iPod touch Touch 4G - 0.7 megapixel camera??

[Phil In Idaho]

Then get an iPhone and stop crying...the camera is what it is...

Stop drinking the koolaid, Apple can do better and you know it.

By the way, I bought plenty of Apple stock at $15 a share back in the day so the only place I'm crying is all the way to the bank.

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

Can someone explain why the sensor in the new camera has to be .7 MP? I understand how the number was arrived at, but I think there's a good chance the actual sensor is higher resolution and it's just sizing it down to the final resolution. For one thing, the sensor is obviously capable of higher resolution than 960x720. Most cameras that take HD video have native resolution much higher. My 1080p camcorder has a 3 MP sensor in it, but it doesn't need a sensor that high just to record 1080p.

I'm betting that the camera in the touch is higher resolution than .7 MP but Apple is sizing it down. Apple has been known to do such things before.

 

[Old Blue]

Stop drinking the koolaid

only if you lay off the Poitín

 

[Phil In Idaho]

only if you lay off the Poitín

Ok, you got a deal, I hope you have a great weekend!

Be Well.

 

[DrawnToLife]

Can someone explain why the sensor in the new camera has to be .7 MP? I understand how the number was arrived at, but I think there's a good chance the actual sensor is higher resolution and it's just sizing it down to the final resolution. For one thing, the sensor is obviously capable of higher resolution than 960x720. Most cameras that take HD video have native resolution much higher. My 1080p camcorder has a 3 MP sensor in it, but it doesn't need a sensor that high just to record 1080p.

I'm betting that the camera in the touch is higher resolution than .7 MP but Apple is sizing it down. Apple has been known to do such things before.

Someone's thinking

 

[FearNo1]

True I think this is another example of apple intentionally holding back the potential of a product, so that many consumers, esp the mactards, will "upgrade" to the latest version the following year. Its pretty annoying the tactics that jobs pulls... I bet next years touch has a 5mp camera, while the iphone has 8mp camera

This resolution is an insult. The obvious reason why Apple sticked an unnecessarily low resolution unit in there was to keep the iPod Touch away from damaging iPhone sales, especially following Antenna-gate.

It's not just about resolution, of course. The chip matters, but most importantly, you need a good lens. Of course, hopes shouldn't be high about these in a mobile device - that's why AT LEAST the resolution should be better than a 6 years old budget phone's.

Honestly, this thing with Apple that you just cannot get what you reasonably expect for a lot less is getting tiring.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

So the video on Apple site isn't compressed? It says "unedited" so it probably is compressed for web...

Well, lets say it is totally uncompressed, just for arguments' sake. You can use that link to actually perform a little experiment.

Now pause the video during playback...I just did. Do a screen grab of the image that is paused. Easy enough right?

Now look at that screen grab. In the native size you just viewed it, looks pretty good, right? Small, but still works fine for a Facebook posting or whatever. The video looks great, but the picture looks OK as long as you don't try to size it up any.

Now go ahead and zoom in just a little bit. See all those squares? Yeah...don't do that. Its very easy to take a hi-MP count picture and scale it down and retain quality. Its very difficult to upscale a low-MP count picture and not get the jaggies.

It is what it is....a really decent little Flip-video replacement device that has pause and screen grab features that they call a "camera." As long as you don't plan on needing the picture to be larger than native resolution (and native resolution is fine for Facebook posts and such), you'll not be disappointed.

Just re-set your expectations...it's not a camera for archival purposes. Its a really good little video recorder with pause and screen grab functions. End of story.

Examples below.....I'm far too lazy to post at relative sizes, just did this quickly for example purposes. But you can download that sample video and play around with pausing and screen grabbing yourself to get an idea of what the pictures will look like.

The first attachment is screen grab of Apples 'unretouched' iPod Touch 4 video playing while paused. Not too bad. Second is blown up a bit. In the attachment 'window' below you can't discern the difference easily. But when you click them individually...you'll see.

 

[Beric]

Can someone explain why the sensor in the new camera has to be .7 MP? I understand how the number was arrived at, but I think there's a good chance the actual sensor is higher resolution and it's just sizing it down to the final resolution. For one thing, the sensor is obviously capable of higher resolution than 960x720. Most cameras that take HD video have native resolution much higher. My 1080p camcorder has a 3 MP sensor in it, but it doesn't need a sensor that high just to record 1080p.

