iPhone 14 Pro My iP14pro camera is crap

[ToddH]

Have you ever considered posting in the Photo of the Day thread? A lot of really nice stuff shared there.

No I haven’t. Didn’t know that thread existed. I’ll check it out… thanks.

 

[naturalguy]

The 14PM camera is much improved over the 12PM for me

 

[ToddH]

As most of you know, I shoot RAW all the time. I love the 48mp resolution of the 14 pro max. so I wanted to share this photo with y’all that shows that the camera is extremely sharp and highly detailed. I know most of you guys probably shoot JPEG or HEIF with your iPhone, but look at this detail. The crop of this photo is zoomed in approximately 600% and the tree branches, even the tiny, thin ones are still sharp and clearly visible, and I am probably 200 feet away from that tree. The edit was done in Pixelmator with a retro preset. So there is a simulation of film grain in the shot. So ignore that… I set my sharpening to 0.3 radius @ 44%. I like that app so far. Doesn’t have as many features as Lightroom, but the final edit looks cleaner.

 

[bondr006]

As most of you know, I shoot RAW all the time. I love the 48mp resolution of the 14 pro max. so I wanted to share this photo with y’all that shows that the camera is extremely sharp and highly detailed. I know most of you guys probably shoot JPEG or HEIF with your iPhone, but look at this detail. The crop of this photo is zoomed in approximately 600% and the tree branches, even the tiny, thin ones are still sharp and clearly visible, and I am probably 200 feet away from that tree. The edit was done in Pixelmator with a retro preset. So there is a simulation of film grain in the shot. So ignore that… I set my sharpening to 0.3 radius @ 44%. I like that app so far. Doesn’t have as many features as Lightroom, but the final edit looks cleaner.

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Really for a phone camera, these take some of the best photo's ever. I also use raw on my 13pm and get great results, be it macro, wide angle, or telephoto. I was a photographer in the navy for 24 years and am very used to SLR's but I do not feel the need to lug one around with an iPhone at my disposal. Thanks for sharing and showing what these cameras can do.

A couple shots I got today.

 

[ToddH]

Really for a phone camera, these take some of the best photo's ever. I also use raw on my 13pm and get great results, be it macro, wide angle, or telephoto. I was a photographer in the navy for 24 years and am very used to SLR's but I do not feel the need to lug one around with an iPhone at my disposal. Thanks for sharing and showing what these cameras can do.

A couple shots I got today.

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Thanks for sharing your comments. Those are excellent shots, I really like moon shots like you took. I no longer wish to carry a DSLR around. For one they attract attention which makes you a target in some places. So yeah the iPhone is best for me at the moment.

 

[bondr006]

Our sunset tonight

 

[ToddH]

The power of using RAW. iPhone 14 pro max, Even Longer app in raw. 20 minutes, ISO 6400. Lightroom mobile edit.

If this were a jpeg then it would stay blown out, you couldn’t fix it.

From this:

To this:

 

[Spacegray]

I received my replacement 14pro yesterday and took some quick shots to test ist:

Unfortunately the replacement iP14pro has some minor flaw (ding) in the upper frame, that shines under light. But image quality is definitely better.
The pics are not taken under perfect condition.
The first pic is taken with watch on wrist and iP14pro in the other hand (freehand).
The other one was also taken freehand but with watch in box. You can see the Omega sign in the hesalite glass over the chronograph second hand .
Distance in both cases is < 5cm. Makro mode is on in both cases.

 

[ToddH]

I received my replacement 14pro yesterday and took some quick shots to test ist:

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Unfortunately the replacement iP14pro has some minor flaw (ding) in the upper frame, that shines under light. But image quality is definitely better.
The pics are not taken under perfect condition.
The first pic is taken with watch on wrist and iP14pro in the other hand (freehand).
The other one was also taken freehand but with watch in box. You can see the Omega sign in the hesalite glass over the chronograph second hand .
Distance in both cases is < 5cm. Makro mode is on in both cases.

It looks really good!

 

[HuNay]

Arrghh - the quality [of macro shots] is terrible.

As crazy as it may sound… that’s a feature (kinda). And no, you’re not holding it wrong.


This is an attempt to shed some light on exactly WHY the camera is crap (re the first post).

iPhones from the 13/pro onwards fuse data from every lens pretty much all the time. However, these “jaggies” aren’t super obvious looking unless you’re using the new 2x or any in-between zoom levels, such as 0.7 or 2.3x, etc.

It has to do with the new “Deep Zoom” framework that apple implemented yet never marketed along with the iPhone 13s, which I can confirm as noise/grain on 12 (yes twelve) Pro Max pictures has a specific shape or ‘look’ to it whereas it’s more of a painted look on 13 and 14 series phones. If there’s interest I might pull out an IPSW and dig for Deep Zoom.

