By 
You’ve read our HTC One M9 review. Loved the phone, not so much the camera. Then HTC announced a software update that improved photo quality . We knew you’d want to see before and after comparisons immediately, so that’s exactly what we did: took a variety of photos, downloaded and installed the software update, then tried to duplicate those exact photos with those exact settings to see if the camera quality really did improve (spoiler: it did).
Based on: Software update 1.32.531.33 (88.6MB)
Before Update / After Update
This photo of the City Paper dispenser outside the City Pier in Fells Point (Baltimore, MD) shows an instant improvement in a pretty standard style outdoor pic.
From this simple photo of a basketball outside of my garage you can quickly tell the difference: the update makes everything sharper.
This photo of church doors near my house again proves the update not only improves photo clarity with greatly reduced grain, but the colors are much more lively and vibrant.
This photo was taken in a completely pitch black room using flash. Previously the M9 couldn’t handle this at all, but as you can see, the update provides a pretty decent photo considering non-existent lighting conditions.
Everyone loves taking macro pics and the update improvements are seen in this area of photography as well. More color and more clarity.
This zoomed out photo of a colorful row of houses illustrates that near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the camera improves.
Indoors as well. My initial photo of this sculpture was blurry and quite frankly horrible, but after the update it fairs much better. Keep in mind that this picture was taken in low light.
Disclaimers
I want to point out a few important things before you draw any conclusions:
- I only had one HTC One M9 unit for testing so I had to take the pictures, update the phone, and then take another round of similar pictures. This means that the after pictures were taken approximately 30 minutes later. The last pictures were taken around 5:30PM so it’s possible that changing sunlight for both outdoor and indoor photos had some effect.
- It was a cloudy day… very cloudy with no direct sunlight popping through.
- In some cases my house lighting may not have been identical, but I tried to match it as best as humanly possible in each photo
- The front-facing selfie cam appears to be unaffected by this update
Regardless of these minor inconsistencies, I think it’s fairly obvious to tell that this M9 camera update boasts huge improvements. I wouldn’t say that this catapults the M9’s camera from terrible to outrageously awesome, but those who decided against the M9 primarily due to the camera should consider giving it a second look.
This is just a preliminary look at the camera update. We’ll be digging in deeper and updating our full M9 review as appropriate.
Gallery of full size images
The above photos were put side-by-side using comparison software. If you want to see the full, unedited and unfiltered images, I’ve posted them below. They should still be in before and after order, but to assuredly discern between photos taken before and after the update, please refer to the photo’s file name. (Or you can assume the better looking photo is the one that has been updated since that’s the case essentially every single time.)
Click for full size image
Does this change your opinion about the HTC One M9? What are your thoughts on the camera after seeing these before and after improvements?
Well done and thanks for doing this. I think you did a fair and good test. I don’t think 30 minutes is a big deal and in fact, I think this is as good as could be done. Instant real time comparisons – I think this is more legit than days later comparisons. I admit, these afters look WAY better. As good as they “could” or as good as they “should” for this mythical Toshiba sensor? IDK. But you can certainly see a glaring difference (no pun intended).
I see sharpness improved. Hue and saturation. Nicer colors.
Yeah, the camera was basically broken before. Like, it wasn’t focusing correctly. This update makes it a solid shooter.
That’s exactly the impression I was getting from the “before” photos – the camera is failing to focus.
… I want that gmail keychain
I think this improvements come after you cleaned your camera lens ^_^
That was my thought as well lol.
Look at the picture of the city pier. Notice the definition in the clouds? See the boat billowing smoke in the background? That stuff is definitely a direct improvement from the camera software.
I was thinking so as well, but after close inspection I’m not so sure. There’s a fairly consistent smear running from lower right to upper left, but in some images it goes the other direction – I doubt he was re-smearing the lens for every shot.
Did you test the video capabilities? Does it still do that terrible focusing thing? Honestly that was worse than the still pic problems to me?
Hate to admit, but I updated the software before testing before video.
That’s fine. In this case, you don’t really need to have a before and after comparison. The issue I’m referring to is pretty glaring and if it’s fixed, it would be obvious.
Any particular conditions or things you want me to record? It’s dark here now…
Indoor is fine. It might actually be better since that’s what the camera seemed to have struggled with most. I tried to find a video that showed the problems I was talking about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsWwnNNqSjI
This is outdoors but you can kinda see what I’m talking about. The lighting keeps jumping around for some reason.
Thanks
I experience the same thing. Also if there is any backlight what so ever it gets very blown out or hazy.
Dude! That’s horrible! Oh, wait, I was streaming at 144p.
I see what you are talking about though. Those light adjustments are pretty annoying. You said this is pre-update?
I’m not sure since there is confusion over how new this update really is. The video is older than yesterday so it precedes the update, but if that update was already released for other markets, it’s possible that it was taken post update.
Can you did this vid test WuBoy mentions?
I honestly think the m9 is better than the s6. Everybody is freaking out about the design, but to me it looks like a glass s4 with an aluminum frame. They’re both great but I’m definitely in the minority.
It is not just about design. I have both in my and and trust me the display and camera and leagues ahead of the M9. But if you prefer the feel of the M9 and don’t use the camera much then the M9 is a snappier (slightly less lag) than the S6 and I do prefer Sense over Touchwiz. So it is really what is more important to you.
