A50 camera quality problem & shocking comparison with S4 mini

[maunz]

Hi guys, I just bought a new phone, Samsung A50.

Been a long time Samsung user, actually I used my 5 years old cheap Samsung S4 mini until next week, and it still worked perfectly:) But in the end I just had to update it since some apps and GPS didn't worked that well anymore because of the old op system.  So I made a quick research about what phone to get and I was mainly choosing between Samsung A9, A50 and iPhone 7. I chose A50 because of the most suitable size for me and the newest op system. I'm really happy how it looks and works overall, BUT I'm very unhappy with the camera/ picture quality. I didn't expected to be as good as A9, S9 or iPhone7  or Huaweys and thought it will not be a problem for me since I'm also using a proper photo camera for serious photos. But it turned out to be a serious problem when I can't even take photos that would look OK in Instagram, or print out as 10x15cm with acceptable quality. 

Today I checked again all the updates of the phone and all the options that I can change inside the phone. Finally I downloaded the Open Camera app that lets you take bigger resolution photos and shoot better quality video. Nothing worked, it still looks unusable to me and unfortunately I can't also take it back to store since I already have few scratches on the unit. 

If somebody has some secret hack how to improve the quality then please let me know or if Samsung is reading this and would like to give some personal help then they can write me to brandondisainib ( at ) gmail.com 

Here are the screenshots from Photoshop where you can see that it shows just the 100% actual pixels size and isn't zoomed in more. It seems the phone just can't handle any texture that is a bit further away and it also adds some extreme sharpening effect that one can't turn off.  The camera still works quite ok for close selfies or food bloggers:) 

The very last thing, today I specially searched for some old photos from my cheap 5 years old Samsung S4 mini (the first screenshot), and it looks SO MUCH BETTER. I just can't understand how is this possible in 2019.

Please let me know if you have any advice besides checking the regular menus inside the phone.

Samsung S4 mini - so much better sharpness, pixel information and texture. It wasn't possible to catch the leaves like this from the same window with Samsung A50Samsung A50- ok for close picsSamsung A50 - check the grass textureSamsung A50 - check the leaves, there is some weird digital texture and no picture information and this isn't zoomed in, it is just 100% pixels in Photoshop.Samsung A50 - bad texture and sharpness

[maunz]

Also just adding that you really have to click/open my pictures to the full view here to see the problem I'm talking about. You can't see the resolution/detail problem in the regular forum window size.

[Haris1994]

may be your taking picture of 3:4 size which is 12 MP.. change it into 3:4Hwhich is 25MP.. in front camera use wide angle shot..

[maunz]

Thanks! The last example shots I posted were done in 3:4H mode. It made things a bit better indeed, but still not very good.

[YA2019]

I am too victim of making a wrong choice. If we leave camera and Amoled screen A50 is not comparable with Redmi note 4 even. It's a bad bad choice. Music quality is so much embarrassing that even third grade phone would be good. Dolby buttons are just for show . Call sound quality is not HD which Mi have since 2017. Guys beware of this phone. Or if you don't believe get this phone today and regret endlessly

[Anonymous123]

Nice try endorsing Mi phone in here btw. We have different perspective and likes with the phone so you better post your opinion somewhere else. This phone is still in verge of being perfect, they keep rolling out updates every month to clear all those issues which is good for the consumers.

[ZyYz]

 This is the second time Samsung has fooled me. On my A5 2017, I have a front camera that serves no purpose. In this A50, the photographs have a terrible quality.
Enough, never again.