Some people are complaining that Apple kept the same iPhone camera with its 2.0 megapixels in their new iPhone 3G.
To those people, I say: If you want to take better pictures, use a real camera.
That camera on the iPhone is for quick and dirty shots, mostly meant to be emailed as part of the communication process. For example, an architect snaps a shot for a contractor to not just tell him, but show him that his crew needs to learn how to frame a house. Or a parent grabs a quick shot of their kid playing soccer to dash off to grandma. That camera in iPhone 3G isn’t for the aspiring Ansel Adams framing their perfect shot of Grand Teton.
Apple correctly has given users enough to get the job done while not bogging down networks unnecessarily with 5+ megapixel shots of Sally running around in shin guards.
Ditto for the whole “iChat AV-yay-we’re-finally-gonna-have-video-phones!” idea. The network capacities are finite, people. Not infinite. I’d wager that Apple understands perfectly that if they put a front-facing camera and and iChat AV app on an iPhone, then they’d have a video phone. I’d also wager that they didn’t bother to even discuss it with the carriers, since they didn’t want to hear where to put their “video phone.”
The networks can’t handle millions of people making video calls along with all of the regular voice and other traffic, including all of that extra data bandwidth that iPhone users already use surfing. And, starting on July 11th, surfing on the iPhone 3G will only increase as it becomes so much faster.
So, let’s recap: Apple’s iPhone 3G camera isn’t overkill for the sake of looking good on a specs sheet, while negatively affecting network performance. iPhone 3G’s camera is the proper one for the average job for which it is intended to be used. If you want to be a photographer, get a real camera. Also, Apple didn’t fail to grasp anything. They understand perfectly well that a video phone is possible, but that millions of them in action isn’t a feasible idea, yet.
People who complain about the number of megapixels in iPhone 3G’s camera and/or wonder why Apple didn’t put a front-facing camera on the iPhone for video chatting simply aren’t seeing the whole picture.
SteveJack is a long-time Macintosh user, web designer, multimedia producer and a regular contributor to the MacDailyNews Opinion section.
@Amused: that’s the standard solution to ANY product’s shortcomings. the quality of the camera in my phone wasn’t good enough for my needs, so i got a nicer Canon. the TV card in my computer doesn’t do HD, so i bought an HDTV. same goes for convergence devices like the iPhone.
Sorry, Jeremy, but a cell phone camera is not a real camera. It’s a toy.
For those of you know think a cell phone camera is a real camera should get into a simple adult photography class.
Why not just add phone functionality to SLR? SIZE!
I totally disagree.
At issue here is that while the current camera does a job, it doesn’t do the same quality of job that we know is possible. Sure, there are limits to what you can do because of the optics, but the new Infineon chip can handle much more and do more image enhancement if they had gone to 5MP. This would’ve also allowed for better image stabilization, low light conditions, as well as other detail and quality improvement. Those of us “wanting to see the big picture” aren’t asking for a magic fairy solution here, we know the parts are out there, and some of us would’ve rather paid extra for them.
The same is true with video. Those of us with Jailbroken phones know what the current iPhone is capable of in terms of video, and with the new Infineon chip it could’ve been able to do a good enough job for when you don’t have your camcorder with you.
iChat, I can kind of see having problems over 3G because of the carriers, but it still could’ve been WiFi enabled…although again, this would’ve raised the price for the second camera (which would’ve only needed to be the lower-end camera sensor).
Still I disagree with the overall philosophy of the article…
With the iPhone almost everything is great or best in class. You don’t say, screw the resolution, if you want to watch video, use a TV. You don’t say screw the music, if you want to listen to music, get an iPod, etc…
For anyone looking to do video, video chat, or take good pictures as a priority with their mobile device, the iPhone is now low on the list in this category.
The megapixel marketing myth is just like the megahertz myth for PCs. There’s an optimal pixel size for image quality, and just cramming more pixels into the same tiny chip does NOT improve resolution as much as one would think, as you lose resolution due to the increased heat noise, not to mention the high levels of compression used by most cellphone makers.
I have yet to see a cellphone cam, even the N95, which has image quality equal to even the cheapest digicam on the market. In fact, the N95 with its 5 megapixels doesn’t even take images as good as a 5-year old Canon SD200 with just 2 megapixels.
Anyone who NEEDS 5 megapixels, presumably so they can make 11×14 inch prints, is NOT going to be satisfied with a N95. It’s just utter nonsense.
The reason why the chips in cellphone cams are so small, is because of the physical size limitations. And, because of those limitations, I’d guess the optimal chip size currently has to be about 3 megapixels. So, yeah, Apple might have been able to get a slightly better chip in there, but the difference is marginal.
