Android 5.0 Lollipop RAW image files.

One of the new features with the next Android firmware release is access to the RAW image files from the device camera. Should be interesting, maybe RAW file processor on phones and tablets.

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I am playing with L Camera, a prototype that saves the DNG files on my Nexus 5. Terrible WB for the associated saved jpg, but it does allow a greater range of shutter speed, 1/75000th through 1/1.2 sec, along with ISO control (100 through 10000) in manual exposure mode. So I'd say the big advantages I see in one night of playing with it are manual exposure, 3 stops more light on the long exposure, and a stop or two on each end for recovering highlights or detail in shadows. Particularly compared to Google Camera's HDR+, which crushes the blacks to help with apparent noise reduction, L Camera has the potential for several more stops of dynamic range. The apk does allow a few other things, like bursting with focus bracketing or exposure bracketing; I'm not sure how much I'll use those yet. ISO 6400 on that camera is pretty ratty...I guess ISO 800 on the Nexus is comparable to 6400 on my 60D, which isn't terribly different than the ratio of the sensor sizes.

Thanks for the info on the DNG files on the Nexus 5 .

The Verizon Samsung GS5 does not have 5.0 yet. If I do end up getting access to the RAW files I don't know how much processing of them I'll try to do but the development will be interesting.

Tom_D wrote in post #17291666
Thanks for the info on the DNG files on the Nexus 5 .

The Verizon Samsung GS5 does not have 5.0 yet. If I do end up getting access to the RAW files I don't know how much processing of them I'll try to do but the development will be interesting.

Not sure about the US but in Canada I was told by my carrier that the S5 is not getting Lollipop until early 2015.

the flying moose wrote in post #17291704
Not sure about the US but in Canada I was told by my carrier that the S5 is not getting Lollipop until early 2015.

Yes, that is what I was thinking with Verizon. Rumors are that Samsung will have it out in December and then Verizon has to review it, customize it and then send it out to the phones. January at the earliest.

Maybe I'm missing something.. (Or too lazy to read all the Google results )..

But is this topic about Android devices being able to process RAW files from EOS and other cameras? (They showed an Oly camera in one of the articles).. Or is this just about Android cameras being able to take better pictures with Lollypop?

Either way, it will be a long while until I see it.. Like 'the flying moose', my carrier is always one of the last to upgrade their phones when a new version of Android comes out..

Tom_D wrote in post #17226261
One of the new features with the next Android firmware release is access to the RAW image files from the device camera.

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The RAW files from the phone's camera will be available to software developers.

This app specifically allows saving cell phone camera pictures in raw (DNG) format to potentially get better pictures on a cell phone, especially low light pics. Right now, this specific app only works on the Nexus 5 and 6. I'm hoping to get some example pics of the cat or dog for show and tell maybe with the 60d for reference.

I should mention, he has a hack to take 60 fps high-def vid, for replay in slo-mo. Someone will be interested in trying that I'm sure, I just do stills.

I took a few pictures of the cats the other night to illustrate where I think this is helpful, which is in very low light. My previous opinion was that the cell phone camera is good when (1) I can live with the wide angle FOV, (2) my subject is static, and (3) the light is good. The L Camera app helps me remove the third limitation, although it is the manual exposure control that allows most of this, the raw mostly just allows fixing white balance or mild exposure errors which often mess up with low lighting. The Nexus 5, whether with Google Camera, Open Camera, or L Camera, in auto exposure mode seems to limit the settings to about 1/12th-1/8th of a sec and ISO 3200. I'm guessing it has to do with the metering subroutine, but I may be wrong. L Camera's manual exposure mode allows ISO to go to 10000, and more importantly shutter speed to go to 0.8 Sec. Not that I can hand-hold the thing steadily at 0.8 Sec, but I can at 1/4 sec as I'll show, mostly due to the OIS built into the camera.

These are all under the same dim interior lighting, just some decorative trim lights were on in the room, and roughly proper exposure seemed to be about 1/4 sec, f/2.4, ISO 4000 or so. I have down-rezzed the full shots to something small just to show tonality, color, etc (818 px wide or so) and will occasionally include 100% 200x200px crops.

First, Google Camera's HDRplus mode which a lot of people like. f/2.4, 1/10th of a sec, ISO3200 were in its EXIF although I've always thought it may take 2 or three shots and stack them like with astronomy photos, and then apply a tone curve that absolutely crushes the blacks. I use it a lot in medium lighting, bright interiors to shady or overcast outdoors.

Now, a RawTherapee attempt to rescue the second picture above. Again, 1/12th sec, f/2.4, ISO3200

OK, now I try to take over the exposure in the manual mode. First a 1/4 sec, f/2.4, ISO3200 shot. This is about 1/3 stop underexposed still, but pretty close. The SOOC jpeg is actually pretty good, but I used RT here to adjust the WB and exposure slightly. The SOOC jpeg renderer also increases saturation and applies a higher contrast tone curve to punch it up a bit.

Finally, an attempt to go a little further to 1/2 sec, and it's a bit soft due to movement (probably both camera and cat movement). First, here is SOOC at 1/2 sec, f/2.4, ISO3200

My OnePlus One gained the ability to shoot RAW files a few months ago.

It's really quite handy when the dynamic range in a scene is extreme.

I've heard this is an awesome feature of Android 5.0. I can't wait to get a new phone.

CameraFiend wrote in post #17396315
I've heard this is an awesome feature of Android 5.0. I can't wait to get a new phone.

I'm looking forward to our Samsung GS5s getting updated to 5.xx. Looks like there were a few initial bugs that I think have been worked out so just as well that Samsung and Verizon take a while to get a solid working version. Lollipop has several features I am looking forward to.