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Is the Samsung Galaxy S 5 a Cheap and Good 4K Camcorder?

2K views 31 replies 8 participants last post by  bsprague 
#1 ·
Here's a real video, similar to ones I have made with "real" cameras and camcorders, of a short trip to NYC taken with the Samsung Galaxy S 5 in its 4K mode:




You can download the UHD original (edited in Sony Vegas Pro 12 using XAVC S at 100 Mbps).



There are low-light and bright-light shots: train stations, in the subway, Lincoln Center, Union Square, Washington Square Park. Flowers, fountains, tourists, diners, a piano performance, flags, shooters, and travelers.


Some frame grabs right from the video:







 
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#2 ·
So a couple of thoughts here. I too have the Samsung Galaxy S5 and although I haven't viewed Mark's video yet, here are some observations:


* Excellent detail, consistent with 4K resolution as long as your lighting is strong.


* A limited dynamic range relative to a camera like the AX100.


* Very strong color saturation consistent with other Samsung cellphones. A bit over the top for me, but some will love it and find it pleasing.


* This is an important point and not confined to the S5. When viewing the HD version on your HD monitor, keep in mind that the color will be more intense and more saturated when viewing in true 4K on a true 4K monitor. So if you're shooting in 4K for viewing on a 4K monitor, expect a significantly stronger color saturation than what you see in HD. My 'over the top' characterization applies to true 4K viewing.


* No OIS, so don't even try panning unless you intend to mount the S5 to some type of tripod or contraption designed for a cellphone.


* No optical zoom.


Now with all that said, and I was just trying to be objective, the overall performance is better than you'd have any right to expect. With the proper lighting and attention to the demands of a given scene, the results can be stunning. This is, after all, a 'throw in' feature that some owners aren't even aware of.
 
#3 ·
Very nice Mark, with the general caveats I wrote above. Your video demonstrates the same issues I've found with my S5 footage.


Some clips are just too over-the-top in terms of color saturation when viewed in 4K and, additionally, it's almost impossible to hold the thing steady in most instances.


However, this is a cellphone and it's far better than anyone has a right to expect, 4K 'on the cheap'.
 
#4 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Ross  /t/1528366/is-the-samsung-galaxy-s-5-a-cheap-and-good-4k-camcorder#post_24631373


Very nice Mark, with the general caveats I wrote above. Your video demonstrates the same issues I've found with my S5 footage.


Some clips are just too over-the-top in terms of color saturation when viewed in 4K and, additionally, it's almost impossible to hold the thing steady in most instances.


However, this is a cellphone and it's far better than anyone has a right to expect, 4K 'on the cheap'.

the real challenge w cheap 4k camera is in low light condition, like the wedding video you post the other day. the dance reception is low light. and ax100

capture the video nicely.
 
#5 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by spyker1212  /t/1528366/is-the-samsung-galaxy-s-5-a-cheap-and-good-4k-camcorder#post_24631932


the real challenge w cheap 4k camera is in low light condition, like the wedding video you post the other day. the dance reception is low light. and ax100

capture the video nicely.
That is a challenge for all cameras with tiny sensors with 5-10x crop and more from full frame and that is why people pay a premium to get a 1" or larger sensor.

 
#6 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by spyker1212  /t/1528366/is-the-samsung-galaxy-s-5-a-cheap-and-good-4k-camcorder#post_24631932


the real challenge w cheap 4k camera is in low light condition, like the wedding video you post the other day. the dance reception is low light. and ax100

capture the video nicely.

Sure, and the 4K cellphone video I posted was taken underground in the sub way, in GCT (which is one of the dimmest public places on earth), and inside the Metropolitan Opera House as well as outside in bright sunlight. So, did it meet the challenge, or do you not regard those venues as low-light?
 
#8 ·
Mark, I've found the battery life on the S5 so good, I'm not even worried about a replaceable battery. That's something I couldn't say about previous iterations of this phone. The battery life is almost as good as the phone it's replacing, the LG G2.


Add to that the 10% remaining battery saver feature and you've got close to a 'worry-free' power supply. But yes, having the ability to replace a battery is a huge plus for power users.
 
#10 ·
AF "pumping" and twitching/stuttering you saw are very typical of cellphone footage. To call the lens "breathing" when there's a change of focus in cellphone video is in my view a big understatement. More like pumping or short crash zooming. Then there's the shaking from the lack of effective stabilization and juddering from the almost constantly varying frame rates...... I don't think there was anything wrong with your computer.
 
#11 ·
The resolution is impressive, but the shaking is unpleasant. I don't think any of us want to put a cell phone on a tripod, so some form of image stabilization is required. Sony's Xperia Z2 is supposed to have 4k video with digital image stabilization ("steadyshot standard"). How do you think that phone's video will compare to the Galaxy S4 video?
 
#13 ·
The problem with the Z2's 4K imagery,, IMO, is that it appears to be significantly inferior to that of the S5.


