SAN DIEGO--When I first saw Sprint's LG Optimus G with my own eyes at MobileCon 2012 in San Diego, I wasn't convinced that its 13-megapixel camera had the goods. My original indoor shots, which you'll see below, were largely terrible, and the eerie conference center lighting didn't help.
I'm happy to report that taking CNET's Sprint review unit into the great outdoors proves otherwise. The camera's continuous autofocus and other tricks are great help in focusing on the screen. While there were still some imperfect shots, many were terrific, like this outdoor view of the famous Gaslamp sign downtown.
Note that the AT&T version of the phone has an 8-megapixel camera, not a 13-megapixel camera.
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Setting the scene
It has just rained in the late morning hours in San Diego, with the sun playing hide-and-seek and plenty of natural light. The awning of this restaurant came in clear. Unless stated, all photos in this collection have been resized, but are otherwise untouched.
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Colors were slightly darker and more opaque than real life, as the Optimus G's camera struggled to resolve light bouncing back from the clear glass inlay.
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Double fisting
My lunchtime Arnold Palmer and a vintage water glass at Searsucker in San Diego, a wide-open space with a mixture of artificial and natural light. I sat directly under some warm yellow track lighting. The color of the blue glass and drink are just right, but I was looking for a little more sharpness on the glass.
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Searsucker bottles
You can see the flare from outdoor light behind these water bottles. I was disappointed that the Optimus G camera didn't define the bottles' edges. And yes, autofocus was working perfectly.
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Frayed ropes
Again, my patient indoor shot of ropes overhanging a table disappointed. My eyes see a warm orange glow sharply emanating from the filaments of the old-timey bulbs, and the rope decoration has much more contrast between light and shadow, and much more definition.
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Steak salad
My lunch was delicious, but you wouldn't know it looking at this indistinct image. I'm not sure what happened, but my hands were steady when I took the shot.
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Toothbrush fail
This photo of my busted (and taped-up) toothbrush head was designed to once again test the Optimus G's 13-megapixel camera indoors. Bathroom lights were on, the flash burst, and completely overwhelmed the shot.
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Indoor convention center shots
I took this next series of pictures indoors in the bowels of the San Diego Convention Center, which has famously poor lighting. This was the best photo of the bunch that I snapped before getting the Optimus G review unit for the previous photos. In this image, the apples were the point of focus.
