iPhone 5s Camera is Amazing!

[iPodJedi]

Coming from the 4S, I just have to say that I notice a substantial improvement with the 5s's camera. I had my expectations after watching the keynote: a slightly larger aperture, sapphire crystal lens, larger sensor/pixels, and some software upgrades like dynamic exposure and auto image stabilization. These were all moves in the right direction and much better than just cramming in more megapixels like everyone else likes to do. But despite my expectations, I was still blown away by how impressive the 5s is.

With the 5s, I'm noticing increased detail and improved dynamic range in all my pictures. Autofocus is extremely fast and happens much more often than before. Shutter lag is non-existent. I am getting sharper images with noticeable improvements in exposure, contrast, and saturation all across the board. It can also do a little bit of HDR without having to actually turn it on. Really impressive.

Of course, the other features like burst mode and slow-motion video capture is great too. And the two-toned flash does make for much more natural looking photos, though I still prefer to turn it off. But as far as straight up single shot photos go, there is a huge improvement without you having to do anything. Totally love it.

I suppose it is...I don't find it incredibly better than the iSight camera the other iPhones us but I guess it is pretty good for what u mentioned.

 

[Ledgem]

I disagree that a mid range dslr struggles in ambient indoor lighting. In low indoor lighting maybe, but most mid range dslrs should be able to crank the ISO to 6400 and above in a decently lit indoor scene. Some post process and your done. Under exposed is handleable in pp, blur isn't.

ISO 6400 alone is a fairly meaningless metric. What lens is on the camera? ISO 6400 and f/5.6 isn't going to cut it. I'd imagine that most people would still struggle even with f/3.5, unless the lens they're using is a wide-angle.

Give me a f/1.4 with ISO 6400 (or heck, even ISO 3200) and the struggles are gone, but we're no longer talking "mid-range" at that aperture. This is why I said "mid-range camera with mid-range glass" in my post. I stand by that opinion.

 

[I7guy]

ISO 6400 alone is a fairly meaningless metric. What lens is on the camera? ISO 6400 and f/5.6 isn't going to cut it. I'd imagine that most people would still struggle even with f/3.5, unless the lens they're using is a wide-angle.

Give me a f/1.4 with ISO 6400 (or heck, even ISO 3200) and the struggles are gone, but we're no longer talking "mid-range" at that aperture. This is why I said "mid-range camera with mid-range glass" in my post. I stand by that opinion.

Okay, well we will agree to disagree. There is mid-range glass under f/2. You don't have to have the pricey 50mm f/1.2L to take a shot such as I described. The ugh Canon 50mm f/1.8 do just fine on any crop (rebel, 60d, 70d, 7d) or ff (6d, 5diii, 1dx) etc. (Excluding mirrorless for the moment)

 

[Ledgem]

Okay, well we will agree to disagree. There is mid-range glass under f/2.

No doubt, but a DSLR user with such crummy glass has no room to complain about image quality from an iPhone.

 

[I7guy]

No doubt, but a DSLR user with such crummy glass has no room to complain about image quality from an iPhone.

The comment just tells me you know little about the Canon lineup. Have you seen photos from the 1.8? While it is the cheapest lens in the Canon lineup and tends to fall apart and makes noise while focusing, the photos can be nothing short of amazing. I don't personally use that lens and was just using that as an example.

I would have used the 50mm f/1.4 or maybe the 35mm f/1.4L knowing I was going into an indoor scene.

While the iphone 5S camera is certainly convenient and is much improved, I now have a better understanding of it's limitations.

 

[Ledgem]

The comment just tells me you know little about the Canon lineup.

This comment tells me that you're limiting yourself to Canon's lenses, when I made a sweeping statement about all cameras.

I'm an Olympus shooter. Olympus has traditionally lagged behind in sensor development but excelled in lens design and production. It is partly for this reason that I found your comment about ISO with no mention of lens selection to be rather interesting. While an image relies on the lens and the sensor, I tend to value the lens over the sensor in terms of importance to image quality.

Have you seen photos from the 1.8? While it is the cheapest lens in the Canon lineup and tends to fall apart and makes noise while focusing, the photos can be nothing short of amazing. I don't personally use that lens and was just using that as an example.

Is that the one that they call the "plastic fantastic"? I've heard some very mixed things about that lens. It's also one lens among dozens of other mid-range lenses that line up pretty nicely with what I said.

Let's face it: poor lighting is hard on any camera system. Simply moving from an iPhone to a DSLR makes some of those situations easier, but unless you're shelling out for a higher-end system, the improvement isn't that great. For what it is, the iPhone is rather impressive.

 

[mpantone]

Do people really buy a cell phone for its camera?

According to Nokia, yes.

 

[I7guy]

This comment tells me that you're limiting yourself to Canon's lenses, when I made a sweeping statement about all cameras.

