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by Sander Saar
Sander introduces the real-world smartphone camera comparison across top flagships from Apple, Samsung, Google, LG, Sony, Motorola, OnePlus, and Xiaomi. Along the way it covers Key Camera Specs and Features, Field of View and Color Reproduction and Sharpness, Details, and Dynamic Range, and more. Sander summarizes the trade-offs of each device and names the most consistent overall smartphone camera performer.
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Sander introduces the real-world smartphone camera comparison across top flagships from Apple, Samsung, Google, LG, Sony, Motorola, OnePlus, and Xiaomi.
On screen: The presenter stands by an urban canal talking to the camera with testing criteria appearing on screen as text overlays.
A breakdown of technical specifications that matter, including sensor size, pixel size, aperture, front cameras, optical image stabilization, and raw capture.
On screen: A comprehensive spec comparison table lists camera features for multiple flagship smartphones.
Examining field of view differences, aperture effects on depth of field, and how each smartphone renders color and natural skin tones.
On screen: A side-by-side split screen compares depth of field samples between the iPhone 6s Plus and LG G4.
Comparing fine details in buildings and food photography, alongside dynamic range performance in harsh lighting conditions.
On screen: A daylight street photo taken with the Google Nexus 6P is displayed and then digitally zoomed in on the storefronts.
Testing indoor and outdoor low-light capabilities, evaluating noise control, detail retention, and color accuracy in dark settings.
On screen: A nighttime photograph displays the London Eye illuminated with colored lights before switching to an indoor photo of a tea menu.
Assessing front-facing camera selfie processing, flash photo tone balance, and panoramic stitching quality across the test devices.
On screen: A side-by-side screen comparing nighttime flash portraits between the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Sony Xperia Z5.
Evaluating slow-motion frame rates and 4K recording quality, highlighting the impact of optical versus electronic image stabilization.
On screen: A girl kneels on a grass lawn covered in autumn leaves and tosses a pile of fallen leaves into the air in slow motion.
Sander summarizes the trade-offs of each device and names the most consistent overall smartphone camera performer.
On screen: A person holds up a space gray iPhone outdoors against a scenic green park landscape.
What the footage shows, shot by shot. It is derived from the video itself, independent of the commentary. Timestamps link to the exact second.
0:00–0:04 A young man sits near a canal holding multiple smartphones while addressing the camera outdoors.
0:08–0:18 A man sits next to an urban canal holding several smartphones while speaking to the camera.
0:18–0:24 Motion graphics title card sequence presenting video intro text banners over a textured blue background. On screen: SMARTPHONE CAMERAS SEARCHING FOR THE BEST BY SANDER SAAR I BELIEVE IN TEHNOLOGY
0:24–0:33 A man speaks to the camera while standing on a canal path with buildings and water in the background.
0:33–0:37 A person holds up a silver iPhone against the backdrop of a vast green park under a cloudy sky.
0:37–0:41 A hand holds up a black Samsung Galaxy Note 5 against a blurred park background under an overcast sky.
0:41–0:44 A hand holds up an LG G4 smartphone showing its textured dark back panel outdoors in a park. On screen: G4
0:44–0:48 A hand holds up a black Google Nexus 6P showing its camera visor and fingerprint sensor against an outdoor park.
0:48–0:50 A person holds a black Sony Xperia Z5 smartphone upright against an open outdoor grassy park background.
0:50–0:52 A hand holds a dark textured OnePlus 2 smartphone with a central camera module facing the camera outdoors.
0:52–0:53 A hand displays a black Motorola Moto X Style smartphone in front of a green park horizon.
0:53–0:54 A person holds up a dark smartphone against an open grassy field under a cloudy sky.
0:54–0:55 A presenter stands along an urban canal walkway speaking toward the camera.
0:56–1:04 Two hands hold a fanned-out collection of various smartphones against a green park horizon. On screen: nexus HUAWEI
1:04–1:11 A man stands outdoors along a canal pathway, speaking directly to the camera.
