iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro main camera softness, less sharp than older iPhones

[Pandyone]

I'm a photographer yeah. Not expert on lenses by any means. But I know how a cheap reflex lens full open performs. Not sharply.

I think the biggest issue for 13 Pro is the AI/software that tries working it’s best for the photo situations.
As you stated above close ups are showing the issue more. The software seems to combine lenses to get the photos. You can’t choose only the 0,5x and get the same result as the cameras auto-macro mode.
I don’t think it’s the hardware for these issues.

 

[coso]

I think the biggest issue for 13 Pro is the AI/software that tries working it’s best for the photo situations.
As you stated above close ups are showing the issue more. The software seems to combine lenses to get the photos. You can’t choose only the 0,5x and get the same result as the cameras auto-macro mode.
I don’t think it’s the hardware for these issues.

I'm not sure it combines cameras. The auto macro mode just sets the 0,5x lens with some digital zoom. Try it. Of course it's best to switch to 0,5x beforehand and go closer. But I think my previous example is taken with a single camera. The result I see by shooting RAW in Halide is the same as the resulting photo. I think it's just poor optical performance, sharpness wise. The upside is low light photography, where you can really see the advantage of a fast lens and bigger sensor.

 

[kp98077]

It’s hard to know if I got a lemon 13, took these shots yesterday —

 

[coso]

It’s hard to know if I got a lemon 13, took these shots yesterday —

Can you try shooting something with text? Like a remote control, or a cereal box, around 50cm or 2 feet distance

 

[kp98077]

Can you try shooting something with text? Like a remote control, or a cereal box, around 50cm or 2 feet distance

Yea will do. Was just trying to figure out also if colors seem washed or not. Thx

 

[coso]

Yea will do. Was just trying to figure out also if colors seem washed or not. Thx

Everything else is better in the 13 in my experience

 

[PatrycjaKozdra]

Do a video where you pan from one side to the other and compare your old and new phone. You'll notice the image is very choppy. I'm having the same issues with the 13 pro max vs the 12 pro max.

I took photos with the 12 pro max and 13 pro max side by side and the blurry one zoomed is the 13 pro max...

 

[Pandyone]

I'm not sure it combines cameras.

You’re probably right. It’s the live feature that might be messing with my gallery. It just looks like pictures have more information for a second when swiping between them.
The pictures also seem to “flatten” the focus distance when I compare with my old 11.
It seems to be some mixed experiences with the 13 Pro cameras. At least I have.

 

[kp98077]

Everything else is better in the 13 in my experience

Okay here are those photos

 

[tedley]

It’s hard to know if I got a lemon 13, took these shots yesterday —

Those look like pumpkins to me...

Sorry, couldn't resist.. hehehe

 

[coso]

Okay here are those photos

The forums seemingly limits the download of the full size image, but in the closer one I can see an effect similar to mine. This lead me to believe all 13s are like this. Thanks for posting

 

[kp98077]

Those look like pumpkins to me...

Sorry, couldn't resist.. hehehe

Yes but what kind ……

 

[iphone27s]

An external test with the iPhone 13 camera and an older mid range 12MP Android phone camera.

As you can clearly see, the image quality of the iPhone 13 is much better but it's missing detail and it looks blurry/slightly out of focus

https://imgur.com/a/OYfRfqi

 

[dallegre]

Imho, this stuff is really not possible to evaluate without looking at 100% pixel level raw samples. I'm not sure useful conclusions can be drawn from resized/compressed shots.
In the above example, there are elements of the photo that don't really seem less sharp on the 13, the wire running through the dirt for instance, and some of the twigs in the relative foreground. The primary detail loss seems to be in the fields of texture...but this seems situational and dependent on the particular photo. I really think the softness is due to something computational rather than optics. It's some AI decision baked into the raw. I could be totally wrong, but that's my guess. I'm no expert, but I've been shooting ILC cameras for 15 years or so.

 

[iphone27s]

Imho, this stuff is really not possible to evaluate without looking at 100% pixel level raw samples. I'm not sure useful conclusions can be drawn from resized/compressed shots.

Resized to 4K with a professional software and then canvas cut.

https://imgur.com/a/bASEKHH

The Android version has more detail and is sharper.

the iPhone 13 is actually a 9MP photo because the sensor is 4:3 while the Android one is native 12MP but a +30% is not enough to explain all these differences

 

[coso]

Imho, this stuff is really not possible to evaluate without looking at 100% pixel level raw samples. I'm not sure useful conclusions can be drawn from resized/compressed shots.
In the above example, there are elements of the photo that don't really seem less sharp on the 13, the wire running through the dirt for instance, and some of the twigs in the relative foreground. The primary detail loss seems to be in the fields of texture...but this seems situational and dependent on the particular photo. I really think the softness is due to something computational rather than optics. It's some AI decision baked into the raw. I could be totally wrong, but that's my guess. I'm no expert, but I've been shooting ILC cameras for 15 years or so.