I looked at every clip I could find prior to deciding on the S5. In fact, as Joe knows, it was my front runner. In the end, its 4K output convinced me otherwise. I don't see anything approaching the resolution of the S5. The other thing that you will notice from Z2 clips, is horrible audio. At first I thought it was a defective phone or two, but every clip showed the same issue.


Then there was the issue that even if you liked the phone, no US carrier was committing to it. So for those in the US, that meant importing it, or hoping Sony would sell it unlocked in the US. For me, all these factors resulted in me dropping it from consideration.


Of course with the S5, you get great image definition, but a camera that's nearly impossible to hold steady without some kind of mechanical assist.


Look, this is still a cellphone and as such it produces an image that has many of the typical cellphone deficiencies. Most of us are not going to use this in any serious manner, it's just for fun! It's an amazing feature that was thrown in. When you look at it that way, you see things differently.


With that said, for those moments when you can get a steady image, I've not seen a better looking video from any cellphone. Not even close...except from the Note 3. He'll, the definition from the S5 appears to me to rival some very expensive 4K cameras. From that standpoint, it's almost embarrassing.


If you guys saw how this looked in true 4K, you'd be amazed. Just get used to a little 'rocking n rolling'.



Personally, as an entire package, I love it!
 
#14 ·
It is obvious that for handholding, you cannot avoid movement. What this device gives you is the ability to get really good 4K footage in places or situations where you cannot even bring an AX100.


No way anyone is shooting video with a camcorder or GH4 inside the Metropolitan Opera House (as in the video) or in a museum, or in a restaurant, or if you want candids in some situations. With some attention to color vividness one can mix in 4K cellphone footage with AX100 footage and not notice a significant drop-off in resolution or quality.
 
#15 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by markr041  /t/1528366/is-the-samsung-galaxy-s-5-a-cheap-and-good-4k-camcorder#post_24642286


What this device gives you is the ability to get really good 4K footage in places or situations where you cannot even bring an AX100.


No way anyone is shooting video with a camcorder or GH4 inside the Metropolitan Opera House (as in the video) or in a museum, or in a restaurant, or if you want candids in some situations. With some attention to color vividness one can mix in 4K cellphone footage with AX100 footage and not notice a significant drop-off in resolution or quality.
That was my thought too, when watching the video. I can't believe how nonplussed your accidental subjects were!
 
#17 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Ross  /t/1528366/is-the-samsung-galaxy-s-5-a-cheap-and-good-4k-camcorder#post_24641849


The problem with the Z2's 4K imagery,, IMO, is that it appears to be significantly inferior to that of the S5.
Based on your comment Ken I looked up some comparisons on youtube and if they are to be trusted you are right, the S5 destroys the Z2's video image quality. For example, the Z2 4k footage looks like upscaled 720p in this one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_1_ayEHazg
 
#18 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by hatchback  /t/1528366/is-the-samsung-galaxy-s-5-a-cheap-and-good-4k-camcorder#post_24642823


Based on your comment Ken I looked up some comparisons on youtube and if they are to be trusted you are right, the S5 destroys the Z2's video image quality. For example, the Z2 4k footage looks like upscaled 720p in this one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_1_ayEHazg

Moreover, the Sony Xperia Z2 suffers from an overheating problem shooting 4K, not encountered by any Samsung user. Here is an official Sony statement on overheating:


"We are aware of some users encountering issues when shooting 4K video for extended periods. Shooting movies in high quality 4K resolution can make significant demands on your phone's processor and battery life, as well as phone memory. Therefore for the best experience, we recommend you install a high capacity SD card (Xperia Z2 can take a card up to 128GB) and shoot 4K video in short bursts of no longer than a few minutes at a time," says Sony, as reported by Xperia Blog.


(The Samsung Galaxy S 5 also takes 128GB cards.)
 
#24 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Ross  /t/1528366/is-the-samsung-galaxy-s-5-a-cheap-and-good-4k-camcorder#post_24656550


^ If you're going to go through the trouble of taking a tripod, don't you think it would make more sense to take the AX100 that already has built-in OIS? That becomes a smaller and lighter package than a cellphone+tripod.
You don't have to take a big tripod.

 
#26 ·
I have exactly that small device - tiny tripod plus clamp. It can even be used as pistol grip. I carry it in my pocket,


However, in no situations did I find it possible to use it: it's too small for outside normal shots (unless you want to shoot feet), where you would need a big tripod. And inside there are no obvious surfaces that are useful, and it would still attract attention (I do sometimes use surfaces to help hold the camera steady, however).


In any case, the key point is that a phone is a wonderful camcorder to take candid video in places where using a tripod or a big camera would prevent any 4K or other video. This is a lot of places, including ones that are shot in the Galaxy videos I uploaded.


In the absence of good stabilization in-camera in a cell-phone format, we thus have a trade-off - some jitter and 4K video, or no video, or low-resolution video or restrict our video to set-ups of trees, pets, building, flowers, and waterfalls (which are ok too).
 
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