IPHONE 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been announced, and with the all NEW IPHONEannouncements, there are new camera goodies, too. The iSight cameras on both models remain 8MP shooters, same resolution as previous iPhone models (4, 4S, 5 and 5S), but with great new features.
We all know that the use and sales of point-and-shoot cameras and digital camcorders has gone down dramatically since the iPhone has come onto the scene, and for good reason. Now, the iPhone's camera, or iSight camera, is better than ever.
First, we'll start with the stuff that really matters in photography: Collecting light, making sure photos are in focus and that we capture the right moments.
When it comes to collecting light, Apple makes no mention of changes in its lens structure or number of elements, so we're assuming it's the same as the iPhone 5S and IPHONE 5. Pixel size is 1.5 microns, same as that of iPhone 5S, and the aperture opening is a fixed f/2.2, again same as that of iPhone 5S.
Additionally, True Tone flash remains, which is great. It's a dual-colour or dual-temperature flash that has each colour firing at varying intensities based on the scene to make sure colours and skin tone stay true. This is a feature that no other smartphone really offers right now.
iPhone 6: Focus Pixels
Apple introduced a new feature called Focus Pixels, which is just its fancy way of saying that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus both have phase detection autofocus. Having phase detection AF is excellent, and slightly faster than contrast detection AF.
The iSight's camera has pixels paired for phase detection autofocus, basically like using an old range-finder camera or SLR, where you look through the viewfinder and try to align the two images that are slightly blurred.
As the lens or module in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus move forward and back, these phase detection pixels on the sensor will determine when your subject is in focus and stop the movement. Then you'll be ready to take the photo.
Apple says that this makes autofocus faster than ever on the iPhone, and we can't wait to test it out against the iPhone 5S to see if it's a tangible and noticeable difference.
iPhone 6: Image quality
Apple doesn't go into detail about some of the new features that it mentioned, but I can give it my best shot. The first is tone mapping, which Apple says is improved in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus iSight cameras.
Basically, tone mapping is image processing, and when Apple says it's improved in the new iSight camera, I'm guessing what it means is that colour and detail rendition, especially in highlights and shadows, are better preserved and represented.
We all know that the photos we take can look a little flat, or just plain wrong in terms of highlight and shadow detail and exposure. Apple is probably taking steps to improve this so you have to do less work in post-processing photos.
The next item touched on is noise reduction. Now, there are two types of noise in photos: luminance and colour noise. Luminance noise tends to happen in lowlight situations, or in shadow areas of your photos. You'll see pixels that are bright and speckled, which makes the darker photos or shadow areas look muddled.
Colour noise can do the same thing to colors, making them look less smooth. You're not getting an accurate representation of what you've actually photographed.
The trouble with noise reduction, especially in smartphone cameras with tiny sensors and puny lenses, is that images tend to become smudged as image processing software reduces noise. Apple says that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cameras will retain sharpness while applying noise reduction. This is a common technique, but images start to look fake when either process is strengthened.
When it comes to noise reduction, I'd like to see large versions of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus photos to see just how good, or bad, the photos really are.
Video capture received some major improvements in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The iSight camera still records at 1080p video, but in addition to 1080p at 30fps, you'll be able to record Full HD video at 60fps, too. That ought to make smoother looking videos, with the downside of probably larger file sizes.
Slo-mo video on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus has also been improved. When it was included in the iPhone 5S, Slo-mo video at 120fps was a neat feature that had pretty limited use cases. I'd imagine it's going to be the same with THE NEW IPHONES, although at 240fps, you can probably give fast-moving objects and people a cooler effect. You'll also be able to record 240fps at 720p, so you won't be sacrificing much quality at all.
Apple also calls the new image stabilization feature in the iSight camera "Cinematic video stabilization." Image stabilization, whether digital or optical, isn't new to smartphone camera technology, either. However, with other phones, it can give mixed and varied results. We're curious to try this out with varying intensities to see just how well it works.
IPHONE 6 and 6 Plus: Image stabilization
There is a big difference between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus when it comes to the way image stabilization works. For the iPhone 6, there is digital image stabilization. This means that it's likely that software is doing a good chunk of the work in keeping your image sharp even if there is slight movement in the camera.
The iPhone 6 Plus, however, gets the better end of the deal with OIS, or optical image stabilization. With OIS, the lenses, or elements, or camera module — or a combination of any of those three — will move to counteract the motion of the phone itself. This is, historically, far better than digital image stabilization.
Again, these features will be interesting to test against each other. Right now, we're guessing that the iPhone 6 Plus with OIS will buy you more light and forgiveness to motion and camera jerkiness.
iLove the iSight camera
Most smartphone photographers agree that the iPhone has had the best all-around camera amongst all other smartphones. In some cases it performs even better than point-and-shoot and compact cameras. All the while, Apple continues to work to improve the iSight camera on the iPhone, and it's great.
Apple has always tried to take most of the guesswork away from having to shoot photos. The iSight cameras on the iPhone have always done a pretty good job at nailing exposure and reducing motion blur, along with taking decent photos in low light.
With the addition of filters and video features over time, the iPhone's camera has become more versatile than ever. I'd imagine that the new iSight camera features on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, coupled with the new features in iOS 8, will take Apple's philosophy on making a solid smartphone camera even further.