I did extensively look at 300% RAW samples on my iMac and I can confirm the 13 is blurrier

 

[iphone27s]

Imho, this stuff is really not possible to evaluate without looking at 100% pixel level raw samples. I'm not sure useful conclusions can be drawn from resized/compressed shots.
In the above example, there are elements of the photo that don't really seem less sharp on the 13, the wire running through the dirt for instance, and some of the twigs in the relative foreground. The primary detail loss seems to be in the fields of texture...but this seems situational and dependent on the particular photo. I really think the softness is due to something computational rather than optics. It's some AI decision baked into the raw. I could be totally wrong, but that's my guess. I'm no expert, but I've been shooting ILC cameras for 15 years or so.

if it's software I hope they will improve it soon.

I have forgot to take a photo with Halide app as well.

Now it's dark, I will take some night shots but in this area there is no comparison with my old android phone, iPhone wins hands down.

 

[coso]

So I was about to return mine but went to a nearby store to check demo units.

Long story short, they're all like this. Tried a 13PM, a 13P like mine and a regular 13.

My unit was slightly softer at close range (at 50cm distance), but also slightly sharper on far objects 10m away.

If it's a manufacturing defect, it's quite widespread. If it's not, we must accept that the 13 series is just blurrier than before.

As a photographer this doesn't look like a software problem at all.

I have a couple hours before my return window closes and I don't know what to do

 

[kirk.vino]

So I was about to return mine but went to a nearby store to check demo units.

Long story short, they're all like this. Tried a 13PM, a 13P like mine and a regular 13.

My unit was slightly softer at close range (at 50cm distance), but also slightly sharper on far objects 10m away.

If it's a manufacturing defect, it's quite widespread. If it's not, we must accept that the 13 series is just blurrier than before.

As a photographer this doesn't look like a software problem at all.

I have a couple hours before my return window closes and I don't know what to do

You also have to keep in mind that there’s a software glitch that keeps the phone defaulting to the Ultra Wide Lens without actually showing you that on the screen. In order to make it use the wide main lens, you need to cover the ultra wide one with your finger.

 

[coso]

Are you sure you’ve testing the main lense? There are reports that the iPhone 13 to the

You also have to keep in mind that there’s a software glitch that keeps the phone defaulting to the Ultra Wide Lens without actually showing you that on the screen. In order to make it use the wide main lens, you need to cover the ultra wide one with your finger.

Thanks for pointing that out, but I'm sure I'm using the main camera. In my pictures I never go so close to trigger the macro mode, and with iOS15 it's super easy to check photo data (just swipe up)

 

[coso]

I hereby declare this issue as #BLURRYGATE

I will be famous

 

[Pandyone]

I hereby declare this issue as #BLURRYGATE

I will be famous

Haha. Please let us know what you decided with the phone.
I also considered returning my phone, but my hopes are on that software can improve on this, along with being able to turn of macro mode and the extreme hdr.

 

[coso]

Haha. Please let us know what you decided with the phone.
I also considered returning my phone, but my hopes are on that software can improve on this, along with being able to turn of macro mode and the extreme hdr.

Dpreview gallery is out: https://www.dpreview.com/samples/1716186585/apple-iphone-13-pro-sample-gallery

After checking also these, I'm inclined to keep mine. I can see the same haziness in text. Portraits are nice, better than mine, but I didn't do many and not with this good light. But I think I'll keep it. If I don't zoom too much maybe I'll forget that my old iPhone 8 is sharper.

 

[G3Blue]

You also have to keep in mind that there’s a software glitch that keeps the phone defaulting to the Ultra Wide Lens without actually showing you that on the screen. In order to make it use the wide main lens, you need to cover the ultra wide one with your finger.

Where has this been reported? I’ve not seen this anywhere.

 

[coso]

Do a video where you pan from one side to the other and compare your old and new phone. You'll notice the image is very choppy. I'm having the same issues with the 13 pro max vs the 12 pro max.

I took photos with the 12 pro max and 13 pro max side by side and the blurry one zoomed is the 13 pro max...

One thing to consider is that the 13s have bigger lenses and sensors, so the depth of field is reduced. So objects "behind" or in front of the focus plane will be blurrier than with other phones. Like in the test here https://www.dxomark.com/apple-iphone-13-pro-camera-review-outstanding-video/ in the Autofocus section

In my tests the focal plane was perfectly horizontal so this didn't matter of course