That’s fair enough. These phones are all a balancing act between specs and software. You’re right it is up to you.
thats a dramatic improvement. great job by HTC
Naming the exact software number from the update and before was not an option, was it? Thanks for the nice images tho.
This possibly changes everything, hey if you would do more snaps of moving objects that would be great
I won’t lie… It’s back on my radar
Agreed.
Is this a new update? Or the one released a couple of weeks ago right after reviewers all got the phone? I’m wondering if all the reviews will need to be updated or if most already had this update.
Edit: This *is* the update the global variants had weeks ago, so while it’s helpful, it’s not earth shattering.
Just today
Thanks… I guess the only other question is how widespread this update is. i.e. will Verizon users see it any time soon (or maybe have it already?).
Phandroid had a separate post about this update that answers that question about Verizon and all the carriers.
It appears this is the update the global variants got a few weeks ago. Still a good move, but the reviews with those variants haven’t been great either… though anything is better than the shots before this update!
Wow. big improvement.
Again, is this the update that reviewers had on March 19th?? Some are claiming this is the same update for the U.S. models and does little for the camera.I’m hoping this is a new update and not the one reviewers previously had.
New update that was released today
Seems like that update put the M9 back on my radar. I’ll be going from my M8 to either the M9, Nexus 6, or G4
Overheating?
Not concerned.
Best to wait a bit. The battery life isn’t there yet.
So it didn’t overheat
The Nexus 6 has been one problem or another since i got it. Im on my 2nd one too. Escaping back to HTC and getting the M9. Guess i deserved it for getting a Nexus made my Crapolla.
What the hell. Was the phone rushed to market or what?
Yes the phone was rushed to market to compete with Samsung. The best example is the new HTC One M9 plus that was unveiled yesterday has better specs than the regular m9. Thought a flagship phone was supposed to be the best phone a company has. Not too mention it’s only available in China
You can’t say that, we don’t even know how the mediateck get up is going to perform
They wouldn’t use a media tek chip in America, they would go with Qualcomm. And I can say that, a 2K display, bigger battery, and the camera design on the back looks much better than the square that is on the One M9, and this isn’t the inception of media tek chips, they are very good quality
Yeah, I think most don’t use mediatek because of LTE radio integration or something to that nature, but its not that bad of a chip.
That’s what I’m saying, international models usually get media tek and America gets Qualcomm. That’s usually the standard until this year when Samsung introduced there exynos processor to include America as well as international. In America HTC, LG, Sony all use Qualcomm
OK, seriously confused about what you’re saying, but it doesn’t seem right either way I look at it.
If you’re saying that IN GENERAL phone manufacturers use MediaTek for International and Qualcomm on US versions…that’s incorrect. LG G3-http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2791269. Sony Z3-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Xperia_Z3#cite_note-18. Samsung was well known for using their in-house Exynos chip on their previous international flagships, as you referenced. So, that’s a no on last year’s flagships from Samsung, Sony, & LG.
If you’re saying that HTC alone usually uses MediaTek in the international variants…again, I find no evidence. One M8- http://www.amazon.com/HTC-One-Unlocked-International-Version/dp/B00J7RQDDK. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_One_(2013)#Model_variants
If you really meant some door #3 situation, you’ll have to clear that up a little.
Isn’t this the first time they’re using media tek?. And it’s only in Asia.
Well I agree with what you say, I was really only referring to the chip setup, because I was just reading the other day that compared to the SD 810 the mediatek barely performed better on single thread or single core whatever the tech terms are, but got demolished during multithread, and the GPU really wasn’t up to snuff, but I was just reading, mediatek may not be that bad, but like always I wait before really passing judgment, that’s why I was like we don’t know how it’s going to perform
Yes but you also have to keep in mind that the ones doing the bench marks cuz they can manipulate them to show whatever they want pretty much. Whichever brand there promoting will always be the clear winner, so you can’t buy into the hype of which one performs better single core or not.
Trust me, I’m always skeptical about what I read and in no longer a day 1 buyer, I was just speaking about what I read but I’m not buying until around the fall, that way almost all the kinks will be ironed out and better deals to choose from between HTC,LG, and sammy, plus Motorola may have some news on the new moto x
Wow… I’m all about that software, bout that software, no hardware.
I wanna smack you for that mock of a song, but I also thought it was slightly funny. I’m so conflicted
Big improvements. Wow. Speaking of improvements, my AT&T M8 just received 5.0.2… Finally
I just updated my M9 Dev edition and yes there is improvement but still pale in comparison to my edge. I’m not sure what you guys are looking at or manybe you are doing manual settings. But if you just put both in full auto (which is how I use my camera) the edge is the hands down winner and the M9 is just not acceptable. This update was on the European model weeks ago and many tested with it…nothing new. Here is just one example of many I took. moderately lit room. I did touch to focus on the same point(screwdriver shaft) on both, but that was it.
since file names did not come through…bottom is the edge photo
Did the new update affect the 4k recording in anyway or just the camera. Not sure if there’s a way to fix that
The video recording is the same to me. I don’t see as much of an improvement as in the photos
Liar.
pants on fire??? really? lol
Trust me, I have both and I really was wishing HTC pulled it off this year with a top of the mark camera. They fell way short of that and it is just a little better than average. (slightly better than my Moto X 2nd gen)
This is not the previous update you got “weeks ago” – perhaps you’ll like the update when you get it.
no, I did not get it weeks ago. I got it tonight. Europe got it weeks ago.