1:11–1:36 The presenter stands by an urban canal talking to the camera with testing criteria appearing on screen as text overlays. On screen: Colour Rendering and Skin Tones Field of View and Depth of Field Details and Sharpness Dyamic Range Lowlight Capabilities Front Camera / Selfies Flash…
1:36–2:24 A technical specification comparison chart lists detailed camera hardware parameters across eight smartphone models on a white background. On screen: Apple iPhone 6S Plus Samsung Galaxy Note 5 LG G4 Google Nexus 6P/5X Sony Xperia Z5 OnePlus Two Motorola Moto X Style Xiaomi Mi4C Field of view 29mm 28mm 26.6mm…
2:24–2:27 A solid red graphic displays sensor size comparison information for the Google Nexus 6P, Sony Xperia Z5, and Moto X Style. On screen: 1/2.3" Google Nexus 6P/5X Sony Xperia Z5 Moto X Style (1/2.4")
2:27–2:34 An infographic animates red, green, and blue overlay boxes illustrating the comparative physical dimensions of camera sensors across various smartphones. On screen: 1/2.3" 6P/5X ria Z5 /2.4") Samsung Galaxy Note 5 LG G4 One Plus Two 1/2.6" 1/3" iPhone 6S Plus Xiaomi Mi4C
2:34–2:54 A comparison table lists technical camera specifications across eight flagship smartphone models. On screen: Apple iPhone 6S Plus Samsung Galaxy Note 5 LG G4 Google Nexus 6P/5X Sony Xperia Z5 OnePlus Two Motorola Moto X Style Xiaomi Mi4C Field of view 29mm 28mm 26.6mm…
2:54–3:12 A graphical diagram illustrates sensor sizes and pixel areas using colored grid overlays.
3:12–3:29 A comparison graphic illustrates the differences in light capture and image quality between camera sensors with fewer versus more megapixels. On screen: Illustrative and simplified for same sensor size Less Megapixelss More megapixels Larger area to capture light + Better lowlight + Better image quality -…
3:29–3:33 A graphical diagram shows small colored rectangles in the bottom-left corner representing small camera sensor sizes against a white background. On screen: 1/3"
3:33–3:37 A large purple square labeled APS-C expands over the graphic to illustrate sensor size comparison against mobile sensors. On screen: APS-C 1/3"
3:37–3:42 A massive brown rectangle labeled Full Frame appears over the graphic diagram, demonstrating its scale compared to APS-C and smartphone sensors. On screen: Full Frame APS-C 1/3"
3:42–5:07 A comprehensive spec comparison table lists camera features for multiple flagship smartphones. On screen: Apple iPhone 6S Plus Samsung Galaxy Note 5 LG G4 Google Nexus 6P/5X Sony Xperia Z5 OnePlus Two Motorola Moto X Style Xiaomi Mi4C Field of view Sensor size…
5:07–5:10 A man crouches outdoors on a paved path while holding and looking at a smartphone.
5:10–5:14 A wide view from beneath an overpass shows a man crouching along a canal path in the distance.
5:15–5:18 A still photo sample shows the Pirate Castle building over a canal, captured with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. On screen: PIRATE CASTLE www.thepiratecastle.org 020 7267 6605 Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (28mm)
5:18–5:22 A daytime outdoor photograph taken by a canal alongside the Pirate Castle building. On screen: Sony Xperia Z5 (24mm) PIRATE CASTLE PIRATE CASTLE www.thepiratecastle.org 020 7267 6605
5:22–5:26 A daytime canal scene showing a footbridge and castle-style building. On screen: Google Nexus 6P (26.6mm) PIRATE CASTLE PIRATE CASTLE www.thepiratecastle.org 020 7267 6605
5:26–5:35 A three-way split screen compares canal landscape photos taken by the LG G4, Google Nexus 6P, and Sony Xperia Z5 to illustrate field of view differences. On screen: Narrow (28mm) Optimal (26.6mm) Wide (24mm) PIRATE CASTLE LG G4 Google Nexus 6P Sony Xperia Z5
5:35–5:38 A close-up shot of a round chocolate dessert on a spoon placed next to a teapot in a cafe, demonstrating aperture and depth of field. On screen: iPhone 6S Plus (f/2.2)
5:38–5:41 A cropped closer view of the chocolate dessert on a spoon in the cafe, highlighting background blur and focus. On screen: iPhone 6S Plus (f/2.2)
5:41–5:43 A close-up photograph taken with an LG G4 shows a coconut-dusted sweet on a spoon with a soft-focus cafe background. On screen: LG G4 (f/1.8)
5:44–5:46 An extreme close-up view zooms into the sweet treat resting on the spoon to highlight background blur. On screen: LG G4 (f/1.8)
5:46–5:56 A side-by-side split screen compares depth of field samples between the iPhone 6s Plus and LG G4. On screen: More in focus Less in focus iPhone 6S Plus LG G4
5:56–5:58 A man kneels on a canal towpath taking a photo with his smartphone as pedestrians walk by.
5:58–6:01 A man kneels facing the canal to photograph a canal boat and colorful kayaks in front of a building.
6:01–6:05 A still photo comparison shows colorful kayaks and a narrowboat docked in front of an apartment building. On screen: OnePlus Two
6:05–6:09 A sample photograph taken by the Sony Xperia Z5 shows a canal boat loaded with colorful kayaks in front of a modern apartment building. On screen: Sony Xperia Z5
6:09–6:13 A side-by-side three-panel photo comparison displays cropped canal boat images labeled for OnePlus Two, Sony Xperia Z5, and Google Nexus 6P. On screen: Google Nexus 6P
6:13–6:17 A man stands on an outdoor walkway holding up a smartphone to photograph an outdoor urban scene. On screen: Warm Flat Balanced OnePlus Two Sony Xperia Z5 Google Nexus 6P
6:17–6:21 A man takes a photo with a smartphone while standing outdoors near a bridge railing with other people around.
