Why we need built-in manual white balance...

[RiceRacerDX]

Firstly, this is not my video. I found it on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izHKFg_OZtU&hd=1

Anyways, if it wasn't already obvious enough that white balance is totally off when taking pictures indoors of white walls, then this video only adds to the fact that Apple definitely needs to do something here. This video is like I'm trippin' on some shrooms or something (or so I have heard). I have shot videos and have had similar results in the past. And I am tired of having to resort to the app store/third party solutions to solve a problem from the manufacturers end that could more than likely be fixed with a software update (i.e. youtube web app, "Find" javascript for safari [pre 4.2], etc). It would be nice to be able to have manual settings for everything in the camera app, but I guess that's asking for too much.

 

[Brandon Heat]

It would be nice... But, don't ya think that's more of a luxury? You're kinda using the video for "fun" projects and not serious stuff... Isn't this using the right tool for the right job? The iPhone camera/video, to me, is more about on the fly stuff... Just to capture a scene for the memories... Not really for anything more serious than that.... That's just me though...

 

[RiceRacerDX]

It would be nice... But, don't ya think that's more of a luxury? You're kinda using the video for "fun" projects and not serious stuff... Isn't this using the right tool for the right job? The iPhone camera/video, to me, is more about on the fly stuff... Just to capture a scene for the memories... Not really for anything more serious than that.... That's just me though...

Absolutely not. I don't think it's a luxury to the slightest. And I don't think that it's a luxury to have it included in an update either. Yes, the iPhone isn't going to compete against a standalone device, such as a DSLR, whose sole purpose is for photography. Nonetheless, if it's a marketed product, it should be made right and not mediocre, especially if app devs can fix a problem that the big manufacturer has yet to address...that just tells me it can be done but hasn't as of yet.

 

[Orion126]

Just an FYI but that is far from tripping on mushrooms. When I used to be on shrooms my eyes would see red, yellow, green and the walls would literally start melting.

I miss college

 

[Brandon Heat]

Maybe it's just one of the limitations... Like... You can't do macro photography with the iphone camera... It just doesn't focus that close and doesn't have a 1:1 ratio like a dslr setup... So if you keep you light source constant then the iPhone video/camera works ok... It's like mixing artificial light and ending up with wacky colors in photography... You just try to avoid that and keep your flashes at a constant temp because there's a limitation with a cameras ability to determine the proper white balance...

For instance, maybe your point and shoot clips the highlights too early so you bring and shoot with a 1ds mkiv if you know youre going to shoot a high dynamic range scene... Or, maybe you're at a party and a hottie is stripping and you want to catch it... You're probably not gonna whip out a $10k setup when the iPhone can do it fine...

Or maybe it's some secret conspiracy scheme... Make a phone with a so-so camera and then get the 30% profit at the app store from a 3rd party developer who does the corrections for you...

 

[Small White Car]

Hmm, I have never had my phone do anything like that. Maybe you should have the Apple store look at it. I think it's likely that there's something wrong with your phone.