Apple's latest iPhone 7 Plus commercial showcases dual-lens 'Portrait' photo mode

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2017
Apple on Saturday published a new ad highlighting Portrait mode, an iPhone 7 Plus exclusive feature that seamlessly blends image data from the handset's dual cameras to create artificial bokeh.




Titled "Take Mine," the spot revolves around a young woman returning home to her small Greek village armed with a new iPhone 7 Plus, in rose gold of course. Pulling the device out, navigating to the Camera app and selecting "Portrait," our heroine snaps a photo of her grandmother, who is duly impressed by the results.

From there Apple takes us on a whirlwind trip through town, with seemingly everyone wanting their picture taken with the new iPhone technology. From businessmen to fishermen, schoolgirls to shepherds, iPhone 7 Plus captures each with aplomb.

Actual Portrait Mode photos are sprinkled throughout the ad, showing off the feature's versatility and ability to capture an impressive depth-of-field effect with only a screen tap.





First announced during Apple's iPhone 7 reveal in September, Portrait Mode actually shipped to iPhone 7 Plus owners with iOS 10.1 in late October.

The hardware-specific function uses iPhone 7 Plus' wide angle and telephoto lenses, complex computer vision algorithms and depth mapping to create a series of image layers. With input from the user, the mode is able to sharpen certain layers, like those with a subject, and selectively unfocus others using a custom blur technique. The result is a creamy, yet natural, scene rendition with added bokeh.

Today's ad is part of Apple's "practically magic" iPhone commercial series which started with "Balloons" in September and continued in December with "Frankie's Holiday." The ads aim to tout iPhone 7's standout capabilities, the most important of which seem to involve the handset's camera system.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    What a great commercial.
    NotsofastAnna w
  • Reply 2 of 15
    Beautiful little village.  Anyone know what it is?
  • Reply 3 of 15
    Love the new commercial location s to view people with no special effects added just genuine day to day people
  • Reply 4 of 15
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    Anna w said:
    Love the new commercial location s to view people with no special effects added just genuine day to day people
    And almost every shot is beautiful if you pause the video anywhere. 
  • Reply 5 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Right.

    Now.

    Now I get it.

    A great ad.





    edited January 2017
  • Reply 6 of 15
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    Brilliant advert. Its message really is, 'Have the best camera with you to capture the most precious moments of your life, when you travel.'  People will grok this subconsciously, and that'll go a long way in the minds of many in justifying the price of an iPhone.  Just think how the cost of a smartphone compares with the thousands upon thousands of dollars/euros/etc you spend on a vacation.  Apple is brilliant to relate the two in such an effective manner.  
  • Reply 7 of 15
    I have never seen so many people who never had their picture taken. What an obnoxious ad. 
  • Reply 8 of 15
    kamiltonkamilton Posts: 282member
    It's not about the camera.  It's about what the camera captures.  Love it.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    I love how portrait mode works. It brings more attention to the person you are snapping in a way standard photos never did on the iPhone. I clicked the same person in the same setting with and without Portrait mode and the difference is really noticeable. It is a very nice addition to the camera.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    Interesting how in almost every shot you can notice a bit of reflected light on the subject to the side, as if someone were holding a reflector for the shot (notice the difference between the video and the photo). In other words that bit of light isn't coming from the phone. It's not HDR either. But it shows the person taking the picture as normal...
  • Reply 11 of 15
    The region is Mani Greece. Many picturesque villages you can discern as set of the commercial Limeni - Neo Itilo - Areopoli
  • Reply 12 of 15
    What a great commercial. 

    The scenes of the Greek village and people are wonderful. I have a real problem with the music. Greeks do NOT yodel. Considering the location of the ad, why not use bouzouki music which clearly identifies with Greece? The music ruins what the ad sought to highlight. The yodeling is annoying. 
  • Reply 13 of 15
    What a great commercial. 

    The scenes of the Greek village and people are wonderful. I have a real problem with the music. Greeks do NOT yodel. Considering the location of the ad, why not use bouzouki music which clearly identifies with Greece? The music ruins what the ad sought to highlight. The yodeling is annoying. 
    Totally agree!  The music was AWFUL!!! 
  • Reply 14 of 15
    GeorgiakGeorgiak Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    It's not the music only. It's 100% fiction. This kind of life, and people existed 60, 70 years ago! So, Apple created a commercial about what THEY think Greece, and Greeks are, and they are off by many decades! 
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