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First Nexus 6 camera samples surface

posted by Victor H. / Oct 16, 2014, 2:37 AM

Google took the wraps off its Nexus 6 yesterday, and it turned out to be exactly as rumored: a 5.9-inch large phone with a powerful Snaprdagon 805 system chip and a 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization (OIS).

Nexus 6 uses the new Sony IMX214 image sensor

Google was nice enough to announce right from the start that it uses Sony's new IMX 214 camera sensor. It's a 1/3.06" stacked CMOS sensor with Exmor RS for better low-light performance. On top of it, comes a lens with a wide, f/2.0 aperture, and there is also a dual LED flash with a ring to add it a slight diffusion.

Having just the specs for the camera, however, does not tell you much - one needs to see the actual images to learn how good of a camera does the Nexus 6 really have. Luckily, one of the early testers of the new Nexus is sharing first camera samples and they don't look bad at all. What do you think about the new camera in the Nexus 6, do you like the shots?

First Nexus 6 camera samples surface

View more + 5 images

source: +DuanDao

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Display 6.0" 1440 x 2560 pixels

Camera 13 MP / 2 MP front

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, Quad-core, 2700 MHz

Storage 64 GB

Battery 3220 mAh(24h talk time)

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61 Comments

1. dorfoz

Posts: 156; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

Still think note 4 is better tho :(

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 2:39 AM 29

2. Ashoaib

Posts: 3291; Member since: Nov 15, 2013

I am feeling the same

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 2:43 AM 13

27. LiyanaBG

Posts: 381; Member since: Nov 07, 2013

Even HTC ONE M8 takes better pictures than that.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:56 AM 7

29. sipha

Posts: 440; Member since: May 12, 2012

You going to far!!

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 4:37 AM 14

40. akki20892

Posts: 3902; Member since: Feb 04, 2013

His car break is not working.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 8:40 AM 1

44. engineer-1701d unregistered

It's like the up close shots are amazing but normal and far away are horrible Google really needs a camera guy to work with them to do a software update

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 9:19 AM 0

45. andonia2

Posts: 34; Member since: Jul 26, 2013

The best image is #10 .. Look at the sky in that PIC!!!!

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 10:18 AM 0

50. Muayyad

Posts: 240; Member since: Oct 05, 2012

Because you like number 13 better?

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 5:46 PM 0

41. SuperAndroidEvo

Posts: 4888; Member since: Apr 15, 2011

I am not going to lie, the Note 4 is the champion of the smart phone cameras. This Nexus 6 does take good pictures though, that can't be discounted. I am sure with future updates the camera on the Nexus 6 will get even better. It will never be in the Note 4's league but being second or third best after an update or 2 would sit VERY well with me. All OEM's are getting better & better with their cameras... The gap is narrowing exponentially so all of them are starting to take great pictures...

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 9:12 AM 2

8. TyrionLannister unregistered

Obviously note 4 would be better. it uses the IMX240 sensor from sony. It's a 1/2.6 inch sensor which is much larger than the 1/3.06 inch one one nexus 6. Also bigger sensor implies better dynamic range. If we go by samsung's claims, the OIS is also better in note 4. Adding to this the phase detection autofocus, much better image processing and 16:9 default aspect ratio leave for almost no competition. Nexus smartphones traditionally have crappy cameras.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 2:58 AM 15

11. vincelongman

Posts: 5696; Member since: Feb 10, 2013

Also Moto has traditionally have crappy cameras, while Samsung has been arguable been in the top few IMO its pretty disappointing the $650 Nexus 6 doesn't have Sony's latest IMX240 1/2.6" sensor IMO those low light pic have quite a lot of noise Hopefully Google fixes that in a future update

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:08 AM 1

20. pwnarena

Posts: 1129; Member since: Feb 15, 2013

are you sure it uses sony's sensor? i think it uses samsung's proprietary isocell sensor.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:34 AM 2

23. Genza

Posts: 576; Member since: Mar 12, 2014

Yes Anandtech has confirmed it in their review.http://www.anandtech.com/show/8613/the-samsung-galaxy-note-4-review The Note 4 is not the first Samsung phones with IMX240, because the GS5-A variant is also use the same sensor.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:43 AM 4

10. bingeMAFIA

Posts: 3; Member since: Jun 23, 2014

Samsung features a 16MP Sony IMX240 ISOCELL. The Nexus 6 uses the same 13MP Sony IMX214 sensor as the OnePlus One. For using a lower quality sensor the pictures are the best I've seen from a Motorola device. They much better then the Moto X photos using the Sony IMX135, and best Nexus photos I've seen taken by far.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:03 AM 3

15. Genza

Posts: 576; Member since: Mar 12, 2014

Actually it is an Exmor RS sensor not ISOCELL.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:19 AM 3

18. Af1rPA

Posts: 712; Member since: Jun 12, 2014

You mean Exmor R, not RS.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:29 AM 2

21. Genza

Posts: 576; Member since: Mar 12, 2014

Yes, thanks for the correction.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:34 AM 0

13. Genza

Posts: 576; Member since: Mar 12, 2014

In theory yes, because the Sony IMX240 sensor in Note 4 is bigger and has more MP count. But I'm sure the difference would not be too far since both of them has the same aperture, pixel size and also OIS. The Sony IMX214 in Nexus 6 is actually pretty impressive sensor, it's the industry first cmos image sensor that capable of HDR outputs for 13MP @30fps, 4K @30fps, and 1080p @60fps.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:11 AM 2

3. iLegend

Posts: 41; Member since: Jun 05, 2013

nothing great..!! Need some really good photography, and then we will come to know the real power.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 2:45 AM 0

4. bugsbunny00

Posts: 2264; Member since: Jun 07, 2013

cannot compare this to the note 4 even note 3, G3 even better.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 2:47 AM 2

17. Genza

Posts: 576; Member since: Mar 12, 2014

I don't agree with you because the camera module in the Nexus 6 is still better than Note 3 and G3 + with F2.0 lens the Nexus also will perform better in low light. With good image processing software the Nexus 6 camera can be just as good as the Note 4.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:28 AM 4

5. ishan.heru

Posts: 69; Member since: Aug 31, 2014

Its good in some pics and bad in other.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 2:47 AM 1

6. HussamAldean

Posts: 19; Member since: Apr 28, 2012

My iPhone 4S has better pictures than this

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 2:47 AM 4

46. isheepdumbos

Posts: 2; Member since: Sep 30, 2014

But it's an iphone, yuck!

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 10:27 AM 0

7. Bertelgeus

Posts: 126; Member since: Oct 15, 2014

All the images aren't very sharp.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 2:52 AM 4

9. 0xFFFF

Posts: 3806; Member since: Apr 16, 2014

More and more the Nexus 6 looks like it should have been the Moto Shamu. The samples look like they are from the typical mediocre camera that seems to come with every Motorola phone.