yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] YankInDaSouth:
So, full disclosure - after posting the same pics on another forum someone suggested I check the rear picture camera size setting on my Note 9. Kinda feel stupid for not thinking about that myself as I have been tinkering with smartphones going on 10 years now ... but as it would turn out the size was set to 18.5:9 (7.9 MP) and not 4:3 (12 MP). Don't recall ever messing with this setting, but even if I did I would not opt for the lower MPs ... I just assumed it would be set to the max MP out of the box. Anyways, hoping this makes a substantial difference in what I've been seeing from the Note 9 pics, we shall see.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
Your results show no problems. Maybe this is because you know about cameras which isn't clear with the rest of the people complaining in here.

I remember you from the xperia days :)

Unlikely, this is one never ending conspiracy theory in the samsung forums that gets mindlessly repeated with zero evidence. I've gone hammer and tongs at people who make this claim here and it just devolves into feelings and subjectivity.

Ignore this discussion, samsung picks sensors that are equivalent. They do this with other components as well. There are no issues as a result, end of..simple as...
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Gilley:
Yeah I double checked mine and mine was on the 4:3 12mp . I just dont get how with that hardware and all the resources Samsung has, that they cant produce something better then what they have. I actually put my sim back into my 2XL just for time being because I have missed some good photo opportunities of my kids. One of them I took with my N9 basically turned my kids face into what like the old school camera prints that would come with your pictures (blanking on name) in the 90s like the roll of film. Took 3 in a row and first one was really bad, next one got better and only had a couple spots then 3rd was normal again but by that time the moment had passed.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Dpk1:
Oh nice! I too remember you and your thorough posts on photography. Glad to have you here! :)

Can't disagree with you there.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
This discussion is a replay of what you went through with the Z2. Three times you replaced that phone because the photos weren't as sharp :)

Maybe that is what people need to do here. After taking some test shots to compare with the replacement
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] babadudu:
It sounds like aggressive post processing. For the ones that have issue, have you tried to take photo in Raw and see if that makes any difference ? Then it's easy to see if it's hardware or software. The setting is in advanced and it will take 2 photo raw and JPEG, for my note 8. Still waiting for my 9 to ship....:(
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] xMadMike:
Came from Note 8 to Note 9 and to me all of the above is shambles! The camera is better and takes more detailed photos. I had more blurriness problems with the Note8 to be honest... One thing I did prefer was the more accurate colours in some scenarios but overall the Note9 camera rocks! I might attach some examples later.

Personally I am using the Exynos version and have the Samsung ISOCELL sensor - SLSI_SAK2L3 while my Note8 had the Sony IMX sensor.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] aznmode:
Maybe that's where the difference is? Mine is the snapdragon version and it is not as sharp most of the time compared to my note 8. Anyway, I am receiving another one today and I will see if it's any different. I know when I went to Best Buy to try the demo, it had the same firmware version but the picture it took was not as warm. I transferred the pictures to my phone to compare. So maybe the sharpness has also to do with the lens?

---------- Post added at 09:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 AM ----------

Will be receiving another one today to compare.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
I'll have to slightly disagree. I've owned every galaxy "S" flagship in the past counting from GT-I9000 and this discussion quickly reminded me of Galaxy S2 in 2011, where the ones with in-house isocell sensors were producing stuttery videos and the ones with Sony IMX weren't. I went onto replacing the Samsung module with a Sony one then. That issue was totally hardware-based and Samsung never fixed/admitted.

..

Having said this, I'm too noticing sort of noisy, not so sharp images from my Note 9's main shooter in indoors and and I don't think it's anything to do with the types of modules being used at all, and all it requires is software fixes from Sammy imo.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
S2 might have been an exception but 100 pg threads of argument without a shred of evidence isn't useful like in the s6/7 forums

..

What are you comparing it with ?

scene enhancer on or off. Does manual make any difference

Whether its using f2.4 or f1.5
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] YankInDaSouth:
IDK, I keep playing with the Note 9 camera settings and just can't get rid of the blur/haze look...
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] @rbiter:
Snapdragon doesn't guarantee Sony sensors. My note4 snap 805 had Samsung sensors.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Chyeo1979:
Note 9's bigger aperture also mean it has a shallower depth of field, thus more section of the pic will be out of focus or not as sharp
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Dpk1:
S7 and Samsung flagship smartphone models prior to it had either of the two sensors (randomly). But since S8 there is a pattern - All exynos have Samsung Isocell and all snapdragons have Sony IMX reportedly. Not even one example contradicting it.

True.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
There has always been a difference in bet^n Sony & Isocell sensors used in the Samsung flagships, it's just that it's been negligible most of time and at times Sony sensors produced hair bit sharper images. Didn't check s6/S7 xda threads@ camera, but I remember reviewers giving an edge to Sony.

