DPReview.com is closing April 10th - Find out more

S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

Started Jul 6, 2020 | Discussions
Ernie Misner
Ernie Misner Veteran Member • Posts: 9,506
S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

I got a new S20 (bottom line of the 3), and got the screen protectors with it.  Should I install the one over the camera lenses on the back of the phone?  I just wondered if anyone ever heard of those softening camera images.  Thanks.

-- hide signature --

Ernie Misner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erniemisner/
"WiFi is illegal in the town of Green Bank, West Virginia where a superpowerful telescope resides that needs electromagnetic silence to do it's important research. " - Matt Blitz, Popular Mechanics

 Ernie Misner's gear list:Ernie Misner's gear list
Nikon Z6 Nikon Z7 II Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F4G ED VR +5 more
JT26 Veteran Member • Posts: 5,009
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

Definitely dont do that. Its just cheap plastic or cheap glass at best, normally with some kind of adhesive too. The lens cover on the S20 is 'Saphire' or something close anyway, you wont scratch it even if you leave you keys in the same pocket as the camera.

Ernie Misner
OP Ernie Misner Veteran Member • Posts: 9,506
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

JT26 wrote:

Definitely dont do that. Its just cheap plastic or cheap glass at best, normally with some kind of adhesive too. The lens cover on the S20 is 'Saphire' or something close anyway, you wont scratch it even if you leave you keys in the same pocket as the camera.

Thank you for the kind reply.  My wife put that protector over the camera lenses on her S20 and I think it should come off.  I wonder if lens cleaning fluid will safely remove the sticky residue after removing it.

-- hide signature --

Ernie Misner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erniemisner/
"WiFi is illegal in the town of Green Bank, West Virginia where a superpowerful telescope resides that needs electromagnetic silence to do it's important research. " - Matt Blitz, Popular Mechanics

 Ernie Misner's gear list:Ernie Misner's gear list
Nikon Z6 Nikon Z7 II Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F4G ED VR +5 more
JT26 Veteran Member • Posts: 5,009
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

Yep or a Zeiss wipe, hot water or rubbing alcohol.

Those lenses are tough, and you’d have to really try hard to damage them.

Make sure your wife uses the 64mp mode, it’s truly amazing

Ernie Misner
OP Ernie Misner Veteran Member • Posts: 9,506
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

JT26 wrote:

Yep or a Zeiss wipe, hot water or rubbing alcohol.

Those lenses are tough, and you’d have to really try hard to damage them.

Make sure your wife uses the 64mp mode, it’s truly amazing

Thanks for the reply!  We both got new S20 phones at the same time.  (not plus or ultra, just S20's).  So the basic S20 has 64mp mode?  I will definitely check that out and thanks.

Have you ever used Snapseed photo editor on Android?  I started another thread here about that too and asked a couple of questions.

-- hide signature --

Ernie Misner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erniemisner/
"WiFi is illegal in the town of Green Bank, West Virginia where a superpowerful telescope resides that needs electromagnetic silence to do it's important research. " - Matt Blitz, Popular Mechanics

 Ernie Misner's gear list:Ernie Misner's gear list
Nikon Z6 Nikon Z7 II Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F4G ED VR +5 more
JT26 Veteran Member • Posts: 5,009
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

Yep. The basic S20 has 64mp mode... And it is far better than the S20 Ultras 108mp sensor and lens. Which delivers poor results at the corners.

Yes I have used that. It is my mobile app of choice... I'll have a look

Groot Regular Member • Posts: 499
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

Ernie Misner wrote:

I got a new S20 (bottom line of the 3), and got the screen protectors with it. Should I install the one over the camera lenses on the back of the phone? I just wondered if anyone ever heard of those softening camera images. Thanks.

I used on my previous phone for years,  did not feel any image quality degradation.
The plus side:  you can clean the lens with your shirt with force without worrying to scratch the lens.

The minus:  The protectors need to be cleaned more often from my experience.
Honestly, I would go with.
I ordered already for my Mi 10 Pro.

JT26 Veteran Member • Posts: 5,009
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

You won’t scratch the lens. It’s made from tough sapphire like material and I promise, a cheap adhesive lens protector will harm your images.

