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Why is it so impossible for me to take consistently good photos with my 6?
- Thread starter munkydust
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Seems to be both noise reduction and excessively low contrast.
Here's an image shamelessly stolen from the above review:
I've noticed the contrast issue in many 6+ photos, to the point that it's a big groan moment whenever I see a comparison. The low contrast only works well in certain low-light scenes, which incidentally are the scenes chosen for many of the earliest iPhone 6/6+ reviews. Hmmm...
I think it makes perfect sense to shrink photos for Apple's new iCloud photo management scheme. If this is the reason, then Apple could have included an option to take better photos when not using iCloud - but that would create a world of bad PR surrounding iCloud.
Shrinking photos to fit on a 16GB iPhone? I guess it's possible but it seems to me that Apple would want them larger so as to compell users to spend more on higher capacity iPhones.
I'd also like to remind everyone who sees this thread - Apple don't care about some thread at MacRumors.
We've got to send Apple feedback.
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I'd like to know the same. I only recently got my Iphone 6 and never took any photos with 8.0 - only with 8.1 - Not very pleased with it but ok.
Anyone noticed an improvement from this update?
Well, I honestly haven't thought to try it again on iOS. 8.1 (will try my rabbit again in the morning) but a few shots seem to point that Apple may have reduced it a little, but it's still there.
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I will say that images I import from my iphohe 6 have only been like 1-2MB whereas my 4S pictures were like 3-4.5MB.
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I will say that images I import from my iphohe 6 have only been like 1-2MB whereas my 4S pictures were like 3-4.5MB.
I went into iPhoto and made Smart Albums that automatically picked out all the photos in my library taken by the iPhone 4, 5 and 6 Plus, just so I could get a feel for their image sizes. I'm really not seeing this dramatic difference that people are talking about. Obviously the size of image files varies greatly with the subject matter, so I selected the first 200 photos in each smart album to get the total size.
iPhone 4: 357MB (average of 1.785MB per image)
iPhone 5: 400MB (average of 2MB per image)
iPhone 6 Plus: 537MB (average of 2.685MB per image)
This isn't exactly scientific, and my hunch is that the average file size produced by all of these phones is actually more or less the same. (I took a lot of outdoors photos with varied backgrounds and people with the 6+, and that may have resulted in bigger files.) But if the iPhone 6/6+ was producing images that were half the size of previous photos as some are claiming, this result should not be possible.
iPhone 4: 357MB (average of 1.785MB per image)
iPhone 5: 400MB (average of 2MB per image)
iPhone 6 Plus: 537MB (average of 2.685MB per image)
This isn't exactly scientific, and my hunch is that the average file size produced by all of these phones is actually more or less the same. (I took a lot of outdoors photos with varied backgrounds and people with the 6+, and that may have resulted in bigger files.) But if the iPhone 6/6+ was producing images that were half the size of previous photos as some are claiming, this result should not be possible.
I just took a series of pictures with several camera apps of both my rabbit and some outdoors shots of a bush and grass. It may be my imagination, but it appears that the noise reduction has been reduced slightly. It's still there. I noticed no quality boost from Camera + and Camera Plus by rookie. In fact, these apps were more annoying because they wanted to process and slap filters on each shot. No.
The only app that provided more clarity was Cortex, but as mentioned previously, your subjects need to be still. Cortex isn't a traditional point-and-shoot app, it's more of an image processing app. Still, I managed to get of my shot at the same angle (on the floor) of my rabbit's side while he was laying down with the stock vs the camera app. The stock app size was 2.7MB and the Cortex image was 28. I have attacked a screenshot of the zoomed in images (too big to upload and I'm not cropping right now). The stock app is on the left and Cortex on the right. Honestly, Cortex was a little better with the fur, but not immensely better. Where you really see a differences is the clarity of the background with the Cortext app.
Still, maybe it's me, but I feel like it is a little better. Also, I was looking back through some images taken with my 4S. At a glance, the iPhone 6 images almost all look better because of faster focus and better exposure. When I zoom in to 4S images with bad lighting I notice the same blur effect as the iPhone 6. The difference comes in okay-well lit environments. Generally, the 4S had worse focus and more noise grain, but fine details like fur where retained. On the iPhone 6 the images where usually sharp with notably less grain, but the smudge effect is more pronounced in fine detail.
My honest opinion: most of the shots taken in decent and even low light conditions look fine when viewed on an iPhone, iPad, and even larger monitors. To the common user (which Apple caters to), it's great. When you zoom in is when the issue become more pronounced. I wish they gave you control, because I'd rather get all grain and edit it later myself than have the A8 attempted to do it for me. :/ I hope this helped some one.
NOTE: I have two uploaded comparisons. In both, stock app on the left, Cortex on the right. The first set is a zoomed in version with iPhoto, the second is a normal view (no zoom). Mac rumors has file size restricts so this is somewhat difficult especially because the rMBP screenshots are large and I don't have an account with a photo sharing service. I realize that screenshots are not the best way to convey it, but there is no other way without making an account somewhere.
The only app that provided more clarity was Cortex, but as mentioned previously, your subjects need to be still. Cortex isn't a traditional point-and-shoot app, it's more of an image processing app. Still, I managed to get of my shot at the same angle (on the floor) of my rabbit's side while he was laying down with the stock vs the camera app. The stock app size was 2.7MB and the Cortex image was 28. I have attacked a screenshot of the zoomed in images (too big to upload and I'm not cropping right now). The stock app is on the left and Cortex on the right. Honestly, Cortex was a little better with the fur, but not immensely better. Where you really see a differences is the clarity of the background with the Cortext app.
