The newly launched Moto X Pure has a top-notch camera, as does the LG G4. A set of camera samples in auto mode show how the two compare in various environments.
Smartphone cameras have become increasingly impressive — allowing users to capture high-quality images without having to carry around a professional camera. New-generation smartphones have improved their cameras in virtually every aspect, enabling them to perform well in various conditions including low-lit environments, cloudy outdoor scenes and indoor lighting.
A number of Android smartphones have garnered high praise for their camera capabilities — such as the LG G4 and Motorola's new Moto X Pure Edition. The folks over at Android Central pit the two smartphones against each other in a series of camera tests on auto mode — shooting the exact same scenes with each of the two handsets and showing the images side-by-side for comparison.
The photos taken with the Moto X Pure are displayed on the left, and those taken by the LG G4 are on the right.
This pair of images shows how the Moto X Pure and the LG G4 handle photos in full auto mode in daylight. Android Central points out that Motorola's new flagship has a fast focus, but it's not accurate in all cases. In this shot, the Moto X Pure's camera failed to focus accurately and some details are not as sharp.
The LG G4, meanwhile, managed to capture significantly more detail: the photo looks more natural, the colors more accurate and the whole photo looks warmer and clearer.
Next up, Android Central tested the two handsets in full auto HDR at sunrise, which is not something any smartphone can pull off with flying colors. Both the Moto X Pure and the LG G4 managed to capture great images, but Motorola's flagship did a better job at stitching the HDR photos together.
While this may not be obvious at first glance, it becomes apparent when zooming in on the LG G4 image. The Moto X Pure image is warmer and slightly brighter, with more detail in both the foreground and the background, while the LG G4 captured less detail and made the boats look a bit grainy.
When it comes to focusing on something specific, a smartphone can botch the photo and either make it look overexposed or fail to capture enough detail. Specific focus may not be a strong suit for either the Moto X Pure or the LG G4. The image captured with Motorola's flagship is not very clear or accurate and without a manual focus mode, it doesn't seem to bode well in this test.
The LG G4, by contrast, allows for tap-to-focus, but it missed the target altogether. Android Central notes that if it hadn't missed the yellow leaves target it would have surely been better than the "blown out" photo from the Moto X Pure. In this case, the specific focus test reveals no clear winner.
When it comes to focusing on specifics in detail – whether it's in the foreground or the background – most current flagships do a pretty good job. In this image, the Moto X Pure Edition and the LG G4 managed to capture roughly the same amount of detail, focusing on the bark of the tree. The LG G4 added some artificial warmth to the photo thanks to its software, but the Moto X Pure image seems slightly more accurate.
For the next round, the two handsets battled in a poorly lit outdoor scene. The images look pretty similar at first glance, both appearing foggy and gloomy. Zoomed in, however, the full resolution shows significantly more clarity in the Moto X Pure image. The LG G4 didn't do a terrible job either — but its photo is blurrier, particularly in the top right and bottom left.
Lastly, Android Central also tested the cameras in a low-light indoor setup, with some small figurines posing for the shot. No obvious differences arise from this comparison, as the photos are quite similar. Both offer roughly the same amount of detail and color, doing a pretty good job overall. Neither of them wins this round — or both of them do.
Bottom Line
Most of these camera samples show no great differences between the LG G4 and the Moto X Pure cameras in auto mode. Both handsets can capture good images in various conditions and scenarios and both should serve as trusty allies to amateur photographers snapping pictures on-the-go using their smartphone.
Head over to Android Central to get a better look at the sample images, zoom in to see the details and check out the full-resolution versions.
