Consumer Report: "iPhone 7 camera not better than 6S or 6S+"

[suicidalfranco]

 

For all those who got traded their old iPhone 6S/6S+ for the new ones and went out taking pictures of everything that fell on sight, for all those people consumer report seems to have some bad news. It seems like that their testing have shown that there basically is no difference between the two generations:

Quote

Overall, we found few significant improvements from Apple’s iPhone 6s cameras when it comes to still photography taken from the rear-facing 1x (non-zoom) cameras found on both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus,” Consumer Reports said noting that 1x zoom “did not outperform cameras on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.” It also said that it didn’t find discernible performance differences between last year’s phones and the iPhone 7 in lowlight situation. The flash, too, didn’t seem to boost much

Consumer report continues saying that the zoom on the 7+ gives sharper images and also found that the front facing camera on the 7+ performs better than the 7, which is weird considering that they supposedly use the same module 

 

source: http://www.consumerreports.org/smartphones/how-good-are-iphone-7-and-7-plus-cameras/

Edited September 19, 2016 by suicidalfranco
forgot source

[ScratchCat]

Who really needs a zoom camera on a Phone, either move closer or buy a proper camera.

[Sauron]

Interesting, so much for the stellar improvements they were boasting. Optical zoom is still pretty cool though, although as I stated multiple times the camera is the least of my concerns on a smartphone.

[79wjd]

2 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

Who really needs a zoom camera on a Phone, either move closer or buy a proper camera.

Because it's totally practical to drag my D7000 and multiple lenses with me every where I go. 

 

There are a lot of times when a zoom is important. And the vast majority of people ALWAYS have their phones on them; it's FAR rarer that they have their camera (if they even have a camera) on them. 

[ScratchCat]

1 minute ago, djdwosk97 said:

Because it's totally practical to drag my D7000 and multiple lenses with me every where I go. 

 

There are a lot of times when a zoom is important.

For me its either I carry nothing buy what is in my pockets or I carry a rucksack.

[Curlz]

The only difference we managed to see between the iPhone 6S and 7 back camera was in low light, where the 7 was very slightly less grainy. 

[LAwLz]

8 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

Who really needs a zoom camera on a Phone, either move closer or buy a proper camera.

Moving closer is not always possible.

Having the option for zoom is better than not having it.

[o0Martin]

In all the comparison shots and videos I've seen online the iPhone 7/7+ did look a bit better than the iPhone 6s/6s+ especially in low light, but it fell slightly short of the s7/s7 edge/Note 7 camera most of the time.

 

Still for my uses any of these are fine seeing as my iPhone 6 camera still serves my needs very well, the extra zoom from the iPhone 7+ is something that would be handy though, there have been situations in the past where I wish I had optical zoom on my phone. 

[VerticalDiscussions]

Take note that pictures will look much better on the new "almost-perfect" LCD displays of the 7/7 Plus. Regardless, low light performance and especially video stabilization is absolute stellar so far, especially on the 7 that now has OIS and lower aperture. DetroitBorg covered that very nicely, on his divine garden. The Quad-Led flash is one of the most notable points on the camera's, alongside the telephoto lens on the 7 Plus. It is better, just not significantly enough for the human eye to discern the difference, being smaller than expected.

[CaliJL]

Apple's just preparing us for the 2017 iPhone, there were some notable improvements like @VerticalDiscussions mentioned. Still this iPhone is worth the upgrade, I reckon next year Apple's going to wipe the floor with the competition.

[dtaflorida]

I find it pointless to talk of cell phone cameras on a forum full of tech geeks. Too many 'use a real camera' posts. Discussion of cell phone cameras would be so much more productive on a parenting forum. 

[suicidalfranco]

21 minutes ago, dtaflorida said:

I find it pointless to talk of cell phone cameras on a forum full of tech geeks. Too many 'use a real camera' posts. Discussion of cell phone cameras would be so much more productive on a parenting forum. 

are you saying i should make a post about Xiaomi's entry in the photography market with their new mirror-less camera?

[dtaflorida]

 

are you saying i should make a post about Xiaomi's entry in the photography market with their new mirror-less camera?

No, I'm saying that there's a much larger segment of the population that the built in camera on cell phones is applicable to, and that they'd be better judges of whether the camera on the new iPhone 7 is 'worth the upgrade'. Half the comments here are "use a dslr". Comments like that show which ppl just don't get it, and their comments are pretty much worthless in their myopic world view.

 

Whether the 6s camera is the same as the 7 is the topic. Not 'use a dslr'. As far as I read it... if you've got a 6s there's no point in upgrading. But that's usually the case anyways as I'm assuming most ppl are on the 2 year replacement cycle anyways. All the 7 really gave us that bought a phone within the last year is a glimpse of what's to come with the 7s.

[ShadowCaptain]

On 20/09/2016 at 5:35 PM, dtaflorida said:

I find it pointless to talk of cell phone cameras on a forum full of tech geeks. Too many 'use a real camera' posts. Discussion of cell phone cameras would be so much more productive on a parenting forum. 

