iPhone 6s Rear Camera Rumored to Retain 8-Megapixel Sensor

[marioguarneros]

That would be a huge disappointment and break away from S tradition.
Maybe they will shrink the camera hump back into the frame.

Apple should keep the specs same too while they are at it.

Yeah, I keep thinking that one item in the list is to eventually flush the camera lens back with the body as soon as possible as it was before the iPhone 6.

I was playing with a Lumia and a Windows phone the other day and I must say based on their IQ capabilities in the smart phone category I'd like to see a modest increment in Megapixels in the next gen iPhone.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting to print billboards with my iPhone photos, but a modest bump in quality MPs will certainly help for cropping in post.

Once the iPhone hits a quality 12 or eventually 24 Million pixels the only other aspect I would ask for is improvements in low light performance but I know there's no magic wand to make that happen now with the physical limitations so quite happy where things are going.

I love my iPhone photos. #

 

[MH01]

That depends on the pixel density. The 5K iMac is....5K, which is 5120-by-2880, which is 14.7 MP. The Given the iPhone's Camera's 4:3 (or 3:4), you'd need a 19.7 MP 4:3 photo to crop to 16:9 to use as the background on a 5k iMac without stretching it. A 4K monitor would need a 11.1 MP 4:3 photo to crop to 16:9. That still doesn't give you any room to zoom/crop. 8MP simply isn't what it used to be.

If you are someone that takes pictures and crops afterwards, a phone is the wrong device. Get a DSLR. One of the Best DLSRs on 2014 is 12MB, Sony A7s. Even Canons 5Ds at 50MB is being critiqued for having poor Dynamic Range/ISO.

If you are a pixel peeper.....yeah, 8MB must be rough.

 

[497902]

Please don't let us return to the days of MP wars. More mp after a certain point is NOT better, it just uses more space. Now better lenses, that is what we always need...

It depends on your needs. I like to zoom into my pictures to see all the details and therefor more megapixels are better.

At least for me.

 

[I7guy]

5S has the same megapixel camera as the 5. So...what tradition?

Same megapixel, different innards.

 

[Rogifan]

I don't mind if the camera stays the same on the iPhone 6S as long as it's flushed & gets 2 GB of RAM please.

Oh, and those antenna bands. Apple has to figure out something & redesign those lines somehow. Seriously, the back looks like crap. So not Apple.

People seriously think Apple is going to redesign the 's' version of the iPhone. They've never done it before, don't expect them to do it now. And obviously with selling as many phones as they can make most people don't really give a crap about the tiny camera bulge or antenna bands.

 

[I7guy]

If you are someone that takes pictures and crops afterwards, a phone is the wrong device. Get a DSLR. One of the Best DLSRs on 2014 is 12MB, Sony A7s. Even Canons 5Ds at 50MB is being critiqued for having poor Dynamic Range/ISO.

If you are a pixel peeper.....yeah, 8MB must be rough.

Says everybody who actually has a production shipping sample.

 

[macduke]

As a photographer I understand that megapixels aren't everything. That being said, it's time for a modest increase in the 12-13mp range. Sensor technology today is leaps and bounds ahead of 2011 when the 4S debuted. It is possible to pack more megapixels in without increasing the noise when using modern processes. 24mp APS-C sized sensors in a $500 camera like the mirrorless Sony A6000 are beginning to rival full-frame sensors such as the $3000 Canon 5D MkIII that I shoot with at work, and when compared to other APS-C sized sensors like my old 7D at 18mp, it makes the 7D image look like a complete pile of noisy garbage despite being more pixel dense.

I understand that smaller sensors are a different game, but certainly some of the same advancements have come to them as well. My Sony RX100 has a smaller sensor (although bigger than most P&S) but still takes decent 20mp images. The main problem for a camera phone is having glass good enough to resolve more pixels clearly.