This IS the update the global variants got weeks ago, which quite a few reviews were based on.
http://www.androidcentral.com/us-versions-htc-one-m9-getting-software-update-match-global-models
Know what I hate, how u say it’s the same update from weeks ago as if there haven’t been more improvements since then, in fact screen shot your software number and compare it to the ones shown by those who recently received it
The update received by the USA is the one the European’s got a few weeks ago. Look it up. Here is my screen shot.
look at guitarist5122 he is futher up, his software number is different from yours, just go look, he’s right up there
Could be something with carrier version. I have the Dev edition straight from HTC. This was the update they pushed tonight.
Possibly so, but all I know is the before and after pics in this article is very noticeable as an improvement, also it gives hope HTC may have another update on the way as well,
this is my camera build. I wonder if he is running the same?
I’ve got the same phone/same build number/same camera app version as you.
Got the update you mentioned a week ago.
Does it have the same update everyone else is seeing now,or,are we getting another one?
I agree. I just don’t see carriers getting a build before the dev edition. HTC has always released to Dev and unlocked first. Then carriers come some time after…weeks to months. build number differences don’t mean that the camera version or quality is any different.
Well there are three revisions between what you have and what’s coming out. .30 vs .33
but I have a build later than Phandroid…so I’m sure the camera app is the same version.
My version is higher than the Phandroid’s version. So, I at least have what they have…
Just to be fair. There is light coming from a computer monitor to the left of the notepad. From what I’ve experienced, anytime there is any for of bright light or light from one spot the M9 has trouble with it and overexposes, especially outdoors in sunlight. M8 had that problem as well.
Lower the ISO to 400 and change the sharpness to -1.5 and shoot again and you will see it look better. Look up the data on the S6 and you will see the ISO on the S6 is lower with a longer exposer
again. I need a camera phone to do great on auto otherwise you will miss the moment. I have an SLR if I want professional looking photos where I need to adjust settings manually. Here is the pic info from the 2 photos I posted. They were taken at the same ISO level but exposure, f-stop & focal length were different. Edge being about to do a F/1.9 is really a big advantage indoors.
Well the settings do stick, so it’s not like you have to redo them every time.
Again, I did not do any manual settings. And if I did they should not “stick”. This was with both cameras in full auto mode. with auto HDR enabled as well.
You have the M9 and you don’t understand. Once you change the ISO it stay change and you still change. Where is the proof they were at the same ISO
look at the post above. That is the properties of each file. I have no reason to lie.
What revision/software build number do you now have?
Is the update roughly the same size as the carrier models (88mb)?
THX!
1.32.617.30
Yeah around that size. took a while, phone rebooted many times and took forever to optimize.
Last weeks update was the same, several reboots before all was said & done.
THX!
Liar liar idot liar.
So they fix it right after the reviews are in and have already damaged their reputation. Even in the future when people look up reviews 6 months from now all they will see is the bad camera version.
This is why Samsung outsells you HTC. Come on.
Was going to say the same thing — you only get one chance to make a bad first impression.
If people looked up reviews, they would have been more people buying HTC devices in the prior years with all the this-is-a-great-device articles surrounding the M-series.
I think the lack of success for the Galaxy S5 shows people are somewhat informed of the reviews. Although, you are correct, more people should look at reviews. Maybe the iPhone would finally start to decline.
Edit: I think the Apple Watch will be the most telling factor of people reading reviews. Do they blindly buy a product based on recognition or do they actually care about functionality?
What Is HTC’s problem. 3 design creators leave the company in less than 3 years. And the M9 plus is a better phone than there flagship although it’s only available in China. They rush to get the regular M9 Out so it can make an appearance at MWC instead of taking there time and holding a press release by themselves like last year. Then they make a big deal about revamping the camera but still neglect to put OIS on it and they still continue to go with Toshiba sensors instead of Sony or whoever. Now they rush to do a software update for the camera, but they didn’t show how it affects that horrible 4K video. Get it together HTC. Best design,best speakers and the worst camera.
How did they “rush” the update?
I never said they Rushed the “update” I said they Rushed to “Release” the phone period. How do you have an update already for a phone that’s not even on the market until tomorrow? They should of took there time and got everything right then released the phone.
“Now they rush to do a software update for the camera…” That’s exactly what you said.
Like the world didn’t or couldn’t read what he wrote… What’s wrong with people?
Should they have waited until today to update the phone *then* a few weeks later release it?
It’s the same case with video games. People *want* it now. So they bring it out and just update it as time goes on. Or… they can wait and update it to the max, then bring it out. But who’s to say how long that would take? =.S
Dude you clearly state that “they rush to do a software update”
At this point, if somebody wants a decent camera, HTC will not be there phone.
Want good speakers? You know where to go. HTC devices are good for me. I’m content with the photos. I have no complaint. In all honesty, I didn’t see anything wrong with the “Before” shots.
