LG’s G4 wows with its camera

SINGAPORE — A year after the launch of LG’s G3, a new phone is taking over the mantle — the G4. Equipped with possibly the best camera available on the market, the device went on sale on Saturday.

A standout feature is its genuine leather back which, coupled with the phone’s ergonomic curve, feels surprisingly comfortable in the hand and gives the G4 a little more grip.

The leather has undergone a three-month eco-friendly vegetable-tanning process to protect it from humidity. However, the material feels a little thin and, like all leather, may be scuffed with daily use. Within a day, the test set I received had picked up a ding.

That said, it is a step up in the aesthetics department, but for those less inclined, there is a metallic version.

The G4, measuring 14.9cm x 7.7cm x 0.98cm, retains certain features of the G3, including the 5.5-inch screen, Quad HD display of 2560 x 1440 pixels, and the position of the volume and power button at the back.

But compared to its predecessor, the G4 boasts a IPS Quantum Display that LG says achieves the same display standard as that of television and cinema, replicating true-to-life colours 98 per cent of the time. In contrast, AMOLED displays, such as those used in the Samsung S6 and LG G Flex 2, tend to jack up saturation instead of capturing colour nuances.

This is reflected in the excellent 16-megapixel camera for everyday users and professionals. Shots are crisp and vivid, capturing impressive detail, while colour reproduction is praiseworthy. The wide f1.8 aperture lens and 1/2.6-inch image sensor let in up to 80 per cent more light than that of an average smartphone, says LG, so photos in low-light conditions show up extremely well. When tested, the G4 produced a clear shot in dim lighting, although the image was slightly yellow. In comparison, a photo taken with the iPhone 5S under the same conditions was noisy and lost all detail.

In Manual mode, you can adjust white balance, ISO and shutter speed, which can be set at up to 30 seconds, so you can take cool light-trail shots. You can also save images in RAW or JPG. If you are not one to tinker with settings, the Auto and Simple modes allow you to tap the screen to take photos.

The eight-megapixel front-facing camera is also an absolute treat. Portraits and wefies are sharp and clear — an area in which the iPhone has come up short so far.

However, the G4’s battery life leaves much to be desired. The device lasted for about 10 hours with regular use through the day, including checking emails, browsing YouTube and Facebook, and running photo apps.

An option is to carry an extra battery pack, so you can replace your spent cell with a full battery without having to stop to recharge. After all, the G4 is the only flagship phone launched so far this year with both a removable battery pack as well as expandable storage via a microSD card slot. Both are contained within the back of the device. The expandable micro SD lot means you will never have to worry about running out of storage, especially if you are shooting pictures in RAW.

Running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor and Android 5.1 Lollipop, the phone is responsive enough with daily use and there is no lag when switching between apps.

While the software improvements are nothing to shout about, the G4 has a lot going for it, with its camera being the biggest draw.

The leather version (in brown, red, or black versions) costs S$998, while the metallic option (grey or gold) is priced at S$928. Both are available at M1, Singtel, StarHub and all authorised LG Mobile retailers.