Sony Likely to Provide Front-Facing Camera Sensors for Future iPhone

[APlotdevice]

Thanks for your polite and useful responses to all of my posts. I do agree with you regarding motion blur (including especially subject motion blur), but I just think that the useful range for settings on a phone is so narrow, that adding the complexity of full control over ISO or shutter speed would be more trouble than its worth.

I know this is an argument against choice, but in this case I believe its sensible. I dont grab for my phone over a real camera because I like the image quality - I do it because I can almost instantly capture whats in front of me. That might be a moment which quickly passes. If I had left the phone in manual I could ruin the shot and the moment could be gone before I can change the settings. For many people, this is the type of situation that they use a phone in a camera.

I would prefer to just see the iphones exposure algorithm revised to give priority to shutter speed over ISO. An alternative to this would be a switchable option that does this - something like "limit noise" or "fast motion", which would switch priority between the two.

A way to avoid making things overly complex to casual users would be to keep the built-in camera app unchanged, but open up the camera API so that third party apps can offer more control over the exposure.

 

[dona83]

Sony is actually #2 when it comes to Point & Shoot & SLT camera sales. Yes, even above Nikon. They make great imaging sensors and have pioneered their development... and apple needs great sensors.
I wonder if the front facing camera will ever get much better. If so, then eventually there will be those who will demand vibration reduction and better lens etc. It's great for video chat... 1.2MP is still 1280 x 960 resolution... which is high-def for video chat... although, not as great for selfies. If they could find a way to use one imaging sensor for both directions that'd be neat-o

There's a difference between being a technology leader and a sales leader. For example, Android is a sales leader but iOS is a technology leader.

I'll admit that Nikon makes the best DSLRs, but much like Toyota with their hybrid system, Sony bet on an exciting new technology a few years ago (mirrorless, semi-transluscent) and just recently everyone else figured they should get on the same boat.

 

[Menneisyys2]

There's a difference between being a technology leader and a sales leader. For example, Android is a sales leader but iOS is a technology leader.

Actually, this isn't really true. There indeed are areas where iOS is superior to Android / other mobile OS'es but stating it in every respect is superior to them is plain silly.

Let's only talk about software and not hardware goodies like 4K video recording , stereo audio recording, OIS, Qi recharging etc. Where is multiwindow multitasking in iOS, sorely missing from iPads, for example? It's absolutely excellent in Windows 8 / RT. Where is protected memory to avoid crashes? And the list continues.

 

[Traverse]

I'm happy to see my 2nd favorite company supply cameras to my 1st favorite company.

Life's good isn't it.

 

[dona83]

Actually, this isn't really true. There indeed are areas where iOS is superior to Android / other mobile OS'es but stating it in every respect is superior to them is plain silly.

Let's only talk about software and not hardware goodies like 4K video recording , stereo audio recording, OIS, Qi recharging etc. Where is multiwindow multitasking in iOS, sorely missing from iPads, for example? It's absolutely excellent in Windows 8 / RT. Where is protected memory to avoid crashes? And the list continues.

True, I really like my Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet for work, I've had coworkers try to use their iPad to do what I can do on the tablet but they can't. But I rarely touch it on personal time as I prefer using Mac and iOS. So different strokes different folks.

OIS would be nice, but my sis in law just moved from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy S4 which has OIS, her photos are just as crappy as before. I can't explain it. I've been tempted by a few low cost Android phones like the 5" 1080p Alcatel One Touch Idol X.

 

[Menneisyys2]

True, I really like my Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet for work, I've had coworkers try to use their iPad to do what I can do on the tablet but they can't. But I rarely touch it on personal time as I prefer using Mac and iOS. So different strokes different folks.

OIS would be nice, but my sis in law just moved from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy S4 which has OIS, her photos are just as crappy as before. I can't explain it. I've been tempted by a few low cost Android phones like the 5" 1080p Alcatel One Touch Idol X.

The S4 doesn't have OIS. No Samsung phones have OIS, regrettably - and it seems the S5 won't have it either. WRT high-end Android (non-Nokia) phones, in addition to the HTC One's it's only the LG G2 and Pro 2 that has / will have.

 

[Tech198]

So, Apple likes what Sony is doing ...

That can't be all bad, can it ?

Maybe Sony will start introducing like lens flare 2 to shake up the Apple ecosystem a bit more, we all raved about.

 

[dona83]

The S4 doesn't have OIS. No Samsung phones have OIS, regrettably - and it seems the S5 won't have it either. WRT high-end Android (non-Nokia) phones, in addition to the HTC One's it's only the LG G2 and Pro 2 that has / will have.

I thought it did. The Google Nexus 5 by LG has OIS.

 

[Menneisyys2]

I thought it did. The Google Nexus 5 by LG has OIS.

Yup, it does. It just has an overall, compared to the best cameras (S4, Note3, G2, iPhone 5s) pretty weak camera, this is why I don't consider it an alternative to those flagships.

 

[jlabute]

true... Sony does not make dlsr

Well, it isn't hard to beat Nikon in the P&S and the SLT area ;-) They, being mostly a DSLR company, have never put much emphasis on those areas, unlike the O&S king Canon or even the ILC king Panasonic / Olympus. This is why their P&S cameras are only worth purchasing for budget-sensitive folks and the Nikon 1 series (the only Nikon ILC) turned out to be financially a major disaster (bad sales).

But Sony does sell more cameras in general. Sony has 17.9% of the world camera market compared to 19% for Canon and 12.6% for Nikon. The Nikon 7000, D700, D800 etc has a sony sensor among other Nikon cameras... The 7100 is Toshiba. Sony uses their own sensors. Sony still makes $$ as Canon and Nikon sell more cameras. They area sales and technology leader in cameras. Nikon is more hype than product I am starting to believe... Relatively speaking

 

[jhtrico1850]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/23/us-sony-mobilephone-idUSKBN0FS0KP20140723

Sony Corp said on Thursday it would invest 35 billion yen ($345 million) to increase production of image sensors for smartphones and tablets, as the company courts handset makers to get more orders for front-facing camera sensors, used to take selfies.