..

Ofcourse, scene enhancer off. Manual didn't give an edge.

An example : white balance auto, f/1.5, ISO 1000, indoors. First taken using S9 plus, second - Note 9. Same Samsung sensors but Note 9's firmware needs some work as it looks less sharp and bit blurry.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RichardC27:
Are you sure you don't have some sort of "beauty" filter turned on? The photos you post look ok, it just looks like there is some heavy post processing going on to blur out the fine details
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] YankInDaSouth:
Positive ... The last pic I posted above was on auto and had the scene optimizer off and tracking AF off as well. But I get similar results with those settings on too.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
Which reviewers know which sensors are used ? none. It's only an obsession here

..

Can you upload those two photos here

https://imgbb.com/upload

board attachments & tapatalk strip image data out and aren't helpful
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Yathani:
Try go into Pro mode and take two pictures one with 1.5 and other with 2.4 aperture to compare
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Limeybastard:
Next time please use same angle and light condition for the comparisons. Cheers.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] cpufrost:
ISO 1000

You're taking pictures of still objects. Slow down your shutter and cut that ISO down as low as possible! 50 looks amazing.

My S9+ and Note 9 shots look very similar. Both are Exynos so that may have something to do with it. I did (briefly) have the 845 and its photos were also fine. I view them zoomed in on the device and on my workstation which has dual 8K Dell displays. I also use a 9370 (13.3" UHD display) on the road. Of course there's no comparison to my D810 (and never will be LOL) but I can't complain as I can't carry my 810 on my belt. ;)
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
I referred to reviewers comparing IMX and ISOCELL sensors used on same phones in their possession , not them judging on pictures uploaded somewhere to not know which sensors were used. No obsession there. Like this:

https://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-s7-isocell-vs-sony-sensor-camera-680266/

That was just for a rough comparison ignoring metadata. Anyways, here you go:

S9+ : https://ibb.co/bQb0qK

Note 9 : https://ibb.co/bToAPe

Well, I know those two are not the best pics for a very fair comparison and I wish I could take the photo from both phones at the same time & angle but the S9+'s pic was from one week back and don't have that phone anymore.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Limeybastard:
Do you still have both phones? If so please take shots.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
Lol, you didn't read my response?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Limeybastard:
Yes, I didn't. Sorry.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Dpk1:
There is a clear difference in your pics between S9+ and Note 9, later being blurry overall. I don't have S9+, but compared to my Note 8, the Note 9 pics are at least as good (if not better) and have no blur. Of course, there are f1.7 vs f1.5 differences. No issues whatsoever for me!

Here is another example shot in extreme low light indoors (Note 8 on the left, Note 9 on the right)

Both were shot in auto mode (scene optimizer off on note 9), at the same spot (one right after the other handheld). Image details attached.

Link to full sized images here.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
ok, so that is a much better demonstration than what i saw in the xda thread. But look at the comments below.

Never ending argument. No consensus.:D

That means just one thing to me, the differences aren't important enough that either one works which was my original point. If there are differences it could be down to manufacture variations again within tolerance limits. This could happen with either sensor. I'm saying one sony might be different to another sony within tolerance limits and the same with samsung. Therefore comparing the two is a fools errand.

So its a pretty damn hard argument to make in favour of one or the other, hence the never ending argument, across generations of galaxies

Difference is apparent so why did it happen. Thinking the image data will reveal more.

S9+ has image data, the Note 9 does not.

Can you upload the Note 9 one again to imgbb checking its data is intact before uploading.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
"To each his own".

For me, it's easy to choose from.

Two different camera modules and almost negligible results EOD, is what matters and I believe Samsung does so, now a days.

On a side note, I find it quite interesting when Samsung says "both are the same"... Just Like the SD & Exynos SoCs. :) - that's me though.

Exif data is very much there in that link itself:
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
Hmm, indeed it is. Was using my usual exif viewers and it misssed it.

There is one clue in there. Shutter speed.

S9 is 1/10

Note 9 is 1/4

S9 shot was twice as fast and that was enough with its OIS to get you a sharper shot

Note 9 is a bigger and slightly heavier phone, maybe little more unwieldy than the s9+

Whether these phoned have cases and how grippy one is over the other has an effect

So its camera shake

Try if you can stabilise both in the same light and take it again.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] aznmode:
Got a 2nd note 9 and it's the same output unfortunately. Overall still a good camera and best phone out there so I guess I'll just deal with it.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
Don't have the S9 plus anymore, but I can safely say the Note 9 has been taking slightly less sharper images counting from day 1, indoors, no matter which way I try. I first noticed this with a non retail unit, but could forgive it as it was so. Same results from the retail unit raised my eyebrows. Hence, expecting a firmware update as I'm not doubting on the hardware part.

