Why is it so impossible for me to take consistently good photos with my 6?

[pjstrrns]

I guess it still leaves my biggest question. Why is there such a disparity of reviews on the photos? Are some phones bugged with too high of noise reduction or is everyone experiencing this?

You see so many reviews of this stunning camera and the photos that go with it, while a few of us are sitting looking at our photos trying to figure out what went wrong.

Guess its time to call up apple and see what they say. I would go into the store but the closet one is 1.5 hrs away. I have also personally seen this on two phones.

 

[iPhone7ate9]

I guess it still leaves my biggest question. Why is there such a disparity of reviews on the photos? Are some phones bugged with too high of noise reduction or is everyone experiencing this?

You see so many reviews of this stunning camera and the photos that go with it, while a few of us are sitting looking at our photos trying to figure out what went wrong.

Guess its time to call up apple and see what they say. I would go into the store but the closet one is 1.5 hrs away. I have also personally seen this on two phones.

It's 100% not a defect and 100% by design. Reviews are looking at the pictures as a whole,where the pics are mostly good, while we are looking at fine details

 

[Winona Northdakota]

I found this article interesting:

http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles/Appl...et-gold-standard-for-smartphone-image-quality

 

[pjstrrns]

I found this article interesting:

http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles/Appl...et-gold-standard-for-smartphone-image-quality

The examples in this article have no where near the distortion or "monet effect" that some of us have experienced. The smudges in their examples are much smaller than what I have seen. Almost like their iphone uses a tiny brush for noise reduction and mine uses a big one.

This is what I have been trying to figure out why is there a disparity. Maybe the auto focus is acting buggy or something. But without multiple iphones or a way to turn off NR, it is hard to test this.

My daytime pics with plenty of light, when cropped at 100% look like the low-light shot example. I expect it in low light situations where there would be lots of noise, but not in outdoor shots with lots of lights.

 

[hunkim]

Everyone is providing feedback to Apple to ask for NR/sharpening decrease in future updates right?

https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

They don't pay attention to these forums.

The examples in this article have no where near the distortion or "monet effect" that some of us have experienced. The smudges in their examples are much smaller than what I have seen. Almost like their iphone uses a tiny brush for noise reduction and mine uses a big one.

This is what I have been trying to figure out why is there a disparity. Maybe the auto focus is acting buggy or something. But without multiple iphones or a way to turn off NR, it is hard to test this.

My daytime pics with plenty of light, when cropped at 100% look like the low-light shot example. I expect it in low light situations where there would be lots of noise, but not in outdoor shots with lots of lights.

 

[iosuser]

I don't know what they're testing for. I had/have 6 of the phone listed on that comparison. Even at base ISO and bright daylight, the pictures from the iPhone 6 looks like every shot was taken at ISO3200. By far the best camera phone I had was from the Sony Z1 Compact. It absolutely destroys the iPhone 6. Even the LG G2 which I also have is better. The attached picture was taken with the Sony Z1C. It was taken at 1/2500s shutter speed. The iPhone will not be able to freeze action like this.

The camera is the most disappointing aspect of the iPhone 6.

I found this article interesting:

http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles/Appl...et-gold-standard-for-smartphone-image-quality

The examples in this article have no where near the distortion or "monet effect" that some of us have experienced. The smudges in their examples are much smaller than what I have seen. Almost like their iphone uses a tiny brush for noise reduction and mine uses a big one.

This is what I have been trying to figure out why is there a disparity. Maybe the auto focus is acting buggy or something. But without multiple iphones or a way to turn off NR, it is hard to test this.

My daytime pics with plenty of light, when cropped at 100% look like the low-light shot example. I expect it in low light situations where there would be lots of noise, but not in outdoor shots with lots of lights.

 

[sergiocapitano]

View attachment 497601

With my iPhone 6

Randy, would you email me a copy of this so I can check the EXIF metadata? It's been stripped out, so I can't see what settings such as ISO are. Thanks. scaptain@tomsguide.com

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Unless it is in very bright light, everything always looks smudgy. I took about 5 photos of this praying mantis and none of them came out very well. I can never get them to look that sharp.

The background looks like a bad Monet painting.

Image

This is with Auto HDR and Auto flash (which it didn't flash but it did apply HDR). I've tried HDR vs. non-HDR and haven't seen much difference.

Hi, would you email me a full-res copy of the original so I can check the EXIF metadata? It's been stripped out here, so I can't see what settings such as ISO are. Thanks. scaptain@tomsguide.com

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How about just a row.
The further you look to the right, the more apparent the noise reduction is.

Left click and 'view image' for full size:

Image

The focus is on the 2nd / 3rd bush from the left, and it's pretty dramatic how the noise reduction just starts smoothly taking over as you look down the row.

Oh, I was just able to download the original. ISO is only 32, so it's odd that it applied so much NR.

 

[pjstrrns]

Oh, I was just able to download the original. ISO is only 32, so it's odd that it applied so much NR.

