Samsung Galaxy S5 review- feature creep?

Camera

+++++ auto-focus really is incredibly fast

+++ lowlight quality is quite excellent, relatively speaking. I suspect the S5 takes a couple photos at different exposure levels- which yes is like how HDR on smartphones works. It then combines them to create a photo with least noise and the most light, instead of say, leaving the shutter open for a few seconds.

+++ Samsung for once brings out their own camera technology called ISOCELL, instead of the regular BSI (backside illuminated) and instead of the regular Sony camera module. The ISOCELL technology means 30% less crosstalk between pixels and 30% more full well capacity.
To us consumers, this theoretically means more accurate colours, and more dynamic range and overall better light sensitivity. And cameras are all about the amount of lighting so this has to be a good thing.

+ capable of 4k video recording and real time HDR

Camera UI.

— camera takes time to launch, sadly.

— Background defocus sucks. it’s so completely artificial that I wish I hadn’t bothered. Worse still, you would have to have “Selective focus” switched on for it to work, plus for certain environmental conditions to be met before defocus is successful- in short: hassle.

– lowlight shots, while they look good, seems to take forever. You would have wanted to step away from the spot WAY before its done taking the photo.

Photo samples

Daylight- original resolution