No phone has the best of everything. If it did, I’d have it. LoL!!
If all ur doing is Facebook,instagram and sending pictures in a text HTC’s camera should suffice. It’s only if ur going to blow them up and print them off they look blurry and have a lot of noise in the background. Also the camera doesn’t keep objects in focus very well. If you look at the before pictures and read the captions underneath the pics you can see the difference in the update. It is a significant update to the software.
I agree. I have to keep auto-focusing to get good shots. Also, I’m not one to print photos. Actually, if I had intentions to print my photos, I would just get a dedicated camera.
But yea, I just use social media which is why the phone is fine for me. I understand everyone’s gripe about the camera, though.
Only the M9 has a decent camera. It has a grat camera. The Sensor in the M9 is one of the best sensors on the market. ANy problems with the camera are solely software.
HTC is great on software updates, though this isn’t enough to convince me to buy the m9. I guess I have to see it in person as well as the g4.
What do you have now? I’m not convinced to get anything this year because I have the M8. No need for me.
…m7
Why do I have a more progressed software build number?
what version of the camera app?
7.0.506559 camera verision
ok, same version I have, the system update build number must be different for each model
It looks like your lens was smudged first then cleaned after. This doesn’t look like an update. Just a cleaning.
Exactly
I’m not so sure. The post-update photos look like they get some slightly more aggressive processing. By applying a slight unsharp mask and and mild level tweaks I was able to get some of the ‘Before’ images to more closely resemble the after images. That does leave a slight smearing – I can’t tell if it’s some odd type of CCD bloom or a smudge – if a smudge it’s odd that it changes direction in some of the photos.
How much did HTC pay you?
How did Samsung pay you to be a moron.
These new photos still seem to suck. They still don’t seem up to part with the 2014 cameras on most flagships
You are an idiot.
Your a hater.
Wrong again. Also go take an English class.
Lol, you mad that I used “your” instead of you”re? You grammar Nazi’s are ridiculous!
I’m sorry you are a dumb yank and don’t know how to properly use English.
Re blah ba blah blah, Lol. Get a life. The internet has turned you out
I don’t know anything about the versions, but I will say that even if this is the update European phones got weeks ago, the poor quality of the M9 has been exaggerated. There are dozens of camera shootouts between the M9, S6, and iPhone 6. The M9 is without a doubt the bottom of the three, but it’s not like it’s horrible in comparison. In fact, there are some areas in most of those shootouts where it is shown to perform the best. It’s just not very good in low light conditions with the auto settings, but others have shown that even in those conditions you can take good pics if you know how to set the cam up. I think HTC needs to integrate some automatic configurations that can be chosen by users to optimize pic quality for each situation. That might solve a lot of problems.
Is it still crap compared to the iPhone?
It is still crap compared to any premium phone Android/iPhone. They should have stuck with Sony sensors.
I’m actually quite happy with the camera, but I did come form a 2012 phone.
This… is a good thing. As long as you see an improvement, that’s all that really matters… I think…
Did you know that Nokia used Toshba sensors in alll their Lumia devices? Did you know that those Lumia devices were always praised as having the best camera on phone? Did you know that the M9 is using the current generaion sensor of the same sesnor found on the Lumia 930 which was universally praised. So Toshiba sesnors are just as good as Sony sensors. Nice try. I dare you to respond.
Not quite “crap” but iPhone 6 is much better.
No. It’s better than the iPhone.
It’s better than the iPhone? That’s impossible. There’s no Android phone that has a better camera than the iPhone, except maybe Sony or Nokia, and nobody wants those anyways.
Did you know that the M9 is using the same camera sensor as Nokia did? So hahahahahah nice try. But you just proved my point. The M9 camrera is better than the iPhone and is using the same 20MP sensor Nokia used in the Lumias. How does it feel to be so stupid?
So HTC screwed that up – “the camera just doesn’t produce the quality images you’d expect given the sensor size” http://www.androidauthority.com/htc-one-m9-really-htc-600209/ – due to software, which they improved – http://phandroid.com/2015/04/09/htc-one-m9-camera-update/ – but are you telling me their image-processing software is now better than Nokia’s and the iPhone’s?
I had a chance to play around with the galaxy s6 and s6 edge at the tmobile store and I must say, it was still slow due to samsung’s touchwiz interface. even with an octacore processor it’s still slow. I’ve owned a galaxy s vibrant and s3 in the past but moved on with an htc m7 and honestly, the htc sense is more smoother than the any touchwiz interface. my m7 felt more snappier than the s6. pretty sad as I really wanted to buy this phone but samsung still hasn’t rectified the problem. I will be moving on to an m9 instead.
Another HTC shrill. A launcher doesn’t make the phone slow. Please stop spreading nonsense. M8 was amazing, M9 was a mistake. Bad decisions all around.
No. Bobby is right. I played with the Galaxy S6 and preordered. After I preordered it I walked over to the M9 and immediately questioned the preorder. It made the Galaxy feel incredibly slow. I didn’t notice until I had something to compare it to though.
Of course, the reality isn’t that the hardware is slow or the software is taxing the hardware. It’s simply that Samsung uses slower animations. Which can be alleviated by switching launchers.