Here is also examples of the issues.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1786611/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1792938/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1784851/

 

[Winona Northdakota]

The examples in this article have no where near the distortion or "monet effect" that some of us have experienced. The smudges in their examples are much smaller than what I have seen. Almost like their iphone uses a tiny brush for noise reduction and mine uses a big one.

This is what I have been trying to figure out why is there a disparity. Maybe the auto focus is acting buggy or something. But without multiple iphones or a way to turn off NR, it is hard to test this.

My daytime pics with plenty of light, when cropped at 100% look like the low-light shot example. I expect it in low light situations where there would be lots of noise, but not in outdoor shots with lots of lights.

Many times with taking photos facing toward direct sunlight, you will have that effect. You are not the only one. Try taking photos from the same perspective and composition with an iPhone 6 and another digital camera and posting here for a side by side comparison.

 

[terraphantm]

I've been looking at a few photos I've taken, and there definitely is some issue going on. The pictures look acceptable when downsampled, but at full resolution it looks bad. Almost as if they took a lower resolution image and upscaled it

 

[slpslee1]

I think you are zooming in, maybe unintentionally, but zooming nonetheless. This is an 8MP camera with nothing but digital zoom. The pictures are quite good at full resolution. The more you zoom in, the more resolution you lose and the more mush you're going to see. In a way, I think everyone was better off when their iPhone camera didn't zoom at all, because it forced you to take the best pictures your camera was capable of.

If you're going to use the zoom feature, you're going to compromise your photos. How much they will be compromised depends on how much you zoom in. I took a bunch of pictures this morning, and I was very happy with my results. I used only minimal or no zoom throughout.

Would I rush out and trade in all my cameras for my phone? No, of course not, but it's more than capable of recording the moment when it's all you have handy.

I guess it still leaves my biggest question. Why is there such a disparity of reviews on the photos? Are some phones bugged with too high of noise reduction or is everyone experiencing this?

 

[TommyA6]

I don't know what they're testing for. I had/have 6 of the phone listed on that comparison. Even at base ISO and bright daylight, the pictures from the iPhone 6 looks like every shot was taken at ISO3200. By far the best camera phone I had was from the Sony Z1 Compact. It absolutely destroys the iPhone 6. Even the LG G2 which I also have is better. The attached picture was taken with the Sony Z1C. It was taken at 1/2500s shutter speed. The iPhone will not be able to freeze action like this.

The camera is the most disappointing aspect of the iPhone 6.

Actually, iPhone 6 can easily freeze action like this (and is capable of shutter speeds faster than 1/2500s).

Every review praises the iPhone 6 camera (comparing it to all sorts of competition) and you've decided that you word is a pure fact

 

[Starfyre]

I don't think the iPhone is meant to "freeze action". People that run around or move a lot will be blurry in the picture OIS or not. With a relatively steady hand, I find pictures turn out great, especially in the daytime.

 

[TommyA6]

I don't think the iPhone is meant to "freeze action". People that run around or move a lot will be blurry in the picture OIS or not. With a relatively steady hand, I find pictures turn out great, especially in the daytime.

iPhone 6 can easily freeze action. It's all about shutter speed. Very high shutter speeds 1/1000 s or faster can easily freeze action (kids jumping, cars passing by etc.). It's not something only reserved for Sony cameras or whatever.

And OIS has nothing to do with freezing action. It only helps with hand shake.

 

[iosuser]

Actually, iPhone 6 can easily freeze action like this (and is capable of shutter speeds faster than 1/2500s).

Every review praises the iPhone 6 camera (comparing it to all sorts of competition) and you've decided that you word is a pure fact

Fact, iPhone loves to choose a low shutter speed. It loves to choose stupid low shutter speeds like 1/10s for no good reason. Now that Apple has allowed 3rd party camera apps manual controls, the max shutter speed available is 1/1000s which is not sufficient to completely freeze motion. If the iPhone 6 is capable of higher than 1/1000s, then for whatever reason Camera+ cannot access it. Not only that, the Sony locks focus much more quickly than the fancy pants focus pixels equipped iPhone 6

Fact, I have 3 of the phones that are supposedly inferior to the almighty iPhone 6 camera, yet they take better photos. Can't trust reviews of Apple gadgets any more as they're afraid of being cutoff by Apple, like that German magazine that bent a 6+ on video and got cutoff from future invites and review samples.

 

[sumsingwong]

Fact, iPhone loves to choose a low shutter speed. It loves to choose stupid low shutter speeds like 1/10s for no good reason. Now that Apple has allowed 3rd party camera apps manual controls, the max shutter speed available is 1/1000s which is not sufficient to completely freeze motion. If the iPhone 6 is capable of higher than 1/1000s, then for whatever reason Camera+ cannot access it. Not only that, the Sony locks focus much more quickly than the fancy pants focus pixels equipped iPhone 6

Fact, I have 3 of the phones that are supposedly inferior to the almighty iPhone 6 camera, yet they take better photos. Can't trust reviews of Apple gadgets any more as they're afraid of being cutoff by Apple, like that German magazine that bent a 6+ on video and got cutoff from future invites and review samples.