Groot Regular Member • Posts: 499
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

JT26 wrote:

You won’t scratch the lens. It’s made from tough sapphire like material and I promise, a cheap adhesive lens protector will harm your images.

I had scratches on lens in the past, I prefer not to take chances again.
I actually tested with vs without protector and could not see a difference. I even checked flares at night, results were identical.
The protectors were, allegedly, glass.

Ernie Misner
OP Ernie Misner Veteran Member • Posts: 9,506
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

JT26 wrote:

Yep. The basic S20 has 64mp mode... And it is far better than the S20 Ultras 108mp sensor and lens. Which delivers poor results at the corners.

Now that's interesting that it is better than the Ultras 108mp mode.

Yes I have used that. It is my mobile app of choice... I'll have a look

I'm liking Snapseed a lot on my S20 phone.  Still have not figured out how to get a Snapseed icon on my phone yet though.

-- hide signature --

Ernie Misner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erniemisner/
"WiFi is illegal in the town of Green Bank, West Virginia where a superpowerful telescope resides that needs electromagnetic silence to do it's important research. " - Matt Blitz, Popular Mechanics

 Ernie Misner's gear list:Ernie Misner's gear list
Nikon Z6 Nikon Z7 II Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F4G ED VR +5 more
GossCTP Veteran Member • Posts: 6,206
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

JT26 wrote:

Yep or a Zeiss wipe, hot water or rubbing alcohol.

Those lenses are tough, and you’d have to really try hard to damage them.

I didn't have to try that hard for my LG

Doesn't matter most of the time.

-- hide signature --

"Law and order" is anathema to liberty and justice.

 GossCTP's gear list:GossCTP's gear list
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Pentax K20D Pentax K-5 II Fujifilm X-H1 Pentax smc FA 50mm F1.4 +8 more
Ernie Misner
OP Ernie Misner Veteran Member • Posts: 9,506
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

GossCTP wrote:

JT26 wrote:

Yep or a Zeiss wipe, hot water or rubbing alcohol.

Those lenses are tough, and you’d have to really try hard to damage them.

I didn't have to try that hard for my LG

That baby is definitely banged up and a great macro shot of it too.  Surprising it doesn't degrade the image a lot more!

Doesn't matter most of the time.

-- hide signature --

Ernie Misner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erniemisner/
The first digital image was made in the late '60's for NASA, as a way to record images of Mars. Each "square" was represented by three numbers, corresponding to the red, green, and blue hue on a scale of 0 to 255. This eliminated the need to ship film back to Earth.

 Ernie Misner's gear list:Ernie Misner's gear list
Nikon Z6 Nikon Z7 II Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F4G ED VR +5 more
JT26 Veteran Member • Posts: 5,009
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

Im really talking scratches. That is a pretty hard bang so I doubt a protector would have saved that either.

I'll take a side by side one day and post it to show the difference.Ultimately a a cheap filter degrades the image on a lens, noticably, so add in adhesive and a cheap bit of glass and you will, without question have a worse image.

You shot looks ok, highly compresses and tiny though so impossible to see here

GossCTP Veteran Member • Posts: 6,206
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

JT26 wrote:

Im really talking scratches. That is a pretty hard bang so I doubt a protector would have saved that either.

I bought a replacement screen but I havent tried swapping it yet. Requires some phone disassembly.

I'll take a side by side one day and post it to show the difference.Ultimately a a cheap filter degrades the image on a lens, noticably, so add in adhesive and a cheap bit of glass and you will, without question have a worse image.

You shot looks ok, highly compresses and tiny though so impossible to see here

It's full resolution in the gallery. It didn't seem to affect this shot at all (color version fine as well, just less interesting). Point light sources play havoc with it though. Kills contrast. Also, I think it fogs worse. Definitely needs replacing.

-- hide signature --

"Law and order" is anathema to liberty and justice.

 GossCTP's gear list:GossCTP's gear list
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Pentax K20D Pentax K-5 II Fujifilm X-H1 Pentax smc FA 50mm F1.4 +8 more
I2K4
I2K4 Senior Member • Posts: 1,441
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

FWIW, I've always used a protective case that extends a few mm past the camera lens (and screen), but never sweated or suffered any lens damage, despite clumsy drops to hard surfaces once or twice a year. Even so, the question is what difference it really makes.

