How much better is the camera of the 5S compared to the one of the 4S? Currently debating an upgrade, but camera aside the 4S still going strong. It's not that the camera is bad or anything its just that a better camera is the only feature to warrant an upgrade for me.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 4S vs 5s camera
- Thread starter postpc
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Significant improvement in low light photography, flash or no flash. Overall detail pixel per pixel is much higher too.
The Toys on the 5S are also a nice added touch if you do video, or need burst mode photography.
The Toys on the 5S are also a nice added touch if you do video, or need burst mode photography.
I was quite surprised when I upgraded from the 4S to 5S in the camera improvements.
It's hard to explain but the photos seem to come out sharper and with better more accurate color, IMO.
I recently upgraded from a 4S to a 5S largely because I could (my 2 years was up) but also because I wanted to improve on my camera. The differences between these phones are not as noticeable in day to day usage when you go from a 4S with iOS 7 to a 5S. iOS 7 really brought a lot of the same features to the 4S and as you say, the 4S is still going strong and is a very good phone. Similarly, the camera differences are not profound for typical day to day usage.
The biggest differences between these two phones that you'll notice are the fingerprint scanner, since you'll use it every time you unlock the device and the camera if you happen to take a lot of pics and video. I take a lot of pics and video with my phone. In fact, I keep my phone devoid of movies and music and most apps to keep space open for photos and video I shoot.
The reality of the camera is that it is an incremental upgrade. Keep in mind that these are still cell phones first so expectations of camera should be inline with that. The 5S camera adds slow motion video (120fps @720p) which is kinda neat, burst mode (10 fps) and dual LED flash as new functionality over the 4S. Other improvements are a faster aperture (f/2.2) and bigger photo sites on the sensor which should improve low-light sensitivity.
The quality of the stills will not be noticeable in the majority of your outdoor or well-lit pics. The differences will come in low light with or without flash. The new dual LED flash does indeed improve color accuracy in low light with flash but if you're like me you avoid flash at all costs so you'll rarely see this. In other low light pics it is indeed better than the 4S (when not using flash) but don't expect massive improvements over the 4S.
Video seems to be improved over the 4S as well. The biggest thing I noticed here is the improvements in reduction of motion shake which is pretty remarkable for doing this digitally. The video also appears to have great color accuracy and good detail.
If you're a casual user and only take occasional pics or video then I wouldn't upgrade for the camera improvements alone. However, if you're taking a lot of pics and video, especially in low light, and like the bigger screen, fingerprint sensor and other phone improvements then the upgrade is pretty solid when combined with everything the 5S offers.
The biggest differences between these two phones that you'll notice are the fingerprint scanner, since you'll use it every time you unlock the device and the camera if you happen to take a lot of pics and video. I take a lot of pics and video with my phone. In fact, I keep my phone devoid of movies and music and most apps to keep space open for photos and video I shoot.
The reality of the camera is that it is an incremental upgrade. Keep in mind that these are still cell phones first so expectations of camera should be inline with that. The 5S camera adds slow motion video (120fps @720p) which is kinda neat, burst mode (10 fps) and dual LED flash as new functionality over the 4S. Other improvements are a faster aperture (f/2.2) and bigger photo sites on the sensor which should improve low-light sensitivity.
The quality of the stills will not be noticeable in the majority of your outdoor or well-lit pics. The differences will come in low light with or without flash. The new dual LED flash does indeed improve color accuracy in low light with flash but if you're like me you avoid flash at all costs so you'll rarely see this. In other low light pics it is indeed better than the 4S (when not using flash) but don't expect massive improvements over the 4S.
Video seems to be improved over the 4S as well. The biggest thing I noticed here is the improvements in reduction of motion shake which is pretty remarkable for doing this digitally. The video also appears to have great color accuracy and good detail.
If you're a casual user and only take occasional pics or video then I wouldn't upgrade for the camera improvements alone. However, if you're taking a lot of pics and video, especially in low light, and like the bigger screen, fingerprint sensor and other phone improvements then the upgrade is pretty solid when combined with everything the 5S offers.
My 4S camera was great, never complained.
But the 5S camera seems even better. Pictures seem more vivid and color accurate. They come out more true looking. And low light photos seem better as well. Haven't played much with the new dual flash, but it's supposed to be a pretty good improvement.
Again, nothing wrong with the 4S camera, I was satisfied with mine. But when I got my 5S and took some pics for Instagram, I could tell right away that the pictures were of better quality.
But the 5S camera seems even better. Pictures seem more vivid and color accurate. They come out more true looking. And low light photos seem better as well. Haven't played much with the new dual flash, but it's supposed to be a pretty good improvement.
Again, nothing wrong with the 4S camera, I was satisfied with mine. But when I got my 5S and took some pics for Instagram, I could tell right away that the pictures were of better quality.
This is my experience exactly.
I would like to respectfully disagree with you here. I think what you are describing would fit better with a description of the iPhone 5's camera vs the 4S's. In my opinion, the 5s is in a realm entirely above both of them.
I have noticed that colors vibrantly pop with the 5s and that everything looks much more natural. Image quality that previously could only be achieved with a 3rd party image editor or HDR app are now achieved natively on the 5s's camera.
Take, for instance, these two photographs. They are both on the stock iPhone 4S and iPhone 5s camera, and I took them. HDR is on. The one with the sun visible is from the 4S, and the one with the sun behind more clouds is from the 5s. You can see that they both do a great job - however, the sky color is much more vivid in the 5s's picture, and there isn't yellow saturation like there is with the 4S. Also, the houses along the side that are hidden in shadow with the 4S are brighter and more visible with the 5s.
Sorry for the overall reduced image quality - I took these photos off of my Facebook.
The 4S's camera is by no means a slouch, but it does get beaten out by the 5s in my opinion. The 5s lets in way more light, which is great in all situations. And I agree with you that while I don't like using the flash, I am less hesitant to do so with the 5s's True Tone flash.
Attachments
I went from a 4s to a 5 and image quality Is worse with the 4s I could zoom nicely on daytime images the 5 's pictures look murkier when zoomed
He's asking 4s vs 5s. And I dont have that problem on my 5S. I can zoom nicely on mine.