6:21–6:23 A young man holds up his smartphone to snap a photo while standing on a staircase outdoors. On screen: WEST YARD Please do not sit on the stairs Childrens
6:23–6:25 A sample portrait photo taken with the OnePlus 2 displays a blonde woman in a red and orange scarf. On screen: OnePlus Two
6:26–6:31 An extreme close-up cropped sample photo displays a blonde woman wearing an orange patterned scarf outdoors. On screen: OnePlus Two
6:31–6:37 A daylight portrait photo shows a blonde woman in a red scarf before digitally cropping in closer on her face. On screen: Samsug Galaxy Note 5
6:38–6:44 A close-up sample photo of a blonde woman wearing a red scarf outdoors, taken with a Samsung Galaxy Note 5. On screen: Samsug Galaxy Note 5
6:44–6:49 A sample portrait photo of the blonde woman smiling outdoors with buildings behind her, captured on an LG G4. On screen: LG G4
6:49–6:53 A close-up portrait of a blonde woman wearing a red patterned scarf, captured outdoors with the LG G4 camera. On screen: LG G4
6:53–6:57 A side-by-side comparison screen displaying three portrait photos taken with the OnePlus Two, LG G4, and Samsung Galaxy Note 5. On screen: Warm Natural Processed OnePlus Two LG G4 Samsung Galaxy Note 5
6:57–7:00 An over-the-shoulder view of a person using a smartphone to capture a busy urban street filled with pedestrians.
7:00–7:03 An over-the-shoulder shot shows a person holding up a smartphone to photograph a crowded city street with shops. On screen: COLDSTEEL BRITISH FISH CHIPS 2 min KFC
7:03–7:12 A daytime outdoor photograph taken on a smartphone shows a busy street scene before zooming in on the storefront buildings to evaluate image sharpness. On screen: Moto X Style 2 min COLDSTEEL Dr. AirWair Martens GOLDEN BODY PIERCING BRITISH FISH & CHIPS Poppies Restaurant & Take Away 1 Min FISH & CHIPS LEATHER SHOP
7:12–7:25 A daylight street photo taken with the Google Nexus 6P is displayed and then digitally zoomed in on the storefronts. On screen: Google Nexus 6P COLDSTEEL Dr. AirWair Martens shop 2 min BRITISH FISH & CHIPS Poppies Restaurant & Take Away 1940's Style LIVE MUSIC 1 Min FISH & CHIPS UPDY…
7:25–7:34 A daytime street photo from the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is shown, zooming into the architectural details of storefronts. On screen: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 COLD STEEL Dr. AirWair Martens COLD BRITISH FISH & CHIPS Poppies Restaurant & Take Away 1 Min BLUE SKIN PIERCING TATTOO GO
7:34–7:38 A side-by-side crop comparison displays the image sharpness of the Motorola Moto X Style versus the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. On screen: Soft Detailed Motorola Moto X Style Samsung Galaxy Note 5 COLDSTEEL Dr. Martens BRITISH FISH & CHIPS Poppies Restaurant & Take Away 1 Min FISH & CHIPS GOLDEN…
7:38–7:44 A person uses a smartphone to take a photo of a salad in a takeout container outdoors.
7:44–7:49 A top-down sample photo of a salad meal in a cardboard box taken by the Motorola Moto X Style. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style
7:49–7:55 A detailed close-up shot showing pulled chicken salad taken with the Motorola Moto X Style. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style
7:55–7:59 A top-down view of a take-out container of chicken salad taken with the Google Nexus 6P. On screen: Google Nexus 6P
7:59–8:03 A zoomed-in close-up view highlighting details of the chicken salad captured by the Google Nexus 6P. On screen: Google Nexus 6P
8:03–8:07 A side-by-side comparison screen shows processed versus natural food photos taken with different smartphones. On screen: Processed Natural Motorola Moto X Style Google Nexus 6P
8:07–8:11 A man stands by a wooden fence along a tree-lined street taking a photo with his smartphone.
8:11–8:14 An over-the-shoulder view shows the man aiming his smartphone camera at red tree berries.
