Camera review of Moto E - Sample images & Video
In this article, I'm going to show you some camera samples taken from Moto E's rear facing 5 Megapixel fixed focus camera. Included in this article are some pictures taken in various lighting conditions and a video sample that will give you an idea of its capabilities.
Q: How is the image quality of the Moto E?
Q: How does the camera perform under low/bright lighting conditions?
Q: Does it have auto focus?
Q: How is the video recording capability of this smartphone?
Well, have a look at these samples and make an informed decision! Here are some of the photographs that were taken by the Motorola Moto E Android phone. Also included in the end is an unedited video sample taken from the same smartphone.
On a bright sunny day, most pictures taken from the Moto E would look like this. Although, colours come out decent, the image quality is something that I am not very happy about. You can easily see a lot of grain and lack of depth in pictures. The corners seem blurred and only the center area seems to be focused by the camera.
Exif:
f2.4
1/1370 sec.
ISO 125
Zoom in a little bit and you lose focus, colours and contrast. Under a bright afternoon sun, 'zoomed in pictures' come out dull and seem washed out. Clearly, the digital zoom on this little device is a gimmick.
Exif:
f2.4
1/1961 sec.
ISO 125
Since this Android phone is equipped with a fixed focus camera, you will not be able to change the focusing area at all. I tried taking a close up shot of my Sennheiser headset and failed miserably. This camera is certainly not made for macro and close up objects.
Exif:
f2.4
1/10 sec
ISO 1250
However, objects at a normal distance come out decent. Please note, this camera will serve you well if you're into portraits. Taking pictures of friends and family at a get-together and uploading them on social networking sites is what this camera is made for. 
Exif:
f2.4
1/16 sec.
ISO 500
For those who're interested in the quality of videos this camera can take, please have a look at this unedited video I took with my Moto E recently. This video was taken outdoors on a cloudy Sunday morning.
On papers, this camera records video at Standard Definition (SD) 480p at 30fps, however I've seen some video samples where under low light conditions the frame rate drops to as low as 14fps. The Moto E certainly needs a good amount of light to record good quality videos. Having said that, in my opinion its still better than some of its counterparts from Samsung. If I had to make a choice (for video recording purposes) between Samsung's low/medium end smartphones and the Moto E, I would hands down select the Moto E.
Overall, this device still fits the bill for budget oriented buyers who may/may not need a camera on their smartphone. Please have a look at our YouTube channel for unboxings/reviews of Moto E and other devices. Don't forget to leave a comment if you have a question for me.
Also read: My first hand experience with the new Moto E
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Excellent article. I am planning to buy a new budget smartphone priced below Rs8000 and Moto E seems to be a good choice. Your article helped me in making a good and informed purchase decision. Thanks a lot Amit.