As a matter of fact HTC uses nearly zero animations and if you set it to 0.5x , the phone will seem to run even faster…. Only thing that stops m8/m9 from overperforming is opening bloated apps like gmaps , YouTube and the like
i just removed touchwiz for one of my handicapped buddies, and even he says its faster now.
Lol what? The lagginess of Touchwiz has been the prime complaint against Samsung phones for years. Even Samsung fanboys acknowledge it. That said, the s6 didn’t seem slow to me, but I haven’t tried out the M9 yet.
when you run apps, the launcher doesn’t slow down your apps. get another launcher.
I have both. This is somewhat true. S6 is faster than previous touchwiz interfaces. BUT, it still has some lag switching and closing apps. The M9/M8 has a more responsive feel. My Moto X 2nd gen was even snappier than HTC but I opted for the S6 because I really do use the camera a lot and the M9 & Moto X are really just average and sub par for me.
You won’t regret the move, HTC is the flagship PHONE.
Does the M9 have a fast shooter(e.g. like the LG G3 does)?
I find it very fast and snappy. Not much lag to speak of. But G3 is a better camera quality wise. M9 is average.
Do you still have the same thoughts regarding the M9 after its recent software patch?http://phandroid.com/2015/04/09/htc-one-m9-camera-update-comparison/
After the update, it is a little better, but still fall far short of the S6, iPhone, Note 4, G3 & other top phones. Just an average camera
Average camera? You are either biased or a liar. The M9 camera is not average. In act it is just as good as those other phones. And the camera in the Lumia 930 was praised and guess what the M9 is using practically the same sesnor. So nice fucking try.
You must not own one. LOL or you have have not owned the S6. The camera’s are not even in the same league. I have both and the M9 is very inconsistent. I can get good photos from it but you have to work at it. S6 is good on first snap auto mode most of the time. which is hard to do with a camera phone. Trust me, I love HTC phones, but they missed the mark on the camera for m9.
The M9 camera is just as good as the G3.
Why do you people go on & on about any phone?? That’s all it is,is a phone!! 99% if people use it to make & receive calls,text,email etc. If you that f*”ked off with the camera then go & buy a camera!!! IPhone is just shit,you can’t do anything with them,like to send stuff between phones can’t with iPhone!!!
no… most people dont make calls. they use for text and social media.
So you don’t make calls at all then??
Come on grandpa, join us in this century. I’d say less than half the time people spend on their smartphones is spent just talking on it.
Well some of us have to make calls for work purposes!! I use my phone for everything. Just makes me laugh how everyone whines on about a load of bullshit!! The way people go on sometimes,May aswel not have a phone!!
um go buy a flip phone then dude. quit raging if you arent interested in what the phone does. Its a smart phone, they are made to do everything. 99% of people take pictures with their smart phones, my 83 year old grandpa is included in this. maybe you are stuck in 2001. I own a Nikon D5100, Canon XS and some regular ol simple Sony cameras. But nothing is more convenient then pulling out my phone that shoots 4k video in 2 seconds, rather than having to pull out my huge ass Nikon. Oh and also, the phone happens to make calls….
Yeah yeah this is getting boring now!! All I am saying is no phone is perfect,every phone is gonna have it’s faults. But all I see on these sites is people moaning all the time!! I’ve got a m7,never had any problems with it,I’ve got an upgrade coming up in less than a month. Was looking for people’s opinions,but they all negative on what ever phone. Was looking at s6 edge & Htc m9.
i’m not negative =) they are better than I thought they would be. I am pretty excited to try out the M9 since i’m in the market to upgrade in a few months. I get what you are saying tho, people do get negative on here just to be…well d*cks
Some one who’s talking some sense!! I’m more for the m9 just for the sound,I’ve had a listen to it & it sounds brilliant! I’ve all so had a look at the s6 edge,but those edges just don’t really work for me. Definitely agree with the negative thing!!
I listed to the sound on the M8 and found it amazing. I did not like the phone tho so I found the 2nd best option on the market for front facing stereo speakers with the Nexus 6. They are amazing. But I am just not impressed with the phone at all. So I’m really looking to get an HTC or LG when it comes out. The problem with me is, if I spend 6-700 on a phone, I’m going to want the best BANG for my buck. As does everyone else. I think thats why they are so negative. these phones are not cheap and everyone thinks every device should be top tier, every release.
I’ve held both the m9 & s6 edge,for me the m9 had the better fill to it & wouldn’t just smash if you dropped it. The s6 edge,well everything drops off the sides. Makes photos & vids a bit funny on the edge,when texting or email etc the letters go round the edge of the screen. Just didn’t fill right!
not cellular. Haven’t in years.
most of my cohorts are on FB, a big part of my communications strategy. The few who aren’t call me via Google Voice. I forward to cellular when I dont carry my tablet or laptop, but voice communications are a small part of my daily flow.
Right because carrying a simple phone and a camera is ideal and maybe a laptop with an aircard. Do you also drive around with a Garmin GPS?
No I’ve got a car with a decent sat nav in thanks & I’ve got a decent phone aswel thank you!! As I’ve Said all negative replys!!