8:14–8:26 A low-angle photograph displays dark foliage and red berries on tree branches set against an overcast sky. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style
8:26–8:35 A sample low-angle outdoor photo shows tree branches with bright red berries against an overcast sky. On screen: OnePlus Two
8:35–8:42 A photograph taken with the Sony Xperia Z5 shows tree branches and red berries looking up at an overcast sky. On screen: Sony Xperia Z5
8:42–8:47 A side-by-side comparison screen displays three photos of tree branches taken with the Motorola Moto X Style, Sony Xperia Z5, and OnePlus 2. On screen: Dark Balanced Artificial Motorola Mote X Style Sony Xperia Z5 OnePlus Two
8:47–8:53 A person in the foreground photographs the illuminated London Eye Ferris wheel at night.
8:53–8:57 A nighttime sample photograph of the London Eye captured by the Motorola Moto X Style. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style
8:58–9:01 A zoomed-in crop of the night photo highlighting softness and loss of detail. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style
9:01–9:12 A nighttime test photograph taken with a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 shows the illuminated London Eye Ferris wheel, zooming in slightly. On screen: Samsug Galaxy Note 5
9:12–9:16 A nighttime photo sample captured with an iPhone 6S Plus displays the illuminated London Eye and waterfront buildings. On screen: iPhone 6S Plus
9:16–9:19 A nighttime shot showcases the illuminated London Eye Ferris wheel by the riverbank. On screen: iPhone 6S Plus
9:19–9:29 A side-by-side comparison screen presents three nighttime photos of the London Eye taken with different smartphones. On screen: Noisy Natural Boosted Moto X Style iPhone 6S Plus Samsung Galaxy Note 5
9:29–9:40 A nighttime photograph displays the London Eye illuminated with colored lights before switching to an indoor photo of a tea menu. On screen: Sony A7R II
9:40–9:47 A low-light sample photo of loose leaf tea menus and small pitchers captured on the Motorola Moto X Style zooms in on text details. On screen: BLACK LOOSE LEAF TEAS GREEN LOOSE LEAF TEAS ROTTING HILL INGREDIENTS: • Apricot • Strawberry • Marigold Blossom • Cornflowers • Keemun black HOT ICED CAFFEINE…
9:47–9:57 A test photo taken on the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 displays a tea menu board behind small ceramic cups before zooming into the fine text. On screen: BLACK LOOSE LEAF TEAS NOTTING HILL INGREDIENTS: • Apricot • Strawberry • Marigold Blossom • Cornflowers * Keemun black HOT ICED CAFFEINE high WALK IN THE WOODS…
9:57–10:02 A close-up camera test image of a loose leaf tea menu taken with an iPhone 6S Plus. On screen: BLACK LOOSE LEAF TEAS GREEN LOOSE LEAF TEAS HOTTING HILL INGREDIENTS. • Apricot • Strawberry • Marigold Blossom • Cornflowers • Keemun black HOT ICED CAFFEINE…
10:03–10:05 A couple poses together on a crowded city sidewalk at night taking a selfie with a smartphone.
10:05–10:08 A bustling city street illuminated with hanging festive globe lights and night traffic as pedestrians take photos. On screen: 30 GAP MANGO Victoria, 73 AN COM
10:08–10:11 People take selfies with a smartphone on a crowded street illuminated by hanging holiday star decorations at night.
10:11–10:16 A selfie of a young couple smiling outdoors in a park is displayed as an image sample from the LG G4. On screen: LG G4
10:16–10:19 A cropped close-up shows the faces of the couple from the LG G4 selfie sample. On screen: LG G4
10:19–10:24 A medium shot selfie of a smiling couple standing in a park, taken with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 front camera. On screen: Samsug Galaxy Note 5 SONY
10:24–10:28 A digital close-up crop of the couple's smiling faces from the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 selfie sample. On screen: Samsug Galaxy Note 5 SONY
10:28–10:31 A medium selfie photo of the couple in the park captured using the Motorola Moto X Style. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style SONY
10:31–10:34 A selfie of a young man and woman smiling together outdoors in a grassy park. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style
10:34–10:36 A selfie of the same man and woman in a park, with the woman wearing a camera around her neck. On screen: iPhone 6S Plus SONY
10:36–10:39 A continuation of the iPhone 6S Plus selfie showing the couple smiling outdoors in a park. On screen: iPhone 6S Plus
10:39–10:43 A side-by-side photo comparison of a selfie taken on the LG G4 and iPhone 6S Plus. On screen: Processed Natural LG G4 iPhone 6S Plus
10:43–10:47 A man stands on a crowded city street at night looking down at his smartphone.
