Why the iPhone 6 Camera Beats the 1020

[mjrtoo]

Hahaha... So much about trying not to be biased and get comments about being an iSheep, seriously.

Sometimes, we must learn to give credit to people who have done things well, and not blindly praise whatever you like. You say that Lumia 1020 is light years ahead. Not sure that you're sober but those tech existed in other cameras way before that. The only difference is that its in a smaller package.

Though this is WPCentral, I hope to see people not being too biased about their decision making.

P.S sooner or later somebody is going to bring in the price of both devices into the thread. (shrugs)

I don't think that you're looking at the photographs with a photographers eye. Just as you say it's biased here towards windows phone, I think you're biased towards iPhone. And that's all good, but I can say that an while the new iPhones take nice pictures, they are not DSLR level in color saturation, dynamic range, contrast, and overall image quality like the Lumia 1020 is, absolutely not.

Call me biased if you will, but I'm not sure that you've seen properly exposed and framed photographs from each device, same subject and same field of view to make that judgement.

 

[LEHUY]

I agree with a lot of what you've said and it seems that your N5 probably is a defected model.

Mine has a few issues with focus in lowlight, but for the most part it is fast and reliable.


But apart from that I do agree with you on a lot of what you've said.

 

[BatteryLife]

I don't think that you're looking at the photographs with a photographers eye. Just as you say it's biased here towards windows phone, I think you're biased towards iPhone. And that's all good, but I can say that an while the new iPhones take nice pictures, they are not DSLR level in color saturation, dynamic range, contrast, and overall image quality like the Lumia 1020 is, absolutely not.

Call me biased if you will, but I'm not sure that you've seen properly exposed and framed photographs from each device, same subject and same field of view to make that judgement.

"they are not DSLR level in color saturation, dynamic range, contrast, and overall image quality like the Lumia 1020 is, absolutely not"

I agree, the iPhone is no "DSLR" in color saturation, dynamic range, contrast, and overall image quality. Absolutely not. Totally limited by its minute sensor.

"like the Lumia 1020"

I have to disagree with this. The Lumia 1020 is not exceptional at all, except that it manages to pack in a slightly larger (OK, significantly in a camera sense) sensor in a smartphone, that causes it to have an advantage. But it seemed to lose that advantage to its post processing and exposure/focus. Are you seriously treating a 1/1.5 sensor to a crop sensor or even a full frame? That's downright disgusting.

Honestly speaking, I can't see how I'm being biased. I merely pointed out that Apple done a great job at post processing algorithms and good at creating photographs pleasant to the eye. Am I wrong in any way? If so, please enlighten me, I would LOVE to hear why you disagree with me.

 

[Karthik Naik]

I agree with a lot of what you've said and it seems that your N5 probably is a defected model.

Mine has a few issues with focus in lowlight, but for the most part it is fast and reliable.

Nexus 5 Camera Samples - Imgur

But apart from that I do agree with you on a lot of what you've said.

hes actually right about nexus 5,its really slow to focus and i often get blurred shots on mine too

I doubt most ranters like this who say lumias are slow to open camera app,slow shutter speed etc have used the MS Camera app
Nokia camera and Proshot offer more customisation but are slow to open and slow shutter speed but its because customisations often include change in focus,aperture ,iso,shutter speed etc and these programs are heavy
As a person who has photography as part of his course ,I must say the iphone 6 certainly does have a high shutter speed but its not that much faster than the 1020
the iphone 6 is often oversaturated and washed out
the nexus 5 and 1020 take more natural photos and are phenomenal in low light

i still think the 1020 is the best camera phones out there and despite its flaws like slight overheating near the sensor,poor battery life(compared to other lumias of course,still better than some other phones),lack of SD card slot
Its certainly no DSLR replacement but its certainly the king of point and shoots and some older SLRs and DSLRs

I viewed the Iceland photo shoot and I don't see much noise to speak of. The detail, the colors, and the focusing was superb though. The Verge may be biased in some ways, but they didn't mess with the photos and they we're great.

Also Phonearena isn't biased, they've done a comparison of the 1520 to the iPhone 6's camera, and guess what? iPhone won in most aspects.

Camera comparison: iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus vs iPhone 5s, Galaxy S5, LG G3, Lumia 1520, Xperia Z2, HTC One (M8)

phone arena is massively biased towards iphone and sometimes android
it has been proved and discussed in another thread before

 

[jdhooghe]

Dude, I appreciate your review but you just walked in to a lion's den covered in meat. These people don't take criticism well even if it might mean Microsoft/Nokia improving their cameras in response to Apple's achievement. amrut's photos are really spectacular but photography isn't just about making the person stand there for a couple seconds, it's about those truly spontaneous and special shots that you get just at the spur of the moment. When I had my 920, it was touted as superior low-light but it failed in most things, speed included. Then the images came through processing as a blur and a great camera sensor is something I look for in a cell phone. That along with completely missing some possibly incredible and memorable shots sucked because it was just too damn slow was rough. I gave up on Microsoft sometime ago so I haven't used the 1520 but I think I can suspect what you mean by that delay.

