to a good camera on a tablet is the Galaxy S2 9.7. No iPad or Surface is worth a darn other than for videoconferencing with the front camera. I'd like to have something decent even if it's just for scanning documents, but noooooo.

Sent from my ZTE Piece of S**t Android on the Windows Central Forums app

 

[fatclue_98]

Tablets were not supposed to replace the smartphone. The "surface mobile" is supposed to (i hope)

What makes you think the Surface Unicorn is going to be a smartphone form factor? I haven't heard or read anything indicating this to be so.

 

[AccentAE86]

I agree as well. Even if they are focusing on enterprise, if you expect someone to replace their phone with your device, you should provide at least a camera that is equal to what you have on iPhone or Pixel.

Many people were willing to give windows phone a shot BECAUSE it had unparalleled camera technology. Myself included.

The 950, while still not as good as the 1020 I loved, is still nothing short of excellent camera-wise.

If a "surface" phone type of device has a mediocre camera... then really there is no motivation for me to stay.

I don't know if MS remembers how the fricken awesome CAMERA is pretty much the ONLY thing that brought Windows Phone (not talking pre 7) to it's highest smartphone marketshare ever, hitting as much as 15% in some geographic areas.

People can RELATE and understand cameras. People WANT excellent cameras on their phones. EVERYBODY USES THEIR CAMERAS. EVERYBODY CAN RELATE! So when Nokia had the undisputed BEST of the BEST, it's no wonder people actually started coming, because it had something the general user could RELATE to. Now, pair that WITH the productivity of Continuum, cshell and all the other new stuff MS is planning, and they have their best chance at success.

But without it... I feel like it'll be the ONE missing piece that would have been able to push windows on mobile into the pool of success.

 

[Jeff Bramwell]

If Microsoft could provide an ecosystem, I would not purchase the "Surface" phone unless it had a great camera. Primarily because all other high end smartphones today have pretty decent cameras.

However, unless they can somehow magically include a well-stocked app ecosystem with the "Surface" phone, I'm not sure there is anything they could add to the device that would cause me to buy one.

I love the Windows Mobile OS and used Windows phones for years, that is, until I moved to Android last year (for various reasons). Unfortunately, the platform just didn't do well enough to keep it in the market. I'd love to see it come back but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Scott McBurney]

Being that we are talking about the mythical "Surface Phone", and Microsoft's Surface line of products are supposed to represent the best things and new form factors, with huge attention to detail by Microsoft, I would expect a surface phone to have a camera at least on par with the lumia 950xl, if not something better.

 

[MSFTMatt]

I would hope they have zeiss lenses again. My Lumia 928 albeit less pixels than my Alcatel Idol 4S takes better pictures still. I would hope they have multiple types of devices. Obviously for enterprise as a mobile PC and phone combo (continuum) a super camera is a waste. But for me, I would like to have a Lumia 1020 camera option. I hope this Andromeda pans out to enable Surface to have multiple personalities or more surfaces, pun totally intended

 

[ladydias]

It needs a great camera and, if not, then the form factor and functionality had better be on point or it's a no-go. A bad camera on an expensive, top-of-the-line phone is unacceptable and will only give reviewers yet another reason to ding the device.

 

[TechFreak1]

The "best" Windows phone, according to a WC article, is the Elite x3 and its camera is mediocre at best.

Sent from my HP Elite x3 on mTalk

Personally, I would say over all it's the best Windows Phone right now and that is true... it's not like we have many options to pick from... :grincry:.

The surface phone must absolutely have a best camera in market place, there are no ifs or buts.

It is a must.

There are many reasons why it must have the best camera as:

a)Otherwise it will give the naysayers something to complain about endlessly.

b)They have a long way to mending bridges and plopping for a sub par crappy camera is another sledge hammer to the teeth of the people who have stayed with Windows Phone all this time.

c)The best camera is the one you keep in your pocket.

d)There competitor flagships phones have leap frogged Microsoft in that department and they will need the best to even be considered in the same class. Let alone to redefine a category. Not many people use Win32 Applications these days.

e)The camera is what showcases the abilities phone's screen as when you take a picture say a family moment and what do you do?

You generally share that experience via everyone gathering around your phone screen and looking at it the photo from multiple angles. As well as panning or zooming for the little details that gave that particular family moment the element of magic thus making it very memorable.

The list is endless.

 

[Pavel Gotze]

Do we really need such articles?

 

[Wevenhuis]

I agree as well. Even if they are focusing on enterprise, if you expect someone to replace their phone with your device, you should provide at least a camera that is equal to what you have on iPhone or Pixel.

Yes. A surface phone with a bad camera is not a phone worth buying or recommending. For me the benchmark to beat is that the camera must be better than the lumia 1520 and 950xl. Of these devices both camera's are good. With better the next things have to be adressed:

1. sharper and more natural photo's. Of the many years I've used a smartphone camera I'm still convinced a better, more high quality lens and glass is the way to go. I think the 20 megapixel cmos sensors are fine. Much better would be the 40 mpix cmos sensor of the lumia 1020, but I have found the 20 mpix a good compromise. I don't think software can improve the picture much better. I have found that more agressive software tweaking is causing pictures to look more like artificial paintings, rather that a true image.

2. better low life photography. They are okay on the 1520 and 950 xl, but not good.

3. a screw mount on the device so we can mount lenses to the default lens.

4. stable and sharp 1080 p video. Basic 1080 30 fps shooting is okay on the 950xl, but stretching it on the 1520. But both 1080 p are some has sensitive to frame loss or jerky video capture instabilities when moviing the camera about a bit. You really have to do your best to prevent sudden jeryky movements to causes the capture to influence the hardware capture device. I have a suspition this can be achied by a stable 2K video camera to take footage and then oversample is for 1080 p, much like the 1020 does for sharp 8 mpix images from oversampled 40 mpix images.

If these four issues are adressed, that would be a great windows 10 mobile device with a great camera.

 

[Bai]

Camera is one of the BIG reason to pay for a highend phone, just look at how many time people asked how's the camera on the X3 compared to 950s. Look are phone reviews and see where they position the camera section. A great reliable(looking at you MS) camera on the phone is not just for taking vacation pic, it also make you more efficient. It help you read fine print, post ad on ebay, insurance claim, doc scan, take notes...etc. If not for the camera and camera button a lot of use will be using a Acer phone or 640/50 instead 950s.

 

[Gundesalf]

It is Carl Zeiss kind of important. I still wish the Lumia 1020 was Windows 10-compatible. That much important.

 

[Stamatis Dakos]

Of course guys. We come from Nokia Lumia!

 

[aphrophyre]

I agree as well. Even if they are focusing on enterprise, if you expect someone to replace their phone with your device, you should provide at least a camera that is equal to what you have on iPhone or Pixel.

If this is a consumer facing device, then they absolutely CANNOT skimp on the camera. Everyone here wants a CONSUMER focused device. We do not want enterprise devices masquerading as consumer devices.

 

[Sin Ogaris]

I agree as well. Even if they are focusing on enterprise, if you expect someone to replace their phone with your device, you should provide at least a camera that is equal to what you have on iPhone or Pixel.

I use my phone for photos and video a lot, a poor/average camera would be a major deal breaker for me.

 

[neilbey]

It's a relatively small thing that can make a huge amount of difference. Lumias were known for their camera quality, and taking a step back from that leading position in the market would not do MS and their new phone line (whatever that may be) any favors.