Camera Shootout (Round 2): LG V10 vs Sony RX100
Last time we did a camera showdown, we took the Galaxy S6 and pitted its well-received shooter against a renowned dedicated camera – the Sony RX100 (Mark II). The overall comparison showed a very interesting result – smartphone cameras aren’t as far off from real cameras as one might suspect.
Well, now it’s time we take the RX100 up against another contender. LG has been right on Samsung’s tail since the debut of its new 16MP f/1.8 camera on the G4 this year. The sensor is essentially a Sony IMX234 module, modified with LG’s own lens, laser auto-focus, and white balance sensor. And of course, it made sense to carry the stellar camera over to the V10.
So now it’s time to see if LG’s work paid off and and can hold a candle to a dedicated camera. The Sony RX100 has gained a large fan base for the superb image quality from a compact body. In my opinion, the RX100 is the highest reasonable level to compare to a smartphone camera, because past this point you’re in DSLR territory.
We’ll have three categories in this comparison: Backyard, Indoors, and Town. I’ve dropped the RX100’s capture down to 16:9 and 17MP (close enough to the V10’s 16MP resolution), and I used Auto Mode on both cameras. Also, I’ve implemented a side-by-side image preview this time, for easier comparing. The LG V10 images will be on the left and Sony RX100 on the right (you can pop up the full images via the links below each image pair). Let’s begin!
Backyard
I have a forest in my backyard, so this gives me lots of opportunity for foliage shots. I picked the most interesting ones out of my set to show you guys.
I caught this forest shot early in the morning and wanted to see how well both cameras responded to the sun’s light. I felt like the V10 did an overall better job – the RX100’s image looks slightly faded due to the light (and a blueish tint). The V10’s colors are deeper.
My dogs were nice enough to help with the shootout. Here, I prefer the RX100’s image. If you zoom in on Ian’s fur, detail was captured better on the RX100. The V10’s image came out slightly brighter and less contrasted.
I loved this shot, for both the artistry and the complexity that the sun adds. There was a pretty drastic difference between the cameras. One important note is that the RX100 focused on the pot while the V10 appeared to focus on the concrete ledge (not sure on why LG’s camera wouldn’t focus on the object directly in front). You can also see the sun’s rays cut into the V10’s image more. But that slight blueish tint makes a return on the RX100 image (I like the contrast in the V10 image better).
The detail in both of these images are the same as far as I’m concerned, but overall coloring is definitely different. I would say that the coloring on the RX100 was most true to the actual of that scene.
This was another early morning shot – a cold, frosty morning actually. Again, these images are very close in detail to me. The big different I see is that the RX100 is more aggressive with depth of field (de-focusing of the surrounding), which makes for a more dramatic image.
I noticed a good opportunity to catch differing detail as the sun melted the frost that morning. Both cameras reproduced the moisture detail on the lounge chair fantastically. What’s interesting is that the RX100 captured a vertical rainbow effect. If you look at the de-focused area on the back, the contrast and colors of the RX100 is much better.
I did a close-up on a leaf that had frost on it. I prefer the RX100’s shot here. If you zoom in, the frost detail is definitely resolved better. Also, the color on the rock is more accurate.
Stepping away from the close-ups, this patio shot shows the sunlight dominating the V10’s image a bit too much. It looks slightly hazy and not as contrasted as the RX100 image.
I got the cameras to focus at about the same spot in this image. You can see again that the overall coloring is slightly different. A common occurrence I’m seeing is that the V10’s camera prefers to produce a brighter image at the cost of some color accuracy. We’ll see if that behavior continues in the next set.
Indoors
Indoor shots tell a lot about a camera’s abilities – lighting is different at every angle. Let’s check out how the V10 fares in varying conditions.
Got my wife some Fall flowers for our anniversary and saw a picture opportunity. Going along with my previous observation, the V10’s image is brighter. It may come down to preference, but I just like the RX100’s image better. The extra brightness makes the V10’s image bland in comparison.
