johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

I am normally an M43 camera user (Olympus EM10) but I also use an LG smart phone for photos.
I have recently tested 7 assorted camera apps to sort out which one I prefer, I have condensed these down to just three:
1: LG camera app which was already installed on the phone.
2: Google camera which is highly recommended in most reviews.
3. ABC camera (A Better Camera) which is also highly recommended.
I took three identical shots using each one as quickly as possible so lighting was identical, now here is my observation, all three photos were sharp and image quality was excellent, the surprising thing to me was the size of the images,the LG camera was 4.9mb, the Google camera was 4.1mb and the ABC camera was a huge 9.1mb., can any UHH member explain this difference, considering the only difference is the software and not the camera
I do actually use ABC camera as my default camera app as generally the image produced is always marginally the highest quality.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Most likely the difference in the algorithm used to generate the JPG.

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

Looking at the discription, it says more detail and color...

Until they start providing huge memory in cellphones, compared to the present ones, cellphone mfg's have a delima. Make very detailed photos and use much memory or not to. More memory use also means they will need a much faster speed to keep thE average user happy. Remember that they are not very patient and often just use the phone for quick things.

Mercer Loc: Houston, TX, USA

Johneccles, I appreciate your post re cellphone cameras. I fail to understand how sharpness can be improved using an alternate app camera; I always thought the properly focused lens decided matters of sharpness in any camera. I think the PP offered on many smartphones can improve the impression of sharpness, but the lens remains the same and so (I guess) does true sharpness. I would appreciate your view of this, particularly because my phone camera lens (a ZTE) is very lacking in sharpness, and you apparently know what you are talking about. All the best, Mercer

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

I realise the phone camera cannot vary the quality of the image, but the various applications do seem to make considerable differences, although it is the exposure which is mainly affected, definition is the other (such as clouds etc). The other main difference is the great difference between the size of the images which vary from 9.10mb to 4.10mb.
I will attach three sample shots all taken more or less at the same time of the same scene:
Nr. 1 Using ABC camera software (9.10mb)
Nr. 2 Using the LG Camera software (4.90mb)
Nr. 3 Using Google Camera software (4.10mb)

You can see the difference in each shot, mainly colour and definition.

(Download)


(Download)


(Download)

Picdude Loc: Ohio

John, I haven't used the LG or Google apps, but I do have the ABC app on my current Samsung and old HTC phones. I agree with you that I prefer the ABC app most times I use my phone for a camera. I suspect GENorkus is heading down the right track talking about memory. ABC seems to be geared more towards providing DSLR users with a cell phone app closer approximating their DSLRs. As such, not only would we expect more out of the controls, but better IQ as well. Which means, among other things, saving more data into the image.

Carl D Loc: Albemarle, NC.

I like the LG photo the best.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

I think so too, because it has better contrast for this particular scene.

But that's what it really comes down to - which phone camera is best suited for a particular scene. Some types of images benefit from more contrast, some from less; some benefit from more saturation, while others look better with less saturation, etc. There is no such thing as the best phone camera, as any judgement will be context dependent.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Clicking on each image in download mode and right clicking on your images shows:
1st 3474 kb
2nd 3171 kb
3rd 2925 kb

The exif data shows jpg compression 6 on each image.

Don't know what this means, just this is the info shown on the images posted. Uncompressed, based just on image size, which is 4160 x 3120, or 12,979,200 pixels. This is the size the camera takes, I don't think software makes any difference until it is processed and compressed, and those posted are reasonably the same file size.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

To produce the best quality image, use an app that allows you to save a RAW image that you can process on your computer.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

JPEG compression ratio is different. The image dimensions are the same, but the ABC Camera images are less compressed (less image data is thrown out when the file is saved). If you study JPEG/JFIF file format explanations, you'll understand what's going on. The same size original bit-mapped image from the camera is being processed a little differently by each app, and saved a little differently by each app.

Camera Plus (Camera+) is another app you might want to try. I love it on my iPhone 6S Plus. It provides LOTS of exposure and processing options. It's available for Android and iPhone.

Kudos for being an m43 user. I have a LUMIX GH4.

marki3rd Loc: Columbus, Indiana

What is amazing to me is that you managed to take 3 exposures with 3 different aps, and all 3 images look to have the exact (or at least nearly) the same aspect angle.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

My cellphone has a tray for a micro SD card which can be accessed without taking the back off. They are inexpensive and large. Check out this link as an example: https://usadiscountwarehouse.com/shop/512gb-micro-sd-free-shipping-free-usb-adapter/?gclid=CNn4l-K29s0CFZA2aQod5OkAPg

Memory in cell phones is not an issue in modern phones.

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

It's quite simple really, the shots were taken from a room upstairs which I use as a home office and workstation. The view is looking along my avenue which contains a good colour range, plenty of contrast, some sky and clouds and also has an excellent depth of field, so I often use this view to test any new lenses, cameras and applications, I have several other spots I use regularly to carry out similar tests.
The shots taken from my office always have a more or less identical view, my neighbours wall is always just visible on the left and the focus point is always the small square window above the blue car and believe or not the shots are taken through the window glass, the cameras are always hand held in exactly the same spot which is marked by a small dot on the window frame.
By using this method I can compare the cameras focusing, sharpness, depth of field, definition and colour, I test these by cropping to 1:1 and looking at my neighbours wall, the speed sign, the white door in the distance and finally the chimney on the extreme left of the shot,
If the camera/lens or application passes these checkpoints I would be happy to continue to carry on using them on all other aspects of my main photography.