10:47–10:50 A man holds his smartphone above his head to take a photo on a busy city street at night next to a red bus. On screen: TEH1452 204 M60 YNU TEH 1451
10:50–10:52 A nighttime sample photo displays a woman in a red patterned scarf standing outside a brightly lit building. On screen: LI ERTY Samsug Galaxy Note 5
10:52–10:56 A close-up crop of the previous photo highlights the woman's face illuminated by flash lighting. On screen: Samsug Galaxy Note 5
10:56–10:58 A sample photo captured by a different phone displays the woman in the red scarf at night in front of the illuminated store. On screen: LIBERTY Sony Xperia Z5
10:58–11:03 A close-up nighttime sample portrait photo of a woman in a red patterned scarf taken with a Sony Xperia Z5. On screen: Sony Xperia Z5
11:03–11:12 A side-by-side screen comparing nighttime flash portraits between the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Sony Xperia Z5. On screen: Overexposed Balanced LI ERTY Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Sony Xperia Z5 LIBERTY
11:12–11:14 A man stands on a grassy hilltop taking a panoramic picture of the city skyline with a smartphone.
11:14–11:18 A close-up view of hands holding up a Samsung smartphone to capture a photo in a park. On screen: SAMSUNG
11:18–11:25 A wide panoramic landscape image taken with a Google Nexus 6P displays a park under a cloudy sky. On screen: Google Nexus 6P
11:25–11:31 A wide panoramic landscape photo displays an open grassy park under a cloudy daytime sky. On screen: Sony Xperia Z5
11:31–11:35 A split-screen graphic compares panoramic park photos from two different smartphone cameras. On screen: Google Nexus 6P Balanced and sharp Sony Xperia Z5 Overexposed and washed out
11:35–11:56 A girl kneels on a grass lawn covered in autumn leaves and tosses a pile of fallen leaves into the air in slow motion. On screen: Samsug Galaxy Note 5
11:56–12:09 A woman throws dry autumn leaves into the air in slow motion in a grassy park. On screen: iPhone 6S Plus
12:09–12:17 A side-by-side slow-motion video comparison shows a woman kneeling in a park and throwing autumn leaves into the air. On screen: Soft Detailed Samsung Galaxy Note 5 iPhone 6S Plus
12:17–12:20 An over-the-shoulder close-up captures a person holding a smartphone horizontally to record an outdoor market scene below.
12:20–12:23 A medium profile shot shows a young man leaning against a railing while filming the scenery with his smartphone.
12:23–12:33 A wide shot captured with the Motorola Moto X Style showing a bustling outdoor market filled with food stalls and people. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style BIT STRAWBERRY BURGERS MULLED WINE SONITA'S PIZZA A Glass of
12:33–12:37 A digitally cropped close-up of the outdoor market crowd and vendor stalls recorded on the Motorola Moto X Style. On screen: Motorola Moto X Style BIT bourbon steamed BURGERS FALAFEL WHOOPS SONITA'S
12:37–12:43 A high-angle handheld shot overlooks a busy outdoor food market bustling with people and colorful stall canopies. On screen: Google Nexus 6P BIT BURGERS Pizza SONITAS A Glass of Joy
12:43–12:53 An elevated wide shot captures a crowded outdoor food market filled with stalls and walking visitors. On screen: Google Nexus 6P BIT bourbon steamed BURGERS MULLED WINE FALAFEL Village Games WEST YARD WHOOPS SONITA'S HEALTHY INDIAN COOKING SMOOTHIES
12:53–12:59 An elevated wide-angle view captures a crowded outdoor street food market bustling with visitors. On screen: iPhone 6S Plus BIT BURGENS FALAFEL Pizza MULLED WINE SONITAS A Glass of Jo
12:59–13:05 A closer, zoomed-in view displays the canopy tents and visitors within the bustling outdoor food market. On screen: FALAFEL BIT bourbon steamed BURGERS iPhone 6S Plus MULLED WINE Village Games WEST YARD CAMDEN LOCK WEST SMOOTHIES WHOOPS SONITA'S HEALTHY INDIAN COOKING HOLA…
13:05–13:17 Side-by-side video comparison of a crowded outdoor marketplace between the Google Nexus 6P and Motorola Moto X Style. On screen: Detailed Soft Google Nexus 6P Motorola Moto X Style WEST YARD WHOOPS BURGE
13:17–13:18 An out-of-focus wide shot looking across a green grassy park toward a distant skyline under cloudy skies.
13:18–13:28 A person holds multiple smartphones arranged in a fan shape against an outdoor park backdrop. On screen: nexus
13:28–13:32 A hand raises and holds a black Nexus 6P smartphone against an out-of-focus park background.
13:32–13:37 A split-screen comparison shows hands holding the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and LG G4 smartphones outdoors in a park. On screen: G4
13:37–13:48 A person holds up a space gray iPhone outdoors against a scenic green park landscape.
13:48–13:54 A screen recording scrolls down the I Believe in Technology website, showing various tech article and video thumbnails. On screen: TECHINOIOGY BY SANDER SHOR HARDWARE SOFTWARE REVIEWS COMPARISONS ALL VIDEOS CONTENT BLOCKER / ADBLOCKER COMPARISON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR PRIVACY, SPEED, DATA AND…
13:54–13:56 The screen recording continues scrolling down to the footer section of the I Believe in Technology website. On screen: In-Depth Review - Apple Watch vs Android Wear With Apple Watch and Google Android Wear smartwatches are quickly becoming the first... © April 28, 2015…
13:56–14:03 The presenter stands outdoors holding a fan of various smartphones in both hands while addressing the viewer as the camera zooms out.
