I have an iPhone 5 and an S4 - Comparisons & Observations

[Jibbajabba]

Theres a tiny piece of plastic covering the camera's lens?

Yes, under the back cover you can see its quite a large one, with a ladge to take it off.

 

[cynics]

The camera on the iPhone is one of the best on the market at the moment in regards to phones. As others have said it lacks features in comparison to other brands which is a shame, but there are some very good camera apps that allow missing features like ISO, F-stop, white balance adjustment etc.

Being a hobbyist photographer it is nice to have a phone with a semi decent camera for quick snaps here and there. At the end of the day no phone will compete with even the good compact camera's on the market but they can come close. With any camera is the quality of the glass that gives the quality in the picture and phones are at the distinct disadvantage of having an extremely small camera lens with limitations such as not being able to play too much with aperture due to size. They are point and shoot in effect.

The main point that annoys me about the marketing that surrounds compact camera's and phone camera's in the mega-pixel rubbish. The iPhone 5 has an 8 MP camera if I remember correctly but this is never going to be true pixels. It does a decent job through duplication and this is a process many compact camera's use too. When phones start bragging 13, 14, 15 MP it is nothing more than a marketing gimmick in my view. Its a figure that sounds impressive at first glance when compared to rivals but as we can see it means nothing in the grand scheme of things. Plus, unless you are blowing an image up to A3+ size, you don't tend to need a megapixel count of over 8. My DSLR is 10 and produces some beauty shots, with the advantage of good glass of course.

I don't think there is a single app for iOS that can control ISO, white balance etc. I have all the popular ones. There is nothing better then the stock camera app when it comes to initial picture. Kind of like Safari being The fastest browser due to nitro javascript engine. Some apps like Camera+ let you edit the picture a bit after the fact but that's not the same as taking the initial picture properly.

I agree with the rest though. I typically use my iPhone as a camera and its good, very good. But I also carry a Canon SD750 as a toss around point and shoot. Even though the Canon is only 7.1 mp the pictures are better by a mile. Too many people get hung up on megapixels.

 

[mib1800]

Agreed on the tacky front. A great solution I found to remedy this is by using transparent background widgets. If you check out the Android theming section at xda, there's a thread posted with nearly every popular widget available in a custom transparent option. Also if you're up it, you can pull the apk file and do it yourself. It's really fairly simple using either Photoshop or gimp.

The transparent look really does make your screen look a lot more cohesive.

I have mostly transparent widgets. For me, most of my main activity can be done via widgets without tediously open the app one by one. This is how I setup my pages.


View attachment 401927
1. HOME screen
-Bare. Dock bar with 5 folders:- games, fav contacts(direct dials/smses), fav app, system & fav info. Swipe-up on folder icons to activate camera,taskmgr,app drawer, notification panel & overview
-Just above dockbar located 5 invisible icons to activate phone, msg, etc.
-Auto-change wallpaper every 10 seconds (only when desktop is active). App: PhotoGallery LiveWallpaper

View attachment 401928
2. App: Pure Messenger widget showing latest Facebook and Twitter posts (refresh 15min). App: Catch note widget for fast voice/photo memo.

View attachment 401929
3. App: Agenda Widget shows calendars/Gtask/events. Toggle widgets. App: Droidstats widget showing remaining minutes/sms available. App: BirthdayInfo widget shows upcoming birthdays/anniversary. App: BatteryInfo widget shows uptime/screen time/etc

View attachment 401930
4. App: Go Weather widget(s) showing weather info/other info. App:Scrollable Stock widget showing selected stocks/indices (refresh:10mins)

 

[adnbek]

I don't think there is a single app for iOS that can control ISO, white balance etc. I have all the popular ones. There is nothing better then the stock camera app when it comes to initial picture. Kind of like Safari being The fastest browser due to nitro javascript engine. Some apps like Camera+ let you edit the picture a bit after the fact but that's not the same as taking the initial picture properly.

I agree with the rest though. I typically use my iPhone as a camera and its good, very good. But I also carry a Canon SD750 as a toss around point and shoot. Even though the Canon is only 7.1 mp the pictures are better by a mile. Too many people get hung up on megapixels.

I don't know if it controls ISO but these apps can do a lot:

https://itunes.apple.com/app/procam/id541557533?mt=8

https://itunes.apple.com/app/filmic-pro/id436577167?mt=8

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I don't think there is a single app for iOS that can control ISO, white balance etc. I have all the popular ones. There is nothing better then the stock camera app when it comes to initial picture. Kind of like Safari being The fastest browser due to nitro javascript engine. Some apps like Camera+ let you edit the picture a bit after the fact but that's not the same as taking the initial picture properly.

