How Does Apple Maintain Its Stranglehold On The Best Cellphone Cameras?

[PsychDoc]

Let me be clear, I despise Apple. I wouldn't own an iphoney if you gave me one on a silver platter with Scarlet Johansen thrown in for free (well, maybe, just maybe).

But son of a gun they keep turning out the best cameras in the biz. In good light the Samsungs can give them a run for their money but for straight 'out-of-the-box' consistent quality in good light, low light and flash they have no peer.

The Turbo comes in with 21 MP and.....meh. Mediocre at best. Does Apple have some special alchemy that is simply impossible to copy? Is there some entirely proprietary circuitry that others can't even come close to?

After all this time it's just bizarre to imagine that with their pathetic spec's (8mp IIRC) they are still leading the field by such a ridiculous margin.

 

[shanghaichica]

I haven't used the iPhone 6/6 plus cameras. But the S5 will take some beating (I don't care for low light shots).

Posted from my nexus 7 2013

 

[dancing-bass]

There is one HUGE advantage Apple has over anyone else. They have their fingers in EVERY part of the camera. Lens, sensor, driver, software...

EV-ER-Y-THING!!!

Compare that with any other phone manufacturer.

Apple can code their software around, through, and with all aspects of the camera in mind. Other manufacturers have to source the camera (lens/sensor unit, and then driver software) separately and then code their software (either Android, or Windows) around it - meaning there's a much higher chance of mediocre image quality. If you want to do something, do it yourself - as Apple has done, or you can hire someone to do it for you - as pretty much every other manufacturer has to do. Even Sony, who has a pretty good camera unit, still has to code that camera into their Android skin. Apple can bake the whole works together and then optimize it all together.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an Apple fan, at this point I probably won't purchase one of their products for myself. I prefer Android - but I'm not blind to the advantages of Apple controlling all aspects of the experience, right down to the da** drivers.

 

[majicjazz]

If you are a photographer, you know that mps are not the only parameters that make a good camera, there is the quality of the exposure meter, the size and quality of the sensor, the quality of the lens, the filter, etc. There are 5 mp cameras that will take superior pictures to 21 mp cameras due to all the above and more. I suppose Apple works on all these parameters rather then just play the mp race.

 

[tomothy94]

I'm sorry but I don't think they do? Iphones cameras are not as good as the s5...

 

[PsychDoc]

I'm sorry but I don't think they do? Iphones cameras are not as good as the s5...

In bright light the S5 can come close but in low light or with flash it's not even a competition any more.

 

[shanghaichica]

In bright light the S5 can come close but in low light or with flash it's not even a competition any more.

I've not used an iphone 6/6 +, but from images I've seen taken with those cameras the S5 takes better pictures in good lighting. The low light images I've seen are better than what the S5 can do but they are not anything special.

posted from my galaxy tab pro 10.1

 

[black_thorne]

In bright light the S5 can come close but in low light or with flash it's not even a competition any more.

I was playing around with a friend's iphone 6 the other night. I'm sorry, but that thing is awesome. Better photos and and everything is soooooo smooth.

 

[punk999]

I never see what's so good about apple camera, I have used 5s and the quality is mediocre.

 

[shanghaichica]

I never see what's so good about apple camera, I have used 5s and the quality is mediocre.

Exactly. The S5 captures so much more detail.

Posted from my nexus 7 2013

 

[colyn1353]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. The iPhone camera is not the best..

I have the iPhone 5S and the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy beats the iPhone hands down.. A lot of people talk about MP, lens, sensor size, etc but not once have I heard anybody mention the rendering engine. This one item has more to do with image quality than all the other mentioned items.
Back in the film days the grade of film made most of the difference. Today it is the rendering engine..

The iPhone image quality improved only very slightly with the introduction of the motion sensor on the iPhone 6.

Mediocre lens can go along way if high quality film is used and the same with a digital camera if the camera has a high quality rendering engine. iPhones rendering engine is of average quality.
I have enlarged images taken with the iPhone to 20x30 with acceptable results but images taken with my Galaxy are of much higher quality..

MP to a degree can produce better quality images but only because higher MP can store more information but this quality cannot be detected by the naked eye..

 

[robsawalker]

I think it's all been said really. Part of the reason though is the fact that apple use 8mp sensor. More light hitting each pixel means better in low light.
Quality optics, hardware and software all controlled in house, all contribute to making the new iPhone 6 the best (except the top Lumias?).

8mp is fine for a phone camera. Who prints out phone camera images at A3? Not many.

The S5 takes stunning photos in good light, but it simply cannot complete in low light due to sensor size.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[colyn1353]

I think it's all been said really. Part of the reason though is the fact that apple use 8mp sensor. More light hitting each pixel means better in low light.

Not quiet... Again it depends on the rendering engine which factors heavily in the final DXOMark. More light can translate to blown out highlights which in turn causes more noise in low light areas..

Quality optics, hardware and software all controlled in house, all contribute to making the new iPhone 6 the best (except the top Lumias?).

But the iPhone 6 is not capable of producing images capable of enlargements above 5x7 or 8x10. I know this since mine falls short in this area.. Where higher MP's factor in is when enlarging beyond 8x10..

8mp is fine for a phone camera. Who prints out phone camera images at A3? Not many.