I dont want to carry around 6 different devices when i can carry one in my pocket. Mp3 player, camera, phone, gameboy, gps nav, etc Id have to get a book bag just to lug that around. Seems very inconvenient… It’s all about all in one’s. Also, from what you said 99% of most people do is those things, then the iphone is a very solid option.
I’m not saying you have to carry all your stuff about,but when people keep moaning about the camera or some other small thing then get something else or get something to compensate ie a separate camera or mp3 player. Some of you out there just don’t get the point!! Not every phone is what people want,better sound in one but crap camera,better camera crap sound etc etc.
I mean i get that phones aren’t going to be dslr cameras… But as a fan of htc i dont think its unreasonable to get upset when they haven’t been keeping up with the competition in the camera department.
I’ve got a m7,looking at the m9 for a upgrade in less than a month. Camera is not the best in m7 but it’s done alright for me. I’m more into the sound,which is brilliant on the m9.
Still trying to find a device that does it all perfectly? Haven’t you heard the saying jack of all trades master of none. If you want something done perfectly buy the device that is made to do that specific thing. If you want convenience then don’t expect anything near perfection.
Not exoecting it to master or the best at everything,but id ont want my phone to be significantly behind the competition inva certain percieved imortant category and just merely on the same level in everything else
Not everybody comes out and says their complaints are meaningless. I try to take the time to point out that I know I’m complaining about nothing.
HTC triflin’ with taking away my Duo Camera with the M9. And how dare they use practically the EXACT same design? Shame on them.
In truth, those are tedious complaints. I know this, and I try and let people know that. This way I don’t have a status like yours commenting on mines saying I shouldn’t be complaining. LoL!!
The proper hashtag is #FirstWorldProblems.
We’re big ol’ babies. =.P
Looks like this update cleans out smudged camera lens.
Pictures taken before update wasn’t realy that bad before. I think that thoes which we can see here are purposely taken so bad to show HOW MANY changes this update bring, what
unfortunately is not true.
Pictures taken before update wasn’t realy that bad before. I think that thoes which we can see here are purposely taken so bad to show HOW MANY changes this update bring, what
unfortunately is not true.
what?? htc cams have always been this bad! you dont have to try to take bad pics!
huh? HTC phones are a legend when it comes to taking bad pictures. The before shots are horrible and blurry like they have a bad lens with moisture on it. The after pictures are actually pretty solid. your comment is whats not true.
Most complaints in the camera review was that the exposure was unbalanced (most often too high) giving too bright and slightly ‘blurry’ pictures. So for people saying this is a fake, no it’s definitely an update that balances exposure better, however updates can only improve the sensor so much, and the S6 and G4 cameras will probably be the top for Android this year (unless Nokia wakes from the dead and decides to make an Android phone with a super sensor like they did on that Lumia phone).
Word on the street is the sensor found in the M9 is the same found in Lumia devices…
Yes, but the lens is different
Really? I was talking more specifically about the 1020 with the Carl Zeiss optics, not sure what sensor it has.
Only the sensor in the M9 is just as good as the S6 and will be just as good as the G4. You meniton Nokia and Lumia. Did you know the M9 is using the same sensor as Nokia did in the 930? Nokia used Toshiba sensors in all of their phones. HTC is using a Toshiba sensor. So nice try mate but you just made yourself look stupid.
I was talking about the Lumia 1020 specifically, just didn’t remember the version number. This far, everyone is complaining about the M9 camera compared to the S6. But if the sensors are just as good, then it’s all about software, which can be easily updated, so I’m really happy for you m8 :)
I hate when companies have to issue an update so quickly after launch. It’s not like they pulled the update together out of thin air, they knew the issue existed and started working on it before the official release.
I can be the only one like this but, when I put up a couple of hundred dollars on something I expect it to work out of the box. I can accept some compatibility issues here and there because you can’t test against 100% of all scenarios but something like the camera needing an update really grinds my gear and would more than likely cause me to return it because I don’t expect my upgrade to be a downgrade in performance.
/end rant
Your rant is perfectly legit. However, you and me BOTH know that is NEVER the case.
Vehicles with their recalls…
Lollipop initial update…
Apple Maps…
Your Rough Draft… LoL!!
You see my point. I think you should just bottle up those feelings, because you’ll just be making yourself upset for nothing. LoL!!
I know, it’s just a case of #FirstWorldProblems
Im fine with it needing an update as long as they announce the update. I don’t want the entire phone delayed because they are going to update the camera in a week or two.
The entire Android etc ecosystem is based up on incremental improvements, it’s code after all, but yes in perfect world it should work great out of the b…no, it shouldn’t lol, I can’t disagree with me. Tho it should be much much better than previous results before update.
that update looks a lot better than the before shots! now the M9 might be an interesting pick for me when I get my update soon -=) still holding out on the G4 or Note 5 though!
No complain on that
Better, but still incredibly bland color wise :/.
As is iphone
You mean accurate colours. Moron.
That’s a pretty big difference. Now, can Mortorola do this for the camera on the Moto X gen 2 please!!???
I wish they would have. I loved my Moto X 2, but I sold it last week to get the edge and M9. However, the M9 is going back since the camera on it is not much better than the MotoX even after the update. These photos were just ideal settings or conditions. On average the update did not make this much of a difference. Still very inconsistent.
a cloudy day with no direct sunlight and a completely pitch black room photo taken with flash are optimal conditions?
where is a pitch black room? You would have a pitch black photo. And yes, direct sunlight is awful for the M9. It will blast out the photo with overexposure.
