Apple iPhone 6 Plus camera review

F - you're not responding to Cathy, she didn't ask you any of those questions.

Buys camera phone
Shoots RAW?

robmanueb:

Why not, raw be an option with some Nokias, and the Lumia 1520 has a card slot?

Anyhow the OP was making image quality claims about the 1520, but wasn't clear if he/she had taken full advantage of what the 1520's camera can do.

"I like the jpegs from the iPhone 6 more than the jpegs from the Lumia 1520".

Is a very different statement than, "the iPhone 6 has a better camera than the Lumia 1520."

Replace "Apple users" with any racial or religious description and you've got a pretty bigoted statement right there.

"Apple users" dont believe in 4K anymore they pray for 5K from now on...4K is underoid only anymore:)

It's not Apple users that don't believe in the benefits of 4K, it's Apple engineers that want to strike a good sensor size/price performance. Apple users would love 4K ability, as many now love the larger screen sizes available.

"Apple users think that there are no benefits of 4K video..."
Now that has to be one of the dumbest statements I've seen recently. Just because the iPhone 6 doesn't support it (yet) doesn't mean many of us don't appreciate the value. But I for one would rather make sure the implementation of 4k is of good quality then have it just for "show" or bragging and marketing points. After all the newest iMac 5K supports 5K and more, just fine. Many Apple users also utilize higher quality cameras that do shoot high quality 4K. Clearly you know nothing about apple users or the broad spectrum of creative and professional interests many of us have. 4K in cell phone is not a priority for me, but if they add it in the future, I expect it to be of a very good quality, not just for show. And yes, I do use other brands when they are the best tool for the job. This is a phone with camera. Good enough to use in a pinch but not a primary tool for the majority of photo or video work.

Michael Ma. I have made no assumptions about 4k not being possible. Those are your words and interpretations. The Galaxy Note 4 is a very good phone for those whose needs it meets. It does not meet mine. I am very familiar with the Panasonic GH4 and how it is regarded. I only stated my thoughts and opinion. No excuses. If the Galaxy Note 4 meets your needs, that is great. You should get one if you haven't already. But there are many different phones on the market because there are many different needs for different people. You sound like you are trying to justify your decisions. Enjoy what you have and may whatever it is serve you well. I am quite content with what I have. This isn't a competition. It is personal choice.

"Intended purpose" is determined by the user.
Given the popularity of the derided 'selfies', some manufacturers started installing high resolution cameras front and back.

So yeah, for some people, that's going to be a contra.

I have my RX100 with me all the time. Thanks.

(Jogger) Thank you. That is what REAL photographers do--they always have some sort of REAL camera with them, and by "real" camera I don't mean the 2014 equivalent of a Polaroid SX-70 or Kodak Instamatic. I mean a REAL camera, the 2014 equivalent of a Pentax K1000 and 50mm prime or the 35mm rangerfinders of yore.

It's pathetic that people whine about having to "lug" a camera around, when we have cameras like the RX100. If you fancy yourself a photographer, you DO it, no whining, period, especially with models like the RX100 available. I can see the "selfie" crowd using a smartphone for taking photos of their coffee-sipping and club-hopping exploits, but real photographers using one for their artistic exploits--give me a break.

Real photographers understand lighting and composition and can use what ever tools are available. Plenty of "real" photographers that capture very good images on smart phones. The iPhone 6+ isn't on the same level as full featured enthusiast camera like the NEX-6 of RX100 but that doesn't mean it is inferior and something to be scoffed at.

The camera on the iPhone 6+ is intended to be an all around camera that does many things well and is easy to use that just happens to be attached to your phone. Just because you carry around a dedicated camera with you all the time (which I do as well) doesn't mean the iPhone's camera is crap.

Real photographer s know lighting & such of course, but they ALSO use a camera commensurate with their aspirations. Just like people who aspire to be something of a golf enthusiast don't use broomsticks on the golf course, or people who have baseball aspirations try to get a quality bat and baseball glove etc even though they COULD just use a stick, the same goes here.