However I can comment on the amount of time it takes to focus using the 6. Wow, it's fast, I mean instant and things really do come out looking great. You just have to choose which phone fits your photography style more.

amrut, if I were you, I'd seriously stop calling people with differing opinions sheep and to take the tinfoil hat off and stop thinking everyone is paid off by Apple because honestly, the OP isn't the one coming off as a flaming ******, it's you. You can disagree but stop acting like a raging child. It doesn't matter if your phone has superior specs, in the end it doesn't mean anything if you didn't get the shot you wanted.

And now to read up on why the 1520 camera fails in comparison to the 1020. Excuse me.

 

[bijak_riyandi]

comparing the iPhone 6 against the 1020 is like comparing a handgun against a shotgun: it's easier and faster to use a handgun but it won't beat the shotgun in terms of power

I gotta say, the shotgun is definitely not for everyone to use...

anyway, Microsoft would really lose it if they're not going to release the 1030 anytime soon...
because the best camera that runs Windows Phone in near future will be Lumia 930/1520 on Denim update and "tech people" will bash it for using a more-than-one-year-old processor

 

[jdhooghe]

comparing the iPhone 6 against the 1020 is like comparing a handgun against a shotgun: it's easier and faster to use a handgun but it won't beat the shotgun in terms of power

I gotta say, the shotgun is definitely not for everyone to use...

anyway, Microsoft would really lose it if they're not going to release the 1030 anytime soon...
because the best camera that runs Windows Phone in near future will be Lumia 930/1520 on Denim update and "tech people" will bash it for using a more-than-one-year-old processor

I hope you don't mean that the image is pixelated like a shotgun's J/K I agree, too many people nowadays look at specs and not the overall experience. The camera is definitely Nokia's strong suit and they need to really keep up. Not only that but really start putting work into the OS to make it great. Windows OS is definitely a colorful and fun OS that could capture the hearts of many. If Microsoft showed real work then it might make me and others who abandoned the platform buy another device and dual-wield again

 

[Futra Hurairah Salleh]

iPhone 6 does'nt beat the 1020, but it fulfills what you need. iPhone 6 suits you.

I agree 1020 is slow at startup and shot to shot, but it comes nowhere near 1020's territory.
I can bet you cannot capture these shots with iPhone with atmost no noise.
Physics and Hardware always wins bro.

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the Day I am able to capture these kind of images on iPhone i am sold,
1020 pushes the limit for a camera on a smartphone, gives you that flexibility and the RAW is just a Boon to it.
For and avg person iphone camera mite be good, but for me I will keep the 1020.

The bike photo is stunning!

 

[thesachd]

I'm sorry that I sparked such a huge debate among you people and I apologise for doing so.

My point wasn't that the iPhone was better than a 1020 in all aspects. I'm pretty those of you enthusiasts out there, who like taking control over your photos can definitely take better photos than any iPhone ever released.

But what you guys have to realise is that not everyone will be willing to shoot in RAW and then later tweak the white balance to fine tune the image, and not everyone will want to change the shutter speed, exposure and ISO to get a photo each and every time.

The majority of people want to take a great photo and do it fast, be it taking a photo of train that is passing by, a plane, a cute kid on the street, an animal, and so on...

Both the MS Camera and Nokia Camera are slow in comparison to the iPhone, much slower to focus and much slower to shot a photo, and taking a burst is out of the question unless you want to sacrifice a massive amount of detail.

But apart from speed I find that the iPhone has a pretty reliable software experience, it does well with colors, it does well with noise management, the ISO can drop to 32(very useful), and the mode switching and filters are also great.

Speed is the main point I am trying to emphasise here, but it's not the only thing that makes the iPhone 6's camera great.

And add to that that the true tone flash, a combination of the regular LED flash and an amber one, has way more natural color a than the 1020 which casts a yellowish hue many times for me.

For the majority of consumers it'll be much easier to take a better photo with the iPhone rather than the 1020.

And even Daniel Rubino admitted that when he went to a concert(if I am not wrong) he had a much better time snapping with the iPhone than the much slower Lumia 1020.

And while the camera stills are debatable the 1020 simply can't compete with the iPhone in video recording, nor can it take photos while recording video, it can't record above 30 FPS and there is no slow-mo or timelapse.

I'm not an Apple ******, and I'll gladly switch to a 1020 successor if it opens camera faster, has a better auto focusing system(laser or phase detection), processes shots faster, and can take decently detailed bursts.

hes actually right about nexus 5,its really slow to focus and i often get blurred shots on mine too

I've contacted the person who I bought the Nexus 5 off from eBay and he told me that he was selling the Nexus for cheap because of the faulty autofocus. He told me that Google is offering replacements now for any damaged Nexus 5, no matter what.

So I'm sending my Nexus 5 for repair/replacement to Google.

Meanwhile salmanahmad's Nexus 5 images from imgur are pretty nice. Nexus 5 seems to have an underrated sensor.