GossCTP Veteran Member • Posts: 6,206
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
1

Ernie Misner wrote:

GossCTP wrote:

JT26 wrote:

Yep or a Zeiss wipe, hot water or rubbing alcohol.

Those lenses are tough, and you’d have to really try hard to damage them.

I didn't have to try that hard for my LG

That baby is definitely banged up and a great macro shot of it too. Surprising it doesn't degrade the image a lot more!

Only when the sun is in the frame. Then contrast suffers.

Doesn't matter most of the time.

-- hide signature --

Ernie Misner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erniemisner/
The first digital image was made in the late '60's for NASA, as a way to record images of Mars. Each "square" was represented by three numbers, corresponding to the red, green, and blue hue on a scale of 0 to 255. This eliminated the need to ship film back to Earth.

Not technically digital but may be of interest to you:

http://www.deadmedia.org/notes/27/279.html

-- hide signature --

"Law and order" is anathema to liberty and justice.

 GossCTP's gear list:GossCTP's gear list
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Pentax K20D Pentax K-5 II Fujifilm X-H1 Pentax smc FA 50mm F1.4 +8 more
Ernie Misner
OP Ernie Misner Veteran Member • Posts: 9,506
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

GossCTP wrote:

Ernie Misner wrote:

GossCTP wrote:

JT26 wrote:

Yep or a Zeiss wipe, hot water or rubbing alcohol.

Those lenses are tough, and you’d have to really try hard to damage them.

I didn't have to try that hard for my LG

That baby is definitely banged up and a great macro shot of it too. Surprising it doesn't degrade the image a lot more!

Only when the sun is in the frame. Then contrast suffers.

Doesn't matter most of the time.

Not technically digital but may be of interest to you:

A great article and lots of cool history there - thanks!

http://www.deadmedia.org/notes/27/279.html

-- hide signature --

Ernie Misner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erniemisner/
The first digital image was made in the late '60's for NASA, as a way to record images of Mars. Each "square" was represented by three numbers, corresponding to the red, green, and blue hue on a scale of 0 to 255. This eliminated the need to ship film back to Earth.

 Ernie Misner's gear list:Ernie Misner's gear list
Nikon Z6 Nikon Z7 II Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F4G ED VR +5 more
Jeff Peterman
MOD Jeff Peterman Forum Pro • Posts: 13,585
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?
3

For my Note 20 Ultra, with the huge camera bump on the back, I bought a case that extends a few mm beyond the bump. This protects the lenses from rubbing on surfaces when put down and offers some protection when the phone is in my pocket.

I would not put anything over the lenses. This would reduce contrast, increase the possibility of flare, and probably reduce the lens sharpness. Plus, any cover over the lens would probably be made of a material that scratches easily, creating the problem you are trying to avoid.

-- hide signature --

Jeff Peterman, Moderator 7D and Phone/Tablet forums.
Not a staff member, or paid employee, of DPReview.
Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
www.pbase.com/jeffp25

 Jeff Peterman's gear list:Jeff Peterman's gear list
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 Canon PowerShot S110 Canon EOS 7D Canon EF-S 10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM +19 more
Ernie Misner
OP Ernie Misner Veteran Member • Posts: 9,506
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

Jeff Peterman wrote:

For my Note 20 Ultra, with the huge camera bump on the back, I bought a case that extends a few mm beyond the bump. This protects the lenses from rubbing on surfaces when put down and offers some protection when the phone is in my pocket.

I would not put anything over the lenses. This would reduce contrast, increase the possibility of flare, and probably reduce the lens sharpness. Plus, any cover over the lens would probably be made of a material that scratches easily, creating the problem you are trying to avoid.

Words of wisdom - thank you.

-- hide signature --

Ernie Misner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erniemisner/
The first digital image was made in the late '60's for NASA, as a way to record images of Mars. Each "square" was represented by three numbers, corresponding to the red, green, and blue hue on a scale of 0 to 255. This eliminated the need to ship film back to Earth.

 Ernie Misner's gear list:Ernie Misner's gear list
Nikon Z6 Nikon Z7 II Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F4G ED VR +5 more
John Fantastic Regular Member • Posts: 237
Re: S20 - should I install the protector over the lenses?

Is the S20 much better than the S10? thank you for your answers.

Keyboard shortcuts:
FForum MMy threads