[Galaxy Note 4 General] BarryH_GEG:
Finally, a

real

camera evaluation. GSMArena's posted their review of the Note 4 ( http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_4-review-1147.php ). They and Anandtech both due ridged

objective

testing which they subject all the devices they test to equally. So the results can be compared across devices. I personally put little value in sites that basically offer their opinion which, so far, all that's been posted represent. There are some pro and semi-pro photographers on XDA whose opinions I value but most people here posting pics of their dog and critiquing it aren't really reliable references. And people owning each brand of smartphone swear their brand's camera(s) are the best. And let's face it, if you search the Internet hard enough you can find substantiation for just about any point you're trying to make. That's why objective testing is so important - you can't fight facts and controlled examples.

Here are some excerpts from GSMArena's testing of the S-805 version of the Note 4's camera...

Focusing has been improved this year with the inclusion of phase detection pixels on the sensor. It's the same technology that premiered on the Samsung Galaxy S5 but it's even faster this time around. The LG G3 and the Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus offer a similar hybrid auto focus systems combining the traditional contrast detect auto focus with phase detect.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 takes excellent pictures. The higher megapixel count is noticeable and we welcome the wider aspect of the images as both allow a bigger, better photo. Detail is superb, especially in the center of the photo but still doesn't degrade too much towards the far edges.

Images came out tack sharp across the frame and focusing was spot on. We noticed that the Galaxy Note 4 was very fast to lock on and even surpassed the Samsung Galaxy S5 on every occasion.

Colors aren't as punchy as those of the Galaxy S5 but are still vibrant. The white balance was spot on, finding a great middle ground between cold and warm. Scenes are well exposed and we like the dynamic range from the 16MP camera - the shadow and highlight areas of the image are well exposed.

There is some noise visible in the shadows and in solid colors (such as in the sky) but it's kept reasonably under control.

The autofocus when capturing close up (macro) images fares extremely well. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 can get very close to its subject (around 6cm) and capture detailed images. There is also a reasonable separation from the object and the background leading to a nice blurred effect (bokeh).

HDR samples aim to expose the entire frame better by capturing a series of shots at different exposures and matching them for the final result. We like the HDR effect on the Galaxy Note 4 - it gets a lot of detail back into the shadows but also improves upon the highlights

Overall, we can say that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 carries one of the most capable cameras you can find on a smartphone. The quality is very high, detail is aplenty and things are always in focus and always sharp. The large resolution is welcome and the 16:9 makes much more sense than 4:3 (or any other ratio for that matter) on a 16:9 device.​

Versus Note 3

Looking at the samples in good light it's clear the Galaxy Note 4 has the upper hand. It manages to squeeze a little bit more detail compared to its predecessor. However the Galaxy Note 3 doesn't lag too far behind. Truth be told, there is more noise in the Galaxy Note 3 image, especially in the sky. The noise in the Galaxy Note 4 image is better controlled and finer.

In scenes with more fine detail the 16MP snapper of the Galaxy Note 4 is clearly superior. The textures on the wall of the building below indicate just that. Not only that, but it clearly has a better dynamic range, as the highlights on the left are not blown as on the right, while keeping nearly the same exposure of the shadows.​

Versus SGS5

When it comes to low light we pit the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 against the Samsung Galaxy S5. Both have 16MP ISOCELL cameras with identical f/2.2 apertures so the amount of light hitting the sensor should be about the same. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has the added bonus of optical image stabilization, which should allow it to snap photos at lower shutter speeds than the S5.

The images below are shot at ISO 500 (automatic ISO) and with a shutter speed of 1/10s. As you can see the Samsung Galaxy S5 has a blurrier image while the Galaxy Note 4 keeps things a little more sharp at the same shutter speed. All four images were captured handheld.​

Here's GSMArena's six device camera shoot out test. In order of performance:

Lumia 1020

SGS5

LG G3

Oppo Find 7)

Xperia Z2 [Z3 has the same camera]

iP5s

They left out the HTC M8 because its 4MP camera doomed it from the beginning.

http://www.gsmarena.com/camera_shootout-review-1104p8.php