Samsung Epic 4G vs Apple iPhone 4 vs Motorola DROID X - the camera comparison
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Smartphones have been evolving steadily from their humble business oriented roots from a few years ago to the ultimate convergence device on the market which have been encroaching on playing fields generally held captive by specialized functioning products. One specific area that cell phones are constantly closing the gap on is the camera department – especially with smartphones which seem to encompass a host of functions. Cell phones are easily compact and now utilize some decent sensors internally which can make you consider about ditching that traditional point & shoot you've been putting away more often of late. This past summer, we've been treated to a host of new current generation smartphones that pack a wallop in the camera department due to their ability to shoot stunning images and videos that can be appreciated by those who took them. Naturally, there are individuals out there who really want a well rounded smartphone that can take not good, but great images! So we've taken the three best smartphones from this summer which we've seen take the best pictures and pit them against one another to see which one really can out gun the other. And to compare the images produced by these top-end smartphones, we've included shots from a 12.1-megapixel Panasonic Lumix FZ35 camera.
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Apple iPhone 4 | Samsung Epic 4G | Motorola DROID X MB810 |
Now before we get right into the gritty action, we need to compare the different interfaces that each handset offers, because as you know, it plays a key role in truly providing that exact point & shoot experience.
Between the three handsets, the iPhone 4 by far employs the most simplistic interface which doesn't add any level of personality to the experience of taking photos. There are only three icons lined up on the top edge which enable you to set the flash, turn on HDR photos, and switch to either the front or rear cameras. Оn the right pane, you'll find the on-screen shutter key, icon to get into the gallery app, and an on-screen switch to shoot videos or photos. That's about it! There's actually no scene modes, options, settings, or anything – nothing! Then again, the iPhone 4's overall straightforward and simplistic attitude radiates in every aspect of the phone; camera included. The thing with the iPhone 4 though is the fact that it has touch to focus, meaning, you touch an area on the display and it'll automatically focus on it – at the same time, adjusting the exposure to best take the shot. Although the constant change of exposure can result in good or bad images, you simply have to play around with touch focus to get a handle of getting the best shots.
The photo gallery on the iPhone 4 has remained unchanged since the original's inception, which can be regarded as a good or bad thing, but luckily, it functions as it should. However, it's almost hard to fathom that the iPhone 4 is incapable of even editing photos on the go without the need of downloading an app. You can only trim lengthy videos you've recorded, but that's pretty much the extent of its editing capabilities; sadly. However, there are some wonderfull image editing apps in the App Store, like Photogene for example, that pack a great amount of options to let you enhance your images.
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Photo gallery | ||
Camera interface of the Apple iPhone 4 | ||
If you're looking for an eclectic mix of features to appease that inner amateur photographer inside of you, then the Samsung Epic 4G's vast options and modes will surely cater to your desires. The interface itself hosts a bevy of setting modes that easily blows away the ones offered by the Motorola DROID X. At the same time, the presentation with its listing view and associated icons will easily allow anyone to take images without feeling too overwhelmed. Without a doubt, the dedicated two-level shutter key will aid those who want that traditional point & shoot feel, but it's supplemented with touch focus as well. Additionally, there are just some other novel features such as blink detection packed with the Epic 4G. And for those who are a bit more comfortable with the ins and outs of camera settings, the Epic 4G allows you to set the ISO, white balance, and exposure.
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Camera interface of the Samsung Epic 4G | |
With its processing prowess, the gallery app on the Epic 4G exudes all of the graphical eye candy that one would expect with a handset packing a 1GHz Hummingbird processor. Not only does it employ some 3D-like effects as your tilting the phone left or right, but it executes it so flawlessly to make you appreciate the added effects. Since it's an Android powered device, sharing media content is such a joy since you'll have the ability to instantly share it with a host of services – like SMS, Twitter, Picasa, Facebook, and email. In addition, there are a couple of editing options you can apply on a photo – like rotating or cropping them. Sure it's nothing too fancy, but it's still more than appreciated over what the iPhone 4 has to offer. Videos on the other hand don't get anyone love seeing you can't edit them in any way directly on the smartphone.