I brought in my little orange Android to help out. The color on the RX100 image is so much better to me (the V10’s image looks pale in comparison). But the Android’s detail on the V10 image is clearer (maybe because the RX100 focused on the table).
Mmmm, ham and cheese croissant. The detail on both images are great, but I like the contrast and color accuracy on the RX100 image better.
Here, I tried to focus both cameras on Intel logo on my XPS 13 (the device I’m a slave to when pumping out these posts). Something I really notice is the dominant yellowness of the V10’s image (probably due to both the table’s color and lighting). The RX100 wasn’t deterred by the surroundings.
Now for some shadows! I caught this drama happening on my dining room floor. The floor color with the V10 is pale, while the RX100’s image was truer to real life.
This is my other dog. His name is Beau and he’s a Great Pyrenees. Fortunately, he was nice enough to pose for me (this time). We again get a brighter image with the V10, somewhat countering the shadowing in the scene. If you zoom in on his face, the RX100 image is more detailed.
Interestingly, the results are reversed in this comparison. The RX100’s image now has a yellow-ish tint. To me, the V10 wins here.
Tea time! Again, the V10’s image is brighter (and a bit paler) in comparison. But both are good.
For this last one, I wanted to address the low-light struggle of the cameras. The V10 did a fantastic job pulling light in, look at how comparable these images are. May I remind you that the RX100 has a 1-inch sensor. But with that said, the Androids on the V10 image are slightly grainier. Still, I’m impressed.
Town
For variability of outdoor images, I went out to my local town and got a few good shots.
I like how the V10 handled this scene. The RX100 blew out the lighting on the top left area, resulting in an overall paler image.
These two images are very close. I prefer the V10 here, again. The lighting on the RX100’s image is ever so slightly overdone from the top.
It’s Christmas time, so why not compare a tree? To me, the RX100 wins here. The V10’s reproduction isn’t as clear and slightly yellowy.
These images are super close in quality. I would say that the V10’s image is slightly paler but negligible.
Same deal here as far as I’m concerned. To my eyes, the V10’s image is still slightly paler. I can see it being up to preference.
I have a hard time choosing which image I like more here, I see elements in both that are good. The lighting of the RX100 image looks overshot on the top left, but it looks more crisp than the V10 image.
These are close in detail, but to my eyes the colors of the building and cars look richer on the RX100’s image.
This pair is once again difficult to choose from. I would give a slight edge to the RX100 because I see it as more colorful.
The sunlight (and HDR processing) largely determines the reaction in this last image. It’s hard to choose one, but I side with the V10’s image. To my eyes, the sunlight causes a slight haze on the RX100’s capture.
Final Thoughts
This was a very interesting battle. I would call the RX100 the winner, but there were times when the V10’s camera stepped forward. The repeated offenses I noticed was that the tone of the V10’s images could sometimes be thrown off into a slight yellowish tint and paler colors in some instances. But the capture of detail was consistently fantastic. And LG’s f/1.8 aperture is no joke, this thing can catch a great amount of light.
One last note. After having done the same comparison with top-end smartphone cameras from both Samsung and LG, you may be wondering which fared better against the RX100? I would say that Samsung’s camera did. I felt like that battle was closer. But nonetheless, smartphone cameras are amazing these days.
Despite my commentary, you of course be the judge. What did you think about this camera shootout? We want to know, so sound off below!
The post Camera Shootout (Round 2): LG V10 vs Sony RX100 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Sony closes $155 million purchase of Toshiba’s image sensor business
Sony is the biggest player in the mobile image sensor business and has likely just secured its position. The company has announced that it will purchase Toshiba’s rival imaging business for 19 billion yen ($155 million).