Small edit: I don’t know how iOS internals work [apart from the very basics] or how Deep Zoom actually processes image data, I just know it lives there and is a part of the pipeline. Also I have the untrained eyes of an amateur photog. However, a whole new “noise look” does indicate big changes at the ISP level.

TLDR the jaggies are an artifact from pulling in even more sensor data at the same time, and a reworked pipeline.

 

[Dog Bone Malone]

My 13PM took the best pictures I have ever taken with an iPhone.

Comparing pics in my camera roll and icloud, I'm convinced pics from my new 14PM aren't as good.

Hell, even the wife's Pixel 7 pro pics are better than my 14PM. I wish had kept my 13PM now.

Maybe I'll sell up and revert back!

 

[OneBar]

As crazy as it may sound… that’s a feature (kinda). And no, you’re not holding it wrong.


This is an attempt to shed some light on exactly WHY the camera is crap (re the first post).

iPhones from the 13/pro onwards fuse data from every lens pretty much all the time. However, these “jaggies” aren’t super obvious looking unless you’re using the new 2x or any in-between zoom levels, such as 0.7 or 2.3x, etc.

It has to do with the new “Deep Zoom” framework that apple implemented yet never marketed along with the iPhone 13s, which I can confirm as noise/grain on 12 (yes twelve) Pro Max pictures has a specific shape or ‘look’ to it whereas it’s more of a painted look on 13 and 14 series phones. If there’s interest I might pull out an IPSW and dig for Deep Zoom.

Small edit: I don’t know how iOS internals work [apart from the very basics] or how Deep Zoom actually processes image data, I just know it lives there and is a part of the pipeline. Also I have the untrained eyes of an amateur photog. However, a whole new “noise look” does indicate big changes at the ISP level.

TLDR the jaggies are an artifact from pulling in even more sensor data at the same time, and a reworked pipeline.

Actually, holding it at all may be the literal problem. You should be using a tripod to shoot macro. I haven't seen anyone compare tripod shots from a 12, 13, 14 yet.

 

[bondr006]

Actually, holding it at all may be the literal problem. You should be using a tripod to shoot macro. I haven't seen anyone compare tripod shots from a 12, 13, 14 yet.

Never disregard an experienced steady hand. I used no tripod for these shots with my 13PM.

And here's a bonus shot...

 

[HuNay]

Actually, holding it at all may be the literal problem. You should be using a tripod to shoot macro. I haven't seen anyone compare tripod shots from a 12, 13, 14 yet.

Hmm. agreed. The ultra wide has no OIS after all.

 

[e1me5]

Macro mode works by switching to the ultrawide lens and cropping in to emulate the field of view of the other lens. Afterwards it upscales to the camera‘s native resolution that’s why it looks bad on the wide and the worst for the tele. So if you want to do a macro shot just switch to the ultrawide to get the best possible quality. I wish we could disable entirely the macro mode as it is more annoying than a feature.

 

[HuNay]

I wish we could disable entirely the macro mode as it is more annoying than a feature.

You can!

 

[OneBar]

Never disregard an experienced steady hand. I used no tripod for these shots with my 13PM.

And here's a bonus shot...

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No matter how steady you think you are, if I looked at 2 shots of the same subject at the same distance, one hand held and one tripod, I could tell you which was which.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Marques has just posted a video about what's gone wrong with iPhone cameras.

HUGE importance for me in MKBHD's video is skin tone.
His and mine, us in the Black community would call 'pitchy-patchy' due to variances in black shade across our skin usually screwsup cameras! Always has ... and still always will. For that need only look at whom makes the camera and the AI and software engineers and how they're represented. Cause if the feedback isn't noted and adjusted for ... then no change.

 

[ToddH]

Hey guys. Today I received my BeastCage for the iPhone 14 Pro Max so I can attach the new 1.7 X Tele converter lens over my main camera for a little extra reach at 48 megapixels. The BeastCage allows for perfect alignment of the external lens over your camera and it can be used on the 1X or 3X camera. that lens is extremely sharp and works very well over the 3X camera. it works extremely well over the 1X camera as well. here are some samples. I get nearly 6X magnification with the 1.7x over the 3X camera. Pretty slick. If you’re not familiar with BeastGrip and their photo and video gear, I highly recommend that you check them out because this set up is pretty awesome. The frame is made out of aluminum and so is the optics housing so it’s a little bit heavy but it’s nice.

1x Camera with 1.7x lens

1.7x over the 3x camera