It would be neat if Apple could do something like Olympus did the other day in their latest mirrorless, the E-M5 II. It only has a 16mp sensor, but it has a high-resolution mode that outputs 40mp JPGs and 64MP RAW files. It shifts the sensor slightly and takes a bunch of shots in a row and then stitches the pixels together between to create a higher-resolution image. I've downloaded samples taken with the camera and they are very detailed and look pretty good. There is a faint diagonal stripe pattern when pixel peeping that they could probably work on in software, but it's still a neat idea and not likely to show up when making large prints, IMO. Only thing is they recommend using a tripod when doing this and it's more for landscapes that don't have much movement.

I think Apple had a patent on something similar to what Olympus unveiled, so it would be cool if they found a better way to implement it. When I heard the rumors last autumn about "dSLR-like quality" my mind immediately went to that patent. I also wonder if they could do some focus shifting in multiple exposures to make the background pop even more? Considering the processing power in the A9 chips and if they keep with an 8mp sensor, they could more quickly expose and stitch images like this. Even if they did a 16mp stitch it would be welcome and with such a low-noise sensor it would look fantastic. Activating a landscape mode (slower and for non-moving subjects) that outputs 24mp would be really neat as well.

 

[Rogifan]

No camera upgrade - what else can they do, to make the s version any different then the 2014 model?

Increasing MP is the only thing that counts as a camera upgrade? So that means Apple hasn't upgraded the iPhone camera since the 4s?

 

[Northgrove]

The sensor pixel pitch is often ignored in these discussions while it matters perhaps the most. A smaller pixel size introduces noise and reduces the dynamic range (the range between dark and bright without blowing out the colors).

From great to bad (green = actual cameras for comparison):

* Sony A7s: 8.4 (or more?) microns
* Fujifilm X100: 5.48 microns
* Canon G1X Mark III: 4.50 microns
* Panasonic LX100: 4.21 microns
* Nikon D3200: 3.85 microns
* Sony RX100: 2.41 microns
* HTC One: 2 microns
* iPhone 6: 1.5 microns
* iPhone 5s: 1.5 microns
* iPhone 5: 1.4 microns
* Motorola Moto X: 1.4 microns
* Nokia 808 PureView: 1.4 microns
* Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom: 1.34 microns
* Sony Xperia Z1: 1.17 microns
* Nokia Lumia 1020: 1.12 microns
* Samsung Galaxy S4: 1.12 microns
* iPhone 6 with a 13 MP camera: 0.92 microns

The RX100 is considered really good, but pushing it in terms of megapixel count. I think it's really kind of on the verge of what you can pull out of its 1" sensor. The Nikon D3200 is a budget APS-C DSLR where Nikon has probably went a bit too far with the megapixel output. It falls below even a micro 4/3 camera pixel size; the LX100 above. The Fujifilm X100 has a pretty large pixel size for being an APS-C camera at 12 megapixels. The Sony A7s is a king of high ISO performance, and a full frame camera.

I went with the iPhone 6 resolution of 3264*2448 pixels. If it had a 13 MP camera instead, the resolution would be 5304 pixels wide. I put that hypothetical camera into the list above. Sure, it would be workable with a good image processor and algorithms, but we wouldn't go crazy about any photo quality improvements. Apple would at best manage to cram out similar quality, perhaps a little bit worse.

A way to compensate is to bump the physical camera sensor size, but with the camera protuding even on the iPhone 6 version, I honestly don't see how pushing the resolution further is something we'll see happen soon. Especially not if users actually disliked the bulge. They'll be hard at work to get rid of it, even with the current sensor size!

 

[darngooddesign]

I'm hoping they will use the same 1" sensor that Samsung (NX Mini) and Panasonic (CM1) have. Then they can up the megapixels.

 

[peterdevries]

Congrats Apple! If true then you have become the biggest cheapskate w your keeping of ram, memory, big bezels and now camera sensor.

Don't buy the product: problem solved.