Following a series of rumors, the two companies had originally signalled the closing stages of the deal back in October. Today’s announcement sees the signing of definitive agreements and confirms that Toshiba’s fabrication plant, equipment, and around 1,100 employees mainly located at its Oita Operations facility will be transferred over to Sony, along with the cost of the acquisition. The facility will operate under Sony’s newly formed Semiconductor Corporation, a subsidiary that was formed along with a number of others to give Sony’s various business arms greater autonomy.
Sony is the largest sensor developer in both the smartphone and high-end camera markets. The company’s sensors power a range on flagship smartphone cameras, including the Galaxy S6, LG V10 and the Huawei Mate 8. In the mobile space, Sony has become increasingly dependent on its semiconductor sales in order to offset losses from its struggling handset business. Toshiba had seen more limited success in high-end mobile products, but its T4KA7 sensor was apparently used in the HTC One M9.
The two companies aim to have the asset transfers completed by the financial year ending March 2016.
Video: the science behind camera sensors
If you have ever wondered how a modern camera sensor takes the light from a scene and converts it into a digital picture, then you should definitely check out this informative video (above) from the Filmmaker IQ YouTube channel.
The video covers all the fundamental concepts. Everything from the basics of how film photography started out, a beginner’s guide to semiconductors and photodiodes, all the way through to how CMOS image sensors are designed and work. If you love your science, there are some pretty interesting insights into a technology that we all use so regularly.
Time to stick the kettle on, sit back and learn something new.
Extra camera goodness: Blind Camera Shootout – the winner is…
Amazon wants augmented reality to be headset-free
Augmented reality (AR) isn’t all headsets and funny glasses. Amazon wants to turn it into something that you can interact with in your living room, judging by a couple of the company’s recently approved patents. The “object tracking” patent shows how a system of projectors and cameras could beam virtual images onto real objects, and track your hand while you interact with them. The other, called “reflector-based depth mapping,” would use a projector to transform your room into a kind of holodeck, mapping the depth of objects and bodies in a room.
Via: Bloomberg
Bing Maps’ traffic cam views let you preview your commute
When you switch on the traffic layer in Bing Maps, you’ll now get a lot more info than color-coded route details. On top of letting you know how bad (or good) traffic is along your route, Bing allows you to see where traffic cameras are for a look at that commute. You can also check multiple cameras at the same time if you want to take a glance at the places where you typically encounter delays along the way. Like Google Maps and other navigation apps, Bing Maps already let you know if you should expect a backup, and now you can take a look at the congestion, or lack thereof, for yourself with this latest addition.
Source: Bing
[Deal] Take the perfect picture with the 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set for less than $20
Although the cameras that are in our pockets have become absolutely amazing over the last few years, there are still some times where you feel that a picture is just sub-par. Maybe it’s the lighting, maybe it’s due to the focal-point of your picture, but regardless, this can be a source of frustration. Today’s deal aims to help alleviate some of that frustration for those who use their devices as their point and shoot cameras.
The 3-in-1 Smartphone Photography Lens Set is a great way to capture some amazing shots with your most portable camera, your phone. There are three different lenses; wide-angle, macro, and fisheye. Each lens offers a different aspect to your shot, and will improve just about any picture you’re trying to take.
- Capture images clearly from close-up or far away
- Take classic 180-degree “fisheye” shots
- Snap-on & snap-off the lenses for quick application
- Quickly learn to use the lenses
- Easily store the kit away w/ its simple design
You may be thinking that there’s some clunky case that these attach to, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Each lens simply snaps on and snaps off, AND works with both iOS devices and your Android devices. So if you want to “borrow” someone else’s iPhone, you’ll be able to use your preferred lens regardless of the device.
Normally priced at $69, you’ll get all three of these lenses for only $19.99, a savings of 71%. There are a variety of different smartphone lens attachments available on the market today, but this is by far one of the cheapest options out there. And since the Holidays are right around the corner, this would be the perfect pickup for that photographer in your family, or maybe just as a present to yourself. For the money that you’re saving with this deal, you could grab a couple sets and have at least one gift taken care of for your friends or family.
