The iPhone 4S Camera, what we know

In 5 days many of you will be getting your new iPhone 4S', and alongside the faster A5 processor and the other new features, you will be getting an all new and improved camera, but what do we know of this new camera so far?

The Resolution
Well the new iPhone 4S camera will sport an 8 megapixel sensor [widely believed to be of the Sony Exmor R design, as apposed to OmniVision's latest 8MP BSI sensor] that will capture images at 3264x2448 pixels, as apposed to 2569x1908 pixels from the current 5 megapixel sensor found on the iPhone 4 [that's 60% more data].

The Lens
Constructed of 5 elements, as apposed to 4, the new lens has a focal length of 4.28mm, which in traditional 35mm film camera terms, equates to a focal length of about 35mm, as compared to the approximately 30mm lens found on the current iPhone 4, which may be a pain when trying to take shots in tight spaces.

The aperture is now f/2.4, as apposed f/2.8, which may not sound that much, but in low light conditions, that half an f-stop could make all the difference between getting a good shot, as apposed to an OK one.

Infrared Photography
Many iPhoneographers use their iPhones to capture and create infrared photographs, as the current iPhone's do not have a filter over their sensor that filters out infrared (IR) light, and so with the aid of an R72 infrared filter held in front of the lens, images like these from Matt Brock can be achieved. The new iPhone 4S however, has what Apple describe as a "hybrid IR filter" between the lens and the sensor, which will make infrared photography on an iPhone a thing of the past.

Shooting Video
For those of you who prefer to shoot moving images, Apple did not forget you, as the new iPhone 4S will now capture at full 1080p, as apposed to 720p on the iPhone 4 and 480p on the 3GS.

Also, using the iPhone's gyroscopic sensor, Apple have added automatic image stabilisation, but disappointedly, and despite the current iPhone 4 also having the gyroscopic sensor, this is an iPhone 4S only feature, and will not come as part of the companies iOS 5 update.

Oh, and in true Steve Jobs fashion, "One Last Thing"
The camera on the new iPhone 4S now includes Face Detection. But what is "Face Detection" you may ask? Well this is what Apple have to say about Face Detection. "With new face detection, this camera is smart enough to know whether you’re taking a portrait or a group shot. It focuses on the most prominent face in the frame and balances exposure across up to 10 faces."

Final Thought
We won't know just how good this new camera is until the iPhone 4S gets out in to the real world, but looking at the specs, it should prove to be impressive, and worthy successor to the current iPhone 4.

Comments

[john]

As a long time 3g user I can say with no hesitation that I cannot wait until Friday!

I am wondering though, with camera phones now being top quality cameras, is iphoneography really as relevant as it once was? With my 3g I am working under very limited conditions. With the new camera in the 4s I will have an 8mp camera with face recognition, image stabilization, a high quality lens, etc. I guess what I'm thinking is with the new iPhone 4s won't I pretty much be using a point and shoot camera. Sure it's a phone, but a phone with a full featured camera.

[Glyn Evans]

Hi John, I think with the increase in power and quality, that iPhoneography will grow even more in popularity, as more and more people discover the joys of being able to shot, edit and then share their photos without the need to spend hours in front of a computer screen.

Also for me, iPhoneography is more than just another "mobile photography group", as it has a meaning and a direction, just as Lomography does for analogue photography.

[v]

stupid question: can you carry all your existing apps over to your new phone if you upgrade. i know it should be linked to your itunes account and you shouldn't have to repurchase but i've gotten so many at promotional prices or for free (thanks to great sites like this) and stuff like limited edition lenses and film within hipstamatic...

[chris / interealtime]

v: you can back up your current phone in iTunes, then plug your new phone in and restore all your stuff. All your apps, in-app purchases, and all your data gets restored.

Glyn: you missed out the biggest part surely? Software.

All you can do with a point + shoot is take pictures. With an iPhone you can do that, but you can do almost anything with them after that - make them look retro, add captions, put them in a video, upload them to various sharing sites... It's like having your camera plus a ton of lenses and filters, plus a computer with photoshop and other software. Except all in your pocket and ready to go.

Tell you what would be really cool: A DSLR with a slot on the back and a dock connector instead of a screen. A high end camera + lens, plus the iPhone's touchscreen and apps. Failing that a DSLR that runs apps?

[Diego O'sullivan]

I think the camera is the same of iphone 4 with 3 extra megapixels, I hope I'm wrong , but the Official photos of this new version don't seem diffederents than the iphone 4 camera , I hope really i'm totally wrong and I would can eat my own words

[Glyn Evans]

Hi Chris, no, this post was about the camera, I left iOS 5 (the software) for the post that followed this one.

[Miege]

This is going to be a badass camera! Software and hardware nirvana!

[Rob]

The problem is that we know about the iPhone 4S camera in theory. We know specs and concepts, but we need real world comparisons. It's funny when you think about it, since the iPhone has never been about specs. The iPhone 4 had a 5 megapixel camera even when phones that came before it were already sporting 8 megapixels. But the iPhone 4 took better pictures because Apple focussed on the quality of what the camera could do rather than simply going for specs that sell.

I won't be surprised at all if the iPhone 4S has an amazing camera, but I'm not interested in specs. I'll be excited for when we can judge photos rather than specs because that's what will determine if the 4S is a worthy upgrade for photography. I'll also be curious to learn how much of an impact the A5 processor has on photography apps.

I have an iPhone 4 and I love it. I want want want an iPhone 4S, but I'm probably going to wait until the iPhone 5 is released and make that upgrade instead.

[Richard Bailey]

Unless the the new iPhone 4s has a larger image sensor than the current 1/3.2" back-illuminated CMOS sensor the move to 8 megapixels could actually degrade the image quality under certain conditions. In the world of of digital compact cameras recent years have seen competitors push towards more and more megapixels in a bid to win over customers who naively think that more megapixels make better pictures. What they don’t realise is that by cramming say 16 megapixels into the same tiny sensor that in previous models had 8 or 10 megapixels is a recipe for image degradation - usually in the form of noise. Often the larger photosites of a less pixel-dense sensor will tend to receive more light, in the same exposure, making it easier to produce an image that looks cleaner at the pixel level.

A couple of years ago Canon actually reduced the pixel count of its flagship pro compact the G11 to 10 megapixels from the 14 of the previous G10 because of IQ issues - particularly at higher ISO’s.

So if my reason for upgrading to the 4S was purely for the increase in camera resolution I would think carefully before committing myself. The new camera would have to show a massive jump in IQ to temp me and I honestly don’t see this being the case.

Personally I’ll wait and see what the iPhone 5 delivers as the 4S isn’t that much of a leap from the 4 in my opinion.

[MATTHEW HEMINGWAY]

Really interesting article , i think the Face Detection aspect is amazing . Looking forward to trying out these new features.

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