Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: Camera

The Note Edge matches the Note 4’s camera setup, which means it includes one of the best all-round smartphones we’ve used this year. The same 16-megapixel sensor found inside the Galaxy S5 is backed up excellent  optical image stabilization to boost low-light and evening shooting performance.

For video recording, you can still shoot at a maximum 4K, but we’d still recommend opting for Full HD 1080p shooting, where you’ll have the benefit of the most useful video-related features and the optical video stabilization really comes to the rescue when you are shooting at night.

Again, Samsung has stripped away some of the features and camera modes left at your disposal, keeping hold of the elements inside the easy-to-use camera app to pick up and shoot good quality images without any performance issues getting in the way.

The curved screen changes the camera setup slightly. For landscape shooting, the Edge moves all of the camera app settings to the curved screen, which makes them slightly easier to reach. When you move to portrait mode or shooting selfies, the same options don’t in fact reposition themselves making it a little more awkward for those selfies or profile shots.

It’s a shame because in well-lit conditions, up close for macro-style images or from afar, the Note Edge produces sharp, detailed images with lovely, punchy colours. Background detail is still lacking, but  this is a solid performer.

The same can be said about LED flash performance and HDR. Samsung only opts for a single LED flash, but it delivers rewarding results. Samsung’s HDR mode is arguably the strongest and most impressive among high end smartphones, delicately improving the lighting in high contrast photos without appearing overprocessed or destroying detail. 

HDR mode off

HDR turned on

Low-light shooting is where the big improvements are made. If you discount the Galaxy K Zoom hybrid smartphone camera, the Note Edge along with the Note are the first of the Samsung flagships phone to include optical image stabilisation. This is a big deal because, unlike the digital image stabilisation you find on most smartphones, optical stabilisation uses a mechanical system to reduce hand-shake in photos, which is far more effective.

This means the phone can use slower shutter speeds when shooting in low light, leading to brighter and more detailed photos. It can’t eradicate noise and hand-shake entirely in all conditions, but your photos are better off with it than without.

The front-facing camera’s 3.7-megapixel sensor with f/1.9 aperture completes the Note 4-esque setup and is well equipped for video chat and stills. If you need to shoot video, the Full HD 1080p video recording support ensures you can still produces smooth, judder-free footage.