If you love photography, especially smartphone photography, these upgrades are enough reason to get excited about the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
We all know that the use and sales of point-and-shoot cameras and digital camcorders has gone down dramatically since the iPhone has come onto the scene, and for good reason. Now, the iPhone's camera, or iSight camera, is better than ever.
First, we'll start with the stuff that really matters in photography: Collecting light, making sure photos are in focus and that we capture the right moments.
When it comes to collecting light, Apple makes no mention of changes in its lens structure or number of elements, so we're assuming it's the same as the iPhone 5S and IPHONE 5. Pixel size is 1.5 microns, same as that of iPhone 5S, and the aperture opening is a fixed f/2.2, again same as that of iPhone 5S.
Additionally, True Tone flash remains, which is great. It's a dual-colour or dual-temperature flash that has each colour firing at varying intensities based on the scene to make sure colours and skin tone stay true. This is a feature that no other smartphone really offers right now.
iPhone 6: Focus Pixels
Apple introduced a new feature called Focus Pixels, which is just its fancy way of saying that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus both have phase detection autofocus. Having phase detection AF is excellent, and slightly faster than contrast detection AF.
The iSight's camera has pixels paired for phase detection autofocus, basically like using an old range-finder camera or SLR, where you look through the viewfinder and try to align the two images that are slightly blurred.
As the lens or module in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus move forward and back, these phase detection pixels on the sensor will determine when your subject is in focus and stop the movement. Then you'll be ready to take the photo.
Apple says that this makes autofocus faster than ever on the iPhone, and we can't wait to test it out against the iPhone 5S to see if it's a tangible and noticeable difference.
iPhone 6: Image quality
Apple doesn't go into detail about some of the new features that it mentioned, but I can give it my best shot. The first is tone mapping, which Apple says is improved in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus iSight cameras.
Basically, tone mapping is image processing, and when Apple says it's improved in the new iSight camera, I'm guessing what it means is that colour and detail rendition, especially in highlights and shadows, are better preserved and represented.
We all know that the photos we take can look a little flat, or just plain wrong in terms of highlight and shadow detail and exposure. Apple is probably taking steps to improve this so you have to do less work in post-processing photos.
The next item touched on is noise reduction. Now, there are two types of noise in photos: luminance and colour noise. Luminance noise tends to happen in lowlight situations, or in shadow areas of your photos. You'll see pixels that are bright and speckled, which makes the darker photos or shadow areas look muddled.
Colour noise can do the same thing to colors, making them look less smooth. You're not getting an accurate representation of what you've actually photographed.
The trouble with noise reduction, especially in smartphone cameras with tiny sensors and puny lenses, is that images tend to become smudged as image processing software reduces noise. Apple says that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cameras will retain sharpness while applying noise reduction. This is a common technique, but images start to look fake when either process is strengthened.
When it comes to noise reduction, I'd like to see large versions of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus photos to see just how good, or bad, the photos really are.
Video capture received some major improvements in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The iSight camera still records at 1080p video, but in addition to 1080p at 30fps, you'll be able to record Full HD video at 60fps, too. That ought to make smoother looking videos, with the downside of probably larger file sizes.
Slo-mo video on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus has also been improved. When it was included in the iPhone 5S, Slo-mo video at 120fps was a neat feature that had pretty limited use cases. I'd imagine it's going to be the same with THE NEW IPHONES, although at 240fps, you can probably give fast-moving objects and people a cooler effect. You'll also be able to record 240fps at 720p, so you won't be sacrificing much quality at all.
Apple also calls the new image stabilization feature in the iSight camera "Cinematic video stabilization." Image stabilization, whether digital or optical, isn't new to smartphone camera technology, either. However, with other phones, it can give mixed and varied results. We're curious to try this out with varying intensities to see just how well it works.
IPHONE 6 and 6 Plus: Image stabilization
There is a big difference between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus when it comes to the way image stabilization works. For the iPhone 6, there is digital image stabilization. This means that it's likely that software is doing a good chunk of the work in keeping your image sharp even if there is slight movement in the camera.
The iPhone 6 Plus, however, gets the better end of the deal with OIS, or optical image stabilization. With OIS, the lenses, or elements, or camera module — or a combination of any of those three — will move to counteract the motion of the phone itself. This is, historically, far better than digital image stabilization.
Again, these features will be interesting to test against each other. Right now, we're guessing that the iPhone 6 Plus with OIS will buy you more light and forgiveness to motion and camera jerkiness.
iLove the iSight camera
Most smartphone photographers agree that the iPhone has had the best all-around camera amongst all other smartphones. In some cases it performs even better than point-and-shoot and compact cameras. All the while, Apple continues to work to improve the iSight camera on the iPhone, and it's great.
Apple has always tried to take most of the guesswork away from having to shoot photos. The iSight cameras on the iPhone have always done a pretty good job at nailing exposure and reducing motion blur, along with taking decent photos in low light.
With the addition of filters and video features over time, the iPhone's camera has become more versatile than ever. I'd imagine that the new iSight camera features on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, coupled with the new features in iOS 8, will take Apple's philosophy on making a solid smartphone camera even further.
If you love photography, especially smartphone photography, these upgrades are enough reason to get excited about the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
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