iPhone lenses - How good are they?

[tangoking]

Heya Peeps,

Any analysis out there on iPhone lenses?

In the Apple event yesterday, one of the "big deals" was the dual camera on the 7.

I question just how good these lenses are. Who makes them? Certainly not Zeiss or another big name. It seems like there's a suite of vendors throughout Asia.

Perhaps the bigger question here is how camera lenses are rated.

Thanks,
TK

 

[table1349]

They aren't rated. Their phones not cameras. They don't really compete with a good quality camera/lens systems.

 

[martin7]

If you are an amateur and want a decent shot the new iPhone 7+ has great a camera(s).
It's more about the photographer skills than the camera. Look up some pictures taken with the iPhone. They are very good.
It's also more about having a camera with you and I always have my phone with me while I rarely lug a DSLR around.
Phone cameras are improving dramatically but it's still hard to compete with the sensor size and the lens of a DSLR. It depends on whether or not photography is just a hobby, a serious hobby, or your job.
I also feel like a smartphone is almost a necessity these days, while a DSLR is more discretionary.

"New with the iPhone 7 Plus is the addition of a telephoto lens, and dedicated sensor. The telephoto lens adds an optical zoom of 2x, bringing the effective zoom to 10x. The aperture on the telephoto is smaller than the wide-angle lens, at ƒ/2.8.

Beyond just the optical zoom on the telephoto, two lenses and sensors on the iPhone can be used for range-finding in a single picture, allowing for the camera to produce a selectively out-of-focus portrait.

The technique, called bokeh, has had digital implementations for some time. However, Apple's dual-camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus makes a depth map of the subject and background during the picture-taking process, rather than deducing subject and background after-the-fact, and selectively applies blur to portions of the image that are not the photo's subject.

While a big improvement for photographers is coming in iOS 10 in RAW support, the OS will not bring bokeh to the new camera at launch. An update with the feature is expected before the end of 2016."

 

[table1349]

If you are an amateur and want a decent shot the new iPhone 7+ has great a camera(s).
It's more about the photographer skills than the camera. Look up some pictures taken with the iPhone. They are very good.
It's also more about having a camera with you and I always have my phone with me while I rarely lug a DSLR around.
Phone cameras are improving dramatically but it's still hard to compete with the sensor size and the lens of a DSLR. It depends on whether or not photography is just a hobby, a serious hobby, or your job.
I also feel like a smartphone is almost a necessity these days, while a DSLR is more discretionary.

"New with the iPhone 7 Plus is the addition of a telephoto lens, and dedicated sensor. The telephoto lens adds an optical zoom of 2x, bringing the effective zoom to 10x. The aperture on the telephoto is smaller than the wide-angle lens, at ƒ/2.8.

Beyond just the optical zoom on the telephoto, two lenses and sensors on the iPhone can be used for range-finding in a single picture, allowing for the camera to produce a selectively out-of-focus portrait.

The technique, called bokeh, has had digital implementations for some time. However, Apple's dual-camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus makes a depth map of the subject and background during the picture-taking process, rather than deducing subject and background after-the-fact, and selectively applies blur to portions of the image that are not the photo's subject.

While a big improvement for photographers is coming in iOS 10 in RAW support, the OS will not bring bokeh to the new camera at launch. An update with the feature is expected before the end of 2016."

 

[greatchimney]

Many are saying that the iPhone 7 dual lens set up is indeed great! The dual camera lens makes an iPhone photography awesome and a big deal.

 

[table1349]

Many are talking out their @$$ considering that the iPhone 7+ isn't available yet. The proof is in the using, not in the talking.

 

[nerwin]

It's probably because they saw the "real world" sample photos that were shared by PetaPixel and thinking they themselves will take the same quality photos. Little do they know, those sport photos were taken by an experienced professional photographer.

 

[HughGuessWho]

"The technique, called bokeh..."

Bokeh is NOT a technique.
Don't get your photography advice from an iPhone fanboy, otherwise, you will get rubish like you posted. Sorry, but much of what you stated is nothing more than marketing hype.

 

[nerwin]

"The technique, called bokeh..."

Bokeh is NOT a technique.
Don't get your photography advice from an iPhone fanboy, otherwise, you will get rubish like you posted. Sorry, but much of what you stated is nothing more than marketing hype.

Here we go again...Apple confusing people in thinking bokeh is a technique.

 

[astroNikon]

Many are saying that the iPhone 7 dual lens set up is indeed great! The dual camera lens makes an iPhone photography awesome and a big deal.

"Many" that aren't real photographers.
A friend of mine who is a Apple snob (ordered an iPhone 7 seconds after they were available at around 3am or something like that) still knows the difference between an iPhone camera and his high end Canon camera.

it brings "great" for a phone up to a new level. But still not comparable to all the functionality/features you get with a good DSLR. I'm still waiting for off camera flash control on my iPhone.

 

[nerwin]

Many are saying that the iPhone 7 dual lens set up is indeed great! The dual camera lens makes an iPhone photography awesome and a big deal.

"Many" that aren't real photographers.
A friend of mine who is a Apple snob (ordered an iPhone 7 seconds after they were available at around 3am or something like that) still knows the difference between an iPhone camera and his high end Canon camera.

it brings "great" for a phone up to a new level. But still not comparable to all the functionality/features you get with a good DSLR. I'm still waiting for off camera flash control on my iPhone.

iFlash?

 

[table1349]

Many are saying that the iPhone 7 dual lens set up is indeed great! The dual camera lens makes an iPhone photography awesome and a big deal.

"Many" that aren't real photographers.
A friend of mine who is a Apple snob (ordered an iPhone 7 seconds after they were available at around 3am or something like that) still knows the difference between an iPhone camera and his high end Canon camera.

it brings "great" for a phone up to a new level. But still not comparable to all the functionality/features you get with a good DSLR. I'm still waiting for off camera flash control on my iPhone.

iFlash?

Go ahead.

Just let us know where you were booked in for flashing. We always love to see the mug shots.

 

[chuasam]

If you are an amateur and want a decent shot the new iPhone 7+ has great a camera(s).
It's more about the photographer skills than the camera. Look up some pictures taken with the iPhone. They are very good.
It's also more about having a camera with you and I always have my phone with me while I rarely lug a DSLR around.
Phone cameras are improving dramatically but it's still hard to compete with the sensor size and the lens of a DSLR. It depends on whether or not photography is just a hobby, a serious hobby, or your job.
I also feel like a smartphone is almost a necessity these days, while a DSLR is more discretionary.

"New with the iPhone 7 Plus is the addition of a telephoto lens, and dedicated sensor. The telephoto lens adds an optical zoom of 2x, bringing the effective zoom to 10x. The aperture on the telephoto is smaller than the wide-angle lens, at ƒ/2.8.

Beyond just the optical zoom on the telephoto, two lenses and sensors on the iPhone can be used for range-finding in a single picture, allowing for the camera to produce a selectively out-of-focus portrait.

The technique, called bokeh, has had digital implementations for some time. However, Apple's dual-camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus makes a depth map of the subject and background during the picture-taking process, rather than deducing subject and background after-the-fact, and selectively applies blur to portions of the image that are not the photo's subject.

While a big improvement for photographers is coming in iOS 10 in RAW support, the OS will not bring bokeh to the new camera at launch. An update with the feature is expected before the end of 2016."

View attachment 127566

Judging by how well Trump is doing in the polls, I think it has already happened.