 

[KPOM]

People seriously think Apple is going to redesign the 's' version of the iPhone. They've never done it before, don't expect them to do it now. And obviously with selling as many phones as they can make most people don't really give a crap about the tiny camera bulge or antenna bands.

They have made minor changes in the past. The 4s had a different antenna band and the 5s had different colors. I could see Apple matching the colors of the antenna bands a bit more closely, particularly on the gold model. And if they can find a way to make the lens flush without losing image quality they might do that (but that's less likely).

 

[oplix]

Am I the only one who doesn't care at this point? I mean I've had my share of iphones. I like my iphone but guess what? Smartphones have been around for eight years now. They have hit that point where the technology just isn't that exciting anymore. I mean sure you could drone on for another 10 years but you could also take five minutes to self reflect and realize that by now a lot of people who used to care stopped caring and pretty soon most other people won't care either.

 

[MacBH928]

and yet here I am still waiting for my carrier to get an iphone 64GB

 

[macduke]

If you are someone that takes pictures and crops afterwards, a phone is the wrong device. Get a DSLR. One of the Best DLSRs on 2014 is 12MB, Sony A7s. Even Canons 5Ds at 50MB is being critiqued for having poor Dynamic Range/ISO.

If you are a pixel peeper.....yeah, 8MB must be rough.

MB ≠ MP

You do realize that the A7s is designed to record 4K video and in extreme low-light (it goes up to about a half-million ISO, lol). Sony also makes the A7r, which is 36MP with no low-pass filter. It takes excellent detailed shots with great dynamic range—way better than Canon, anyway.

As for the 5Ds/5Dr, Canon just can't keep up with Sony sensor designs. It's not that the 50MP is holding it back. My 22MP 5D MkIII at work doesn't have the same dynamic range either. Sony just makes better sensors. I need to upgrade my personal kit, and I'm going to get the Sony A7000 whenever that comes out. Most rumors say this spring. I just hope we get some better E-mount glass options. I also hope that they do proper 14-bit RAW rather than the weird 12-bit compression they have going on now. Images are still better than Canon in almost every circumstance, but they could be even better in post. I know Sony has been making newer camera phone modules, so hopefully some of the same advancements in tech are translating to that platform and if so, hopefully Apple is looking at it.

 

[KdParker]

Yeah, Apple is always saving things for the next version. The rest of the phone industry doesn't do that. That's why the iPhone is now seventeen and a half years behind his closest competitor (except in sales).

?? umm 17 1/2 years..Really?

Please enlighten us on specifics. Especially how the tech that is 17 + years behind.

 

[Rogifan]

They have made minor changes in the past. The 4s had a different antenna band and the 5s had different colors. I could see Apple matching the colors of the antenna bands a bit more closely, particularly on the gold model. And if they can find a way to make the lens flush without losing image quality they might do that (but that's less likely).

Minor changes yes. With the iPhone 4s I'll bet most people didn't even notice the difference. I could see them tweaking the color of the antenna bands like you suggest. But I don't see the phone getting thicker so I don't see the bump going anywhere. I don't see what the big deal is about it anyway. I'm looking at the back of my 6 right now and the bump is hardly noticible. Close up photographs make it look worse than it is.

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?? umm 17 1/2 years..Really?

Please enlighten us on specifics. Especially how the tech that is 17 + years behind.

I'm guessing someone forgot their sarcasm tag?

 

[MacDarcy]

Hey, I'm all for advances in the camera. As long as they don't degrade image quality. I think Apple is being smart by not jumping into the megapixel war. When the tech is there, Apple will bump up the MP count, but not before. I'm cool with that. The iphone 6 camera is pretty damn awesome.

 

[Vanilla Face]

If you are someone that takes pictures and crops afterwards, a phone is the wrong device.