“This photo was taken in a completely pitch black room using flash” it’s in the same article, just look for it. And direct sunlight doesn’t blast out the whole photo, just areas like the sky, at least the I recall of the previous software
Ok, was exaggerating/being sarcastic. With flash does not show low light capabilities of the camera. Turn off the flash and get in a dimly lit room for that. And yes, you get very bright spots in the photos from bright light but it does put a haze on the rest of the photo. Look at my examples in the thread. That is just from a computer monitor sitting to the left of what I was taking a photo of.
The camera on the M9 is only 200000000000000 percent better than the Moto X and is just as good as the S6, G3 and iPhone 6. Nice try. Any issues the M9 has or had were software as the hardware is hard to beat given that Nokia used almost the same hardware on the 930 which was universally praised.
trust me it is not. I have images from both and can show you. It is no where close to the S6 or iPhone 6+. Even after the update. Not saying you can’t take a photo that is close to comparable, you can, but on average it is very inconsistent and you will on a whole get much better photos from S6 or iPhone 6+. I’ve used the M9 for over 2 weeks and even my wife did not want to use it to take photos, she wanted to use her iPhone 5s because she was said my photos were horrible and just as bad as my Moto X. and she was correct. After the update they got better (than Moto X) but nowhere near quality of the S6/iPhone6
Cool, I wish there was more low light examples
That is where this camera suffers the most. So, if you are trying to show how much it has improved, you won’t show low light photos.
Disagree. You can still compare before and after update photos of low light scenes to see if there has been a relative improvement. Perhaps it “suffers” less.
I was kind of being sarcastic…meaning Phandroid really wants to show the M9 in a positive way ;)
Please. Phandroid has been some of the biggest anti-HTC bloggers in the business so nice try.
That’s nice! Might wanna consider cleaning the lens next time.
Should’ve done this before they sent out the review units…
Still doesn’t look all that awesome though. And it needs to be.
Doesn’t look that awesome? Biased twat.
That GMail keychain though.. It looks pretty awesome.
Anyone actually got the update for the sprint version?
I just bought a Sprint M9 today and was surprised to see the version was 1.32.651.17. The camera build is 7.0.495306.
Not sure why the system software is a higher rev and the camera is lower.
Sorry folks, but either Rob is being disingenuous with this article, or he didn’t realize that his camera lens was dirty for the “before” pics. Looking at this photo closely- http://i.imgur.com/vHm3qEY.png – it’s obvious that there is a film on the lens (probably oil from fingers) that is creating a bloom effect in the photos. That is not a camera or software issue, it’s merely an optical distortion. The after pics still look washed out and lacking in dynamic range.
Wasn’t me who took the pictures or even posted the pictures
funny, my M9 lense must be dirty too. I get the same effects on my photos. The whole photo sometimes looks hazy. But trust me. I looked and cleaned it. Unfortunately for me (and HTC) the lens is clean.
I was thinking the same thing.. the Before Pictures do look like the lens was dirty.
It really does. Is it? We need to see more from other sources.
Yeah, I was thinking it couldn’t be that damn bad, especially when other tech blogs have shown clearer photos.
Man go buy a dslr if you truly want to criticize a smartphone camera… Dynamic Range??? Huh?
Or buy a smartphone with a decent camera, like the Galaxy S6, LG G3 or iPhone 6. The M9 has a lackluster camera that is worthy of criticism. Don’t be an HTC apologist.
Agree. We will see how it pairs with the copycats ;) seriously, they put so much emphasis on the cam since One X, it should nothing but rock. The software part rocks them all tho, and especially the ultrapix front cam, which I use much more often not cuz I’m a total narcissist (gotta love the realtime makeup lol and the face tracking on any video chat) but cuz, well, the bracket thing. I should go sleep.
Only the M9’s camera isn’t lackluster. Funny how people love the camea in the Lumia 930 but hate the camera in the M9 when they are pretty much using the same sensor just the M9 has the newest verison of the sensor.
Actually your statement is incorrect. Did you know that the Lumia 930 used the same camera sensor just an older model. And the Lumia 930 was declared as having the best camera last year. So nice try. The M9’s camera is just as good as the S6, G3, and iPhone. Again nice try. But the M9 has some of the best camera hardware around. Any issues with it were and are software only. The hardware is some of the best. Again nice try but you are either uninformed or biased. Take your pick.
Hi there, as an avid HTC fan, please let me say in all fairness this is a phone and not a camera, and a extremely good stable phone at that, the photos are not bad for a phone, agreed not the best for a phone, but as a phone not easily beaten. I will not change from HTC.
Agreed. Software updates will come and come again, it’s htcs bread and butter, evvvverything else , everything, is untouchable, this is a mother of all smartphones. I’m baffled how they accomplished any radio comm with 2 slabs of metal put together. Fking bravo HTC! Plus unlike Samsung it’s water tight despite expensive Dolby drilled speaker holes, fastest boot time in industry, most responsive screen, etc etc all over again. There shall be nothing even close to this until well, M10. I can swear my life on this, it’s documented history since….1999.
