Consumer Reports: 'Purple haze' not limited to iPhone 5, Android cameras also have flare
Consumer Reports on Wednesday declared that Apple's iPhone 5 is no more susceptible to lens flare than other smartphone-based cameras, including the latest devices running Google Android.
In response to reports about a so-called "purple haze" effect when taking photos with the iPhone 5 camera in bright light, the consumer advocacy group did a number of tests with smartphone cameras. Their results found that the iPhone 5 did display a "haze" when photos were taken in bright light, but the issue was no more pronounced with Apple's latest handset than with other devices.
Comparable issues with smartphone cameras were found with the iPhone 4S, the Samsung Galaxy S III, and the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx. All of the devices were tested under the same conditions in Consumer Reports' labs.
Their tests found that the haze captured by smartphone cameras was sometimes purple, while other times it was a different color. In some tests, the flare formed on images as a rainbow of colors.
"All camera lenses, even those made for expensive SLRs, can yield lens flare, which is produced by scattered reflections inside the lens from a bright light source," Consumer Reports said. "How much flare appears in an image depends on how you orient the lens."
While the organization acknowledged the problem "can be annoying," they also said it's not likely to be something that will affect most photos. Users are also advised to minimize its presence by using their hand to shield their phone's camera lens from sunlight.
Days after the iPhone 5 was released, the so-called "purple haze" issue was noted by users online. While some speculated it could be related to a defect with the phone, further investigation revealed the problem is common with many modern digital cameras, especially miniaturized devices.
Over the weekend, Apple posted a support document on its website addressing the camera flare controversy. It noted that most small cameras, including those in every generation of iPhone, could exhibit some form of flare at the edges of the frame when capturing images with out-of-scene light sources.
In response to reports about a so-called "purple haze" effect when taking photos with the iPhone 5 camera in bright light, the consumer advocacy group did a number of tests with smartphone cameras. Their results found that the iPhone 5 did display a "haze" when photos were taken in bright light, but the issue was no more pronounced with Apple's latest handset than with other devices.
Comparable issues with smartphone cameras were found with the iPhone 4S, the Samsung Galaxy S III, and the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx. All of the devices were tested under the same conditions in Consumer Reports' labs.
Their tests found that the haze captured by smartphone cameras was sometimes purple, while other times it was a different color. In some tests, the flare formed on images as a rainbow of colors.
"All camera lenses, even those made for expensive SLRs, can yield lens flare, which is produced by scattered reflections inside the lens from a bright light source," Consumer Reports said. "How much flare appears in an image depends on how you orient the lens."
While the organization acknowledged the problem "can be annoying," they also said it's not likely to be something that will affect most photos. Users are also advised to minimize its presence by using their hand to shield their phone's camera lens from sunlight.
Days after the iPhone 5 was released, the so-called "purple haze" issue was noted by users online. While some speculated it could be related to a defect with the phone, further investigation revealed the problem is common with many modern digital cameras, especially miniaturized devices.
Over the weekend, Apple posted a support document on its website addressing the camera flare controversy. It noted that most small cameras, including those in every generation of iPhone, could exhibit some form of flare at the edges of the frame when capturing images with out-of-scene light sources.
Comments
So are we supposed to be for or against CR, then?
LOL
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland
So are we supposed to be for or against CR, then?
LOL
Frenemy
Easy. I'm for CR when they actually do a reasonable test and reach a scientifically supportable conclusion.
I'm against CR when they editorialize and make pronouncements based on nothing but unfounded opinions.
So what part of that don't you understand?
THE END
- Another 'Applegate' production
Originally Posted by jragosta
Easy. I'm for CR when they actually do a reasonable test and reach a scientifically supportable conclusion.
I'm against CR when they editorialize and make pronouncements based on nothing but unfounded opinions.
So what part of that don't you understand?
Many trolls people consider that to be "holding a double standard", and that we must perpetually be 100% for or against the actions that an individual or company takes. At least, that's my attempt at an explanation. Do you think that jives with what we hear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by matrix07
This is weird. CR is behaving strange lately.
