iOS 4.1 and HDR Photography
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 9:57PM | Glyn Evans A few hours ago Apple let its latest version of iOS, version 4.1 loose to the general public, with its HDR Photography feature being of interest to us iPhoneographers. Now here in the UK it is evening, so I have only had a brief chance to try out Apple's new HDR Photography feature, but on first impression it doesn't look very HDR to me!
Apple's HDR Photography
Apple's HDR Photography feature is easily switched on/off from the camera app screen, with the HDR on/off button sitting across the top of the screen between the flash on/off and front/rear camera toggle button. Enabling the HDR feature automatically turns off the flash, and if you try re-enable the flash it then switches the HDR feature off.
Having turned on the HDR feature, simply take your photo as normal and the camera will take 3 shots in very quick succession, automatically merging all 3 together to produce Apple's version of a HDR photo, saving the original none HDR version to the camera roll at the same time, if "Keep Normal Photo" which can be found under "Photos" in the settings menu, is set to on.
How does Apple's HDR Photography feature compare with Pro HDR and TrueHDR?
Apple's HDR Photography feature takes photos lightening quick compare with Pro HDR and TrueHDR, however as the samples below show, Apple's version of HDR falls well short of what I, and I am sure many of you will consider to be HDR.
Above: The original none HDR photo
Above: Apple's HDR Photography version
Above: The TrueHDR version
Above: The Pro HDR version
What do I think of Apple's HDR Photography feature?
Based on my quick tests, Apple's HDR feature does seem to produce nice evenly exposed and balanced photos, however the results look more like those you would expect from a multi-zone metering system, than a HDR Photography app. Based on my initial tests, Pro HDR [App Store Link] and TrueHDR [App Store Link] have little to worry about, as Apple's HDR feature seems to be no competition for these two excellent apps.
Glyn Evans
Based on feedback, it would appear that Apple's HDR Photography feature is only available for iPhone 4 users.
Apple's HDR Photography, Pro HDR, TrueHDR, iOS 4.1 in App Update
Reader Comments (38)
What do I think?
Wish I could tell you... been trying to get it for last three hours..
"server busy"
I am very happy with Apple's HDR capability. Much better shadow and hilite detail. Will use it as my main exposure. Can always spice the image up later to your liking. I would rather have a good exposed image to start with and thats what it gives you.
Completely right Glyn, that's the first thing I thought as well. I shot two pictures with the HDR feature on and one actually looks better without HDR.
It just produces dull and contrastless pictures in my opinion and nothing compared to the HDR shots one of my friends makes with a certain desktop app (which name I can't remember).
I'm going to give it a go tomorrow in daylight but at the moment I'm unimpressed. Will give Pro HDR a go though!
Hhmm personally i think that trueHDR do the best job in this example, my impression is that in the apple´s hdr option, the highlights are only pulled down under/to the 100% (white) range, just like a limiter, and the dark areas are pushed like a promist filter but its only my impression.
@Dixon Hamby. I agree, Apple's HDR feature does seem to give more evenly (correctly) exposed results, which many will choose to use all the time, however the results are not what I consider to be HDR.
On the contrary, I think Apple's HDR is a very nice implementation, as you don't see the obvious tone mapping artifacts: you get a nice and balanced picture which captures all the dynamic range (which is the only thing HDR is about). It still looks like a normal picture, not like an overprocessed pic with horrible halos, microcontrast through the roof and oversaturated colors (like the last one you posted).
Of course you are free to botch it as you want with additional software afterwards ;)
I suspect the algorithm Apple is using is closer to the "enfuse" algorithm, which gives natural looking images, than the tone mapping algorithm which is very hard to set up to get natural looking pics.
But I'm one of these people who think that good HDR is HDR you don't notice and who hates the overprocessing "HDR" look.
The camera in the iPhone has RAW capabilities. It would be more useful to expose some of that data layer for post-processing images...
Oh, I must admit the picture from True HDR looks indeed better than Apples, as it's not over-the-top and keeps a good contrast.
A cross between Apple's and TrueHDR would be my preference. It appears that TrueHDR still is exhibiting some haloing. The last one has abysmal haloing. In the few that I have shot it has toned down the highlights and opened the shadows very nicely. I'm impressed.
Here is my first test - http://bit.ly/aHRnZ
I think the Apple HDR is more like the D-lighting of Nikon. Just enough boost to make the photos more appealing. I have seen similar results using the free app called Color Leap.
Ok, I took a few pics myself from where I'm sitting with the HDR turned on and with Pro HDR and it verifies even more what I said.
Can anyone confirm that you get a similar effect during the day with the HDR turned on?
http://renzoverleysen.tumblr.com/post/1088342850/apples-new-hdr-feature-in-ios-4-1
If you RE-ENAMBLE the flash? Hehe :D
As the latest upgrade of TrueHDR has failed to cope with the low light I frequently shoot in I've really looking forward to seeing how this new feature copes with my dawn shots.
I agree with TimR about the latest THDR being a bit of a fail. I used TrueHDR to help lift the pics I take before sunrise and it was frequently successful before the latest upgrade. Now I get dreadful graining. ProHDR doesn't cut it either so this is a welcome step forwards.
True HDR was and still is a great tool for dramatic pull-focus effects. I'll put it through it's paces first thing tomorrow over at http://www.twitter.com/ftlauderdalesun at first light...
Thanks for the early test drive. Kudos.
I'm impressed so far. The idea of HDR is to preserve details in both the highlights and shadows, and Apple's HDR seems to do that. Although contrast may be reduced, that can easily be adjusted in post-processing. But you can't bring back detail that wasn't saved in the first place.
I haven't had a chance to use it outdoors yet, either ... but here's a photo I took of the lamp next to me, that shows quite significantly, I think, the new capability this brings to the iPhone to preserve details in both highlights and shadows. You'd never guess it was an HDR photo -- but that's a benefit as far as I'm concerned -- there's no haloing or unrealistic color saturation. It's a pretty nice balance. Check this link:
http://www.bobbergey.com/p906390966/e33e9a3fb
That photo is the Non-HDR shot, and the next one is the HDR version. I did tweak the contrast and saturation a tiny bit on the HDR version, something I couldn't have done on the Non-HDR shot without losing even more detail.
@EightWheels I agree. I think Apple's implementation is pretty good too. It depends on your definition of HDR - unrealistic highlights, or true representation. I think both are acceptable, so Apple's implementation fits in well with the existing apps.
I hope the other camera apps get access to the API so I can take Apple-HDR shots with anti-shake enabled. Blurry images using the native camera app are the bane of my existence.
No 3GS support?! Aw, man!
@Cody. Obviously you wouldn't use flash, but it was just an observation that Apple had not missed something silly, like letting you switch the flash back on.
Haha, sorry Glyn, I was pointing out a spelling mistake :D :D :D
@Cody, well spotted, sorry :)