God I hate that "real photographer" BS. Tiresome rubbish. Pazin is absolutely correct. I've seen beautifully composed evocative and emotional photos taken with a phone and I've seen pretentious rubbish taken with so called pro cameras. Who doesn't love a beautiful camera or piece of gear?That doesn't mean a camera like the one reviewed isn't great. I love my iPhone camera just like I love my hi end gear.

I agree with IcyPepsi. No phone can replace an SLR or mirrorless etc for people who actually CARE. Show up for my daughter's wedding using a smartphone as a camera while calling yourself a professional and I will personally throw you out on your butt.

Yes smartphones have replaced the Powershots and Cybershots of the world, yes, but we're talking about Polaroid and Instamatic types for the masses who think Spaghettios is the same thing as real spaghetti served in a bistro. That's fine if that's all you want, but enthusiasts are supposed to strive for excellence.

In fact, I think pro photography should be licensed & usage of a real camera should be one of the stipulations for being able to practice your craft professionally. Use a phone--license revoked. I'm totally serious.

The issue here is the the original comment comes off as very snooty and elitist. No one is saying that smart phone cameras will replace dedicated enthusiast/professional gear but calling good smart phone cameras, like the iPhone 6+'s, junky is unfair.

No one expects a wedding pro wedding photog to show up using an iPhone but guess what, if that pro knows what they are doing there may be times where they are able to capture some excellent 1080/60p simply because they have their iPhone on them. They may not have time to switch their cameras set up form stills to video or get the videographer to come over for a shot and in order not to miss the moment they need to work with what they have.

Larry, geez, you come off as a little angry that anyone would be interested in an iPhone camera. The gist of your argument is that the right equipment makes you a "real photographer". I'm a "real photographer", a retired photojournalist, and I still use my DSLR kit, but mostly I use my iPhone camera. I am interested in updating to the iPhone 6 Plus, mainly on the recommendation of a friend and former colleague. He is a "real photographer" too. One of the founding members of a top international photo agency, he has done assignments all over the world for National Geographic, Time, and other major publications. He has a truckload of pro gear that most of us could only dream about. But he loves his iPhone plus. He also has a book out of B&W photos shot exclusively with a Holga! So, you see, there are all kinds of "real photographers" out there who use a variety of tools in their art and craft. If the iPhone isn't for you, that's fine. Don't denigrate those of us that like it.

Yes, different people draw the line at different places. That's because some people clearly have no sense of taste. You can say you like Kool-Aid better than real grape juice--you have that right, but I still say it's poor taste. Someone calling themselves a "photographer" but using a fruit phone's camera by choice--same thing, as is a newspaper firing photographers who actually know what they're doing, not that it would be the first time a business took the cheap way out & excellence suffered because of it.

Like I said, if it were up to me--it isn't, but regardless--professional photography would be a licensed endeavor, just like being a doctor or attorney is. It would be REQUIRED by the licensing committee that you NEVER use a camera phone for any shoots. Break this requirement--wham, your license to practice pro photography is revoked. Pro photography is supposed to be a totally separate world from the world of teeny-boppers taking selfies with a Polaroid-quality toy. Please.

Okay Larry, I'll give it one more try. I was responding to your comments that "real photographers" carry "real cameras" with them at all times and that iPhones are not appropriate for "real photographers'. Bunk! I gave you examples of real photographers who happen to like iPhones. Now you and IcyPepsi are in a snit because you're afraid pro photogs will get rid of their pro gear and use only iPhones. Where do you get that notion? Are iPhones being marketed as pro gear? I'm a pro AND a "real photographer" and I use my iPhone all the time. When appropriate I get out my DSLR. I don't brag about my gear, nor do I worry what gear other photographers use. And I don't define other photographers by what gear they use. In the end it's your body of work, your portfolio, that defines you. I'm comfortable with that. And you?

