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Getting annoyed with the camera quality

Maven1975 said:
The 1020 spanks the 5s. I own both and use the 1020 when traveling or ping special events.

Xenon flash is the culprit with the white balance. Most people force the flash in and don't trust the focus led. 9 times out of 10, the flash was not needed in the first place. This produces yellow tinting, especially under fluorescent lighting.

The 5s is an excellent camera no doubt. But if you want to print, the 1020 smokes it.
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The 1020 is fat, heavy and large though. There will always be a phone that beats the iPhone on one specific feature. However, how many phones are there that beats the iPhone on every one?
 
mappyman said:
Galaxy S4 looks better. Apple needs to step it up. IMO
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Those examples look equally poor to me. Lots of high ISO noise and the white balance is off. This is an extreme test for any phone with tiny optics and sensor, and would not in any case be representative of how more favourable conditions would work out.
 
kas23 said:
I was waiting for a "you're doing it wrong" thread and here it is. Must be in honor of Job's passing.

I never really had problems with taking night photos, but I'm completely unable to take photos of my kid or dogs. They all come out blurry. iPhone is only for taking picture of still objects or people posing.

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I've own every iPhone since the beginning and have yet to take a pic of a moving object that didn't come out as a blur. Until they fix that on phones (I can't tell for Android phones though, I've never used them), digital cameras that have fast shutter speed are going nowhere. Anyone with children should own one, not rely on their phone's camera.
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With the new burst mode you will be able to catch moving objects in very clear focus much easier. I use a burst mode on my actual camera for moving objects/ people and it's the only way even in my good camera to get certain movement shots.

Really this thread is silly because he's upset about the camera quality of his older phone while waiting for his newer phone to show up. Would have been better to wait for the newer phone and test out the camera before making this thread at all.
 
Every release of a new iPhone, the camera gets a little better. I know some other camera phones are a tad better or a tad less, but I buy the iphone for other reasons than a camera. In a year or two, apple will have an even better camera, and others will improve on theirs but I will stick with Apple overall. This argument will never end. Lets all come back when the iphone 6 appears, and compare, and argue again that the others are better.
 
big samm said:
I don't know why people are saying the S4 is not good in low lighting, you just have to play with the settings... The problem is regular people don't tend to play with the settings... I will post 2 pics in low light with my GS4 so you guys can see the difference, then I'll do the same with the 5s and I don't wanna make any comparison between the 2 so no bashing thank you!

GS4 camera setting on auto
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GS4 camera setting on auto night detection
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big samm said:
With iphone 5s

Iphone 5s focusing on the little white plastic bottle
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Iphone 5s focusing on the wood cabinet
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The first picture was taken with stock Camera on iPhone 5. The second one was taken with pureshot app. (The first picture has more noise, Because of the high ISO (2000) chosen by the Camera. In the second one, I've used night mode, with exposure time of 1/3 s and much lower ISO of 400, which results in sharper image with less noise). This is cropped/zoomed in on the vase/plant so it's easier to see. (Another thing. Pure shot allows you to choose compression level, from low quality JPEG to tiff).You can use the same app on your 5s with even better results, much better than S4 can produce in its night mode.
 

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big samm said:
I don't know why people are saying the S4 is not good in low lighting, you just have to play with the settings... The problem is regular people don't tend to play with the settings... I will post 2 pics in low light with my GS4 so you guys can see the difference, then I'll do the same with the 5s and I don't wanna make any comparison between the 2 so no bashing thank you!

GS4 camera setting on auto
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GS4 camera setting on auto night detection
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This is the second one (with pure shot)
 

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big samm said:
I don't know why people are saying the S4 is not good in low lighting, you just have to play with the settings... The problem is regular people don't tend to play with the settings...
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Well, the problem is that there are no settings. :D (I cringe whenever I see people using HDR on every shot but I dont blame them because it's the only choice they see)

I'm fine with dumbing things down to cater to the bulk of the userbase, but would it really hurt to offer other options in an non-default Settings option? It's not "pro level" to say that you want a higher shutter speed for action shots or that you don't want your night shots ultra grainy because the software cranked the ISO way too high so the inclusion of even a few simple presets (Fireworks, Nighttime, Running Dude) would benefit everyone and unlock so much of the hidden potential in Apples cameras.