I'm betting that the camera in the touch is higher resolution than .7 MP but Apple is sizing it down. Apple has been known to do such things before.

Oooh... Apple's asking for a jailbreak to "unlock" more resolution here.

 

[Link2999]

Well, lets say it is totally uncompressed, just for arguments' sake. You can use that link to actually perform a little experiment.

Now pause the video during playback...I just did. Do a screen grab of the image that is paused. Easy enough right?

Now look at that screen grab. In the native size you just viewed it, looks pretty good, right? Small, but still works fine for a Facebook posting or whatever. The video looks great, but the picture looks OK as long as you don't try to size it up any.

Now go ahead and zoom in just a little bit. See all those squares? Yeah...don't do that. Its very easy to take a hi-MP count picture and scale it down and retain quality. Its very difficult to upscale a low-MP count picture and not get the jaggies.

It is what it is....a really decent little Flip-video replacement device that has pause and screen grab features that they call a "camera." As long as you don't plan on needing the picture to be larger than native resolution (and native resolution is fine for Facebook posts and such), you'll not be disappointed.

Just re-set your expectations...it's not a camera for archival purposes. Its a really good little video recorder with pause and screen grab functions. End of story.

Examples below.....I'm far too lazy to post at relative sizes, just did this quickly for example purposes. But you can download that sample video and play around with pausing and screen grabbing yourself to get an idea of what the pictures will look like.

The first attachment is screen grab of Apples 'unretouched' iPod Touch 4 video playing while paused. Not too bad. Second is blown up a bit. In the attachment 'window' below you can't discern the difference easily. But when you click them individually...you'll see.

Yup, was also thinking of this work around. We'll see how it works out.

 

[ImaVeggie]

ReallyBigFeet... Thanks so much for your post. I think you're absolutely right. The "camera" is basically is using the video camera to take a still image. It's why Apple makes no mention of MPs. Thinking of the new iPod Touch having a .7 MP Camera is incorrect, IMHO. The photos will be of a much higher quality than that.

My 1st generation iPod Touch is now completely sure that it's getting a new Big Sister

 

[MythicFrost]

So, what's the deal here?

Does a video camera and still camera require separate lenses? Or are they the same thing?
Also, why is the iPod Touch's camera only able to take small photos, but the video camera is capable of HD 720p video?

Just looking for information, thanks.

 

[FearNo1]

OK...but the question still remains: why didn't apple put a 5mp camera in the touch as they did with the iphone, esp in this day and age? It may have been cheaper for apple to use the same lens that way they could order in larger quantities for a better discount. I won't be shocked to see if next years touch have a 5mp camera.

BTW I plan to upgrade my refurbished 1st gen touch as well

Thinking of the new iPod Touch having a .7 MP Camera is incorrect, IMHO. The photos will be of a much higher quality than that.

My 1st generation iPod Touch is now completely sure that it's getting a new Big Sister

 

[AppleWizard]

People are not realizing that 960 by 720 is a pretty decent quality despite the low mp. Sure, you would not use this for professional photography, but I think it would be fun for me to take oils on the go without lugging around my panasonic lumix with the big lens.

 

[Neebee]

Ipod Touch is nothing like the iPhone 4

I think people are easily and understanderbly misled into believing that the Touch is just like the iPhone (4) except it lacks a few features. If they're p***ed about the Touch's camera they have every reason to be because for one reason or another, they're led to believe and expect the Touch is just like the iPhone.

People need to remember that there are more than a few features that sets it apart from the iPhone 4. It lacks a GPS, 3G, and a camera that is the same as the iPhone 4. Regardless of what you may think of MP and resolution, any device with such a low MP count really raises flags among many people who are bombared about MPs.

The question I would like to raise is how much more would an Touch actually cost if had a 3G and GPS chip plus the same camera? Is it really close to $400 more like an unlocked Iphone 4 sells in Canada? How much more would it really cost to add those components and leave the phone component out?

 

[pimjai]

if you don`t want to use the pictures you make as a poster, i think the quality will be fine. also, i think the reason that they don`t put in the same camera as in the iphone, is that they make much more profit on the iphone, so the don`t want to make the ipod pick to much sales from the iphone.