I might have been wrong about the IOS feature but I've found the best app is ProCam as stated by adnbek below. Its only 69p and worth it. There are others like Lo-Mob and iMajCam Pro that provide some good post processing results.

I agree with the rest though. I typically use my iPhone as a camera and its good, very good. But I also carry a Canon SD750 as a toss around point and shoot. Even though the Canon is only 7.1 mp the pictures are better by a mile. Too many people get hung up on megapixels.

I need to upgrade my DSLR as its an old 1000D and lacking in features, but I use a Sigma 10-20mm which gets great portrait and landscape results. I was always told to spend more money on the glass as they last way longer than any camera body and its what gives the quality at the end of the day. The iPhone is still the best camera I have seen from a mobile phone though. Megapixels mean virtually nothing if the lens is rubbish, and the lens on the iPhone appears to be very good for something so small. Its all too easy to stick a sensor boasting silly amounts of megapixels, but its no more than a marketing gimmick in many cases.

 

[mib1800]

The iPhone is still the best camera I have seen from a mobile phone though. Megapixels mean virtually nothing if the lens is rubbish, and the lens on the iPhone appears to be very good for something so small. Its all too easy to stick a sensor boasting silly amounts of megapixels, but its no more than a marketing gimmick in many cases.

Are just saying this based on your preference?
The following camera comparison reports say Iphone isnt the best.

http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/C...okia-Lumia-920-and-Galaxy-S-III_id3285/page/7

http://connect.dpreview.com/post/92...axys4-vs-htcone-vs-iphone5-vs-lumia920?page=4

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Are just saying this based on your preference?
The following camera comparison reports say Iphone isnt the best.

http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/C...okia-Lumia-920-and-Galaxy-S-III_id3285/page/7

http://connect.dpreview.com/post/92...axys4-vs-htcone-vs-iphone5-vs-lumia920?page=4

Yeah I'm saying it based on what I think hence why I used the words 'I have seen' in that statement.

There are so many phone camera reviews on the internet and I've read many of them. The ones I have trusted more than any are the ones done by the photographer communities rather than gadget and phone reviewers. You can find a review somewhere that will state any of the top flagship phones come up as number one, but then again that is at the preference of the reviewer. I'd trust a seasoned photographers opinion over a reviewer who likes clarity made up of pixel duplication and contrast bumped up to the max. just 'my' preference on advice given. I didn't buy my iPhone for the camera though, it was just an added bonus.

 

[mib1800]

Yeah I'm saying it based on what I think hence why I used the words 'I have seen' in that statement.

There are so many phone camera reviews on the internet and I've read many of them. The ones I have trusted more than any are the ones done by the photographer communities rather than gadget and phone reviewers. You can find a review somewhere that will state any of the top flagship phones come up as number one, but then again that is at the preference of the reviewer. I'd trust a seasoned photographers opinion over a reviewer who likes clarity made up of pixel duplication and contrast bumped up to the max. just 'my' preference on advice given.

Did you read the second link I gave? That's from a photography site.

http://connect.dpreview.com/post/92...axys4-vs-htcone-vs-iphone5-vs-lumia920?page=4

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Did you see the second link I gave? That's from a photography site.

http://connect.dpreview.com/post/92...axys4-vs-htcone-vs-iphone5-vs-lumia920?page=4

I opened both of them thanks. Not all photography based sites are going to share the same opinion. Whereas you might prefer to just read two reviews, I've read many and formed my own opinion on my experience of owning the device and reading what others have said about their findings. It often pays to broaden your horizons.

 

[mib1800]

I opened both of them thanks. Not all photography based sites are going to share the same opinion. Whereas you might prefer to just read two reviews, I've read many and formed my own opinion on my experience of owning the device and reading what others have said about their findings. It often pays to broaden your horizons.

You mean you read reviews by so-called photographers who just post pictures taken by the phones (in reduced size) and conclusively say one is better than the other without going thru any sort of detailed analysis like what the two reviews I posted.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

You mean you read reviews by so-called photographers who just post pictures taken by the phones (in reduced size) and conclusively say one is better than the other without going thru any sort of detailed analysis like what the two reviews I posted.

No, they are equally detailed if not more so in some cases. Photographers tend to want to know what makes a better picture, rather than see a couple of thumbnails that lead to high res shots. Lets get one thing straight, whether one phone is better than the other it is never a full substitute for an actual camera designed for purpose. You can point and shoot things like what you've had for dinner but you wouldn't take all your holiday snaps on a mobile phone because they are never as detailed as they should be.

