Samsung Galaxy S8 Excels in Low Light Video Recording

As a tech blogger who's now starting to create more content for Youtube, having a reliable cameraphone that can record clear and crisp videos regardless of the lighting condition is important to me.

Sure, I already own an amazing Canon G7x Mark II but it's not really a device that I'd want to always keep in my pocket when I'm out and about, jumping from one tech event to the next after corporate meetings. It's still a tad too bulky and heavy.

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There's a saying that goes 'The best camera is the one that you have with you'. Considering how slim and light great cameraphones have become, I believe many mobile warriors who are always on the road - just like me - now see their smartphones as their trusty companion when recording moments for future consumption, business use, or plain nostalgia.

Since April 2016, my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has been one of my trusted partners at gadget launches in and outside the country. Not only is its still camera one of the best out there but its 4K video recorder is also top-notch. Yes, until today, I'm keeping my SGS7Edge - that I had purchased from argomall - as one of my daily drivers. Though, I know that it's probably already time for an upgrade.

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A little more than a week ago, our friends from Samsung Philippines and their PR agency - GreenBulb - sent me a Samsung Galaxy S8 unit to play with and review.

Slated for local release come May 2017, the SGS8 is the 2017 follow-up to the S7 Edge, having better technical specifications and flaunting a sleek, near bezel-less Infinity Display.

Of course, one of the features that I immediately tried out was the handset's main camera.

On paper, the technical specifications of S8's rear shooter are almost exactly the same as that of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. For stills, it's a 12 MegaPixel Dual Pixel PDAF camera with f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilization. And for videos, it's a 4K UHD 30fps recorder with Slo-Mo support.

Upon reading the specs, I must admit that I felt a tad disappointed as I was expecting a boost - if a bit - in the MegaPixel count or the size of the aperture.

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Last Thursday, however, after attending the DuterteNomics forum held at the Conrad Hotel Manila, I discovered something special about the video recorder of the Samsung Galaxy S8!

You see, in one of the restaurant's viewing decks, I recorded a video of the famous Manila Bay sunset using both my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy S8 - side by side each other. While I was at it, I honestly thought that the two videos would look identical considering that the cameras of both phones share the same technical specifications.

I was wrong.

Upon reviewing the clips, it was clear that - compared to the one that I recorded using my Galaxy S7 Edge - the low light 4K video which I took using the new Galaxy S8 had more vibrant colors, 'whiter' whites, and more pronounced details even when there was little ambient light!

Watch the comparison video here:


I'm not shy to admit that I judged the Samsung Galaxy S8's rear camera way too soon. I should have known better than to pass judgment on its main shooter based on specs alone. I mean, the sample video speaks for itself.

Off hand, I'm thoroughly impressed with the low light video recording performance of the Samsung Galaxy S8; For me, it's certainly one of the main highlights of this release. And I believe that in this regard, this model could very well end up being the flagship level smartphone to beat this year.