The people that say that are elitist idiots

 

heck even when I have my full frame Sony A7 on me, I still pull out my iPhone for certain photos, or if I go out without my camera my iPhone is very important

People who use the "use a real camera" argument should literally jump off a big cliff

[LAwLz]

1 minute ago, ShadowCaptain said:

The people that say that are elitist idiots

 

heck even when I have my full frame Sony A7 on me, I still pull out my iPhone for certain photos, or if I go out without my camera my iPhone is very important

People who use the "use a real camera" argument should literally jump off a big cliff

It's like trying to compare a laptop to a smartphone. Yes the laptop will be more powerful but I am not going to carry that around with me everything. It needs a separate bag, it's big and clunky, slower for simple things and so on.

[ShadowCaptain]

3 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

It's like trying to compare a laptop to a smartphone. Yes the laptop will be more powerful but I am not going to carry that around with me everything. It needs a separate bag, it's big and clunky, slower for simple things and so on.

Yeah

 

its like when somebody wants a small gaming laptop and people are like "get a massive gaming desktop and 82" 4k monitor with a VR headset"

 

its like,.. but I cant take that to work.....

My phone camera is used a hell of a lot, photos with the girlfriend, taking random snaps of shit, on nights out, on holidays when I cba lugging around my gear, for pano shots, slow motion and quick 4k video clips etc

Heck sometimes I will setup my phone to do a timelapse while I use my "proper camera" for other tasks

Fuck it ill just get a Phase One and an Arri Alexa with steadicam to carry around daily

[MrDynamicMan]

On 19/09/2016 at 4:35 PM, CaliJL said:

Apple's just preparing us for the 2017 iPhone, there were some notable improvements like @VerticalDiscussions mentioned. Still this iPhone is worth the upgrade, I reckon next year Apple's going to wipe the floor with the competition.

Eh. I'd make the argument that a 2015 phone will last you St least two years. Yes, nicer screen, but no jack, yes, good performance, but unexceptional battery life, etc. It seems like Apple is making unnecessary compromises and in doing so alienating some people who would've liked some of the features. 

[Curufinwe_wins]

Don't see how this is either surprising or  bad... the 7 was clearly using an inferior camera version to the 7+, and Apple has already started reusing cameras as seen either the 5se.

 

Not that the previous camera was bad.

[FPSwithaWacomTablet]

Umm, maybe no one has heard of a point-and-shoot?

 

Sony RX100 maybe? 

[79wjd]

1 hour ago, Curufinwe_wins said:

Don't see how this is either surprising or  bad... the 7 was clearly using an inferior camera version to the 7+, and Apple has already started reusing cameras as seen either the 5se.

 

Not that the previous camera was bad.

Well, I would expect the camera in the 7 to be better than the one in ths 6s. Also, doesnt the 5se use the same (new at the time) camera that's in the 6s?

 

But that last bit is important -- even the 6s camera was excellent, so it's not that big of a deal. But if you're on the fence of the 7 vs. another phone, the camera could become the deciding factor.

1 hour ago, FPSwithaWacomTablet said:

Umm, maybe no one has heard of a point-and-shoot?

 

Sony RX100 maybe? 

Maybe i don't want to carry around a camera....If i was willing to, then I'd bring my dslr everywhere.

[Misanthrope]

If they can improve post-processing and make it an iphone 7 exclusive feature artificially, it ammounts to the same end result: better pictures with the newer phone.

 

It's shitty I know, but come on, saying Apple makes shitty, outdated hardware is like stating the sun comes out everyday.

[LAwLz]

33 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

If they can improve post-processing and make it an iphone 7 exclusive feature artificially, it ammounts to the same end result: better pictures with the newer phone.

 

It's shitty I know, but come on, saying Apple makes shitty, outdated hardware is like stating the sun comes out everyday.

Apple actually makes really good hardware. At least as far as the individual components goes. They seem quite mentally challenged when it comes to things like ports.

[Misanthrope]

1 minute ago, LAwLz said:

Apple actually makes really good hardware.

Conceivably. But I've been watching enough Louis Rossmann videos on youtube to doubt even that.

[Copuis]

On 20/09/2016 at 6:35 AM, CaliJL said:

Apple's just preparing us for the 2017 iPhone, there were some notable improvements like @VerticalDiscussions mentioned. Still this iPhone is worth the upgrade, I reckon next year Apple's going to wipe the floor with the competition.

that is like the line touted by fan boys every time someone points at a flaw, or lack of feature since the  2g

imo, it isn't, there isn't a gain really, and the phone without headphone jack is a step wrong for a large group of users 
(many people that talk on the phone, and use hands free alot while multitasking and travelling like a corded headset, less things to charge, less batteries needed, and less chance of missing something)

the removal of the jack, will lead to businesses dropping this phone as an option long term, and that was a market that apple spend along time getting into (tho I could almost bet real hard money that they will do another SE style