We know one of the most amazing things about the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the camera. After having used it for a few weeks now, and having come off of other devices whose cameras have been deemed above average, I can say, with all honesty, that the S4 camera is exactly what people say it is: nothing short of spectacular.
The 13-megapixel main snapper on the Samsung Galaxy S4 is sharp as all heck. In dim, diffused light, indoors, the camera does a really good job. Detail comes out extremely well anyway. You can almost taste this heart-stopper. (Pardon the photo, but something like this can’t not be shared.) Until you zoom in really close, you almost can’t tell that it was taken with a mere phone camera.
Outdoor shots in bright lighting come out even better. The bright blue sky and the glittery bronze of General MacArthur come out perfectly (if a little under-saturated), though some grain is visible in the more uniform color of the sky. Again, only when zoomed in do you really see the slight fuzziness belying the shot as having been taken with a mobile phone.
This shot was taken in almost pitch-blackness, with no other light but the built-in flash on the S4. When viewed in a reasonable size, the photo is wonderfully crisp. It’s performance in darkness with the flash is again, startling. For any use short of professional print, the S4 camera is more than sufficient.
One of my favorite shots from a recent out-of-town trip, this was taken in the mid-morning, while the sun was hidden behind clouds. you can again see just how sharp the edges on the clouds appear, though detail on the dog is a little lost due to exposure compensation on the camera. The shot is a little less saturated than I would have liked, but a quick tweak in post should handle it. For quick snapshots, it should do more than well enough.
So far, I’m extremely pleased with the performance of the S4 camera. More than once, I have resorted to the S4 instead of going with a dedicated snapper. We’re doing a full review on the S4 in the June issue, so if you’re on the fence about going with the latest from the Korean giant, Grab a copy as soon as they hit the shelves!