iPhone 8 Plus best performing smartphone camera ever, iPhone X expected to be better
While the new iPhone 8 did very well beating all other manufacturer's devices in testing by DxOMark, the iPhone 8 Plus is the undisputed champion of all other smartphones ever produced.
In a review published on Friday, the iPhone 8 Plus was heralded for "under-the-hood upgrades" giving the camera notable improvements in almost every tested category. The iPhone 8 scored 92 points, with the iPhone 8 Plus scoring 94.
For comparison, the previous champion was the Google Pixel scoring 90.
Compared to the iPhone 7 family, DxOMark has determined that the iPhone 8 models do a better job of capturing HDR shots. The company cites better detail preservation and overall exposure than the iPhone 7 Plus.
The biggest improvements have come in the zoom feature in the iPhone 8 Plus. Scoring a full five points better than the iPhone 7 Plus in testing, the new iPhone 8 Plus exhibited improved framing and detail presentation over the predecessor.
Another five-point gain is gleaned in Bokeh, mostly delivered by the processing power boost in the iPhone 8 Plus.
"[The iPhone 8 Plus] features outstanding image quality, zoom for those needing to get closer to their subjects, and an industry-leading Portrait mode for artistic efforts," wrote DxOMark. "It is at the top of our scoring charts in nearly every category -- and in particular, its advanced software allows it to do an amazing job of capturing high-dynamic range scenes and images in which it can recognize faces."
The company notes that the iPhone X camera with a wider aperture than the iPhone 8 Plus will be on "the cutting edge of zoom and portrait performance."
Still photography and video are combined into one score. Breaking out the scores separately, the Google Pixel scored 90 in still photography and 91 in video, with the iPhone 8 Plus coming in at 96 and 89 respectively.
In a review published on Friday, the iPhone 8 Plus was heralded for "under-the-hood upgrades" giving the camera notable improvements in almost every tested category. The iPhone 8 scored 92 points, with the iPhone 8 Plus scoring 94.
For comparison, the previous champion was the Google Pixel scoring 90.
Compared to the iPhone 7 family, DxOMark has determined that the iPhone 8 models do a better job of capturing HDR shots. The company cites better detail preservation and overall exposure than the iPhone 7 Plus.
The biggest improvements have come in the zoom feature in the iPhone 8 Plus. Scoring a full five points better than the iPhone 7 Plus in testing, the new iPhone 8 Plus exhibited improved framing and detail presentation over the predecessor.
Another five-point gain is gleaned in Bokeh, mostly delivered by the processing power boost in the iPhone 8 Plus.
"[The iPhone 8 Plus] features outstanding image quality, zoom for those needing to get closer to their subjects, and an industry-leading Portrait mode for artistic efforts," wrote DxOMark. "It is at the top of our scoring charts in nearly every category -- and in particular, its advanced software allows it to do an amazing job of capturing high-dynamic range scenes and images in which it can recognize faces."
The company notes that the iPhone X camera with a wider aperture than the iPhone 8 Plus will be on "the cutting edge of zoom and portrait performance."
Still photography and video are combined into one score. Breaking out the scores separately, the Google Pixel scored 90 in still photography and 91 in video, with the iPhone 8 Plus coming in at 96 and 89 respectively.
Comments
The previous test pretty much ignored computational imaging with multiple image sensors. They are in the process of retesting many devices, and finally got around to testing the iPhone 7 Plus.
They days of large aperture, single sensor smartphones topping dxomark is pretty much over.
Something seems to be off in your reasoning or are saying this year will be the year to buck that trend?
What will you say if this time next year if Android is still leaving Apple in the dust?
You also seem to be ignoring the "arms" race going on. Apple will be one of the survivors, as will Google, Samsung, and one of the Chinese companies. Everybody else will fall behind because they can't afford to make the devices that people want and also make the money that they need to keep developing. The result is more of the commodity race to the bottom.
You also fail to note that Apple will still likely retain 80% of the profits in smartphones, Samsung 15% and other, 5%. Nobody gives a shit about marketshare once you have the numbers for optimum production, which Apple certainly has.
Lather, rinse, repeat, every fracking year.
HINT: DxO sells "consulting services" and related camera optimization software called DxO Analyzer. If a camera manufacturer follows their advice, tweaking their camera software here and there it follows that it should do very well on the DxOMark score since it's based on what is suggested in DxOAnalyzer.
I brought that up when the Pixel topped last year's ratings so I'm not suddenly turning on them or changing any opinion I previously offered when Apple was NOT on the top of their rankings.
this, don't you?
Apple, nor any other manufacturer for that matter, would have known of the new test procedures, since they didn't exist prior to a few days before the new iPhone announcements. Manufacturers would have been building their imaging systems based on their own internal development and testing.
If Apple does well on a test, it is precisely because they actually had to spend shitloads of money on the resources to make it happen. Real world tests and reviews by professional photographers validates this. I would argue the same for whatever devices are upcoming; you actually have to spend a shitload of money to compete in imaging.
By the way if they did not test the iPhone7 Plus last year it was most likely because Apple made the choice of not submitting it for testing rather than they "didn't get around to it". If Apple felt published results for the 7Plus were important they would have paid DxO to test and Dxo would have done so.
I'm not saying the most recent iPhone camera's aren't the best available in a smartphone, anymore than I said last year's Pixel was not. But actual results in your hand, and under multiple conditions are all that should matter. DxOMark scores are not necessarily "unbiased". You have no idea and no way to find out whether a particular camera was tweaked by DxO during "consultancy" before being submitted for testing or not. Therefor their comparison scoring can always be suspect....
and TBH what really separates a camera rated at 92 from a camera rated at 91?
If you love your camera, it's easy to use, and the results please both you and your audience it matters not what it's DxO score was, and in the case of iPhone owners that's what they experience. iPhone cameras have always been great, you don't Need DxO to tell you that...
...but DxO for obvious business reasons will try to be convincing you and more importantly the camera manufacturers it wants to sell its services to that the 1 point really REALLY matters and with DxO's help they can close that 1 point gap if not better it. Publically promoted DxOMark scores make a great cattle-prod for leading camera manufacturers to their consulting services.