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Gallery of the Samsung Epic 4G | |||
Finally, we've got the mechanical bucket of DROIDness with the Motorola DROID X – which of course flaunts its specs on paper with its 8-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash. Similar to the Epic 4G's interface, the one in use with the DROID X offers a decent mix of shooting modes – but not more than the Epic 4G. Instead of being presented with a list view when choosing a specific mode, you'll have to swipe between the options before you simply stumble upon the one that's perhaps to your liking. Still, the whole process seems a bit laborious and prefer the easy to jump into presentation of the Epic. As a whole, the interface is pretty much in line with most handsets out there, but it's clear from a cursory look that it doesn't radiate the Epic's depth of features – while still standing above the simplistic nature of the iPhone 4.
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Camera interface of the Motorola DROID X | ||||
Since the handset is bathed in Motorola's new skin, the gallery app also takes advantage of the peppy speeds of its 1GHz OMAP processor. When held in portrait, both photos and videos are presented in a grid-like view which makes it super easy to swiftly jump to specific shots. However, tilting it sideways to landscape, we see the interface showing off its processing prowess as content is reeled with a 3D like effect to it. Yeah it's nice and all, but we really wish it were more responsive; meaning that it has a tendency to continue scrolling after clicking on a specific image. Hands down, the DROID X owns the photo editing department with its insane amount of options which include things like effects, resizing, cropping, brightness & contrast, color & saturation, and frames. It'll easily make editing on the go such a breeze on yourself. Not stopping there, there are even some lengthy editing tools at your disposal for videos – like resizing, removing audio, and extracting a frame. So if you really want to get productive without the aid of a computer (or third-party software), you'll most likely find the DROID X to be more than satisfactory for achieving your needs. As for additional image-editing software for Android, the currently-available options are much less than what you'll find for iOS, but there are some good offerings, like PicSay.
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The Gallery app | |
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39 Comments
1. DontHateOnS60 posted on 20 Oct 2010, 01:55 0 1
Are you kidding me? The simple fact that you have to use a special setting to capture decent images speaks volumes for the iPhone's camera. Every single image taken with the iPhone is over exposed until the user goes into HDR mode or whatever. Not that any other camera here was any better. Frankly, the Droid X's camera was the most disappointing thing here.
2. mr. droid posted on 21 Sep 2010, 13:25 1 0
and the iPhone is the most disappointing phone all the way around. its quite sad. honestly, i feel the droid x has the best camera. something is out of whack with this review.. 7 pages of stuff i read that took 25 minutes of my life i will never get back. go to the stores (like wal-mart where they sell all of these phones side-by-side) and see for yourself. i am not trying to be bias (because i have the droid x) personally, the BEST phone camera i have ever seen goes to the droid2.
3. gunarrr (unregistered) posted on 21 Sep 2010, 13:34 1 1
Your username speaks volumes for your bias.
4. DontHateOnS60 posted on 21 Sep 2010, 13:38 0 0
I'd have to test one out for myself and compare it to my N97, E72, and N95. My friend has one, and a few of the images I've seen didn't come out well at all when they were uploaded to Facebook. They were darker than they should have been, and details didn't look that good. Something I noticed in the images here as well. My friend may not know how to use the 2 stage shutter button though. Who knows.
5. DontHateOnS60 posted on 21 Sep 2010, 13:56 0 0
My user name will lead people to believe I am biased, but that is hardly the case. Take the N95 for example. Great camera, maybe even the best camera available in 2007 and 2008. It had one fatal flaw however. Every image taken, where there was a bright color, the color was made to look completely unreal. Yellows, reds, blues, didn’t matter. Everything looked like it was colored in with a marker. The images were still very sharp, but the colors made them look unreal. I see that with the iPhone 4 as well. When it comes to a camera phone, I want to see details, and I want images that look exactly as the scene was. No brightened colors, no black lines around blades of grass. I want realistic images. Whether it’s Apple, Moto, Samsung, HTC, or even Nokia, I’ll call anybody out if I see something to call them out on.