14:03–14:07 An animated graphic banner displays text about smartphone cameras against a textured background. On screen: SMARTPHONE CAMERAS SEARCHING FOR THE BEST
14:07–14:11 The outro animation displays the channel name and creator credit across textured banners.
0:00 Speaker A: Hi, I'm Sander and I believe in technology. Speaker A: Cameras in smartphones have become the primary consideration when buying a new smartphone. Speaker A: For me, it's a deal breaker. Speaker A: If that doesn't perform, it's not going to become my daily driver. Speaker A: All the biggest manufacturers have released their flagships for this year and the coming year and I wanted to see which one performs best. Speaker A: Let's take a look. Speaker A: Apple has been the de facto leader in smartphone camera making probably until about two years ago.
0:28 Speaker A: Now the competition has caught up not just in technical terms, but also in software. Speaker A: In this test I'm comparing the top Android and iOS phones, including iPhone 6S Plus, Galaxy Note 5, which has the same sensor and camera as 6S, 6S Edge and 6S Edge Plus LG G4, Nexus 6P, including a similar camera in 5X, Sony Xperia Z5, OnePlus 2, Motorola Moto X Style and Xiaomi Mi 4C and these phones range between $250 to $900.
0:57 Speaker A: Keep in mind this is a real life test. Speaker A: Most of the phones are set in auto mode, so this is the way that you'll be using these cameras on your day to day when walking around. Speaker A: And we'll be testing these cameras around Regens Park, Regent Canal and Camden Market area so you can see also a little bit of London. Speaker A: We'll be testing the camera image quality in different scenarios in terms of color representation, reproduction as well as sharpness as well as depth of field, field of view, slow motion, 4K video, low light.
1:25 Speaker B: Scenarios and so on. Speaker A: So I hope you'll enjoy it. Speaker A: There's all the links down below where you can see the original photos, but before we get into that let's look at the technical specifications and why you should care about that before looking at a phone. Speaker B: Looking at just numbers and specs can be overwhelming and almost impossible to evaluate the image quality coming out from the camera. Speaker B: Some simplify and only talk about megapixels, which can be misleading. Speaker B: But there are some other key areas that I recommend to look at when looking at specs.
1:51 Speaker B: First of all, field of view. Speaker B: All of the cameras have fixed focal length lengths. Speaker B: What does it mean? Speaker B: It requires you to use your feet in order to zoom. Speaker B: Field of view does not just depend on the lens but also the sensor and the distance from the lens. Speaker B: And These are approximately a 35mm equivalents, giving you the wildest field of view to Sony and the narrowest to Apple. Speaker B: But let's see later in the practical examples how they really perform.
2:17 Speaker B: Second to lens is the sensor which is key and defined by sensor size and also the number of megapixels on it. Speaker B: In this test the largest sensor is used by Nexus 6P and Sony Xperia Z5 and Motec style and the smallest in iPhone 6S plus and Xiaomi Mi 4C which is about 25% difference in the overall size. Speaker B: The size of one pixel is largest on net Google 6P, second by iPhone and smallest and Moto X style as they try to fit 25 megapixels of on this small sensor.
2:48 Speaker B: Sony Xperia has more, even more at 23 megapixels and iPhone is using 12 megapixels. Speaker B: But smallest is always not necessarily the worst because it's not just about megapixels but also about how large the area is that can capture the light. Speaker B: Less pixels on a smaller sensor gives a larger area than more pixels on a smaller sensor. Speaker B: Larger sensor just gives more room for those megapixels to capture light. Speaker B: If you want to get really technical we should also talk about the materials used in the sensor as well as the software, but as a general rule the larger the sensor and the larger one pixel the more space it gives for light to be recorded and generally giving you also better low light capability and overall image quality.
3:30 Speaker B: Obviously when you compare the sensor to a typical entry level dslr, APS C size sensor or full frame sensors, we are still talking about completely different league far far away in order to be comparable. Speaker B: Other things to note is aperture, the amount of light coming through the sensor which gives you the capability to take photos in low light because there's more light coming through and hitting the sensor as well as getting those auto focus images.
3:56 Speaker B: The largest aperture is on LG G4 and the narrowest aperture is on iPhone. Speaker B: Another area is front facing camera which is still largely the biggest opportunity for growth on smartphones taking into account the number of selfies that people actually take these days. Speaker B: Most of the cameras are still between 5 and 8 megapixels and largely depend on the software running in the background. Speaker B: All of the cameras record 4K video apart from the lower end Xiaomi Mi 4C and also do slow motion video, most notably iPhone 6S and 6S plus Note 5 from Samsung as well as Nexus 6P which all do 240 frames per second at 720p resolution.