Still, maybe it's me, but I feel like it is a little better. Also, I was looking back through some images taken with my 4S. At a glance, the iPhone 6 images almost all look better because of faster focus and better exposure. When I zoom in to 4S images with bad lighting I notice the same blur effect as the iPhone 6. The difference comes in okay-well lit environments. Generally, the 4S had worse focus and more noise grain, but fine details like fur where retained. On the iPhone 6 the images where usually sharp with notably less grain, but the smudge effect is more pronounced in fine detail.
My honest opinion: most of the shots taken in decent and even low light conditions look fine when viewed on an iPhone, iPad, and even larger monitors. To the common user (which Apple caters to), it's great. When you zoom in is when the issue become more pronounced. I wish they gave you control, because I'd rather get all grain and edit it later myself than have the A8 attempted to do it for me. :/ I hope this helped some one.
NOTE: I have two uploaded comparisons. In both, stock app on the left, Cortex on the right. The first set is a zoomed in version with iPhoto, the second is a normal view (no zoom). Mac rumors has file size restricts so this is somewhat difficult especially because the rMBP screenshots are large and I don't have an account with a photo sharing service. I realize that screenshots are not the best way to convey it, but there is no other way without making an account somewhere.
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Traverse,
Thanks for that elaborated review. I enjoyed reading it. You made some very good points. Let's see what the future holds
Thanks for that elaborated review. I enjoyed reading it. You made some very good points. Let's see what the future holds
Traverse,
Thanks for that elaborated review. I enjoyed reading it. You made some very good points. Let's see what the future holds
Thanks! Glad it helped someone.
Why is it so impossible for me to take consistently good photos with my 6?
Screen shots or captures are not the resolution of the original and are usually 72 dpi, or whatever the screen resolution is.
Screen shots or captures are not the resolution of the original and are usually 72 dpi, or whatever the screen resolution is.
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No, the update did nothing. Not sure the image processing can be fixed via software update.
I took the same photo with stock, ProShot & in Camera+ (tiff) and didn't notice any difference in the final output. Most likely going to just stick with the stock app for it looks the cleanest and works very smoothly.
Hopefully on a future update the camera will function a little better.
Happy "taking your camera out on a nice day and taking awesome photos" to everyone
Hopefully on a future update the camera will function a little better.
Happy "taking your camera out on a nice day and taking awesome photos" to everyone
I've had my iphone 6 plus for about two weeks now, I'm not satisfied with the photos taken. They are grainy and not sharp, almost fuzzy when I zoom into view them.
From what I'm reading online it does not appear to be an issue with the camera itself, but how the image is being processed by the software.
Hopefully Apple can do some modification.
i just got my iPhone 6 yesterday and the first thing i noticed was the camera. it looks horrible compared to my iPhone 5 ... i wonder if its really THAT bad or if my iphone 6 has an issue.
the iPhone 5 looks a bit darker but at least it doesnt look like i am smoking weed in my room right now
iPhone 6
iPhone 5
the iPhone 5 looks a bit darker but at least it doesnt look like i am smoking weed in my room right now
iPhone 6
iPhone 5
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It looks to me like it has to do with the JPEG engine.
What OP describes as an oil-painting kind of look is what happens when a heavy level of notice reduction is applied (which would be the case in low lighting).
If that's the case, it can be fixed with software/firmware... But will it?
What OP describes as an oil-painting kind of look is what happens when a heavy level of notice reduction is applied (which would be the case in low lighting).
If that's the case, it can be fixed with software/firmware... But will it?
Yes, this has been discussed in detail earlier in the thread. It seems unlikely that this is just a bug that slipped through (although you never know), which means that it's an intentional decision to up the noise reduction. I still think the camera is, overall, much better than any previous iPhone camera I've had (I never had the 5S, however). The video in particular is pretty amazing.
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This seems to demonstrate what a review mentioned earlier in the thread said about the iPhone 6's photos being very close to iPhone 5 photos with the contrast dialed way back. Odd.
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i just got my iPhone 6 yesterday and the first thing i noticed was the camera. it looks horrible compared to my iPhone 5 ... i wonder if its really THAT bad or if my iphone 6 has an issue.
the iPhone 5 looks a bit darker but at least it doesnt look like i am smoking weed in my room right now
iPhone 6
iPhone 5
This seems to demonstrate what a review mentioned earlier in the thread said about the iPhone 6's photos being very close to iPhone 5 photos with the contrast dialed way back. Odd.
i deleted the worst ones as i couldnt read them but heres an example of one the better ones ...
again too much white and the writing gets all fuzzy. it reminds me on spilled water on a piece of paper sorta
Terrible, terrible photos out of this phone. Ugh. It's one of the primary justifications I had in purchasing this phone. Every review said the camera was amazing. Should have just stayed with my old shattered Galaxy and bought a 400 dollar mirrorless camera.
Post 'em. While there IS an issue with the noise reduction that is particularly noticeable when using the digital zoom, it's still a very good camera overall. I think people need to consider the possibility that they either have unrealistic expectations or should change how they're using the camera.
Although if your only reason for getting the phone was the camera, then yeah a midrange camera might have been the better choice. My Sony RX-100 is much better than the iPhone 6 Plus in most cases, although it's still certainly capable of taking bad photos.
I agree with that, but again I think we're dealing with a situation where the camera is better in most respects and worse in one. You can argue that it shouldn't be worse in any respects (and I agree) but I think people get a little carried away with their criticism.