I'm an Olympus shooter. Olympus has traditionally lagged behind in sensor development but excelled in lens design and production. It is partly for this reason that I found your comment about ISO with no mention of lens selection to be rather interesting. While an image relies on the lens and the sensor, I tend to value the lens over the sensor in terms of importance to image quality.


Is that the one that they call the "plastic fantastic"? I've heard some very mixed things about that lens. It's also one lens among dozens of other mid-range lenses that line up pretty nicely with what I said.

Let's face it: poor lighting is hard on any camera system. Simply moving from an iPhone to a DSLR makes some of those situations easier, but unless you're shelling out for a higher-end system, the improvement isn't that great. For what it is, the iPhone is rather impressive.

I shoot canon, but the comment can apply to nikon, pentax, etc. i have a mix of mid-range and L lenses. L lenses are the cream of the crop, shown by their resale value. That particlar lens, known as the nifty-fifty does not really line up at all with what you said. Photography on the net has a showcase of forums dedicated to various lenses. You can check this one out.

Most photographers know its about the lens. You do not need a high end system to show some of the shortcomings of a phone camera. However, clearly a slow lens with soso glass and a low end DSLR does line up with what you said.

As i said previously, the phone in the 5s is great for what it is as long as it's understood what snaps are difficult to get.

 

[jclardy]

Since you seem to have some knowledge of the internal workings how are you measuring the 15% larger sensor? Pixel Count? Physical Size?

What is the pixel density on the 5s as compared to the 5?

15% larger physical size, the pixels are 1.5 microns versus 1.4 on the iPhone 5. The source was the 5s keynote.

 

[angelica314]

How's the 5s camera compared to the iPhone 5? I want to upgrade from the 4S, but the 5s would be about $100 extra. Is it worth the extra? IMO the iPhone 4s camera is mediocre at best although that may be b/c I came from a GS3.

 

[I7guy]

How's the 5s camera compared to the iPhone 5? I want to upgrade from the 4S, but the 5s would be about $100 extra. Is it worth the extra? IMO the iPhone 4s camera is mediocre at best although that may be b/c I came from a GS3.

Every review states the iphone 5s camera is better than the iphone 5 camera. The bottom line is the worth of $100 to you.

 

[richard371]

I missed far more shots with the dslr over the iPhone 5s because I don't have the dslr with me.

The best camera is the one you have with you. iPhone is always with me unless I'm in the shower or pool lol.

Yea if I had the Nikon d800 with 24-70 and the iPhone on me of coarse the Nikon will get a much better shot but that only when it's with me.

It's realy apples and oranges but as the iPhone cameras get better I am loosing interest in lugging huge dslr gear around or even smaller cameras for that matter. I do believe this trend toward camera phones will keep increasing and dslr will be used by the pros and serious photographers and the posers..

I do love how every pic I take on the iPhone almost mediator shows up on my ipad and mac for editing etc. it's an awesome ecosystem.

iphone 5s has missed basic shots for me, which if you strive for getting the basic shots, all of the other stuff just does not matter. Which goes back to if all you want is to snap and share, iphone is perfect...except when it can't make the shot.

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I'd just as soon carry around a dslr with some L lenses to get the shot I want. As I said, fitting in your pocket means nothing, if it can't get the shot you want.

Apologize if I offended any of you, however, it all depends on what you are after when you use the iphone camera.

 

[Troneas]

The iphone 5s camera is amazing compared to the 5, but not compared to a DSLR.

i also hear it's not as sensitive as the DECam mounted on the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.

 

[walie]

The best camera is the one you have with you.
Yea if I had the Nikon d800 with 24-70 and the iPhone on me of coarse the Nikon will get a much better shot but that only when it's with me.

I have a Sony A7r, it's ALWAYS with me, my phone stays in my pocket where it belongs.

 

[I7guy]

I missed far more shots with the dslr over the iPhone 5s because I don't have the dslr with me.

The best camera is the one you have with you. iPhone is always with me unless I'm in the shower or pool lol.

Yea if I had the Nikon d800 with 24-70 and the iPhone on me of coarse the Nikon will get a much better shot but that only when it's with me.

It's realy apples and oranges but as the iPhone cameras get better I am loosing interest in lugging huge dslr gear around or even smaller cameras for that matter. I do believe this trend toward camera phones will keep increasing and dslr will be used by the pros and serious photographers and the posers..

I do love how every pic I take on the iPhone almost mediator shows up on my ipad and mac for editing etc. it's an awesome ecosystem.

It is true the best camera is the one you have with you, and better to be able to capture a crappy shot, than no shot at all.

I love lugging my camera equipment because the end result justifies the effort. Being able to get a non-planned ad-hoc shot is great with the iphone. And for certain times, no need to take my DSLR.

As far as the ecosystem it's meh for me, i can't figure out how to get the snaps on my windows pc instantly, without itunes.

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i also hear it's not as sensitive as the DECam mounted on the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.

This is exactly the other reason I'm not happy with the iphone.