No they are maximizing their "earned marketing" by staying relevant. [1]
Sometimes, their findings and ratings are at odds with their recommendations... like the "antennagate" controversy - highest rated phone - no recommend - huh?
I bought a highly CR-recommended fridge and it's had more problems in one year than my old house's 10-year old clunker ... and it's noisy.
Sometimes they're in sync and make complete sense (plenty of other stuff they recommended and I bought are doing fine - like my 7 year old Dyson vacuum).
[1] http://www.quora.com/Marketing/What-is-Earned-Marketing
The fact that people are complaining about this show how many clueless people are allow to buy things which they do not know how to use.
If you do not what this kind of problem go buy a $1000 SLA with some good lens and 3 ccd and take a photo class or two any maybe the purple haze can be a photo shop exercise.
So you saw this too! Does this mean that It's not just me having some hallucinations?
Between hazegate, scuffgate, mapgate and glitchgate, heads should be rolling at Apple. If Steve were still alive, you can be damn sure they would be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by r00fus
No they are maximizing their "earned marketing" by staying relevant. [1]
Sometimes, their findings and ratings are at odds with their recommendations... like the "antennagate" controversy - highest rated phone - no recommend - huh?
I bought a highly CR-recommended fridge and it's had more problems in one year than my old house's 10-year old clunker ... and it's noisy.
Sometimes they're in sync and make complete sense (plenty of other stuff they recommended and I bought are doing fine - like my 7 year old Dyson vacuum).
[1] http://www.quora.com/Marketing/What-is-Earned-Marketing
I not sure about that one either, Dyson product show up on Woot all the time more than any other single product and they are all refurbish, you have to ask yourself why Dyson likes dumping so many of their vacuum on woot and other places all the time. You might have gotten on the one of the good one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rabbit_Coach
Code:
Quote:
Originally Posted by matrix07
This is weird. CR is behaving strange lately.
So you saw this too! Does this mean that It's not just me having some hallucinations?
Not necessarily. CR could be behaving strangely AND you are hallucinating.
They only complain when it's an Apple product because Apple users demand the highest quality and when it happens on a Windows or Android phone, they EXPECT it to not work well.
Either way, if you get flare in the camera lens, it's probably due to an inexperienced photographer that doesn't know where to have the light source. You should have the light source (sun or bright lights) BEHIND the photographer NOT the subject, UNLESS you have a proper filter or know what you're doing.
Maybe they should give users of mobile devices with a camera the do's and don'ts of taking a decent photograph.
Purple Haze also shows up whenever I play Jimi Hendrix tunes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
They only complain when it's an Apple product because Apple users demand the highest quality and when it happens on a Windows or Android phone, they EXPECT it to not work well.
Either way, if you get flare in the camera lens, it's probably due to an inexperienced photographer that doesn't know where to have the light source. You should have the light source (sun or bright lights) BEHIND the photographer NOT the subject, UNLESS you have a proper filter or know what you're doing.
Maybe they should give users of mobile devices with a camera the do's and don'ts of taking a decent photograph.
two wrongs make a right - apple - Perhaps that's why Android / Windows phones don't cost as much.
Not to Rant on CR, but face it they trash products base on the surveys they send out to people to ask them about the problems they had with the product. We all know human behavior will cause people to complain more about something they hate or had problems with verse telling people how much they love something or never had a problem with. There is an old saying when some had a bad experience they tell 11 people, when they have a good experience they tell 3. CR usually is one of the 11 being told someone had a problem.
For get their opinions, I use to read their reports all the time and had products they rate poor or bad based on people expeirence and I never had those so called problems and talked to and knew lots of who had the same problem and they too never had the issue the CR claims exist with the product. All things fail, and just because someone complained it failed does not mean it a poor product.
Case an point if CR was really doing real testing they would have found this issue a long time ago which happens with cheap camera and explained to people you get what you paid for.They would have shown people the difference of a SLA camera verse a point and shoot. People use to know back in the day the cheap-o point and shots never took very good pictures, today people thing a camera in a phone should work like and SLA that cost $1000's.
please ad a sarcasm sign (e.g. /s). There are actually people visiting this site, who believe this nonsens. Can you believe that?
Yeah sometimes when the weed and the music is just right.....