4:36 Speaker B: Optical image stabilization which is key again for low light images while is good for video is only missing from Nexus 6P, Moto X Style and Xiaomi which some of them only feature electronic image stabilization. Speaker B: New feature from last year is also Raw image capability, which is largely not utilized by the users. Speaker B: But it's good to have an option on Samsung LG, Sony and OnePlus 2. Speaker B: But let's get into the practical test in order to see actually how those cameras perform.
5:03 Speaker B: And then you can go back to the spec sheet and actually see how they correlate for yourself. Speaker B: First of all, we'll be taking a look at field of view which means the how wide the camera sees and how wide you can capture the image. Speaker B: The narrowest field of view is provided by Samsung Galaxy Note 5 which is very similar to LG G4. Speaker B: The wide from Sony Xperia Z5 at 24 millimeters and the kind of in the middle in between Google Nexus 6P which is very similar to iPhone in real life.
5:29 Speaker B: I really prefer the optimal Nexus 6P view, but some people prefer wider, narrower. Speaker B: It's really a personal preference. Speaker B: Another area of the lens is aperture. Speaker B: The smallest aperture is on iPhone at f 2.2 giving you the most difficult scenario to produce this autofocus background. Speaker B: While LG G4 giving a f 1.8 aperture and allows you to quite easily produce this autofocus background images. Speaker B: Though this is not really what these sensors are built for, but you can do it.
5:55 Speaker B: The second area we're taking a look which is really a key is how the camera is rendering colors as well as skin tones. Speaker B: This is an example OnePlus 2 which is completely overpowered and over saturated image. Speaker B: While Sony Xperia Z5 represents this flat profile and Nexus 6P again being just in the middle, which to my liking is the most optimal balance between the two. Speaker B: Besides color rendering of objects, we're also taking a lot of pictures of people.
6:21 Speaker B: And here is an example of how those cameras rendering skin tones. Speaker B: OnePlus 2 completely over saturates again especially when you zoom in you see how the details are fine but the colors are completely off. Speaker B: On the other hand, on Samsung Galaxy Note 5 the colors are much, much better balanced but the details are just completely overpowered and over sharpened. Speaker B: Especially when you look at the hair area, it just completely looks artificial. Speaker B: In this case LG G4 I think performs best and provides this natural skin tones as well as not so over sharpened image which looks really natural the way we also see with our eyes leading from that.
6:58 Speaker B: The third area I wanted to take a look is the sharpness and details that those cameras are able to produce. Speaker B: Moto X style representing here the kind of lower end, especially when you zoom in, you see that how those bricks kind of blend in especially in the black areas, there's even no bricks visible. Speaker B: If you Compare that to Nexus 6P, for example, I think which is really good, especially in this overall view, providing overall good sharpness and balance. Speaker B: And you zoom in, those bricks become visible and it's clear.
7:24 Speaker B: The text is clear. Speaker B: And the best sharpness is provided. Speaker B: In my mind from Note 5, it might look a little bit artificial outside, but when you zoom in, it's really, really good. Speaker B: Especially when you put them side by side. Speaker B: If you pause the video, compare them in detail. Speaker B: Food photography, generally known as foodborne, is also really popular for phone cameras. Speaker B: And here's an example of me taking a same camera as Moto X style of food. Speaker B: As you can see, the details are there, but especially when you zoom in, it kind of gets blurred out and the image is quite soft.
7:53 Speaker B: Especially on the sides, it falls off really quickly. Speaker B: If you Compare that to Nexus 6P, the details are there from the beginning. Speaker B: Especially when you zoom in, the details are remained and the image still looks great. Speaker B: And now side by side as well. Speaker B: You can judge by yourself as a fourth area when out and about. Speaker B: We're taking a lot of pictures in harsh lighting conditions. Speaker B: I want to take a look at dynamic range. Speaker B: That means the amount of light from the very whites to very blacks that the camera is able to capture.
8:18 Speaker B: As you can see again, Moto X style not providing too much detail in the dark areas, especially in the leaves you see there is almost everything looks like it's black. Speaker B: On the other hand, OnePlus 2 completely overpowers and overkills. Speaker B: The colors don't look accurate. Speaker B: So it's trying to kind of blend this HDR into one image which looks completely artificial. Speaker B: And then Sony Z5, which I think provides the most balanced image. Speaker B: Again here side by side in order for you to make a call.
