Not that we have been avoiding it, but we felt the time was right to do a bare bones breakdown of the cameras found on the top two Android devices on the market right now, the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4. What makes both of these cameras unique is that on paper, both are basically complete opposites. The Galaxy S4 features a whopping 13MP sensor while HTC employed a “Ultrapixel” camera inside the One, which is actually a 4MP sensor. At first, the idea of having a 4MP camera in a 2013 flagship device threw some people off, but HTC seems to know what they were doing.

Down below, we cut the crap and just give you a side-by-side comparison of both cameras in everyday real-life scenarios. Seemed like the best way to do this type of thing, considering that this is not a photography blog. We hit the low light, the macro, the video tests, and more. 

Samsung Galaxy S4 (left) vs. HTC One (right)

The macro: This wouldn’t be a Droid Life comparison if we weren’t taking close ups of something. You will see a reoccurring trend throughout this comparison that the HTC One (right) gives off a much warmer vibe than the Galaxy S4 (left). We have seen that on their previous Samsung devices, so it isn’t much of a shocker, but what they do have going for them is that the S4 focuses on subjects that are extremely close with relative ease in comparison to the One. In fact, I found myself tapping the display to focus on the Galaxy S4 just once or twice to get the perfect close up, while I had to tap on the One more than five times to get it focus. While both take close ups rather well, the Galaxy S4 would probably win this one due to its high rate of consistency and attention to detail. The One definitely gives off much better color though, once it actually focuses.

Color:  As I mention, the HTC One (right) does have a tendency to give off brighter and warmer colors in the right circumstances. Although, when deliberately trying to find some well-lit and colorful areas, the Galaxy S4 (left) excelled. The GS4 brought together a perfect union between sharp lines and details, with well-rounded color balance. The blues were blue and the reds were red. Both cameras score well in this section and when you are out on a brightly-lit day and you have a subject as adorable as Loki, I hope your phone can take a decent picture as well.

Low-light:  According to HTC, the camera found in the One (right) lets in 300% more light than your average smartphone camera. If the pictures below are evidence, I would say they are about right on that one. The Galaxy S4 (left) struggles immensely with focusing in the low light settings, so this point goes to the HTC One everyday of the week. The One, in low light, gives an image that more resembles what your eyes see rather than a dark shadowy image that we see from the Galaxy S4. Big bonus points to HTC for their work on the low lighting scenarios.

Out and about:  On your typical outings, it is really hard to say which phone I would rather have to snap pictures with. The HTC One (right) produces well-lit images with warmer colors than the Galaxy S4 (left), but on the other hand, the GS4 produces extremely crisp pictures, full of detail. Plus, given the added size of the pictures taken on the Galaxy S4 with the 13MP sensor, much more detail is added in and the ability to zoom in without seeing fuzz is an added bonus. If this comparison was based on a point system, both devices would get a point in this category. They are both dependable, versatile, and produce pictures that are worthy of sharing with friends and family.

1080p Videos samples: Both videos look fantastic. It is a bright and warm day and the grass is super green. I have a model named Loki and as you can see, he’s loving the spotlight. Points to both phones for some fantastic HD videos.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Wrap-up: To sum it up, both devices, whether you care about how many megapixels your phone has or not, are great. From my experience, the Galaxy S4 is better for taking higher quality images that you would like to later edit and publish online. As for the HTC One, it is probably the perfect phone for someone that is addicted to Instagram. The pictures are clear, full of color, and perfect for someone that doesn’t need extreme detail.

Each device has their highs and lows. While the HTC One shows dominance in the lowly-lit category, it struggles to focus on closeups and the detail just isn’t there like you would hope in some shots. The Galaxy S4 shows extreme command in a variety of circumstances, but with a lack of color and rich tones, some of those highly detailed shots end up looking lifeless.

Your lifestyle will greatly determine which device you should choose if the camera is a main focal point. If you can, try them all out and see what fits your best.

Camera Comparison: HTC One vs. Samsung Galaxy S4 is a post from: Droid Life

Back in February, specs leaked for a device code named the M4, referred to as the HTC One’s (M7) little brother. The specs included a 4.3″ 720p display, 2GB of RAM, a dual-core Snapdragon processor, and it ran the latest version of Android, 4.2. Today, a render has leaked for this device and it is dubbed, the HTC One Mini. 

For anyone that might be interested in the design of the One, but desires a smaller display, this is your phone. According to the leak, the phone features just about the same specs that were leaked a couple of months ago, except now it states this device has an Ultrapixel camera and 4G LTE connectivity.

Launch is said to be penciled in for the end of Q2, but there is no word on price.