6. lolipopjones posted on 21 Sep 2010, 17:12 0 0
SO a phone that offers HDR is bad? Yeah you have no argument... you are just a tard.
10. DonkeyPunched posted on 21 Sep 2010, 21:37 1 0
Yea, you are clearly being bias. Whether or not you like the iPhone for all it's features and what not, this review was extremely accurate and the pictures on the Droid X look like pictures from a flip phone. It showed how blurred each texture became. The colors blurred too much to the point I couldn't even tell if there were leaves on the tree rather than just seen green/brown. This had nothing to do with how the phone works, the calls, or the apps. It was all about the camera and I believe the iPhone did win in terms of quality. Btw, I have an Epic, so that might affect how people see my comment, but I'm actually trying to be honest.
16. xq10xa (unregistered) posted on 22 Sep 2010, 09:59 0 0
"i feel the droid x has the best camera." & "go to the stores (like wal-mart where they sell all of these phones side-by-side) and see for yourself. i am not trying to be bias (because i have the droid x) personally, the BEST phone camera i have ever seen goes to the droid2." you opinion became void right there buddy.
17. PapaJay224 posted on 22 Sep 2010, 11:07 0 0
ARE YOU PEOPLE KIDDING ME?!?!? First of all there is obviously some sort of stencil brush effect they keep using on the droid that makes it look PhtoShopped, Secondly this whole Article is basically about iPhone HDR. I have seriously never been so discusted with an article on this website as much as I am rightnow with the absolute BIAS this site has.
24. remixfa posted on 22 Sep 2010, 19:32 0 1
this site is so funny. it kept saying "there is clearly no difference between these pix" it doesnt take but 2 seconds to look at the daylight pix and compare them with the real camera to see that the Epic wins the pic contest in almost every situation. The iphone4's camera over saturates, over compensates, and exept for a few shots, looked the least like the control shot taken from the digital camera. Without HDR the iphone wouldnt have even been in the contest. Point is, all the cameras are fine,from what i can tell the Epic/galaxyS has the best pictures over all without retouching, HDR obviously makes a difference, but phone arena is so openly biased when it comes to iphone comparisons that they can never be taken seriously.
7. am0795 (unregistered) posted on 21 Sep 2010, 17:13 1 0
No offence but phone arena, you are way off...my droid x at the D1 Rate is 30 fps...excuse u but my droid x at that even surpasses the icrap 4......iv'e tested in the apple store...the epic 4g i have nothing to say to...a 5 mega pixle.....no it still loses, my photos look amazing and with the 2.2 update..which you obviously dont know i guess comes out rommorow...the gallery and the inetrface is and will be much improved...
11. DonkeyPunched posted on 21 Sep 2010, 21:41 0 0
Lol, you make it sound like as if phone arena doesn't know the specs of the phone. They clearly do research on the phones and inform you about these updates, such as your Droid X 2.2 update. You're just a pissed off user because your phone did the worst. The pictures show it clearly. Stop bitching or stop coming back to the site. Its that simple.
35. deago78 posted on 03 Oct 2010, 13:57 0 1
You misspelled "offense"...come on many...this is fourth grade vocabulary test material...
8. mr. droid posted on 21 Sep 2010, 19:31 0 0
there is a way to get the 2.2 update now on the droid x. people have been complaining that it is making their phone run/work like crap compared to what it used to. although thats what they are telling me. nothing more nothing less. some people are afraid of change..
9. bummy (unregistered) posted on 21 Sep 2010, 19:56 0 0
So iphone4 shots are all overexposed until you turn HDR on, which is THEN comparable to the other camera's regular shoots. Only bonus is in dim light situations where HDR is a bonus.... but this is just software right? are there apps out there for android to do HDR type imaging?
12. Legacystar posted on 21 Sep 2010, 22:40 0 0
does anyone else notice that every shot taken by the droid X looks like it's zoomed in closer then the other cameras? i think there is something wrong with your settings Phone arena.
19. PapaJay224 posted on 22 Sep 2010, 11:12 0 0
LegacSTar THANK YOU!!!! It looks like they have a pencil effect or some sort of effect added to them. Thats why this review is BS! -1 PhoneArena
