Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
uboat.jpg
 
I like the idea.
I have a Note 20 Ultra and the 50x zoom is pretty good (it's really only 5x optical).
Tried to shoot the moon last night with it. A bit grainy, but I expected that given the light conditions.
OIS was working overtime at that zoom level.

I'm sure Apple can apply their AI tech to clean up the pics.
 

Attachments

  • 20201129_175128.jpg
    20201129_175128.jpg
    159.4 KB · Views: 70
Will it be an Actual 10x Optical Zoom, or is it Apple's "10x" Zoom where they start counting from 0.5x ( i.e only 5x optical zoom )
But this is exactly how zoom is measured with a camera/lens. Apple just defaults to the wide instead of the ultra-wide within the camera. Apple is doing nothing wrong with stating the zoom range as they do. Go look at any zoom lens or any point-n-shot with a zoom lens and look at how they state the zoom range. They always measure from the widest a lens can go.
 
I hope someday Macrumors will learn the difference between „zoom“ and „tele“ ...
 
But this is exactly how zoom is measured with a camera/lens. Apple just defaults to the wide instead of the ultra-wide within the camera. Apple is doing nothing wrong with stating the zoom range as they do. Go look at any zoom lens or any point-n-shot with a zoom lens and look at how they state the zoom range. They always measure from the widest a lens can go.
No, they’re not doing anything wrong “technically” speaking. But the fact that they’ve *never* advertised “zoom range” before this year is what makes it seem misleading.

For example, previously Apple labeled the iPhone 11 Pro Max as having 2x optical zoom. The iPhone 12 Pro Max comes along and it’s advertised as 5x optical zoom range.

Technically correct, but clearly they switched verbiage for the “zoom specs” because 5x zoom range sounds more appealing than simply stating 2.5x zoom.
 
n

Apple is advancing its plans to significantly enhance the iPhone's optical zoom range using periscope lens technology, according to ETNews.

periscope-iPhone-feature2.jpg


Citing industry sources familiar with the development of iPhone cameras, ETNews report says Apple is currently seeking an appropriate "folded" periscope camera solution for the iPhone and has already initiated discussions with suppliers. Apple has filed patents related to periscope lens systems since 2014.

Apple has reportedly encountered issues developing its own periscope camera system due to much of the technology involved being guarded by other patents, leading the company to explore purchasing it directly from patent-holders instead. Specifically, "ball-type actuator" technology is purported to be essential to most periscope camera designs, but Samsung Electronics now owns this technology.

Many multi-camera and periscope camera patents were held by Israel-based company Corephotonics, including the ball-type actuator design, but it was acquired by Samsung in 2019. As a result, Samsung is said now to possess the key patents related to periscope cameras. Samsung's periscope camera technology has allowed it to implement it in devices such as the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

A Digitimes report seen by The Next Web has also corroborated this, stating that Apple is looking to improve the zoom capabilities of its next iPhones with a periscope camera system. The report speculates that Apple is looking to Samsung to provide a periscope lens system for future iPhones, rather than develop it in-house.

Industry insiders speaking to ETNews have cast doubt over the chances of a partnership between Apple and Samsung Electronics or Samsung Electro-Mechanics in this area. Some believe that Samsung will refuse to supply Apple with periscope cameras in order to maintain a competitive advantage with its range of Galaxy smartphones.

Alongside his correct prediction that the iPhone 12 Pro Max would have sensor-shift stabilization technology, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this year that at least one iPhone model will feature a periscope telephoto lens in 2022.

However, Kuo has not attributed this to Samsung, instead predicting that Semco and Sunny Optical will supply the components.

Periscope lenses provide a much higher optical zoom range in a smartphone-sized package. Optical zoom is determined by the distance between a lens and an image sensor, but there is a limit to how much optical zoom range can be increased with the current vertically-stacked camera module structure because it would eventually increase the device's thickness. A periscope lens system allows a longer stack of lenses to be placed horizontally, before reflecting light using a mirror to face in the correct direction, all without increasing the device's thickness.

The camera technology has already made its way into some smartphones. Huawei, for example, ships the P30 Pro with a 5x true optical zoom using a similar mechanism. The iPhone 12 Pro Max currently offers the best optical zoom on an iPhone, with the device being able to zoom in 2.5 times.

Article Link: Apple Moving Forward With Plans for 'Folded' Periscope Cameras to Significantly Increase iPhone's Optical Zoom
The mock-up is pointing in the wrong direction unless you want to take a pic of your nose hairs.
 
Back Tele Image sensor "pixel size" is the much BIGGER issue, but like Zoom In, is ALSO physics-limited !

Can't do much with ONLY 1.0 um pixels; ONLY works in Bright Light Envs !

But like DRAM, Apple doesn't like to mention their image sensor pixel size Specs, but will their Zoom In Specs.

As such, I believe they prioritize Zoom In OVER Pixel Size; easier sell to the General Public.
I’m gonna guess your smarter than me because I literally have no idea what you just said 😃
 
Which kindergarten painted the Macrumors Periscope? Actually it looks more like this:

Shot.png


I hope that Apple will successfully participate in the patent war behind the scenes.
Because the idea is really quite simple.

I'm tired of the fact that Apple's 52 mm standard lens is called 'telephoto lens'. This is ridiculous marketing and horrifies every photographer. And as we can see here: There are solutions. This one from Leica is already cool.

Even if you know that everything is a cruel compromise between size, light sensitivity and focal length, I think Huawei has integrated something very interesting here.
In combination with Apple's superprocessors, this opens up fantastic possibilities for Apple.
 
Last edited:
is it April Fools Day already?
You realize that a periscope lens doesn't mean a lens that pops out like a periscope, right?

It's just a lens where the path the light takes from the outside of the phone to the sensor involves bending around corners (e.g. using a light guide or mirrors).

That way you can get more distance from the outer surface of the lens to the sensor.
 
Did someone accidentally hit publish on the April fools day 2021 article draft? 😝

I'm sure if they can get it working with that tech without distortion it would be pretty game changing.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.