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Street shots: The Alcatel Idol 4S' 16-megapixel camera in action

I put Alcatel's camera to work on the streets of San Francisco.

Patrick Holland
Patrick Holland has been a phone reviewer for CNET since 2016. He is a former theater director who occasionally makes short films. Patrick has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of phones, especially the iPhone and iOS. He used to co-host CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast and interviewed guests like Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard, Stephen Merchant, Sam Jay, Edgar Wright and Roy Wood Jr.
Patrick Holland
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1 of 13 Josh Miller/CNET

The 16-megapixel camera on the metal Alcatel Idol 4S can take on almost any situation.

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2 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

Even with harsh morning side light, the Idol 4s is able to capture the different shades of blue on this old Land Rover Defender.

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3 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

This shot down a hill toward the bay has a large dynamic range. Notice the good balance between the shadows of the buildings and the highlights in the sky and fog.

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4 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

The wide-angle lens is able to capture all of this "space" RV. (I know you see that NASA emblem.)

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5 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

Despite the high-contrast lighting, the camera is still able to resolve skin tones naturally on these guys on a break.

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6 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

Obligatory cat photo. The camera's autofocus was fast enough and accurate enough to catch Stella mid-blink with her eyes closed.

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7 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

The high noon sun was particularly harsh, but the Idol 4S was still able to render the shadows of the leaves and the highlights of the thin wispy clouds.

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8 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

I just love all of the different textures in this shot of stairs outside the SFMOMA building.

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9 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

The next two shots are of the San Francisco Armory. This one is without HDR mode activated.

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10 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

Here's the same shot with HDR turned on. Notice how there is more detail in the shadows of the wall and the highlights of the clouds.

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11 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

One of many accidental Boom Key triggered shots.

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12 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

This nighttime shot of Twin Peaks and Sutro Tower really pushes the Idol 4S' noise-reduction to its limits. Notice how soft and noisy the image is. (You'd expect this for any camera, really.)

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13 of 13 Patrick Holland/CNET

The autofocus had no problem capturing this approaching streetcar. Check out this review to learn more about my time with the Alcatel Idol 4S.

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