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glossywhite

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
1,120
3
Hi all. I don't know if anyone else has examined the autofocus lense of the 3GS, but I have just done so... and the lense is indeed motorized!. If you set the camera to focus on your fingertip and then hold the camera corner of the 3GS at a slight angle to a light source, so that the hole in the casing for the camera, casts a slight shadow on the lense mount, and then move your finger back and forth, you will SEE the lense mount MOVING inside the 3GS!.

I was not THAT surprised, but it sure is nice to know Apple have done this properly with a voice coil & magnet mechanism (probably?) and not used some pixel-shuffling, grain inducing digital quasi-autofocus trickery.

Just hadn't seen many people mention this as yet; I'm going to TRY and make a video of it, using... yep, the 3GS (in a mirror!). In the meantime, peruse my rather rushed efforts at macro photos:
 

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Not to sound flippant but how else would an autofocus lens work. There there has to be a motor to change the distance between lens and the sensor
 
Hi all. I don't know if anyone else has examined the autofocus lense of the 3GS, but I have just done so... and the lense is indeed motorized!. If you set the camera to focus on your fingertip and then hold the camera corner of the 3GS at a slight angle to a light source, so that the hole in the casing for the camera, casts a slight shadow on the lense mount, and then move your finger back and forth, you will SEE the lense mount MOVING inside the 3GS!.

I was not THAT surprised, but it sure is nice to know Apple have done this properly with a voice coil & magnet mechanism (probably?) and not used some pixel-shuffling, grain inducing digital quasi-autofocus trickery.

Just hadn't seen many people mention this as yet; I'm going to TRY and make a video of it, using... yep, the 3GS (in a mirror!). In the meantime, peruse my rather rushed efforts at macro photos:


Wholly Cow! The Iphone is possess. I just did a quick check, and yes, you can see the lens moving.
 
Yup and thats why the 3GS rattles around the camera when you set it down.

When there is no voltage applied to the magnetic coil containing the lens it moves freely. The curve 8900 has the same lens and it rattles too. Its harmless but people complain about it.
 
Not only did we get a mechanical auto focus, it comes with a FREE rattle! I've yet to see one that doesn't. I've tested 17 for the infamous rattle: 13 at Apple, 2 at ATT store, mine and a friend's - all have the cheapo sounding noise when you set the phone down on its back, or tap on the back around the camera.
 
Not only did we get a mechanical auto focus, it comes with a FREE rattle! I've yet to see one that doesn't. I've tested 17 for the infamous rattle: 13 at Apple, 2 at ATT store, mine and a friend's - all have the cheapo sounding noise when you set the phone down on its back, or tap on the back around the camera.

That's the lense element moving - it's sprung - what did you expect, and how on earth does that make it 'cheapo'?!. Don't tap TOO hard.
 
What's so weird about this fact? Every autofocus camera has a motorized lens, they've been in phones for years. Nothing special here. :confused:
 
I wish they'd make a bit of a zoom. Every pic I take looks so much farther away then it is.
 
What's so weird about this fact? Every autofocus camera has a motorized lens, they've been in phones for years. Nothing special here. :confused:

When did I say it was weird?. No, NOT all autofocus camera phones have motorized lenses; I used to repair and unlock mobiles and the only one I have seen to date (I'm probably out of date here) was the K750i by SE.

Many cameras synthesize functions digitally, so this is why I made a point of informing people. Sorry, is that an issue for you?. Not everyone is all-knowing with hi-tech, and yes, it DID surprise me in a pleasant way.
 
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