Interested in the One Mini?

Via: PhoneArena | Engadget

HTC One Mini Render Leaked, Includes 4.3″ 720p Display and Dual-core Processor is a post from: Droid Life

According to HTC, an update is rolling out starting today for the International version of the HTC One (review here), aiming to fix up some of the software found on the device. Most of the fixes are for the camera, such as improvements for Zoes, noise reduction in slow motion capture, improved color reduction, and quite a bit more. 

Changelog:

• Improvement to sound capture with Zoe
• Noise reduction in slow motion movie capture
• Improved color reproduction and dynamic range (reduced over-exposure in non-HDR images) in certain conditions
• Fix to display correct ISO in EXIF information when ISO settings are manually changed by the user
• Improved system performance and stability

No word on when we can expect the same update to come to the American variants, but we will keep you posted when and if it happens.

Via: SlashGear

International HTC One Receiving Update to Improve Camera Suite of Software is a post from: Droid Life

In a recent discussion with the head of HTC U.K., it was discovered that the manufacturer does indeed have plans or at least wants to try to bring their UltraPixel camera sensors to other devices, other than the HTC One. The UltraPixel camera is one of the more hyped aspects of their new flagship device, but it relies heavily on the computing power of the Qualcomm processor that also rests within it. 

We’ve got dedicated silicon, in terms of the processing that comes off of the sensor. However, the Qualcomm chipset [used in the HTC One] does enable a lot of this to happen. The ability to take HD video and high-res images at the same time is powered by the quad-core on the device, as well. There will be certain technical challenges, but the tech does support the other elements of it which we can take to other parts of the portfolio.

When asked if HTC had plans on bringing UltraPixel cameras to their full lineup (low and mid-range) of devices, it was said that there is “definitely the potential.” It’s only natural that HTC would want to bring their best features to a full lineup of devices, but if it means shelling out more cash to put in quad-core chipsets into every phone, that might not be an option.

Once we get our hands back on the One, we might be able to finally see if the UltraPixel is the real deal or just another marketing gimmick.

Via: HTC Source | Omio

HTC Could Bring Their UltraPixel Sensor to Low and Mid-Range Devices This Year is a post from: Droid Life

This morning, the word “ultrapixel” was introduced to us as it could potentially be the new camera tech headed for HTC’s new flagship phone, the M7. With this being the first mention of this new camera experience, we weren’t exactly sure what to make of it. And then a couple of hours later, HTC posted up “A History of Photography” infographic on their official company blog and may have semi-confirmed that their new phones in 2013 will indeed have some sort of new camera tech. 

If you skip to the very bottom of the graphic, you’ll see a section for 2013 that reads “HTC kicks off a new sound and camera experience in 2013.” While that doesn’t mention the word “ultrapixel,” it certainly points to a brand new “experience” coming to their phones during the next year. Does that mean a camera with three separate 4.3MP sensors that will take on Nokia’s Pureview cameras and produce some of the cleanest mobile photos ever? We hope it tops them.

As you can see in the image below, they also talk about a new sound experience joining the party, but we have yet to hear rumors suggesting anything other than more Beats integration.

Thoughts?

Here is the full infographic:

Via:  HTC Blog

HTC Hints at New Camera Tech Coming to Phones in 2013 Via Infographic is a post from: Droid Life

As we inch closer to the unveiling of the HTC M7 on February 19 in NYC, it makes sense that leaks would continue to pour in. Three new reports from this morning are helping to paint the picture of a device that is becoming less and less a mystery by the minute. 

First, both Carphone Warehouse and Vodafone (Germany) are showing the device in inventory systems as, the “HTC M7.” We still aren’t sure if this is the official name or not, but it’s certainly starting to look like it might be. If not, we fully understand that these systems can probably be updated closer to launch if need be. Both inventory screens also confirm that the device will come in both black and silver, a report that first surfaced last week.

The last juicy rumor to come out this morning suggests that HTC will utilize “Ultrapixel” technology in the M7, a camera made up of three separate 4.3MP cameras. While you can add those up to reach 13MP, a number that has been rumored, sources are telling Pocket-Lint that the camera won’t actually output at that size.

From what we can tell, this “Ultrapixel” tech will help to generate crisper, cleaner images with better color accuracy. This will be one of the major selling points for the M7.

So the scene now looks something like this – it’s called the HTC M7, comes in both black and silver, and will sport new camera tech called Ultrapixel.

Neat?

Via:  Pocket-Lint [2] | HTC Inside

HTC M7 Shows Up at Carphone Warehouse and Vodafone, Will Sport “Ultrapixel” Camera? is a post from: Droid Life