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HTC set a pretty high benchmark for itself with its 8MP camera inside the One X and One XL. The One SV only packs a 5MP rear camera on board - no doubt to keep costs down - but does include the same dedicated imaging chip that the other phones have.
It's quite obvious though that the image quality of the One SV isn't up to the same standard as the 8MP sensor on the One X. Photos lack the detail, and are significantly noisier than the better specced phones.
Controlling the camera will be a familiar process for HTC users, with dedicated buttons on the right side of the camera for both still and video recording. Above the controls is a blue circle that operates HTC's filters, allowing for vignetting, black and white and distorted images while shooting.
The left side of the screen offers a range of controls and settings. A shortcut to flash activation remains on the right hnd side, while the left offers a shortcut to the shooting mode. Options include HDR, panorama and portrait shooting, among others. There's also a slow motion video option, which drops the resolution and lets budding photographers get creative.
In the centre lies the settings control, which offers a decent amount of control over shooting settings. There's no manual controls on board, but manual selection of ISO and white balance can go a long way to help One SV users get better pictures.
Holding down the shutter button initiates burst mode, although the shutter speed still struggles with moving objects. HTC has bundled its best shot algorithm to help there though, letting you leave the decision making to an algorithm to select the best photo from a burst shooting frenzy. You can also decide manually, if you so choose.
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Video
The dedicated video button on screen when you boot into the camera app means it's always easy to start shooting. The One SV is capable of recording 1080p footage, but the truth is that the final quality isn't anywhere near the 1080p you'll get from a proper HD camera, especially when viewed on a big screen.
The ability to shoot still photos while recording video is a huge bonus, although once again the quality isn't great. It's far from bad, and fits the phone's price point well, but when compared to the 8MP offering in the One X, you just can't help but come away a little disappointed.
Features like slow motion video recording a probably more gimmick than functional tool, but then again, being able to capture slow motion stumbles of kids and pets could prove hilarious for years to come. At least, that's what we used it for.
Overall though, we've seen better cameras on other HTC devices, let alone handsets like the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3.
