LG G4 vs LG G3 – camera shootout

LG G4 vs LG G3 cameraWe continue with the news stream about the new LG G4. Our in-depth review is almost done, but before we post it, we would like to show you a couple of photos we took with the G4’s camera in auto and manual mode. Also, we will compare the photo quality between this year’s LG flagship and last year’s.

First off, let’s start with the specifications of each device’s camera.
The G4 has a 16MP CMOS sensor at the back, the pixel size is roughly 1.12 μm and the aperture is f/1.8. The camera is capable of taking photos with 5312 x 2988 pixels and video with 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution. It has a lot of features, but the two most important ones are the Laser Auto Focus and OIS (optical image stabilization) 2.0. A dual LED flash is also present. As you start the camera app you can choose between basic, auto and manual mode. In auto you basically just point and shoot, the device automatically sets ISO, white balance, exposure etc., while in manual mode you have access to all those settings + a couple of additional ones, which you can tweak to help you achieve the desired result. One of the great features of manual mode is the capability of taking photos in RAW format.
LG G3’s rear camera has a 13MP, Sony IMX135 Exmor RS, CMOS sensor. The pixel size is 1.127 μm and the aperture – f/2.4. The maximum image resolution, that can be captured with G3’s rear camera, is 4160 x 3120 pixels and the maximum video resolution is 3840 x 2160 pixels. The unit also has a lot of features, along with the Laser Auto Focus and OIS, which are found in G4’s camera, but the optical image stabilization is improved in the newer model. The flash type again is dual-tone LED. There are some camera settings available, but not nearly as many, as the ones found in G4’s manual mode.

Below you can see how the devices handled photos under the same light conditions in auto mode and also enjoy some shots we took in manual mode with the LG G4.

Outdoor, daylight conditions


LG G4 auto mode
20150611_112837

LG G3 auto mode
2015-06-11 11.28.29


20150611_134612

2015-06-11 13.46.48


20150611_110501

2015-06-11 11.05.30


20150611_104735

2015-06-11 10.47.57

Indoor, daylight conditions


LG G4 auto mode
20150611_103654

LG G3 auto mode
2015-06-11 10.37.25


20150611_104934

2015-06-11 10.49.16


20150611_105636

2015-06-11 10.56.23

Outdoor, low-light conditions


LG G4 auto mode
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LG G3 auto mode
2015-06-11 23.12.29


20150611_232206

2015-06-11 23.21.52


20150611_224227

2015-06-11 22.43.03

Last year LG presented a great camera on board with the G3, but this year the company has made a tremendous improvement. The G4’s camera just outshines the G3’s sensor in every aspect – better photos in low-light conditions, a lot of settings at your disposal (white balance, ISO, shutter speed, manual focus), more details due to the extra pixels, and finally – the ability of taking photos in RAW format, but more on that in our detailed review. Our only complaint, though, is the over-saturated colors in the photos. They don’t look real, but the images do look more appealing, don’t they?

Photos taken with LG G4 in manual mode


20150611_135408

20150611_135444

20150611_224526

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Eric Xavier
8 years ago

The G3 camera lens is scratched or dirty in this review. You can tell by the hazyness and the lines that appear at night photography. Could be smudges or finger grease too, or simple wear. All in all, not a very fair comparison given the variables.

Rossen Pandev
8 years ago
Reply to  Eric Xavier

Good point. But I think it’s just normal wear as I use the G3 as a daily driver and it’s the same phone we used for the comparison. There aren’t any big scratches or smudges on the camera, so again – probably the usual wear over time.

Romanus98
Romanus98
8 years ago

This is unfriendly. G3 provides better auto photos (imho). Can you clean a camera please before doing a review??? thx