 

[ct95]

I think people are easily and understanderbly misled into believing that the Touch is just like the iPhone (4) except it lacks a few features. If they're p***ed about the Touch's camera they have every reason to be because for one reason or another, they're led to believe and expect the Touch is just like the iPhone.

People need to remember that there are more than a few features that sets it apart from the iPhone 4. It lacks a GPS, 3G, and a camera that is the same as the iPhone 4. Regardless of what you may think of MP and resolution, any device with such a low MP count really raises flags among many people who are bombared about MPs.

The question I would like to raise is how much more would an Touch actually cost if had a 3G and GPS chip plus the same camera? Is it really close to $400 more like an unlocked Iphone 4 sells in Canada? How much more would it really cost to add those components and leave the phone component out?

It would cost Apple big time in terms of revenue and profits, since people would just buy the iPod touch instead of the iPhone. They will lose momentum in the high growth smartphone market and gain in the declining mp3/PMP market. Their stock price will take a big hit. The touch will always be a step behind the iPhone. It's a business decision, and a smart one at that. In my opinion, they've given us a good value and upgrades with the new touch, while balancing its capabilities with respect to the iPhone.

 

[Jelsoft]

OK...but the question still remains: why didn't apple put a 5mp camera in the touch as they did with the iphone, esp in this day and age? It may have been cheaper for apple to use the same lens that way they could order in larger quantities for a better discount. I won't be shocked to see if next years touch have a 5mp camera.

BTW I plan to upgrade my refurbished 1st gen touch as well

Because it's too thick. Christ.

 

[pimjai]

Because it's too thick. Christ.

actualy i think they put a different camera on it so people buy the iphone 4, and not the ipod. i think if they wanted to put a good camera in it, they wouldn´t have made the ipod that thin.

 

[ademuth93]

... The touch will always be a step behind the iPhone. It's a business decision, and a smart one at that. In my opinion, they've given us a good value and upgrades with the new touch, while balancing its capabilities with respect to the iPhone.

I 100% agree with this post.

I got the retina and two cameras. That's all I wanted.

 

[Jelsoft]

actualy i think they put a different camera on it so people buy the iphone 4, and not the ipod. i think if they wanted to put a good camera in it, they wouldn´t have made the ipod that thin.

People don't buy an iphone instead of an ipod because of the camera. They buy it because they want a phone.
Apple feel they'll sell more thin ipod touches than thicker ipod touches.. Apple know that most consumers want thinness over camera quality in their ipod.
It has nothing to do with the iphone.
It has nothing to do with them not wanting to put in a 5mp camera.
It is all to do with aesthetics.
You are stupid.
Good night.

 

[axboi87]

Stop complaining

and buy an iPhone

 

[pimjai]

People don't buy an iphone instead of an ipod because of the camera. They buy it because they want a phone.
Apple feel they'll sell more thin ipod touches than thicker ipod touches.. Apple know that most consumers want thinness over camera quality in their ipod.
It has nothing to do with the iphone.
It has nothing to do with them not wanting to put in a 5mp camera.
It is all to do with aesthetics.
You are stupid.
Good night.

i don´t see why you feel the need to insult people? don´t you think that if the touch did everything the iphone did (except making phone calls), for half the price, many people will buy the ipod, and not the iphone?

 

[mgmusicman94]

Stop complaining and buy an iPhone

Well put.

 

[ntrigue]

While I agree that installing a 5.0 megapixel (rear-illuminating) camera in the iPod Touch 4 would have resulted in a Droid X-esque profile. 0.7 megapixel?!

They just restricted the consumer to ever printing acceptable quality 4 x 6 photos!

Here they are, positioned to make the perfect iPod Touch (it took four generations) and they blow it on a $12 camera vs. a $14 camera module.

 

[dwarnecke11]

One point some keep missing is that the iPhone's 5 MP unit is significantly larger and more expensive than the one used in the touch. The raw parts cost of the 16 GB iPhone 4 is about $190, and of course that doesn't include the tremendous R&D costs. Apple has to turn a profit with these iPod touches, guys. A superbly thin iPod touch with a low res but still capable camera (its still above the resolution of the fantastic Retina display) seems like a good combination. I just sold my 5.5th Gen 80 GB iPod as well as the 8 GB 2G iPod touch that came with my new iMac. This covers most of the cost of a new 32 GB iPod touch for me.

And unlike my $400 Canon S90, this thing shoots 720p video