Here's another pro that loves the iPhone 6 Plus: https://since1968.exposure.co/the-iphone-6-plus-is-the-new-leica-m3?more=true

Your opinion is wrong. You are entitled to your opinion, but you are dead wrong. Period.

"The iPhone has become something of a darling among professional photographers — inspiring competitive photography contests, photos of candid moments from within the White House, and praise from even the globetrotting photographers of National Geographic.

"And when it comes to accomplished photographers, David Hume Kennerly ranks pretty high. The photojournalist has captured the Vietnam War, the “Fight of the Century” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and Gerald Ford’s presidency. He had already won a Pulitzer Prize for his work before he turned 30.

"Given those credentials, you might be surprised to hear that Kennerly’s latest work is a book dedicated to the art of the iPhone photo."

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/27-stunning-iphone-photos-taken-c1416002518899.html

"My iPhone 5 has horrible distortion at the top and bottom of the frame (in portrait mode)."

May be a defective unit? The iPhone 5 has quite a decent lens. Actually, it's significantly sharper than the 5s in the corners.

Honestly, a stylus on a smartphone is a limited niche that maybe 1 in 50 even care about, if that many.

"no stylus and I doubt we will see one on an iPhone anytime soon."

And what is worse, the iPad is also unlikely to receive it either - unless there indeed is an iPad Pro in work. Nevertheless, if the latter is ever released, it's bound to be significantly more expensive, pretty much in the realm of a proper all-in-one Surface Pro 3. Then, noone (apart from some blind Apple fanbois) will get the iPad Pro for its stylus.

"Honestly, a stylus on a smartphone is a limited niche that maybe 1 in 50 even care about, if that many."

On a small (conventional PDA / smartphone) screen, maybe. Nevertheless, the Note screens are pretty large, which means pens can not only be used for jotting down some words, but also for decent drawing, controlling multitasking etc. And it's all pixel perfect - unlike anything available for capacitive screens like those of iDevices.

And all this time I've been happily sketching on my iPad Mini. If only I could have checked with Menneisyys to see how awful it actually is.

"And all this time I've been happily sketching on my iPad. If only I could have checked with Menneisyys to see how awful it actually is."

Guess you have never used a digitizer pen with tilt and pressure sensitivity.

Using those with my Mac has not taken away the enjoyment I get from drawing on my iPad.

I've used Wacom pens with my Macs many times and I still get along fine with capacitive pens. Its obvious you like to push your agenda as hard as you can.

"I've used Wacom pens with my Macs many times and I still get along fine with capacitive pens. Its obvious you like to push your agenda as hard as you can."

OK, I let you praise capacitive pens. (I won't argue with people that haven't really used proper(!) tablets, with built-in digitizer, with Wacom pens. A simple "passive", non-screen Wacom pad can't give the same experience.)

We, who actually have used it a lot on our tablets, still wish for a proper pen. Because we all know capacitive pens suck, no matter what you say.

Sure, and the rest of us will bear in mind that if you aren't creating "masterpieces" on a 6" screen, a good iOS capacitive pen that has pressure sensitivity and palm rejection is great for sketching, drawing, writing, and note taking.

Again: it's simply impossible a capacitive pen can be used as effectively as a Wacom / N-trig one.

Otherwise, Microsoft, Samsung and other Wacom / N-trig producers simply wouldn't bother with adding such an expensive and space-consuming tech but would stick with the significantly cheaper / thinner capacitive tech.

Since we are discussing a 6" screen, and not the larger Surface Pro tablet where drawing really shines, why do you feel that a Wacom pen will help you take better notes or sketch than a good capacitive pen like the Jot Touch?

Xanadu in English.

Where can I see image comparison of Note 4's SONY sensor?

the note 4 is superior, but i don't discount the iphone6+ 8MP sensor and processing... they've done a superb job with it

Why are you comnenting on this story if you don't give a damn about these devices? Seems like what you say flies in the face of many people getting anazing images from them?

if it had 4k, I wouldn't buy it. That would be a showstopper for me.