8:45 Speaker B: But I really enjoy the Z5 image quality here. Speaker B: Apart from harsh conditions, taking photos against the light, we're also taking a lot of photos in the darkness. Speaker B: The and here we're looking at Moto X style again, which is low light is not great. Speaker B: And especially if you zoom in, you see how all the details are completely lost and the image looks soft. Speaker B: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 on the other hand completely overpowers the image and makes it artificially lighter than it actually is in real life. Speaker B: When you zoom in, all the details are there.
9:10 Speaker B: The image still looks great here. Speaker B: I think iPhone6 plus provides the most balanced image in terms of color that it looks as it looks to my eye. Speaker B: As well as still keeping the details in the Window areas here, all of them side by side zoomed in. Speaker B: I think iPhone here provides the most natural, balanced looking image. Speaker B: And if you compare that to a professional camera like the Sony A7RII, again you see that those images are from a completely different league but still getting now very, very close to a good quality image that is usable.
9:40 Speaker B: Now looking at low light photos indoors, we're looking at some text and as you can see when you zoom in those details are completely lost. Speaker B: For Moto X style, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is really good in maintaining that detail. Speaker B: And here the over sharpening really works though. Speaker B: It's really blurred in the kind of image area but is really really sharp. Speaker B: While iPhone 6S plus really keeps the details even in the image area and the text is still readable. Speaker B: Just through observation you can say that selfie cameras are becoming more and more popular and a lot of people take almost half of their images using their front facing camera.
10:11 Speaker B: So how well is this performing in real life scenarios? Speaker B: LG G4 completely takes a good image, but it's so over processed that it just looks awful to my eye. Speaker B: And I mean it's good, I don't have wrinkles anymore, but it's not completely not natural. Speaker B: Similar to the Galaxy Note 5 while Moto X style I think provides a nice balanced image here from the front facing camera which looks very similar to me to the iPhone 6S plus which I think actually provides the best selfie camera.
10:39 Speaker B: And here side by side again for your comparison. Speaker B: I generally don't like using flash, but where I need to, I need this to be really balanced and natural looking. Speaker B: Note 5 here completely overpowers and makes your forehead really shine in the darkness, which is something that you definitely do not want and makes your face look white. Speaker B: On the other hand, Sony Xperia Z5 really manages to balance the colors between the white and also represent the true skin tones.
11:05 Speaker B: Here again side by side where you really see the difference. Speaker B: But you can also see all the other cameras on the links down below in the description. Speaker B: 8Th area that are really important for a lot of people who are traveling is taking panoramic photos. Speaker B: I think excellent job is done by Nexus 6P which is very similar to iPhone, providing this balanced image and adjusting all the way and giving you the sharpness across the image while Z5 completely over blows the image, losing all the details as well as looking completely overexposed.
11:35 Speaker B: Last but not least, let's take a look at video which is becoming the key area. Speaker B: And first of all slow motion in order to make all of your videos look so cool on social media. Speaker B: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is not for slow motion. Speaker B: It provides awful quality, provides you yes 24 frames per second but loses all the detail and all the appetite to ever film on this camera using slow motion. Speaker B: IPhone on the other hand I think provides you the best slow motion capability which is very similar to Nexus 6P but I think iPhone here outperforms because having that optical image stabilization as well and you can definitely film slow motion anytime, especially when you put them now side by side as well.
12:15 Speaker B: All of those cameras apart from this Xiaomi Mi 4C also feature 4K video which is becoming now mainstream because YouTube also supports that so you can share them very easily. Speaker B: Moto x style 4k video is probably there just for the sake of calling it 4K but it actually doesn't provide you any good enough quality and loses all the details when you zoom in or go to the kind of 100% crop mode. Speaker B: Nexus 6P on the other hand I think provides Excellent detail in 4K mode the and especially when you crop in as well but as you can see the image is very shaky because it doesn't provide you with optical image stabilization, only electronic image stabilization.
12:49 Speaker B: So I think again the great middle ground here is iPhone 6s plus which provides you great not as great as 6p but good enough image quality in 4k but also provides you with that optical image stabilization which makes your videos easily usable straight away again here side by side you can really see when you look at the tree as well as the bricks the details are completely gone on Moto Moto X style compared to Google Nexus 6P which is really good in keeping details on 4K.
13:17 Speaker B: Regardless of which camera you choose it is always going to be a compromise. Speaker B: There could be only one best camera for someone personally but not for everyone. Speaker B: For me Nexus 6P would be close to perfect if it had optical image stabilization. Speaker B: Then again LG G4 or Note 5 if they did better slow motion and better front facing cameras with less processing. Speaker B: Probably the most consistent camera is iPhone which doesn't shine or fail in any specific area but is consistently strong in every category.
13:48 Speaker B: Thank you very much for watching and I hope you found this video useful. Speaker B: Please find all the links to the original image as well as videos down in description under my website as well as leave your comments. Speaker B: Which camera or phone camera do you like best and why and I hope to see you in the next videos.