I believe the opposite to be true. Without optical zoom, cropping is an important tool in the iPhone's arsenal, more important than it would be on camera with optical zoom. The iPhone is the most widely used camera model. Its asinine to say 'get a DSLR if you want to crop'. Most people have no need for a DSLR.

 

[MH01]

MB ≠ MP

You do realize that the A7s is designed to record 4K video and in extreme low-light (it goes up to about a half-million ISO, lol). Sony also makes the A7r, which is 36MP with no low-pass filter. It takes excellent detailed shots with great dynamic range—way better than Canon, anyway.

As for the 5Ds/5Dr, Canon just can't keep up with Sony sensor designs. It's not that the 50MP is holding it back. My 22MP 5D MkIII at work doesn't have the same dynamic range either. Sony just makes better sensors. I need to upgrade my personal kit, and I'm going to get the Sony A7000 whenever that comes out. Most rumors say this spring. I just hope we get some better E-mount glass options. I also hope that they do proper 14-bit RAW rather than the weird 12-bit compression they have going on now. Images are still better than Canon in almost every circumstance, but they could be even better in post. I know Sony has been making newer camera phone modules, so hopefully some of the same advancements in tech are translating to that platform and if so, hopefully Apple is looking at it.

Typo mate.

Very aware of the A7S and A7R, I have them both, as they serve different purposes. Glass is not an issue for me, I use my Canon and Leica glass on them. Long time Canon user who made the switch. The A7S is a true gem.
Though my best purchase was the RX1R, brilliant camera!

 

[unobtainium]

Unless Apple is going to go on a crusade to educate everyone to that fact, they would be wise to give the megapixels a slight bump. The standard seems to be 13 now. Obviously we don't need 25 or 50.

They would be wise to degrade image quality by increasing megapixels in order to please the dumb masses?

 

[ChrisCW11]

The s stands for sucker

Because replacing your recently new phone with a mild update screams "sucker" on every purchase.

 

[MH01]

I believe the opposite to be true. Without optical zoom, cropping is an important tool in the iPhone's arsenal, more important than it would be on camera with optical zoom. The iPhone is the most widely used camera model. Its asinine to say 'get a DSLR if you want to crop'. Most people have no need for a DSLR.

People who also take pictures with an iphone have no need to Crop. Your talking up one edge case while shooting down another.

And optical zoom.... no no no......

 

[Imory]

I don't know when they'll do 4K, but this is when I expect we'll see a modest MP jump to accommodate it. I don't expect that too soon though. Even iPhone 7 is probably pushing it. I could easily see it being a 7s or even 8 thing.

Indeed.

I guess that really depends on the tech itself and how fast their competitors decide to implement it and heavily market it. Obviously Apple is a company that has never really cared what their competitors do to the same extent that the other manufacturers do such as Samsung, LG, Sony, HTC etc.

But 4K TVs are really starting to gain traction and content providers such as YT are getting on that train. What's really laughable though is that certain cable companies still don't deliver 1080p at a good bitrate.

My bet is 4K recording for the iPhone 7 since I expect every other OEM to implement it this year.

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They have made minor changes in the past. The 4s had a different antenna band and the 5s had different colors. I could see Apple matching the colors of the antenna bands a bit more closely, particularly on the gold model. And if they can find a way to make the lens flush without losing image quality they might do that (but that's less likely).

The 5S introduced one new colour. The black colour option from the 5 was simply replaced for the "space gray" since its wear and tear wouldn't be as visible. Apple saves a lot by keeping the same manufacturing process for two years.

 

[jmantn]

5S has the same megapixel camera as the 5. So...what tradition?

Every year the camera has received meaningful updates. Megapixels is only part of the equation. U could have a 40mp pic compared to an 8 and depending on the quality and processing the 8 could blow away the 40 in terms of picture quality without being edited or touched up.

This was touched on quite a bit when the iPhone 5 or 5S came out and tons of comparisons were done by professional review sites stating how every year despite not changing the megapixels each years iPhone camera remains one of the best year after year.