Apple's iPhone 7 camera tops competition despite smaller sensor in DxOMark review
Imaging specialist DxO recently wrapped up its evaluation of Apple's iPhone 7, noting the new smartphone flagship raises an already high bar set by previous models thanks to Digital Cinema (DCI-P3) color gamut support, class-leading image stabilization, fast autofocus and other enhancements.
The 4.7-inch iPhone 7 rated a DxOMark Mobile score of 86, outperforming last year's iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 6s, which received scores of 84 and 82, respectively. Apple's latest flagship ranks among the top three smartphones tested by DxO.
As noted in an extensive review, iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and 7 all feature a 12-megapixel sensor and 28-millimeter equivalent lens, but this year's iPhone sports a brighter f/1.8 lens, optical image stabilization and improved image processing. The sensor itself is also upgraded for 2016.
"While Apple's flagship phones have a smaller sensor than most of their competitors, Apple uses a variety of innovative technologies to create a compelling smartphone experience in a very-thin form factor" said Frédéric Guichard, Chief Scientist at DxO. "That includes high-performance lens design, efficient sensor electronics, built-in optical image stabilization and, of course, a high performance multi-image processing pipeline."
Highlights from DxO testing include vastly improved still image quality with superior texture reproduction and reduced artifacts compared to iPhone 6s Plus. Accurate white balance and color rendering help drive a still photo sub-score of 86, while OIS and smooth autofocus resulted in a video sub-score of 85.
On the negative side, DxO noted a drop off in fine detail, focusing irregularities and visible luminance in low-light settings. OIS helped alleviate camera shake in dark scenes, though motion blur was noticeable in some low-light exposures.
The quad-LED True Tone flash is a solid performer with strong light production and accurate tonal reproduction. DxO did find a sharp drop-off in corners toward the edge of the frame, as can be expected from a camera phone.
DxO's review goes on to detail the implications of iPhone 7's new wide color gamut, RAW image file support and camera design.
DxO plans is currently evaluating iPhone 7 Plus, which boasts two camera modules instead of the single unit found on iPhone 7. Apple's larger model should boast identical specs for its wide-angle lens, but adds a for optical zoom. A new portrait mode analyzes and merges data from both cameras to create a shallow depth of field effect, keeping the subject in sharp focus against a creamy bokeh.
The 4.7-inch iPhone 7 rated a DxOMark Mobile score of 86, outperforming last year's iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 6s, which received scores of 84 and 82, respectively. Apple's latest flagship ranks among the top three smartphones tested by DxO.
As noted in an extensive review, iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and 7 all feature a 12-megapixel sensor and 28-millimeter equivalent lens, but this year's iPhone sports a brighter f/1.8 lens, optical image stabilization and improved image processing. The sensor itself is also upgraded for 2016.
"While Apple's flagship phones have a smaller sensor than most of their competitors, Apple uses a variety of innovative technologies to create a compelling smartphone experience in a very-thin form factor" said Frédéric Guichard, Chief Scientist at DxO. "That includes high-performance lens design, efficient sensor electronics, built-in optical image stabilization and, of course, a high performance multi-image processing pipeline."
Highlights from DxO testing include vastly improved still image quality with superior texture reproduction and reduced artifacts compared to iPhone 6s Plus. Accurate white balance and color rendering help drive a still photo sub-score of 86, while OIS and smooth autofocus resulted in a video sub-score of 85.
On the negative side, DxO noted a drop off in fine detail, focusing irregularities and visible luminance in low-light settings. OIS helped alleviate camera shake in dark scenes, though motion blur was noticeable in some low-light exposures.
The quad-LED True Tone flash is a solid performer with strong light production and accurate tonal reproduction. DxO did find a sharp drop-off in corners toward the edge of the frame, as can be expected from a camera phone.
DxO's review goes on to detail the implications of iPhone 7's new wide color gamut, RAW image file support and camera design.
DxO plans is currently evaluating iPhone 7 Plus, which boasts two camera modules instead of the single unit found on iPhone 7. Apple's larger model should boast identical specs for its wide-angle lens, but adds a for optical zoom. A new portrait mode analyzes and merges data from both cameras to create a shallow depth of field effect, keeping the subject in sharp focus against a creamy bokeh.
Comments
That's how Apple tops the competition.
http://i.imgur.com/cMsKZmR.jpg
Thats a ceiling light, but it's the next major camera upgrade to smartphones. Three optical lenses.
This is the biggest problem with iPhone 7 camera as I've seen in published comparisons. Apparently Apple couldn't manage the f/1.8 aperture washing out everything with excessive light. If a camera fails in "very tricky or high-contrast scenes" then it is not a good camera.
Apple's iPhone 7 camera tops competition
Go to the S7 edge and actually look at the photo comparisons - I'm sure it's not just me but the photos it takes look like ass.
Scroll down to the Texture category, the S7 has a very high score of 91, yet take one look at the examples and it's clear that it does an awful job of fine detail and clearly uses an indiscriminate sharpness filter. (The best there is clearly the 6S - the image actually looks proper.)
That pattern of bias follows all the way through, and their outcomes don't match my own experience using the S7: firstly it performs poorly in low light (the white balance is always off and the colours are heavily graded) and it absolutely suffers in detailed photos, especially ones where there are lots of coloured patterns. (e.g. grass)
Thinner design does not justify mediocre camera.
iPhone 6s camera without OIS is better than 7 in terms of tonal range. Both phones have the same form factor.
Their camera components are larger, but that's a moot point since Rogifan's comment is regarding's AI's falsified title.
Personally, I had never heard of DxO and I find the both the differences in scores and quality to be marginal. My concern is the camera working well and being easily accessible on the few occasions I have to use it. Having read the original article I see pictures of what looks like an excellent and fair lab for testing, and nothing in the writing that reads as bias against Apple. The only bias I found is seeing this article today on AI, and then your posts defending AI's inaccurate title.
PS: They are all (or mostly) in the 5" range, which can measured by being 4.51—5.49" or 5.00—5.99".
2) I'm not sure how I let you jack this thread. There is no rule where the display size directly affects the camera components you use. Apple could make the camera components much larger if they wanted. There are innumerable phones with much larger cameras and much smaller displays that have been around for well over a decade. I seem to recall some Nokia and Sony phones that looked more camera than phone.
Here's a Samsung device you can currently buy that has a sub-5" display and considerably larger camera components… which you claim is impossible due to some erroneous tie-in to the display size. Now, you can claim that's ridiculous in a smartphone for the masses (I'll add the qualifier that you would have failed to include), that it's a much thicker phone, that it's at the expense of many other components (e.g.: battery capacity), and that it doesn't necessary take better phones just because their lenses and sensors are better. Those would all be great points regarding this product except they are meaningless to your original device that the title is accurate as stated—which it's not.
3) You sound like the crazy Trump supporters claiming that the debate was rigged against Trump so didn't have a change or winning while also saying that he handedly beat Clinton. You're claiming the website's testing methodology is completely flawed while also claiming their testing results show the iPhone won, after you afix your own qualifiers to it. Why does it bother you that other smartphones have good cameras, too? How does that negatively affect your iPhone's camera usage?