PS: that pic was taken in auto mode from both the phones.

---------- Post added at 06:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:10 PM ----------

Auto mode it was.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Dpk1:
There is no denying that the pic you posted is blurry. However, the image posted seems to be cropped (4032×2829) as it's not a default note 9 camera resolution. I was a actually trying to fetch the camera firmware version from metadata, but it seems most of it is gone.

P.S. Is your phone updated to the latest build (OTA)?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
Auto will try to get you the best image quality. The way it does that is if light is low shutter speed will slow. And we see that 1/4 is the slowest.

To get it sharper needs a faster shutter speed.

Try to take a shot handheld of something with texture and then rest it somewhere, shoot the same scene and then compare sharpness.

This way we eliminate hand shake which can happen randomly. Sometimes you nail it other times not

Test your theory some more

Another possiblity for less quality is in middling light it picks the f2.4, this can result in a shot of higher ISO than would have resulted with the larger aperture. There is a narrow light range where the S9 would lose to the s8,7 & 6 as a result. i'm not seeing that with the Note 9 test shots yet. Whether sammy has tweaked this some more with the Note 9, maybe

i was never really keen on dual aperture for this reason.

---------- Post added at 11:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:46 PM ----------

Might be why my exif viewer thought there was no data at all. imgbb found it though which is good
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
Yeah, both pics were cropped, default is 4032×3024 for both the phones. The one from S9 plus was cropped more than the Note 9's and still sharper.

..

Ofcourse flashed with latest build right outta box.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] freebee269:
i'm right there with the OP. having had a pixel 2 XL and an iPhone x, my note 9 does look more blurry on average in my videos. photos are fine because i can control that. but videos on the other hand are not very sharp. if i constantly tap on the screen to make the camera focus then its ok. but the auto focus is pretty bad. if it goes out of focus it stays out of focus. and that's where the blur comes in. i dont know what Samsung is doing with its auto focus but it needs to fixed.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] @rbiter:
I rarely get things out of autofocs on pictures. Sometimes elements outside the target might be a little blurry. Otherwise my pictures have been awesome when I get a good picture and focus right and contrast is good.

I haven't given video a serious test until now. I was going to mention maybe your OIS is bad or Samsung has a bad algorithm or calibration for it. Don't know if note9 has EIS. Not really a fan of EIS when the content creator is walking. The video will have ripples or be bouncy and sometimes cause autofocus to go wonky for a quick second. I just took videos and simulated walking, jerky movements and shaky hands. Wow. I am impressed. The video was crisp, clear, contrasty for a cloudy day, all the clouds were distinct as they were in the sky. So probably not software or OIS. I'd make some really clear examples to plea your case for an exchange.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
Thanks for your input, I'm aware of how it works but I prefer doing all that only when using a DSLR and respective lenses and in a smartphone in pro mode at max.

As for the N9, I expect it to take sharper and less blurry images Hand-held when it's equipped with OIS while taking pics of still subjects than what it does now, in Auto mode - indoors.

I did a few times already, and it feels like the software needs some work . Don't have the s9 plus now, so.....!!

Still, attaching 2 pics here taken using the Note 9 - hand held & using a tripod.(1st-Hand held, 2nd-tripod),I see no difference [slight angle shift, so probably first Hand held shot got little more light).

https://ibb.co/cNSpN9

https://ibb.co/cb5th9

https://ibb.co/gKPQvU

https://ibb.co/cCow29

For various reasons, no doubt why a pixel 2 cam still looks so widely loved over many heavyweights.

Maybe not... As both the pics from S9+ & N9 were cropped, not just the one from N9.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
Right but i couldn't discount the possibility of hand shake. As far as OIS goes treat it as a 6-8 / 10 success rate. This is still pretty good and better than no OIS

This test shows there is no problem with OIS. Leading me to think it was handshake in your previous shot. If you find shots get blurred retake and tweak if necessary

S9 plus isn't necessary.

Any camera with single aperture that came out since 2015 will do better. If you're aware then you can correct.

Something to do with the cropping app then. the S9 data was fine.

To give you an idea what i mean, check out the food menu at the pixel level of the three attempts i made with my V20. I'm about 20ft away

The first was auto, menu isn't clear even though i tapped to focus.

https://ibb.co/c6kVep

So i figure i'll boost shutter speed to 1/50. Still didn't work.

https://ibb.co/kxD0ep

Finally i pushed it to 1/100 and nailed it.

https://ibb.co/jiq2s9

If i go shooting at night, i have AF set at infinity, shutter speed at 1/100 and ISO gets adjusted to taste, slightly under exposed. I can usually get most things sharp with those settings in one go. This should hold with any camera that allows manual settings.

