4K Video from iPhone 6S Plus Shows Striking Advantage of Optical Image Stabilization

[Bonte]

do 4K videos automatically downsample and therefore look sharper/better than regular 1080p HD videos taken on the 6S?

I need to know as I take a lot of family videos that everyone watches, but no one has a 4K screen... If there is some sort of benefit, visually to shooting in 4K, I'll enable it - but if not.... might as well save the space and shoot 1080p.

The only big benefit for 4K family videos is to future proof them, in 10 years we'll all have big 8K screens and current HD will look like video tapes do now.

Family video's are there mainly to show to your grandkids in 20 years or for memory's later on so 4K definitely has his advantages but it does currently need a lot of space and horsepower, if you have the time (and money for a kick ass imac) i would recommend shooting important things in 4K and saving that on 2 cheap external disks (1 as backup) for later use and currently work with a downgraded HD version you also save online with Google or Apple.

 

[Max(IT)]

4K screens are quite plentiful and affordable. You can get a 27" Dell 4K IPS display for just under $500 now, and I've seen both LG and Samsung 4K TVs around the 47 to 55 inch mark going for $600-$900 recently.

It could be true (I see higher prices here) but I'm not going to get rid of my perfectly working 47" 1080p two years old tv ..... For a while

 

[Enygmatic]

I'm in the camp that's a bit annoyed by the fact that Apple chooses to have different camera capabilities between the two sizes. Battery, software features - I understand there being some opportunities given the size difference. For the 4.7" device to also be the flagship, I don't see why it can't have the same camera in every respect. If it's truly because the size then I guess it is what it is; I just don't think that's the case. For photography to be hyped like it is by Apple ("Many customers' favorite thing about their iPhone is the camera..." - Phil Schiller, every year) and the 4.7" being their most popular size, that just seems like a cheap move on their part. The Plus' selling points should be its size, resolution, and battery.

 

[Wallabe]

1080p is perfectly fine. At a distance, you won't notice the details anyway. In a few years, no one will really remembers 4K. It'll just be one of those "temporary" standard until something better comes along. 8K and 16K will be the next one. By the time you think "Yay, 4K, I have the latest and greatest", they will start announcing the first few 8K displays.

I think 4K is like the 720p TVs. It's better, but not quite there yet. Why bother? Does anyone even think about 720p TV?

 

[roeiz]

1080p is perfectly fine. At a distance, you won't notice the details anyway. In a few years, no one will really remembers 4K. It'll just be one of those "temporary" standard until something better comes along. 8K and 16K will be the next one. By the time you think "Yay, 4K, I have the latest and greatest", they will start announcing the first few 8K displays.

I think 4K is like the 720p TVs. It's better, but not quite there yet. Why bother? Does anyone even think about 720p TV?

what would people do with 16K...?
for movies, i don't see any use of filming in more than 4K tops.
the use of zooming and cropping is good.

and for family, what would you do with 16k?

i understand the use for science, tech, etc..

 

[AFPoster]

Is it just me or was the iPhone 6s Plus less detailed in its video. The quality contrast was definitely lighter and less detailed.

 

[gadget123]

I've never had any issue with my video recording anyway.

If you walk slow it is steady or use a small tripod.

Optical imagine stabilization will only come into use like the video above if you are moving around, claimbing stairs or going fast.

A day to day tourist sort of video standing taking a video will look fine on a 6S.

 

[roeiz]

Is it just me or was the iPhone 6s Plus less detailed in its video. The quality contrast was definitely lighter and less detailed.

i see what you mean.. who knows..

 

[gadget123]

The only big benefit for 4K family videos is to future proof them, in 10 years we'll all have big 8K screens and current HD will look like video tapes do now.

Family video's are there mainly to show to your grandkids in 20 years or for memory's later on so 4K definitely has his advantages but it does currently need a lot of space and horsepower, if you have the time (and money for a kick ass imac) i would recommend shooting important things in 4K and saving that on 2 cheap external disks (1 as backup) for later use and currently work with a downgraded HD version you also save online with Google or Apple.

I doubt it.

TV broadcasts look ok but DVDs have less compressesion so still look good.

I am sure 1080p will still look amazing 4K or 8k will only make things look more glossy to a point where the tech can't get any better.

In fact i don't think we even need 4K it was in the pipeline for years and when the 3D fad ended we got 4K to sell new TVs. I'm glad Apple avoided 3D though.

 

[oftheheavens]

I wish Apple would just try to make same specification products with just different screen sizes!
4", 4.7", 5.5"

Hate to be left out just 'cause I don't want the Plus.

I think 5.1 would be a great size, especially if they get rid of the home button (2-3 more cycles imo).

I am in the same boat as you though, I want the nice features of the plus, matched with a slight bigger screen for emergency catchup on homework, or watching netflix in bed but the plus makes it to where I need two hands to do most of my regular tasks. double tapping the home button helps sometimes but not always and adds an extra step. After this video I am back to wondering if I should get a plus this year but I think in the long run I should stick to the 6s until they give us a 5-5.1 option. That would be awesome.

 

[oftheheavens]

Agreed. I'm downgrading to the 6s from the 6 Plus for the same reasons.

aw don't call it a downgrade! /sadface

 

[jagolden]

Cant tell the difference. Certainly not worth paying extra for unless you need to shoot in 4K for your profession. Which is not many people.

