Briefly: iPhone Software 3.0 taking better camera snapshots
Beta versions of Apple's iPhone 3.0 software are consistently producing clearer, more detailed photos when running on the same iPhone 3G hardware as the latest public release of the software, new tests show.
The folks over at iPhones.ru ran a series of tests 30 times over in which they compared photos of the same objects or scenes taken on an iPhone 3G running iPhone Software 2.2.1 with another running a beta of iPhone Software 3.0.
They claim that in most cases, the iPhone running 3.0 produced photos with noticeably better quality and clarity than the iPhone running 2.2.1. A pair of comparison photos exemplifying their findings can be seen below.
Intrigued, Gizmodo followed up with a brief test of its own in a dark lighting scenario -- one of the iPhone camera's weak spots -- and similarly found the iPhone running 3.0 to have produced a much clearer snapshot with better detail in dark areas of the scene (seen, below, in the second pair of photos).
There's therefore some speculation that Apple may be making tweaks to the iPhone's Camera software that make it better at exposing bright light sources while reducing overexposure of photos taken in low lighting scenarios.
A handful of third-party iPhone apps have long attempted to address the iPhone's propensity to produce poor photos in dark lighting, like Night Camera, which leverages the handset's accelerometer to snap a photo the instant it feels the iPhone is most stable in the user's hand.
If Apple is indeed making improvements to the iPhone's camera app, those changes should benefit users of both the original iPhone and iPhone 3G, both of which sport a 2.0 megapixel digital camera.
The company's next-generation iPhone hardware has been rumored to include a 3.2 megapixel camera. AppleInsider was also first to report in March that this new camera will be capable of taking video.
iPhone Software 3.0 is due out sometime this summer.
The folks over at iPhones.ru ran a series of tests 30 times over in which they compared photos of the same objects or scenes taken on an iPhone 3G running iPhone Software 2.2.1 with another running a beta of iPhone Software 3.0.
They claim that in most cases, the iPhone running 3.0 produced photos with noticeably better quality and clarity than the iPhone running 2.2.1. A pair of comparison photos exemplifying their findings can be seen below.
Intrigued, Gizmodo followed up with a brief test of its own in a dark lighting scenario -- one of the iPhone camera's weak spots -- and similarly found the iPhone running 3.0 to have produced a much clearer snapshot with better detail in dark areas of the scene (seen, below, in the second pair of photos).
There's therefore some speculation that Apple may be making tweaks to the iPhone's Camera software that make it better at exposing bright light sources while reducing overexposure of photos taken in low lighting scenarios.
A handful of third-party iPhone apps have long attempted to address the iPhone's propensity to produce poor photos in dark lighting, like Night Camera, which leverages the handset's accelerometer to snap a photo the instant it feels the iPhone is most stable in the user's hand.
If Apple is indeed making improvements to the iPhone's camera app, those changes should benefit users of both the original iPhone and iPhone 3G, both of which sport a 2.0 megapixel digital camera.
The company's next-generation iPhone hardware has been rumored to include a 3.2 megapixel camera. AppleInsider was also first to report in March that this new camera will be capable of taking video.
iPhone Software 3.0 is due out sometime this summer.
Comments
Yep, they look better.
Definitely.
A feature to improve video capture?
I thought I had read somewhere that the camera doesn't lend itself to video capture very well. I'm not able to find the article though.
I wonder if it's also able to snap closeups such as UPC symbols, etc. in better focus. I suspect not though as that's a limitation of the lens?
I thought I had read somewhere that the camera doesn't lend itself to video capture very well. I'm not able to find the article though.
Dude- a $29 no name brand cellphone can capture video if the software is there. Blame Apple on not having that for 2 years not the camera.
Some color noise removal would have been a nice addition but you can see in the shadows that problem is still there. A Photoshop filter improves this but they could have implemented it directly on the phone.
While it's interesting that they "look better" now, it also rather sad that 2 years later with the same camera only now produces better results. Video could have also been captured with the same camera- no doubt. In other words it's not the camera but the software that was lacking- as I've always stated but was struck down by the fanboyz.
