The Mobile Phone Thread

[dylanjosh]

1 minute ago, dante77 said:

Yes. Camera is amazing. Arguably the best. But their portrait shots are years behind. Especially around the edges and overall clarity. 

 

 

Yeah. I like talking portrait shots so this is kinda dealbreaker.. I'll wait till Feb and then decide which phone to go for. 

 

 

[VelivolusDas]

So, here's my thoughts. About the temperature thingy posted above, it's a bit contrary to what we've seen overall in reviews, early users units. Maybe that guy has a faulty unit, I guess.

 

About the portraits, the issue is that Google is just being stubborn and refusing to get with the times. Even after all these years, it's using a software crop to determine the foreground and the background, and applying a depth of field effect.

 

It was cool back when my Pixel 2 XL was the only phone with a single camera lens that could do it, but now it just doesn't make sense. I've seen some videos where users have tested this and it's still true.

 

You can literally take the photo by blocking out the Telephoto lens and it would look exactly how the phone thinks of a portrait mode photo. Essentially, not using the Telephoto lens at all for portraits, which they absolutely should coz the software can tend to mess up especially with edge-detection and cutouts.

[dante77]

12 hours ago, VelivolusDas said:

So, here's my thoughts. About the temperature thingy posted above, it's a bit contrary to what we've seen overall in reviews, early users units. Maybe that guy has a faulty unit, I guess.

 

About the portraits, the issue is that Google is just being stubborn and refusing to get with the times. Even after all these years, it's using a software crop to determine the foreground and the background, and applying a depth of field effect.

 

It was cool back when my Pixel 2 XL was the only phone with a single camera lens that could do it, but now it just doesn't make sense. I've seen some videos where users have tested this and it's still true.

 

You can literally take the photo by blocking out the Telephoto lens and it would look exactly how the phone thinks of a portrait mode photo. Essentially, not using the Telephoto lens at all for portraits, which they absolutely should coz the software can tend to mess up especially with edge-detection and cutouts.

This. You see the major difference between Pro and non pro models in any phone is Telephoto lens. 

 

There are some other differences but if they just put telephoto lens in their base variant, then none of the other 'pro' feature would matter to general audience (or to me at least). 

 

So, as @VelivolusDas mentioned, if they are not using Telephoto lens or utiziling it to full potential, then it doesn't justify the pro tag and the premium price. 

 

PS: I think Telephoto lens itself is not cheap, so companies never include it in their base models. Exception being that one Samsung phone (I think S24) 

[Houndini]

12 minutes ago, dante77 said:

This. You see the major difference between Pro and non pro models in any phone is Telephoto lens. 

 

There are some other differences but if they just put telephoto lens in their base variant, then none of the other 'pro' feature would matter to general audience (or to me at least). 

 

So, as @VelivolusDas mentioned, if they are not using Telephoto lens or utiziling it to full potential, then it doesn't justify the pro tag and the premium price. 

 

PS: I think Telephoto lens itself is not cheap, so companies never include it in their base models. Exception being that one Samsung phone (I think S24) 

 

But 2x optical zoom should serve as decent telephoto in itself. Again, haven't checked for Pixel, but iPhone 15/Plus do decent portrait with optical zoom. Heck, I would say 15/Plus models have slightly better IQ than 14 Pro Max, which is wild. 

[dante77]

4 minutes ago, Bird Bird Bird said:

 

But 2x optical zoom should serve as decent telephoto in itself. Again, haven't checked for Pixel, but iPhone 15/Plus do decent portrait with optical zoom. Heck, I would say 15/Plus models have slightly better IQ than 14 Pro Max, which is wild. 

I checked this myself. All my family and friends have iPhones only (because dem Apple!) and even iPhone users ask for Pro iPhone models when taking Portrait shots because of Telephoto. Agree that non pro ones take decent Portraits. 

 

I used to think what is this all hype for 2X/3X and even 5X zoom portraits, had no idea what telephoto and zoom effects are. But then I see it with my own eyes. Difference is night and day! The clarity of S24 Ultra and iPhone pro max Portrait vs other phones is just too much to ignore. 

 

It is one of the things that I learned from people who aren't even aware of tech in general! But we can learn from anyone lol.

 

A good portrait shot can even make someone Pushpa like a Rockstar. 

[Houndini]

11 minutes ago, dante77 said:

I checked this myself. All my family and friends have iPhones only (because dem Apple!) and even iPhone users ask for Pro iPhone models when taking Portrait shots because of Telephoto. Agree that non pro ones take decent Portraits. 