Actually the M9 camera is one of the best on the marketyyou uniformed twat.
You should learn how to read and understand what you read, before going off in a tangent and insulting others, so the twat here is you!!
I get your point but I don’t think this guy is paid to be dumb.
Nobody gets paid to be dumb, but people make mistakes.
Lmao
Photos look great! I will get myself M9 :)
HTC just won me back over…. And its already rooted…. I can’t wait to get one!
I could care less about back cam, front I do care about, esp the face tracking, woris with Skype, This phone is M-ine!!!
It is already rooted? From the factory?
Wouldn’t releasing the improved camera software initially instead of getting all the bad reviews have made more “HTC Sense”?
Haha love it, well put! Great point!
But the issue isn’t that the camera is bad. It’s that it’s bad IN COMPARISON.
I mean for other flagship phones and others.
And it’s bad just for video and low lights. In sunlight it is quite good
Only the camea is not bad in comparison. It is just as good as all other flagship phones. Did you know that the M9 is using a newer verison of the camera sensor found in the Lumia 930? And the Lumia 930 was universally prasied as havivng the best camera. So your comment about the camera being bad is just flat out wrong. The M9’s camera issues are down to software alone. Nice try.
Software and no OIS or Zeiss optics…not the same as the 930 at all.
OIS is a worthless gimmick on a smarthone. And the phone has the same Sensor as the 930 you dumbass. So yes it is the same. God you are stupid.
The sensor is just one part of the processing pipeline for generating good images. The lens and camera processing software have at least as much impact on the final image quality as the sensor itself. The M9 camera is not bad, and it doesn’t deserve the hate it’s getting. However, it still falls below the iPhone 6 and Galaxy Note 4, which I think are the best currently on the market (not including Windows phones – Windows Phone market share is insignificant compared to Android and iOS).
That said, the images in this comparison wouldn’t do any camera justice, including the M9.
The moment you say OIS is worthless, is the moment I realised you forgot to return the piece of crap M9 within 14 days and now you’re stuck with it for two years! Look up Fanboy in the dictionary and you’re name is right alongside. Tool.
Glad they are updating.
Umm that’s a dramatic improvement from a quick software update before the phone ships. It’s as if they forgot to work on the camera at all initially.
Why is Apple the only company that spends time on developing good camera hardware/software system? It looks like the Galaxy S6 is at least very close.
Lets hope the new LG made camera for the G4 that is rumored to let in 80% more light will be among the top cameras of the 2015 flagships.
Thank you a lot for this article.
Either this guy cannot take a decent photo or the M9 is no better than a mid range Android phone – even with the update.
Either you are an idiot blind or uninformed. But I think you are all 3. The M9 is using a new verison of the sensor found in the Lumia 930 which was called by many tech blogs the best camera phone. Nice try.
Hmm let me guess, you have just spent your hard earned pennies on a crap M9 and now regret it? Take a chill pill, fool. Lol
The M9 is the best phone on the market. Hardly crap. But that’s all you can say now that you have been exposed for not knowing what you are talking bout and critcise the camera hardware when the hardaware is perfect. You are truly a biased uninformed yank. The M9 has one of the best cameras on the market. As good as the S6, G3, iPhone 6. So nice try.
wow, take the rose colored glasses off. I really like the M9, truely great phone, but I can’t even say the words “good camera” in the same sentence as S6, Note 4, iPhone 6 or even LG G3 for that matter. They are all much better and consisten shooters than the M9. I’ve used them all as a daily driver and not just holding one for a short time at Best Buy.
Yes he is an HTC owner and Mascot. Lmao. You can see more of his 3 page editorials defending this God awful camera on QBkings HTC M9 Review… Shame.
again, I did both on auto settings and auto HDR. Both from same angle and distance. I also touched the same point and focused before snapping. I can show countless comparisons that show the same result. Video is the same. The M9 camera is average or slightly above average.
A nice difference nonetheless… I still can’t consider the M9 on just the camera being improved. There’s so much else that I wanted to see in the M9: bigger screen, better design, possible multitasking features, etc.
The screen is big enough. The design is perfect. And your last point is just fucking stupid.
Design perfect? Lol. What about the huge black bar around the screen? It’s like a 2010 phone.
Im thinking of Iphone 6 now due to the problem ive had with the pink/purple tinge on my M7? Poor support verging on absolute denial by HTC. Ive had HTC’s since I can remember and touted them as the best phones on the market but really not so sure now after this. I have 1 week before contract runs out and seriously considering dumping HTC from now on. How can they garauntee it wont happen again?
All I can tell you is that the S6 is not roses also.
For the info only, the S6 Camera made is by Sony!
The M9 to my opinion is a better phone than the S6 but the S6 Camera is better.
Speakers M9 better
Interface M9 Better
Build M9 better
Expandable memory M9 better
talk quality M9 better
monitor panel M9 better regarding MTBF
battery M9 better
Can’t comment on S6 build, but I’ve just received my third M9 today and this ones going back too. The metal frame around the screen has been bent on every device and the front camera not aligned. Quite a few reports of build issues surfacing too.
I’m sticking with the N6 for a bit longer.
clean the lense