Can't argue with you on that, but hey at least there is an improvement. Makes me feel that my 3G phone won't be completely obsolete!
Dude- a $29 no name brand camera can capture video if the software is there. Blame Apple on not having that for 2 years not the camera.
Dude - If it's just software why isn't the jailbroken program good at capturing it? Cause it sucks.
I wish HTC would take a lesson from Apple and update their camera on the touch pro. It's a decent camera for a phone, but it definitely has much more potential.
Dude - If it's just software why isn't the jailbroken program good at capturing it? Cause it sucks.
This IS just software. People can say it's an artificial limitation, but it could also just be a planned upgrade. There is such thing as a software development life cycle, and some SDLC's last longer than others. Why hold back the release of a good phone because one piece of the software isn't finished?
It was quite clear when taking pictures that there was something wrong with the software as the image quality changes dynamically based on the light intensity. If you put an object on a dark background vs a light background, the iphone automatically corrects the overall image in software and can make the same object appear completely different.
Some color noise removal would have been a nice addition but you can see in the shadows that problem is still there. A Photoshop filter improves this but they could have implemented it directly on the phone.
The noise can to some degree be put down to the sensor and the lens though can't it? This same software running on the newer, better hardware would produce excellent pictures. At least as good as your average Canon point and click IMO.
If as the rumour goes, Apple is coming out with a new iPhone and a new "video" iPhone, it wouldn't make sense for them to use the same hardware, otherwise why not enable video on the non video enabled iPhone? So if it's true that this is in the plans, then this would allow Apple to say that the picture quality has been improved across the board (even for 3G!), but that if you really want to you can go full HD, and full video by buying the new high end model.
Why hold back the release of a good phone because one piece of the software isn't finished?
Thank you, iStink - well said. Now tell that to all the other haters who nitpick about individual features lacking from the iPhone while they neglect the "big picture." It's quite obvious that at least 17 million people are willing to overlook a small number of individual features in exchange for a superior overall experience.
My guess Russian ATM???
So if thats the case Pussy & Money are the photographers subjects?
Woah.
While it's interesting that they "look better" now, it also rather sad that 2 years later with the same camera only now produces better results. Video could have also been captured with the same camera- no doubt. In other words it's not the camera but the software that was lacking- as I've always stated but was struck down by the fanboyz.
Dude, there is this little thing called "time," and this other thing called "work."
Something being possible, does not equate to there being "no reason" why it can't be done. The first camera software was a fantastic achievement considering the pictures it produces are far better than any other camera with the same modest specs can produce. After years of hard work by lots and lots of people it's about to get a bit better, but you are critical of this? WTF?
I know I bug you sometimes by referring to your arguments as juvenile, but this goes to the heart of that. Apple is getting set to present you with this great present wherein the iPhone camera will take better pictures than it has before, it's FREE, and all you have to say is (effectively) "shoulda come sooner?"
And you wonder why people sometimes think of your statements as petulant or immature?
If someone invented an anti-gravity device tomorrow morning, would you just say "it's about time?" Or do you actually have any idea of the amount of hard work that goes into things like software development (and anti-gravity devices)?
Why don't you just buy an iPhone and get it over with? We all know you rarely criticise the Apple products you actually buy, just the ones you know nothing about.
Thank you, iStink - well said. Now tell that to all the other haters who nitpick about individual features lacking from the iPhone while they neglect the "big picture." It's quite obvious that at least 17 million people are willing to overlook a small number of individual features in exchange for a superior overall experience.
Well the only gripe I have about it is how they release the updates. Wouldn't it be better to release things as they're finished, and not bundle them up as one big release? For all we know this camera enhancement has been finished for the past 4 months, know what I mean? It doesn't matter much now because all that waiting will result in what people have been asking for, but if MMS was done at Christmas, imagine how many Christmas photos could have been sent lol.
But that's all speculation. Each development team could have just been given a deadline and some teams worked feverishly everyday to meet the deadline while others spread their work out and lollygagged because they knew they would be done in time no problem.
Ok, I'm done ranting