(BTW. I had an S4 for a month and was blown away by the camera.I know the S4 is the definition of "feature overload" but if it were Apple that brought out some of those built in camera features then it would be in their commercials and the forums would actually have something to brag about. But because it's Samsung then their innovations get pushed aside in favor of outdated copycat arguments.)
 
urkel said:
Well, the problem is that there are no settings. :D (I cringe whenever I see people using HDR on every shot but I dont blame them because it's the only choice they see)

I'm fine with dumbing things down to cater to the bulk of the userbase, but would it really hurt to offer other options in an non-default Settings option? It's not "pro level" to say that you want a higher shutter speed for action shots or that you don't want your night shots ultra grainy because the software cranked the ISO way too high so the inclusion of even a few simple presets (Fireworks, Nighttime, Running Dude) would benefit everyone and unlock so much of the hidden potential in Apples cameras.


(BTW. I had an S4 for a month and was blown away by the camera.I know the S4 is the definition of "feature overload" but if it were Apple that brought out some of those built in camera features then it would be in their commercials and the forums would actually have something to brag about. But because it's Samsung then their innovations get pushed aside in favor of outdated copycat arguments.)
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I've said for years that Apple should just open up the camera API so app developers can use it to have full control over the camera.
 
Honestly, I'm surprised Apple just hasn't gone with a RAW image format option yet. The chipsets can handle it...
 
sundog925 said:
I always felt apple had the superior product. Now I feel like less of a believer.
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Stop relying on feel, belief and assumption. Determine your priorities and buy the solution that best meets those priorities. If low light photography is a priority for you then do you due diligence.
 
The only time ive seen pictures as bad as some of these is using my iPhone 4 in the reptile sections of a Zoo. The majority even then are far far better.

I agree iso control would be a great feature id love to have extensive manual controls that can be disabled in settings so people who just want quick point and shoot can. Maybe with the 6 hardware upgrade we can.

As for the 1020 it may be 38mp but tbh I dont like it. The results look slightly washed out with white balance issues. Its ultra pixel use is hit or miss whether it makes any real difference and the way it zooms doesnt impress me.

The S4 is noisy but features are good. Lets hope we can get camera settings like we did Control Centre.
 
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sundog925 said:
Maybe it's the bigger screens or more pixels but wow the galaxy s4 takes gorgeous photos, even in low light. I felt like wow, these cheaper phones produce better results. Makes me wish I would've pre ordered the s4 just a little bit. I always felt apple had the superior product. Now I feel like less of a believer.
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Just google some camera comparisons and you'll quickly find out that iPhone 5s has one of the best phone cameras out there. Better in low light than S4 (Don't compare it with the S4's night mode because there are plenty of apps in the app store which allow higher exposure times, which will give you better results than "night mode").
 
Four oF NINE said:
Let's face it, you need a real camera with a big lens to take top-notch professional quality photographs.

Get a Nikon DSLR

Having said that, the BEST camera is the one you have with you, which if you're like me is more likely to be your phone.
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I've known some people take very high quality pictures with less than stellar cameras.. even phone cameras... IMO taking a good photo is 90% photographer.. and 10% equipment.
 
brand said:
Good photographer doesn't make excuses.
Bad photographer blames it on the equipment.
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FelixDerKater said:
When you get annoyed with the quality of your old phone's camera compared to a new one, the proper response is to buy a new one, not rattle your saber against the maker of your old phone...
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akdj said:
More pixels in this size sensor typically equals more 'noise' which in certain situations can be construed as detail. The iPhone 5s is a step up in quality....but if you've got time take a peak at Flikr or any photo sharing sites. You'll see the quality from a 'working' iPhone 4S/5/5s. They're capable of pretty amazing shots. There's only so much you can do with this size of a sensor in low light situations.



Same thing. 13 megapixel sensor in the same size will definitely offer more detail in a perfectly lit low ISO situation. When it gets dark, the noise and artifacts show themselves on a larger screen or print. It's the same with point n shoot cams. Small sensors just can't take in as much light. As mentioned now several times...even a DSLR with a high speed 1.2/1.4 aperture can have a difficult time unless your settings and exposure AND your steady hand or tripod all become a factor.