Am I allowed to have a different opinion here or are you going to keep fishing until I say I agree with you? I couldn't care less what phone you think is better. I've given my opinion and there is no need to try and convert me as its really not needed. I say this very calmly and in a friendly way but I don't feel we need to discuss this particular point any further, thanks.

 

[mib1800]

No, they are equally detailed if not more so in some cases. Photographers tend to want to know what makes a better picture, rather than see a couple of thumbnails that lead to high res shots. Lets get one thing straight, whether one phone is better than the other it is never a full substitute for an actual camera designed for purpose. You can point and shoot things like what you've had for dinner but you wouldn't take all your holiday snaps on a mobile phone because they are never as detailed as they should be.

Am I allowed to have a different opinion here or are you going to keep fishing until I say I agree with you? I couldn't care less what phone you think is better. I've given my opinion and there is no need to try and convert me as its really not needed. I say this very calmly and in a friendly way but I don't feel we need to discuss this particular point any further, thanks.

No need to argue. Post the links so the readers can decide for themselves whether those reviews you have seen are up to standard compared to those two very detailed reviews I posted.

 

[beaniemyman]

great comparison, was planing to buy the galaxy S4 but your comparison has changed my decision, i would stay with my iphone.

 

[Stuntman06]

Being an ex Android user myself I can say that widgets are not for everyone. I much prefer to put apps I use in folders and keep screens clean and clear of animations. In my last few months of using Android I found myself clearing the widgets off my device and using it in a basic fashion. I found the battery lasted longer too. Widgets have their fans, but some of us would rather not use them.

I would go a step further and say that widgets aren't for every developer. Many of the widgets I have seen are such utter crap that I think the developer should be banned from ever making widgets. So many widgets I have seen are pretty much a waste of space. Why would I want a wiget that takes up 4 icons of space when the only useful function of the widget can fit in the space of a single icon? There are useful widgets out there, but the plethora of useless ones really give Android widgets a bad name.

 

[tjl3]

I would go a step further and say that widgets aren't for every developer. Many of the widgets I have seen are such utter crap that I think the developer should be banned from ever making widgets. So many widgets I have seen are pretty much a waste of space. Why would I want a wiget that takes up 4 icons of space when the only useful function of the widget can fit in the space of a single icon? There are useful widgets out there, but the plethora of useless ones really give Android widgets a bad name.

WTB consistency across widget layouts, by default that is!!! I just realized that Google Keep and Google Now widgets are actually sized the same except Keep has a transparent border, where Now is opaque. Still this is better than, let's say, stacking a Pandora widget with Scorecenter.

 

[durant35]

great comparison, was planing to buy the galaxy S4 but your comparison has changed my decision, i would stay with my iphone.

You are going to let a forum members review make the decision on which phone is best for YOU rather than trying the S4 and deciding for yourself? Wow.

 

[Sir Ruben]

great comparison, was planing to buy the galaxy S4 but your comparison has changed my decision, i would stay with my iphone.

Both of the phones are brilliant in their own way. It just comes down to personal preference. At the end of the day most people will be perfectly happy with either.

What i don't like is when people on forums tell you that one is DRASTICALLY better than the other because its simply not true. As i said before its swings and roundabouts, both have good and bad points, but at the end of the day its all much the same really. I stated my preference at the end of my original post, but that is only based on what suits me at this moment in time. Reality is that either phone would serve me wonderfully if I didn't have the choice between them.

 

[Orlandoech]

You are going to let a forum members review make the decision on which phone is best for YOU rather than trying the S4 and deciding for yourself? Wow.

Lol... funny isnt it.

 

[robanga]

Nice comparison! Thanks for taking the time to post it.

 

[jamojamo]

I want to echo the posters here thanking the OP for taking the time to write and post the comparison.

I appreciate it!

 

[zone23]

Thanks.

 

[cole01]

Lovely read. Thank you! P.S. Would you mind sharing the iPhone 5's wallpaper? I would love to have that on my phone.

 

[Sir Ruben]

Lovely read. Thank you! P.S. Would you mind sharing the iPhone 5's wallpaper? I would love to have that on my phone.

Glad you liked it, here you go:

 

[cole01]

Glad you liked it, here you go:

Thank you greatly!

 

[mib1800]

Another camera comparison by camera experts put the S4 ahead of Iphone5.

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Mobiles/Samsung-Galaxy-S4-overview-Does-bigger-mean-better