I don't want a device that is wasteful in battery life. I would much rather have a device that is optimized for real use, not for specs. Designing for specs is bad engineering.

Also, 5k is where Apple is headed, per Retina iMac, so 4k is outdated anyways..

The joke

Your head

4K is for the poors.

Real men are on 5K.

Wow, I didn't know kids are on this forum now.

lol vFunct without 4k video recording what do you play to view on your 5k screen, 1080p content stretched lol. Considering the 5k res of the new iMacs it's even more surprising Apple didn't support 4k video.

BS
My old Sony P200 shoots better pics than the iPhone, I did a side by side

It's a realistic perspective. I started with an instamatic too, so I am very familiar with the potential image quality of an Instamatic and 126 film.

Most good smartphones can beat an Instamatic 126 combo. In low light, smartphones and especially the iPhone will utterly dominate an old Instamatic with 126. It is actually possible to get a sharp low light shot with an iPhone, where a cheap film P&S won't be able to hike up the ISO, won't be able to optically or digitally stabilize, and won't be able to reduce noise.

I've scanned a lot of my old 126 film and you'd be surprised how blurry that stuff was, for all of the above reasons.

Didn't realize the OP wanted it scrutinized.

"Your comment about the "Canon DSLR" doesn't apply to most modern Canon DSLRs (or Nikon equivalents)."

Well, in ONE thing he's right: video. All iPhones starting with the iPhone 4 (or all iPads / iPad minis) shoot far better video than all APS-C CANON cameras (incl. the G1X and the G1X Mk II). There simply isn't moire / aliasing in the iDevice's footage, while there's plenty in those Canon shooters.

No need to be so defensive people :). The Canon is undoubtedly superior, but I am saying that getting the same nice attractive jpg colors requires a bit of work from the Canon, whereas they come straight out of the iphone. My Canon is the SL1 so fairly modern.

Feel free to look at my Flickr (hold the criticism, I'm no pro and don't need to be told), the two most recent photos were done using the iphone panorama feature. Nice color!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/26713436@N07/

Cheers

it's because Sony screwed up their JPG engine on the Z2... it tends to think the world is painted with water colour... i believe they fixed this in the Z3 (check out GSMarena studio shots)

The Z3 is equally cr@ppy. Just check out for example the image at http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/articles/143634-image/Sony-Xperia-Z3.jpg (linked from http://www.phonearena.com/news/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-4-wins-our-blind-camera-comparison-iPhone-6-is-distant-second_id61676 )

Not only is the lower left corner absolutely rubbish (bad lens), but the grass around the center also show a lot of watercoloring. Much-much more than for example the Note 4 shot of the same scene at http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/articles/143635-image/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-4.jpg

Incidentally, the iPhone 6's image (at http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/articles/143637-image/iPhone-6.jpg ) is between the two, lens quality & watercoloring-wise. The Note 4 is clearly better, and the Z3 is worse.

It doesnt have to be a 16:9 sensor. A 3:2 sensor would have been a more efficient solution.
Ideally premium smartphones should have multi-aspect ratio sensor. Combined with the phone level sensors users would have shots at Level most of the time, fast and effortlessly.

There's no such thing as a multi-aspect ratio sensor. All sensors are physically an aspect ratio and everything else is a crop. To have a sensor who's maximum resolution in multiple aspect ratios has the same diagonal size means your sensor is physically larger than your lens's viewable area (see LX100) and you are effectively ignoring parts of your sensor. This sensor is tiny as hell already, why waste what it's got on an even smaller lens? Crop aspect ratio when you're in post. Recommending "multi-aspect ratio" for a smartphone as some kind of feature is bizzare.

to be fair the CM1 is more of a camera with an attached phone component than a smartphone with a camera :)