Check it again. There's a huge difference.
So much so I plan to use the 4k.

 

[Keirasplace]

The only big benefit for 4K family videos is to future proof them, in 10 years we'll all have big 8K screens and current HD will look like video tapes do now.

Family video's are there mainly to show to your grandkids in 20 years or for memory's later on so 4K definitely has his advantages but it does currently need a lot of space and horsepower, if you have the time (and money for a kick ass imac) i would recommend shooting important things in 4K and saving that on 2 cheap external disks (1 as backup) for later use and currently work with a downgraded HD version you also save online with Google or Apple.

Unless you upgrade your eyes, or look at your clips on a very big 70 inch and more screen, they won't... But, you'd be able to zoom on part of the 4K shot to see more (not that I do that often on any video right now, but it would be possible). Also, compression of 4K on the phone means your not getting the full experience anyway... Also, there is a reason why pros buy pro video camera, a 4K on a phone will have its limits. It's already a miracle you can get decent video considering the procesing power needed to handle those.

 

[super chimp]

aw don't call it a downgrade! /sadface

Agree I wish people wouldn't call it that.

 

[Keirasplace]

It's a shame it's only on the plus phone.. Not everyone wants to talk into a device the size of a shoe box lid.




I have a SONY 4K TV.. they're not that rare now, anyone that bought a TV the last year has one if they wanted one.

Most are not that good by any standards and 4K non native content, especially streamed doesn't even beat OTA 1080P from normal viewing distances.

 

[Murgatroyd]

When a future first iPhone brings RAW capacity to images, sales will go through the roof.

#aCupOfJoeForTimCookPlease

 

[k995]

The only big benefit for 4K family videos is to future proof them, in 10 years we'll all have big 8K screens and current HD will look like video tapes do now.

Not really unless you go really big (like 70-80+inch) Otherwise 1080p is fine . (oh and you will just then start to notice the difference, a lot of people wont let alone VHS quality now)

 

[Imory]

According to Apple's spec page there is no cinematic stabilization (digital stabilization) for 4K video. I would imagine 12 megapixels isn't big enough for it.

That explains it then. The stabilisation on my iPhone 6 is better than what we saw from the 6S in 4K, since it does have digital image stabilisation for 1080p, but not 4K.

 

[Keirasplace]

That explains it then. The stabilisation on my iPhone 6 is better than what we saw from the 6S in 4K, since it does have digital image stabilisation for 1080p, but not 4K.

The reason you don't have 4K digital stabilisation is likely because its massively resource intensive (the SOC can't handle it), not just because of the size of the sensor vs the size of the 4K frame.

 

[Imory]

Funny thing is when the iPhone 6 and 6+ first came out last year all the tech reviewers did video side by sides to show how OIS made the video smoother.

Now we find out OIS never worked on Video until the 6S+

Now? A lot of people in tech were aware of the fact that OIS on the 6 Plus was solely used for capturing images and not shooting video. What tech reviewers did you read/listen to?

Try Anandtech, Arstechnica or MKBHD if you prefer video.

 

[Imory]

Unless the 6S stabilization is somehow worse than the 6, I know you can get way more out of the cinematic stabilization than what's demonstrated in this video. I don't think the differences will be that striking with a steady hand.. and in the fountain shots there's really not a big difference.

OIS would be nice, but I don't want a near tablet sized phone.

That's the problem though. I doubt most people here would notice a difference between cinematic stabilisation (digital) and OIS, but since it's not activated when shooting 4K on the 6S, the difference becomes pretty visible.

Therefore when you shoot 4K, the 6S might not even use any stabilisation at all, while the 6S Plus will use OIS.

 

[dannys1]

Not remotely bothered about this, I don't see the point in having actual 4k video files to be honest unless i'm giving it to someone to watch on their 80" 4k TV. The benefit of being able to shoot 4k video on the iPhone 6S is that once Hyperlapse is updated it'll record at 4k and crop to 1080p and you'll have silky smooth video far better than the 6S Plus optical stabilisation can manage and I don't have to carry around something nearly the size of an iPad mini to do it!

 

[Imory]

The reason you don't have 4K digital stabilisation is likely because its massively resource intensive (the SOC can't handle it), not just because of the size of the sensor vs the size of the 4K frame.

Not sure. The SoC can probably handle it (handles editing two 4K streams in iMovie), but there's not enough room left in the sensor to properly utilise DIS.

 

[r-m]

What about HD vs HD? Cant see myself shooting 4k very often due to all the memory it would eat up.

When I watched this video before seeing this article, I immediately had an issue with it.
My iPhone 6 was NEVER that jerky when recording 1080p 60fps.

Reading the article, it does mention that 1080p isn't bad using digital stabilisation, and it's just 4k that was bad.

So it is worth noting, folks. 4k on the iPhone 6s isn't stabilising very well. 1080p will stabilise just as good as it did on the iPhone 6.
It might be a software update that apple can do to "fix" the 4k judder.

Although as someone above me said, there just may not be room in the sensor to stabilise.

 

[mattopotamus]

Most are not that good by any standards and 4K non native content, especially streamed doesn't even beat OTA 1080P from normal viewing distances.

Really blue ray is the only thing that beats OTA. Once you start watching OTA, you cannot go back to the crappy compression that cable companies deliver, sans direcTV. They actually maintain excellent quality.