---------- Post added at 06:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:52 AM ----------

Don't get me started on pixel. You will never get a shot like the one below using a pixel

Forest Logs #Dartmoor by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond, on Flickr
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
You are going little far here lad. Remember we are talking about a smartphone with Automode mainly. It's not about how excellent a pic we can have using in pro level tweaks. I can have them using any modern day flagship grade smartphone that has a pro mode given that I'm having the required skills and trying to take the best shots possible. I'm considering "point and shoot" right outta pocket and shakeless, blurryfree pics and I'm not so happy with the Note 9 in this regard for now, as 5 out of 10 pics I'm forced to delete taken indoors, low light when not giving so much of attention. That's not how a pixel 2 XL I had for a very short period of time performed or even the recent s9 plus . The Cam firmware plays a huge role here and I'll come to a conclusion here after having 1 or 2 OTA updates only.

Something to do with the app using which you retrieved and viewed , as imgBB shows the cropped images' exif data correctly.

Excellent pic. Pro photographer with a lot of skills.

.. Not finding a relationship with what I'm discussing here though.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
My experience is kind of similar to yours'.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Virgo_Guy:
If a pixel 2(or the s9 plus) can take blurfree, sharp(not super sharp or excellent, finely USABLE-to be precise ) photos indoors in automode without a tripod and a note 9 can't 5 out of 10 times, then that's a problem. As such, Samsung has to fix it-that's the whole point. Since, Samsung has been good consistently at pushing monthly OTAs with security patches that also include fixes of ongoing issues without mentioning in the changelog, I'm being very positive there unless there's a faulty hardware in mine(unlikely) or batch issues.

Any confusion? If at all anything was wrong with the app cropping it, imgBB would not have been able to store its(Note 9's) exif data in their database that you accessed & you didn't access it from my system directly.

It's the limitation of an app if it fails to retrieve it from a database as I can retrieve the data from my end.

..

I think this discussion will go nowhere if we keep discussing like this somewhat out of context. Lets stick to the thread itself. Will see how many people report the same....cheers :good:
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] aliali10-:
note 9

Man, I am a die-hard iPhone guy. I mean loyal to the bone to Apple iPhone and I have never like any kind of android anything but this new note 9 is pretty freaking awesome. From what i saw in yalls videos the dynamic range was killer. If someone wanted to GIVE me a note 9 I would definitely use it but......im pretty sure im goning to stick to my humble iPhone 8 plus lol. Awesome video guys. Thank you.﻿
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] Tidbits:
You guys aware the camera app can be updated without Samsung updating the firmware right(monthly OTA)? Just go to about camera and it'll search for an update like all their other apps. There isn't a update right now just in case you guys go looking.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] One Twelve:
Hang on a minute. I didn't suggest using a tripod to get a better photo but to test whether there was a difference between handheld and tripod and you saw yourself there wasn't a difference. So no problem with hardware or software. Therefore there isn't anything for Samsung to fix.

So how much better are pixel & s9 is the question ? if you look at the photos i posted my success rate with the V20 is also 50% :)

First with auto, didn't try again. Went to manual and even that took a second attempt with a different setting. I don't count how many attempts just whether i could get it or not. That's all that matters in the end. Without manual controls, things are harder. You have to resort to tricks and there is no guarantee. A lack of manual controls is a bigger limiting factor. I only have to resort to manual 5% of the time with all the phone cameras i've used and its more frequent with low light or challenging lighting. If i use an athletics metaphor that 5% is the difference between coming first and not qualifying.

Depends on the scene, some are easier than others. In my case the success rate was 50% in other scenes it could even be lower or higher too. So averaging it all out isn't telling the whole story.

There is no faulty hardware or software with your camera. That's already been established.

To improve things, samsung will have to limit how slow the shutter can go in auto. Instead of 1/4 make it 1/10 or faster still like 1/17. That's two whole stops higher now. What you could get at ISO 200 will require ISO 800. Oneplus does this and the reason is their OIS isn't as good.

The difficulty is you think the camera should be doing better but its not necessarily clear it should. This phone is bigger and heavier so your success in low light will depend more on your handhold technique. It could be the S9 & pixel being smaller and lighter make it easier to get these shots. Only slightly easier mind you.

There is a mental barrier that i'm trying to push you over. If you think the camera is not good then its not good but that's in your head. Stick at it for a month and see how things go.

You have a Note 9 today because a pixel or S9+ don't offer what a Note can. Why should the camera be a sticking point. With the Note series camera has never been the case.