 

I used to think what is this all hype for 2X/3X and even 5X zoom portraits, had no idea what telephoto and zoom effects are. But then I see it with my own eyes. Difference is night and day! The clarity of S24 Ultra and iPhone pro max Portrait vs other phones is just too much to ignore. 

 

It is one of the things that I learned from people who aren't even aware of tech in general! But we can learn from anyone lol.

 

A good portrait shot can even make someone Pushpa like a Rockstar. 

 

I have a 14 PM, parents have 15 Plus - not much difference in portrait shots tbh. General IQ is better with 15 series, even non pro. Surely 15PM will be better. 

Never used a pixel with dedicated portrait camera, so can't compare, but Google believes more on software than hardware anyway. 

[rushab oswal]

On 8/29/2024 at 9:25 AM, Bird Bird Bird said:

 

Didn't Google improve video since last year? I thought there was a massive shift. 

IPhone does videos really well, specially since they are natively shot in DV.  

 

https://x.com/artemr/status/1828655053928030260?s=46&t=P9sKvrVPgRE_3Ur_zyvcSg

 

So same as previous pixels. Overheating with Chrome, Gmail etc. 

No improvement for me honestly. I used pro paid camera apps to , still doesn't best the footage coming out of iphone 12mini my brother uses. 

It's too noticable when you are doing it for jewellery, colours are all around the place, the focus just doesn't work and is inconsistent. Although I never had overheating issues and i use my phone like a computer 😂 10 things at atime

[dylanjosh]

Video colour correction is way too aggressive holy sh*t 

 

 

 

 

 

[AtheK]

well move over Samsung, google and one plus fold.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_u4OiRvg8U/?igsh=MXF3ODVtMnEwb2w1YQ%3D%3D

 

 

Huawei Mate XT

 

 

 

 

[Houndini]

47 minutes ago, AtheK said:

well move over Samsung, google and one plus fold.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_u4OiRvg8U/?igsh=MXF3ODVtMnEwb2w1YQ%3D%3D

 

 

Huawei Mate XT

 

 

 

 

 

Seen a lot of Huawei phones with Chinese colleagues, not no play store and Google apps need workarounds to...work. 

It is unfortunately difficult to use outside China. 

[AtheK]

1 minute ago, Bird Bird Bird said:

 

Seen a lot of Huawei phones with Chinese colleagues, not no play store and Google apps need workarounds to...work. 

It is unfortunately difficult to use outside China. 

Ya, but they do make some amazing phones. I remember there fold was also so slim, and look at the bezels on this thing, guess eve with three folds it might be sleeker then Samsung fold.

[dylanjosh]

Is there any phone this year that really knocked it out of the park? I feel like everything has been a mixed bag so far. 

 

Would have gone for s24 ultra but i really dislike the rectangular design and have no use for the s-pen

[Houndini]

19 minutes ago, dylanjosh said:

Is there any phone this year that really knocked it out of the park? I feel like everything has been a mixed bag so far. 

 

Would have gone for s24 ultra but i really dislike the rectangular design and have no use for the s-pen

 

Just shows we have hit a wall wrt usability and design. 

[dylanjosh]

 

 

 

[Felix the cat]

[rushab oswal]

Hey guys so by mistake i purchased a price lock for 23 (256 Gb Phantom Black) instead of 128 gb variant. Let me know if anybody is ordering the same so i can get that money XD

[Pushy]

bruh, if any1 wants samsoong compact phone, eyes closed and grab s23 in the bbd/sale, 256 going for 38k. slap an exchange if possible or apply the card offers and bring that price sucka down some more, and do not go for Phantom Black, i have it, looks plain/boring, go for white, i have that color(white) in S22, looks seckz (but phantom black of S22 looks good too). don't go for S23 fe crap even if it goes for less price than the flagship series, avoid S24 too(including the S24+, both sh!tz have exynos), rather go for S23 Ultra (if u were itching for S24+)

[LordSpymaster]

Opinions on Pixel 9 Pro (non XL) v/s S24 Plus? 

 

My situation:

1) Have a samsung tablet and my current S22U works really well with it in combo (Like Samsung Buds auto switching and staying connected to both phone and tablet, taking calls via the tablet, copy pasting from one device to another, etc.)

 

2) Got a little bored of the Samsung phone so open to looking at the 9 Pro

 

3) Can only take Pixel or Samsung due to office restrictions, and budget cannot go up to the XL/S24U (nor do I want a large phone) 

 

Both are out of stock in India, S24+ has no in stock expectations per Samsung chat and the 9Pro has not certain launch date yet. 

 

What would you recommend?

[Sach4life]

Get Pixel if you are bored with Samsung.

[LordSpymaster]

Yeah but worried if I will miss the ecosystem interoperability too much or not