iPhone XR Does XR portrait photo only work on human faces?

[johannnn]

Im contemplating whether to buy an iPhone XR or not. The most crucial feature for me is taking portrait photos. I haven’t been able to find any information from Apple how it works on XR (given it has a single lens), but quite a few YouTube videos claims the A12 chip uses face detection for portrait photos. Does anyone know if this is true or not?

The reason I ask is because 99% of all portrait photos I take is of my dog......

 

[now i see it]

Portrait mode works great for dogs. Google it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=iph...hWiHTQIHU-jA1kQ_AUICigB&biw=375&bih=559&dpr=3

 

[johannnn]

I was asking about the iPhone Xr. Since it has a single lens, it will do most of the work in software. So how does the software know what is foreground and background? Some say it uses face detection and puts the face in the foreground. I doubt their face detection works awesome on dogs.

I currently have the iPhone X and portrait photos work great on my dog. But I'm wondering about the iPhone Xr.

 

[ckurt25]

I was asking about the iPhone Xr. Since it has a single lens, it will do most of the work in software. So how does the software know what is foreground and background? Some say it uses face detection and puts the face in the foreground. I doubt their face detection works awesome on dogs.

I currently have the iPhone X and portrait photos work great on my dog. But I'm wondering about the iPhone Xr.

I would be surprised of the XR didn't handle any object. I've used Portrait Mode for a vase of flowers, Legos, bottles and glasses of beer... As long as it can distinguish an object in the foreground from the background I would imagine it would be fine.

 

[shadedred]

https://www.cultofmac.com/576167/iphone-xr-portrait-mode/

Sounds like it... hopefully a software update will resolve that.

 

[DNichter]

Yes, from what I heard.

 

[johannnn]

I would be surprised of the XR didn't handle any object. I've used Portrait Mode for a vase of flowers, Legos, bottles and glasses of beer... As long as it can distinguish an object in the foreground from the background I would imagine it would be fine.

Me too. But I assume you did on the iPhone X? It's easy-peasy to do when you have 2 lenses that focus on either foreground or background.

 

[Caspavio]

AI nowadays can easily identify many different objects, so im sure it will have no problem identifying your dog. but do note it may not be very accurate around the outline of your dog

 

[EugW]

AI nowadays can easily identify many different objects, so im sure it will have no problem identifying your dog. but do note it may not be very accurate around the outline of your dog

As mentioned, Xr's portrait mode works differently than the portrait mode on the Xs and Max. People at the keynote demo had issues taking portrait mode on objects when using the Xr.

 

[Caspavio]

As mentioned, Xr's portrait mode works differently than the portrait mode on the Xs and Max. People at the keynote demo had issues taking portrait mode on objects when using the Xr.

what i said does no contradict that. i said the AI is capable enough to identify the objects, which is true. AI can identify the objects in pictures very well, like if it is a dog, cat, or tree. But the challenge comes when distinguishing that object from its surroundings. it's still hit and miss (which is what i mean when i said not accurate around the outline of your dog), and what people at keynote demo are seeing.

 

[EugW]

what i said does no contradict that. i said the AI is capable enough to identify the objects, which is true. AI can identify the objects in pictures very well, like if it is a dog, cat, or tree. But the challenge comes when distinguishing that object from its surroundings. it's still hit and miss (which is what i mean when i said not accurate around the outline of your dog), and what people at keynote demo are seeing.

I'm wondering if it could partially be using the same engine as what is used for face recognition. As in, if there is no face, there is no portrait mode. Dogs can work because they have faces.

 

[Jumpie]

I've used it on my dog

 

[asoksevil]

View attachment 787476 I've used it on my dog

We are talking about the XR. Were you able to sneak a dog in the demo room at the keynote?

 

[johannnn]

what i said does no contradict that. i said the AI is capable enough to identify the objects, which is true. AI can identify the objects in pictures very well, like if it is a dog, cat, or tree. But the challenge comes when distinguishing that object from its surroundings. it's still hit and miss (which is what i mean when i said not accurate around the outline of your dog), and what people at keynote demo are seeing.

I don’t think anyone is questioning whether AI can do it or not. Clearly Google has solved it. What I am questioning is Apple’s image recognition AI engine. They don’t have access to the entire web the same way Google has with Google Images. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if iOS 12 was more or less humans only, and iOS 13 having support for more objects.

 

[Gudi]

I haven’t been able to find any information from Apple how it works on XR (given it has a single lens), but quite a few YouTube videos claims the A12 chip uses face detection for portrait photos. Does anyone know if this is true or not?

Face Detection (of human faces) is a software solution and works with a single lens since the iPhone 4s. Focus Pixels create a clear picture of any kind of objects since the iPhone 6. Nobody knows how good the Bokeh effect works on a single lens, but it uses many different calculations to create the portrait mode effects.

 

[Caspavio]

I don’t think anyone is questioning whether AI can do it or not. Clearly Google has solved it. What I am questioning is Apple’s image recognition AI engine. They don’t have access to the entire web the same way Google has with Google Images. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if iOS 12 was more or less humans only, and iOS 13 having support for more objects.

Actually the level of AI technology, especially across the major tech companies are quite similar. Apple could also easily get a huge database by webscrapping google images or buying from companies like Getty images. even Microsoft came out with an app that can identify your dog breed. However, the challenge to answering your question is there is very little info online, so it's just our speculation now. Apple can do it, but they can also choose not to.

well, we will know when the XR is out

 

[tks900]

Just following up on this: In Marques Brownlee's hands-on video with the XR, you can see that when he switches to portrait mode, the phone says "No Person Detected". To me that suggests that bokeh effects will in fact only work with humans, but not dogs or objects.

Here's the link, it's at 2:52:

 

[5105973]

Eh, time to get a little lipstick, a nice jacket and a hat for Poochie.

Actually I’m always taking portraits of my pets, too. Dog and cats. It’s a bit disappointing this may not work.

 

[debwarr]

A lot of assumptions here that the XR will shoot anything other than human faces. I can say IT CANNOT. I'm considering returning the phone because of it. It just says no person detected. It's appalling that it has the technology to do soft focus backgrounds, but only for a human face.

 

[white4s]

This has been clearly stated by Apple since day 1.

 

[Phone Junky]

Use the Focos app.

 

[debwarr]

This has been clearly stated by Apple since day 1.

Well if I listened to everything apple says every hour of every day, maybe i would have heard it. Sellers of the phone state otherwise, even when asked point blank. Just disappointing... a lot of the phone's features and compatibility issues are disappointments. The camera is just one of them.
[doublepost=1544651366][/doublepost]

Use the Focos app.

i was thinking of the halide app in my research. is focos better?

 

[Phone Junky]

Well if I listened to everything apple says every hour of every day, maybe i would have heard it. Sellers of the phone state otherwise, even when asked point blank. Just disappointing... a lot of the phone's features and compatibility issues are disappointments. The camera is just one of them.
[doublepost=1544651366][/doublepost]
i was thinking of the halide app in my research. is focos better?

I don't know if it's better. I can say it was free, Halide's not.

 

[debwarr]

phone junky, it sounds as if the focos is for 'dual-camera' phones, like the xs and xs max. the xr is single camera
what are you using it with?

 

[Starship67]

Well if I listened to everything apple says every hour of every day, maybe i would have heard it. Sellers of the phone state otherwise, even when asked point blank. Just disappointing... a lot of the phone's features and compatibility issues are disappointments. The camera is just one of them.

You're probably better off with less attitude on here. You should have done your research and not listened to the sales people.