You'd be surprised how many do.. I work for a pro photo lab service and we get files daily that were created with a camera phone for enlargements beyond 8x10 to as high as 20x30. You'd be surprised at how many iPhone shot fall short in quality enlargements. I have a number of 20x30's that I shot with my phone that looks as good as shots taken with my Nikon gear..

The S5 takes stunning photos in good light, but it simply cannot complete in low light due to sensor size.

I have stunning images taken in low light with my S5 that are far and above qualitywise compared to the same taken with my 5S.

The problem as I see it is many don't know how to properly use a camera whether it be a DSLR, P&S, or camera phone.

 

[Touchpaddle]

I have stunning images taken in low light with my S5 that are far and above qualitywise compared to the same taken with my 5S.
.

samples, please? Thanks! I'd like to learn how to take better low-light pictures with my S5.

 

[black_thorne]

The problem as I see it is many don't know how to properly use a camera whether it be a DSLR, P&S, or camera phone.

Hands down my 4s iphone took better photos in dark areas than my Galaxy S5 does.

 

[msavic6]

I have a number of 20x30's that I shot with my phone that looks as good as shots taken with my Nikon gear..


I have stunning images taken in low light with my S5 that are far and above qualitywise compared to the same taken with my 5S.

You have lost all credibility to me based on these two statements.

There is not a chance the S5 with its tiny 1/2.6 sensor and and equally small lense is able to compare to a Nikon DSLR. Any DSLR will have a much larger sensor, a far superior lense and tremendously better image processing. I have an S5, I know the level of quality it is capable of in daylight but my DSLR still kills it in terms of image quality.


Frankly, the S5 is absolutely terrible in low light, Samsung tries to makes things better by using software tricks to stitch multiple images together in an effort to improve low light performance. The truth is that software can't replicate what superior hardware can do. The iPhone 5S has larger individual pixel sizes than the S5, as such it captures more light than the S5 thus resulting in vastly superior low light shots without the need for software trickery. There are plenty of comparisons that have shown the S5 struggling in low light while the iPhone manages to preform better.

There is nothing wrong about saying a competitor performs better in a certain area but there is something wrong with blatantly defending something even though the facts show other wise.

Anyway, I would love to see your sample images.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[AZgl1500]

You have lost all credibility to me based on these two statements.

There is not a chance the S5 with its tiny 1/2.6 sensor and and equally small lense is able to compare to a Nikon DSLR. Any DSLR will have a much larger sensor, a far superior lense and tremendously better image processing. I have an S5, I know the level of quality it is capable of in daylight but my DSLR still kills it in terms of image quality.

I have an old Sony DSLR with a lowly 7 mp rating. it has a built-in variable lens that does a fairly good job. I have to admit that I paid right at $1,000 for the thing back in 06-08.... I don't remember the year anymore. The downside of this camera is how slow it is, but image stabilization and a tripod produces some fantastic results.

At night, the internal flash on that thing outperforms a lot of External flash units. (again, the flash is slow to recharge, very slow, but powerful)
I can take pictures on the blackest night, and it will light up a parking lot and show the fence on the back perimeter. This particular parking lot was below me about 40 feet or so, maybe more. It was deep enough for 4 rows of cars.

when I took that picture, I was thoroughly resolved to maybe the first row of cars being lit up "a little bit". But, when I got home and transferred that image over to my 24 inch PC monitor, I was amazed at the fact I could see the grain in the wooden fence, and the cars were very well detailed and good color rendition.

It is all about the mechanics of the design and the software that captures that image. Sony did a great job on that old camera, it is still my only DSLR, no need to replace something that isn't broke.

Our cellphones have to make a lot of compromises to be able to retail at about $500-$600 and do everything that they can do. It is amazing how far technology has come in the last 10 years.

. My S5 has now become the only "camera" that I haul around with me anymore... I just don't do night shots as a casual sometimes picture snapper addict.

 

[colyn1353]

You have lost all credibility to me based on these two statements.

Since I did not ask for your approval, I won't argue..

There is not a chance the S5 with its tiny 1/2.6 sensor and and equally small lense is able to compare to a Nikon DSLR. Any DSLR will have a much larger sensor, a far superior lense and tremendously better image processing. I have an S5, I know the level of quality it is capable of in daylight but my DSLR still kills it in terms of image quality.

It's not the camera. It is how you use it..

Frankly, the S5 is absolutely terrible in low light,

Personal opinion....

There is nothing wrong about saying a competitor performs better in a certain area but there is something wrong with blatantly defending something even though the facts show other wise.

What facts?

 

[msavic6]

It's not the camera. It is how you use it..

Personal opinion....

What facts?

Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me that the S5 can out preform a Nikon DSLR in terms of image quality? Considering that you ignored my request and others for sample images, I doubt you even have any and are just attempting to spur a response from others.

Personal Opinion? I have owned the S5 since launch day, I have taken well over 2000 pictures with it and am well aware of the limitations of the device. The camera is mediocre at best in low light. The ISOCELL sensor is horrible with increases in ISO leading to severe grain and noise in lower light images, don't believe me, look it up yourself. The downsides of the ISOCELL sensor is what led Samsung to utilize a Sony sensor for the Note 4.



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[colyn1353]

samples, please? Thanks! I'd like to learn how to take better low-light pictures with my S5.

The problem with posting side by side comparisions is that the forum reduces the image size so issues like noise, etc is difficult to see however I am going to do a project comparing the S5, 5S, and my Nikon D700 on my Flickr page..