[sydney_vienna]

I am now the "proud" owner of an N8, after having used the X6 for 12 months. I bought the new phone mainly because of the supposed improved camera.

On first look, this would appear so, but then I took photos with both light and shadow - and noticed just how much noise there was in the shadows. In all cases, the ISO was around 120, so this could not have contributed to the noise. In all photos, it was daytime and the setting was on Automatic.

Since then, played around with the settings, but this does not improve the results. I also checked some dark photos taken with the X6 and found no evidence of bad noise.

The noise in the shadows is so bad, when trying to lighten it in PS, one can see vertical bands in large areas.

Anyone else noticed this?

[lillracksingen]

Sounds like the camera in your N8 may be defective. As I've said in another thread, I'm extremely happy with N8's camera. In auto mode my N8 performs better than my Canon PowerShot S90 also in auto mode.

[sydney_vienna]

It is a shame, as everything else works perfectly. However, I bought the N8 just for the reason that the camera was supposed to be superior to other models. I had read lots of reports before, all praising the camera. I also saw sample photos taken under varying conditions by 'The Media Guru" and a few others.

Of course, one expects some noise under low lighting conditions, but not worse than my very old Sony with 3 MP 

[djmuzi]

@lillracksingen

The S90 is a top camera. You shouldn't compare it with the N8. I've had 3 N8 an compared them to the S95. Even the N8 without any blurry spots couldn't reach the S95 quality. 

But it's the best camera phone and maybe better than many entry level cameras. But S90/95 is another class of camera. I strongly disagree with you.

[lillracksingen]

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djmuzi wrote:

The S90 is a top camera. You shouldn't compare it with the N8. 

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You may disagree with me, but in my experience when shooting in full auto mode, in-doors, the N8 produces photos with less noise and better exposed. In manual mode on the other hand, the S90 makes the N8 look like a VGA camera.

[djmuzi]

OK the Auto mode on S90/95 is really **bleep** But who cares, a small turn of the wheel  to the P-mode and everything is nearly perfect (maybe a bit less exposure)

[mikwag]

I have taken a lot of photos with the N8 camera, and I am convinced that the shiny angled metallic bezel around the lens casts unwanted light under certain lighting conditions - I noticed it today especially taking photos inside where the main daylight was from above, coming through skylights.  The view looks hazed out, even before you take the shot, and it is the same when exposed.  Moving the camera position removes this, but I find that limiting, as if I get the haze having framed the shot as I wish, there is no other position that gives the same shot.  So, I either put up with the haze to get the shot I want, or move to a different angle, lose the haze, and get a less than ideal shot.  I am fairly certain this is a design fault related to the camera.

[djmuzi]

I have experienced the same.