If you like this deal, and want to see more of these, let us know in the comments below. You can find this, and many other great tech bargains through our Deals Page. Backed by StackCommerce, there are daily promos, giveaways, freebies, and much more!
AndroidGuys Deals: 3-in-1 Smartphone Photography Lens Set
The post [Deal] Take the perfect picture with the 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set for less than $20 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Sony opens up experimental AOSP camera to developers
Sony has become increasingly open regarding software development and third parties, as well as taking on extra feedback from the community, with its Open Device program and the company has just released a new open source camera application for use with AOSP Xperia devices.
Before you all run to try it out, Sony clearly states that it does not recommend the app for daily use, as the app is not calibrated and will produce worse looking shots that Sony’s regular camera app. Instead, Sony stresses that the goal of the project is to allow developers to get behind the scenes to come up with innovative new camera applications and will hopefully improve support custom ROMs with basic camera functionality. It’s going to be interesting to see what comes out of it.
The open source camera is based on Qualcomm framework and works with a number of Xperia devices, including the Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra (MSM8974), Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet (MSM8974AB), Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z3, Zperia Z3 Tablet Compact (MSM8974AC) and Xperia Z3+, and Xperia Z4 Tablet (MSM8994). Support for the Xperia Z5 range, Xperia M2, E3 and T3 will be added in at a later date.
Sony’s Open Device program saw early Marshmallow binaries arrive for a number of its Xperia devices back in October, giving custom ROM development a good head start over handsets from other manufacturers. If you would like to learn more about the program, you can read all about it over on Sony’s official site.
Samsung’s latest smartphone camera loves the low light
Are you sick of disappointing low light photos taken on your smartphone? Samsung might have a solution for you. At an investor conference in Korea, the telecommunications brand announced a new camera called BRITECELL that excels in darker conditions. The camera manages to achieve brighter, sharper results by getting rid of the traditional Bayer filter layout used in most smartphone cameras. This is a filter that turns pixels green and blocks light from hitting the sensors, making photos darker. Samsung has traded these green pixels for white ones that allow more light to pour through the lens. More light means brighter photos. Simple, right?
Source: 9 To 5 Google
Nexus camera app coming to other devices
One of the best things about a Nexus is the simplicity of it. Everything is stripped down to the basics. For example, the camera app doesn’t offer too many special features and just focuses on making it easy for users to point and shoot.
However, the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P shipped with an updated camera app. Usually, Google updates the Google Camera app in the Play Store as well, but it didn’t this time. Luckily, they just took a little longer to update it and it’s now available in the Play Store.
Overall, the design is even simpler than before. It still maintains all the same features, but hides the less used ones. Things like switching from photo to video mode has been made easier. Other things like the HDR, flash, and timer buttons are now moved to the top right corner. The bottom area is now only three buttons, a switch to front camera button, the capture photos button, and a review last picture taken button. Can’t get much simpler than that.
Come comment on this article: Nexus camera app coming to other devices
Sony Xperia Z5 camera update rolls out today
The Xperia Z5 range already boasts one of the best smartphone cameras in the business right now, and Sony is busy rolling out a new software update today that will give the flagship’s camera some new features to help you capture even better looking photos.
The changes have been made to the camera app’s user interface, switching over to a more minimalist look and adding in some new features to select different capture modes. Moving between camera modes, such as manual or auto mode, can now be done with a simple swipe. On screen sliders can also be used to tweak some settings via a quick touch, to adjust your photos to just how you like them.
There’s no mention of tweaks to camera processing or any major new photography features. Instead, the update is designed to make the UI a little friendlier and more practical, to help capture the best looking shots.
The update applies to the Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact and Z5 Premium smartphones. Some customers may notice the update arrive today, but the roll out will take a little longer to reach some regions and carrier branded handsets.
Read more: Feature Focus: up close with Sony Xperia Z5’s camera
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