Fact, I'll trust experts before I trust a nobody like you.

 

[iosuser]

Fact, I'll trust experts before I trust a nobody like you.

As if I give a crap who or what u trust, sumsingwrong?

 

[lsatterfield]

Isn't there a place to request/suggest changes to Apple devices from Apple's website? Or report a problem?
Someone posted a link on another thread, but I can't remember what it was.

Whatever it is, if someone can post it, I think we should all go and request that they change the noise reduction processing in the software. I would actually prefer a little more noise over this... It makes me weary about receiving my 6 Plus.

 

[sumsingwong]

As if I give a crap who or what u trust, sumsingwrong?

Then why share your version of facts like your some expert? Just to see yourself post something?

 

[iosuser]

Then why share your version of facts like your some expert? Just to see yourself post something?

It's call a discussion. Until u barged in an insult me, and continue to do so with "my version of facts". My version of fact includes having owned supposedly inferior cameras to the iPhone 6 which my experience says otherwise. What did u have to contribute other than to insult me?

 

[sumsingwong]

It's call a discussion. Until u barged in an insult me, and continue to do so with "my version of facts". My version of fact includes having owned supposedly inferior cameras to the iPhone 6 which my experience says otherwise. What did u have to contribute other than to insult me?

Because you're stating everything you say is a fact. You said the 3 phones that were inferior takes better pictures than the new iPhone. That's called an opinion. Not a fact. I contributed to this thread by calling you out on your opinions that you seem to think are facts. How did I insult you? Because I said I would take experts reviews over an anonymous member who disagrees with the experts review and states their opinion is fact? Whatever.

 

[terraphantm]

Fact, I'll trust experts before I trust a nobody like you.

Based on Apple banning computer bild from future events, it seems like "experts" have to speak positively about Apple or else face the consequences.

I was comparing a few shots from my 5S and 6, and I'd say the 5S takes better pictures. The 6 camera isn't bad if the pictures just end up on facebook, but at full res the results are awful

 

[sumsingwong]

Why is it so impossible for me to take consistently good photos with my 6?

Based on Apple banning computer bild from future events, it seems like "experts" have to speak positively about Apple or else face the consequences.



I was comparing a few shots from my 5S and 6, and I'd say the 5S takes better pictures. The 6 camera isn't bad if the pictures just end up on facebook, but at full res the results are awful

There have been articles and comparisons with the iPhone camera and other phones since the first iPhone with camera debuted. Not all of them favored the iPhone. Same thing with speed tests, display comparisons, etc., Apple had no problems with them. This stupid bendgate thing is taking it too far.

The guy that went to Iceland did a good comparison between the iPhone 6/6+ and the 5s. The iPhone 6/6+ photos were better than the 5s.

 

[TommyA6]

Fact, iPhone loves to choose a low shutter speed. It loves to choose stupid low shutter speeds like 1/10s for no good reason. Now that Apple has allowed 3rd party camera apps manual controls, the max shutter speed available is 1/1000s which is not sufficient to completely freeze motion. If the iPhone 6 is capable of higher than 1/1000s, then for whatever reason Camera+ cannot access it. Not only that, the Sony locks focus much more quickly than the fancy pants focus pixels equipped iPhone 6

Fact, I have 3 of the phones that are supposedly inferior to the almighty iPhone 6 camera, yet they take better photos. Can't trust reviews of Apple gadgets any more as they're afraid of being cutoff by Apple, like that German magazine that bent a 6+ on video and got cutoff from future invites and review samples.

iPhone 6 (and 5 I currently own) are capable of shutter speeds much faster than 1/1000 s. Camera+ doesn't have that option, but that's their problem.

And that nonsense about focus speed just shows your ignorance.

 

[iosuser]

iPhone 6 (and 5 I currently own) are capable of shutter speeds much faster than 1/1000 s. Camera+ doesn't have that option, but that's their problem.

And that nonsense about focus speed just shows your ignorance.

I don't know which app that is, but ~1/16000s shutter speed is bogus. I posted a sample of the Sony perfectly focused and froze kids jumping into the pool. I have not been able to lock focus so quickly with the iPhone 6. Perhaps I'm just resistant to the focus pixel magic dust Apple sprinkled onto the world.

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Because you're stating everything you say is a fact. You said the 3 phones that were inferior takes better pictures than the new iPhone. That's called an opinion. Not a fact. I contributed to this thread by calling you out on your opinions that you seem to think are facts. How did I insult you? Because I said I would take experts reviews over an anonymous member who disagrees with the experts review and states their opinion is fact? Whatever.

Cameras on other phones, including the iPhone 5s, do not show heavy details smearing as the iPhone 6 does, which is why this thread exists. That is not an opinion.