 

[Steve Adams]

All that needs to be said/shown. I have yet to see images better than these from any iPhone/other phone. Nokia's pureview cameras are the best in the phone "arena", Hands down.
PUREVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY - HOME

 

[Karthik Naik]

I've contacted the person who I bought the Nexus 5 off from eBay and he told me that he was selling the Nexus for cheap because of the faulty autofocus. He told me that Google is offering replacements now for any damaged Nexus 5, no matter what.

So I'm sending my Nexus 5 for repair/replacement to Google.

Meanwhile salmanahmad's Nexus 5 images from imgur are pretty nice. Nexus 5 seems to have an underrated sensor.

no in general the nexus 5 autofocus is deadly slow
could be worse with a defect though i guess
i agree it has an underrated sensor though

 

[TLRtheory]

Tone the 1020 down to iPhone's level and it'll shoot fast shots too.

 

[salmanahmad]

All that needs to be said/shown. I have yet to see images better than these from any iPhone/other phone. Nokia's pureview cameras are the best in the phone "arena", Hands down.
PUREVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY - HOME

Many of those images, while indeed being spectacular can be snapped by an iOS or Android device.

no in general the nexus 5 autofocus is deadly slow
could be worse with a defect though i guess
i agree it has an underrated sensor though

Mobile photography is one of my favourite things, I'll admit I'm not the best but it's a huge consideration when buying a device(unless I'm short on cash).

I had the opportunity to go for a Nexus 5 or a Lumia 925, all differences aside, I chose the Nexus 5 and the camera did focus and snap a photo faster than the 925(with and without Nokia Camera).

The Nexus 5 has pretty quick autofocus, only in a few very challenging lighting conditions can the Nexus 5 become a pain.

Tone the 1020 down to iPhone's level and it'll shoot fast shots too.

We'll talk when toning down to 8 MP is possible, till then it's not relevant.

 

[jlzimmerman]

A major reason I have pureview camera phone (Lumia Icon) is because I am an amateur photographer. I have yet to see any iPhone take shots like the Icon/1520/930. Just look at some of the photos on their Flickr page. Amazing.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/lumia1520


Here's a couple from my Icon, all but one was edited in-phone. I have not yet seen a phone that comes close to what this phone gives me.
Haters Gonna Hate by jlzimmerman, on Flickr

Pool Deck by jlzimmerman, on Flickr

Carnival Swings by jlzimmerman, on Flickr

String of Lights by jlzimmerman, on Flickr

 

[Ebaneeezor]

"edits OP's title"

"Why the iPhone 6 Camera Beats the 1020, for me"

 

[psoham777]

First of all iPhone 6/6+ wasn't even able to beat Lumia icon/930 in camera tests. 1020 is too far off.

If someone is an iPhone fan, be happy with your iPhone 6, don't bother to compare a phone with another phone which has more than 5 times better camera.

Let experts do that.

Sent from my dark knight 1320

 

[salmanahmad]

First of all iPhone 6/6+ wasn't even able to beat Lumia icon/930 in camera tests. 1020 is too far off.

If someone is an iPhone fan, be happy with your iPhone 6, don't bother to compare a phone with another phone which has more than 5 times better camera.

Let experts do that.

Sent from my dark knight 1320

I've realized that OP has gotten himself into a war that no one can win.

Experts have gone back and forth and each of them come out with their own findings and results.

It depends on who "you" trust, because if I post a comparison from The Verge, phonearena or any other "experts" people will just say they are biased against Windows Phones.

So really, no point of arguing.

But I'll just give my honest opinion, a fast camera matters a lot and I've used the iPhone 6's camera. It's fast, detailed, crazy fast to focus, and offers more features primarily in the video recording.

 

[chezm]

no in general the nexus 5 autofocus is deadly slow
could be worse with a defect though i guess
i agree it has an underrated sensor though

Coming from someone who had a L1020, and now uses a Nexus 5...i dont find the autofocus slow at all, infact its on par with the L1020's.

I will also add, while the Nexus 5 camera cant compete with the L1020 from a RAW data image standard, when it comes to auto shooting the camera is much better than people say it is. These are unedited pics i took, i gotta say i am thoroughly happy with the quality...even when viewed on larger screens.

 

[salmanahmad]

Coming from someone who had a L1020, and now uses a Nexus 5...i dont find the autofocus slow at all, infact its on par with the L1020's.

I will also add, while the Nexus 5 camera cant compete with the L1020 from a RAW data image standard, when it comes to auto shooting the camera is much better than people say it is. These are unedited pics i took, i gotta say i am thoroughly happy with the quality...even when viewed on larger screens.
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Yeah the OP admitted he has a defected model.

The autofocus on mine is great too. And DNG support is coming in Android L.

Some photos I've snapped with N5:



One of the best I've taken(yet).



It focused very well on the plant :3



Those clouds though



Lowlight :3

 

[Karthik Naik]

its not about quality,its autofocus is nowhere near my 720,820 or Z10
i dunno much about 1020s autofocus because i dont own one,my brother does,but i dont use it much

@salmanahmad
sigh,i can argue about this all day long just like in those other threads where you were proved wrong by the others
its slow by default,maybe the defect made it worse