HTC Titan Camera: Better Than The iPhone 4S?

While the iPhone 4S camera has been grabbing headlines left, right and centre, the HTC Titan is another handset that's sure to get compact camera makers worried. The Titan has the biggest screen out there for a mobile at 4.7 inches, as well as an 8-Megapixel camera that was promised to be above average for a cameraphone.

Ahead of our full review of the HTC Titan, we've put this handset's camera to the test in our photo lab, and the results are available in the Face-Off.

So is the HTC Titan camera really better than the iPhone 4S camera? In terms of optical quality, yes, it's definitely better. Although the HTC camera clearly uses image processing to sharpen up edges, some of the more subtle details in certain parts of our test scene can only be picked out with a good-quality lens. And while the iPhone 4S struggles a bit in this field, the Titan does a great job. In this particular test shot (see above—click on the image to see larger sample shots in the Face-Off) we've never seen such levels of rich, sharp detail with a smartphone camera. 

The Titan's sensor is also very neutral, as the white balance in the iPhone 4S has a red overtone in comparison. Plus, although the Apple camera keeps shots sharp and accurate in the middle of the frame, the Titan maintains a good level of sharpness and detail over the whole frame.

However, the backlit sensor in the iPhone 4S does a much better job in low light, whereas the Titan takes shots with considerably more noise. The Titan flash is harsher than that of the Apple handset too, leading the Titan to overexpose scenes.

All in all, the HTC Titan does have a better camera than the iPhone 4S ... but only in ideal shooting conditions. As it stands, the best all-rounder for good-quality shots in all situations is still the Apple smartphone. So while the HTC Titan may not come out on top, it's an excellent challenger that's sure to keep Apple on its toes.

Let us know which cameraphone you think's the best in the DigitalVersus forum.