Lots of excellent advice given thus far. You seem hell bent on having a crappy camera on your iPhone 5. Have you been in a humid situation? Listen in the shower? In the tropics and back into an air conditioned room? Have you dropped or bumped your phone? Condensation can be a problem as can knocking the lens out of alignment. Maybe take it to an Apple store and have it checked out. Lots of excellent examples shown in this thread and millions more on photo share sites. A lot of skills and experience are necessary to become a good photographer. Ansel Adams would've had a heyday with a camera as good as the iPhone 5!



You've shown no proof. Much less pudding. The shots you shared weren't bad. But if condensation or a lens alignment problem are present you should have it checked out



Nikon 3200 that you have listed in your signature with the kit lens isn't much to write home about. It's going to take better shots than an iPhone but I'd bet dollars to donuts you don't carry it everywhere, where as your phone is always with you. Hence the cliche, the best cam is the one in your hand



You truly seem obstinate and unable to take advice. You could have a faulty camera in your iPhone or just a bad photographic skill set. These are excellent cams for what they are but they're still tiny sensors with extreme limitations. If you want killer shots get even a decent Point n Shoot. Canon G15, s110, the new Sonys are incredible.

And lastly if you're still up for listening to wisdom and don't want to take a class pick up Brian petersons understanding light and exposure books. You'll learn a lot
Reviews around the web tend to completely disagree with your assertions.

J
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Jordan921 said:
Maybe you should have ordered the "cheaper" phone and be happy with it. /sarcasm
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thanks everyone.
your guys' omniscient advice was incredibly permeating.
i feel like i can conquer my issues.
 
akdj said:
Same thing. 13 megapixel sensor in the same size will definitely offer more detail in a perfectly lit low ISO situation. When it gets dark, the noise and artifacts show themselves on a larger screen or print. It's the same with point n shoot cams. Small sensors just can't take in as much light. As mentioned now several times...even a DSLR with a high speed 1.2/1.4 aperture can have a difficult time unless your settings and exposure AND your steady hand or tripod all become a factor.
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That's just it, though. The S4 performed wonderfully in low light, even when I looked at the image on a large monitor, although I didn't see it on print. It performed even better if I turned night mode on. This isn't to say that the camera in the 5S is any worse or better – I haven't even really used it yet – but the S4 definitely was no slouch in the camera department, even in low light when viewing the pictures on a large monitor.
 
sundog925 said:
The car wasn't moving. And if you have been following, I told you i know of all that. And it wasn't mediocre lighting. But I'll let you think you're right.
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All right, apologies about the car photo. Most indoor lighting is mediocre, and babies tend not to sit still for pictures. And if you know everything, why bother starting an inane thread about it?
 
kas23 said:
I was waiting for a "you're doing it wrong" thread and here it is. Must be in honor of Job's passing.

I never really had problems with taking night photos, but I'm completely unable to take photos of my kid or dogs. They all come out blurry. iPhone is only for taking picture of still objects or people posing.

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I've own every iPhone since the beginning and have yet to take a pic of a moving object that didn't come out as a blur. Until they fix that on phones (I can't tell for Android phones though, I've never used them), digital cameras that have fast shutter speed are going nowhere. Anyone with children should own one, not rely on their phone's camera.
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I've never had problems taking action shots or low light/night shots with any of my previous generation iPhones I've ever owned. But then again, I'm not a beginner either.

Action shot from my previous iPhone 3G.


iPhone Cam by Motogq, on Flickr

Action shot from my previous iPhone 3Gs.


iPhone 3GS Cam by Motogq, on Flickr

Action shot from my previous iPhone 5.


iPhone 5 Photos by Motogq, on Flickr

Night shots from my previous iPhone 5.


iPhone 5 Photos by Motogq, on Flickr

Sunset shot taken on my previous iPhone 4s.


iPhone 4S Photos by Motogq, on Flickr

Night shot taken on my previous iPhone 4s.


iPhone 4S Photos by Motogq, on Flickr

Shot of fast moving objects on my previous iPhone 4s.


iPhone 4S Photos by Motogq, on Flickr

Low light shot from my previous iPhone 3Gs.


iPhone 3GS Cam by Motogq, on Flickr
 
GoSh4rks said:
Not sure how you came to that conclusion, since Android was not mentioned at all in that story. It seemed to be more of a phone camera test than anything.
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Good point, but I was referring to the quality of the iPhone's camera which this thread seems to be about. But thanks for pointing that out anyway :D
 
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