By Rich W Woods
Over the last week and a half, I have been spending a lot of time with the Sony Xperia Z3 and the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. One thing that has blown me away with both of these phones is the amazing 20.7 MP camera. In fact, the Sony Xperia Z3 even outperformed the Nokia Lumia 1020 in low light comparisons.
The scope of this review will be to compare the camera of the Sony Xperia Z3 to the camera of the LG G3. While the camera on the Sony Xperia Z3 is fantastic, the 13 MP camera on the LG G3 is pretty amazing as well with the laser focusing. I’m pretty excited to look at these side by side.
LG G3 vs Sony Xperia Z3: Specs
| LG G3 | Sony Xperia Z3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801 | 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801 |
| Display | 5.5″, 1440p, 534 ppi, LCD | 5.2″, 1080p, 424 ppi, LCD |
| Body | 146.3×74.6×8.9 mm, 149 g | 146x72x7.3 mm, 152 g |
| Camera | 13 MP, 4160×3120, 2.1 MP Front | 20.7 MP, 5248х3936, 2.2 MP Front |
| Video | 4K – 30 fps, 1080p – 30 fps, Front 1080p – 30 fps | 4K – 30 fps, 1080p – 60 fps, 720p – 120 fps, Front 1080p – 30 fps |
| Aperture | F/2.4 | F/2 |
| Camera Sensor | 1/3.06″ | 1/2.3″ |
| Storage | 16/32 GB | 16/32 GB |
| RAM | 3 GB | 2/3 GB, Respective to Storage |
| Price | $699 | $599 |
The Sony Xperia Z3 has slightly better specs than the LG G3. The Sony Xperia Z3 takes better video, having the ability to take 1080p video at a higher frame rate than the LG G3. While the LG G3 has a higher resolution display, it has twice as many pixels for the same processor to push and it is impossible for the human eye to be able to tell the difference between 424 ppi and 534 ppi, at least from an average viewing distance. This is why Apple defines Retina at 326 ppi. Also, the Sony Xperia Z3 has a higher resolution camera with a larger sensor and more RAM in the 16 GB model.
LG G3 vs Sony Xperia Z3: Rear Camera
Like I said above, the Sony Xperia Z3 has a higher resolution camera as well as a larger sensor. The resolution of the Sony Xperia Z3 camera is 20.7 MP and the resolution of the LG G3 camera is 13 MP; however, the resolution doesn’t make a difference as long as the user doesn’t crop the photo. A 4K display is only 8.3 MP, so the resolution of the photo is actually higher than the display it is being viewed on.
| LG G3 | Sony Xperia Z3 |
These are both fantastic cameras; however, it seems that the Sony Xperia Z3 does just a bit better in tricky lighting situations. You’ll notice that in the twelfth photo from the top. You’ll also notice in the sixth photo fro the top that the camera on the LG G3 may sometimes seem a bit more washed out.
Both of these cameras take really sharp pictures. The LG G3 has laser focus making it super sharp and the Sony Xperia Z3 seems to focus as it goes.
LG G3 vs Sony Xperia Z3: Front Camera
Resolution doesn’t matter in a rear camera because photos taken with a rear camera are typical higher resolution than the display they are being viewed on. That is not the case with front facing cameras.
Neither the LG G3 nor the Sony Xperia Z3 have particularly high resolution front facing cameras. The front facing camera of the LG G3 is 2.1 MP and the front facing camera of the Sony Xperia Z3 is 2.2 MP.
This one is no contest. Clearly, the LG G3 has a much better front facing camera than the Sony Xperia Z3. Of all of the camera comparisons that I did with the Sony Xperia Z3, the Sony Xperia Z3 came out on the losing side. It is something that they could fix in a software update, but until then, it will be subpar.
But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? The LG G3 has a better front facing camera, the Sony Xperia Z3 has a better rear facing camera, but you may not agree with either of those conclusions. Vote in the poll and if you have something to say, leave a comment.
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All Sony Xperia Z3 Camera Comparisons
All Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Camera Comparisons
For the Love of Tech 