Can a "proper" camera for Android to make your photos better?

For many people familiar smartphone already replaced cameras and used as the primary source of images. It is convenient, fast, and allows you to receive photos, it is suitable for use in a wide variety of purposes. In addition to the default for devices running Android, there are dozens of special applications - cameras that are vying promise the best shots. But do depends in fact the picture quality on your application?

To test this, let's take a few popular software of cameras (Camera 360, Camera ZOOM FX, Vignette) and compare them with each other and with the standard Android applications. Testing was conducted on the Nexus 4, at the same time were not involved any specific function or "improvers", present in some of these programs. The default settings only.

Shooting in the street

All survey performed outdoors on a sunny and bright day. Pictures one after another as fast as possible have been received, so that all the lighting conditions are about the same. As you can see, even the location of the cloud is exactly the same in all the photos.

Differences between images obtained via Camera 360, Camera ZOOM FX and standard camera - get. Each picture has a good color, focus and exposure, normal for these conditions, the white balance. Only photos of Vignette looks strangely bright and a bit overexposed. However, the problem here is not so much in the abilities of the camera, and that, unlike other programs, who do everything automatically, you must configure the camera lens, which is necessary focus. It seems that the choice of the author of the picture was not very successful.

Shooting indoors

Photographing is not too good lighting has always been a difficult task for smartphones. Perhaps that is why we are seeing here are a few more differences in the pictures than when shooting outdoors.

Is there a noticeable difference on these images?

Yes, first of all they touch white balance. Camera ZOOM FX has given snapshot pronounced reddish hue, and Vignette added a little yellow, although it is only visible upon closer inspection. But in general, the quality of all the images about the same and is quite difficult to determine which one is better or worse.

macro

Until a few years ago, macro shots, taken with a smartphone, do not cause nothing but grief. Today the situation has changed greatly, and many mobile gadgets show very good results. Let's see if they have an impact on the software used.

Looking at the thumbnail images, it seems that everything is in order. However, if you increase the resolution, some differences are evident.

In terms of color, 360 Camera has done a better job, well displaying a reddish-brown almond color. With a focus too, all within the normal range. Excellent picture issued Camera ZOOM FX: you can see every roughness on the surface of the nuts. Vignette pictures are too small default resolution. Though, if not increase, these pictures look very nice.

So is there really a difference?

At the beginning of the test, as acknowledged by the author, he had a rather skeptical view of the impact of software on the quality of the images. However, the results suggest that such influence is still present. Perhaps it is not too big and it can be ignored by placing at the forefront, especially the interface program, additional functions and ease of use, but also to finally clear this factor is not off follows.

And what camera for Android provides the best pictures in your opinion?