If people buy a CELLPHONE based upon its camera, then they are fools. The killer app on the cellphone is the phone! The iPhone takes surprisingly good pictures when exposed properly with good light and a steady hand. The one quibble I have is that the color balance seems off. If they’d adjust the color balance away from blue-green, then they’d have a perfectly usable 2 megapixel camera phone.
I don’t often disagree with the eminent Stevejack but in this case I think he’s way off base. Video, or even audio iChat could very easily be implemented and restricted for use over WiFi just the way almost every Mac is used today. I personally would consider the iPhone a “must have” rather than just a “want” if it gave me the ability to have iChat access in my pocket around my home and at work. It doesn’t exist because the cell networks want users to be forced into using their services rather than sidestepping those revenues by utilizing free WiFi communication. In short it remains missing, not because of technical limitations or for lack of desire, but because of corporate protectionism on the part of AT&T;and Apple.
People yakking on their phones in public are annoying enough already. Add iChat and the annoyance level will increase dramatically.
Not seeing the whole picture?
Oh boy! SteveJack sure is a flexible, bend-overy kinda guy.
Agree on the video.
Disagree on the camera. When I bought the iPhone, I thought it would be nice for limited use when I didn’t have my “real camera” with me. However, I use it a lot. The pictures are good enough for posting on the web.
I think that both the megapixels and lens should have been improved. Obviously, the lighting situation will always be a problem.
“same goes for convergence devices like the iPhone.”
It doesn’t really, because the whole point of the convergence device is that the features are converged into a single device.
Buying individual best of breed solutions to augment a convergence device and carrying them all around defeats the basic premise as to why you’re want a convergence device in the first place.
” you lose resolution due to the increased heat noise”
You don’t lose resolution, you get increased noise, all this at around the 10 megapixel level with the technology in today’s small camera sensors. The iPhone is a long way away from the point where that’s the problem.
In reality they probably did a survey to find out what most people didn’t like about thier iPhone and found (in no particular order) a) slowness due to no 3G b) No GPS c) No corporate Email support.
So that’s where they threw their effort for this generation of the device. Those who answered d) Camera sucks will have to wait.
Regarding the video recording on the iphone i belive there is already software to do that for the old hacked phones. With the apstore surely there will be will be plenty more to come…
As for the camera quality… how much would anyone be prepeard to pay for the inclusion of a “good” camera (incl better optics, flash etc…)?
The more i reflect on the choices made the more impressed i get…
Now roll on July 11th…
War is Peace.
Freedom is Slavery.
Ignorance is Strength.
The quality of the iPhone camera is not bad, I have no problems with 2MP, it would be nice to improve the low-light performance.
Having more megapixels is over-rated.
Hogwash to this analysis!
Sure, you can limit the iPhone to a 2 megapixel camera but by no means limit the features as such. No zoom, no flash, no effects, no video. Give me a break. I love my iPhone 1.0 but I certainly expected iPhone 3G to step up the features to justify buying a new one.
But w/ this as well as the other missing features (copy/paste, MMS, Flash) and the AT&T;overall price increase, the only thing this announcement convinced me to buy is an AppleCare warranty on my original iPhone!
I bet most of you who are saying “we don’t need no 5MP camera” are the same bunch who said “we don’t need no 3G” or “who cares about GPS” a year ago.
What would it cost Apple to bump the camera up from 2MP to 4MP? Probably a few bucks per phone. Do I want to have to carry a dedicated camera just to take a few decent happy snaps of my mates birthday party? No. I want my iPhone to do that.
Tired of fanboy excuses.
Forget 5mp camera… WHY CANT IPHONE RECORD VIDEO??
that just doesn’t make sense!!!
Good points about the AT&T;network capacity. This helps to confirm the redirection I see toward the Touch. I would not be surprised to see a new Touch designed for Video Chatting, etc.
…and what’s the excuse for problems providing voice dialing?
I agree the camera (with video) should be better. SJ is not making sense here.
I think that this is all smoke and mirrors. The iPhone doesn’t have iChat AV because AT&T;won’t or can’t let them. Apple made a special deal with AT&T;and that’s why you don’t see iChat AV on it and probably won’t for another year or two. How many other video phones does ATT have?
On the other hand, I haven’t been able to have a decent iChat voice or video chat since the old Jaguar days. So I don’t see this being that big of a thing either.
America is way behind on our bandwidth because the tax incentives that we gave the phone and wireless companies were squandered and they didn’t do what they promised they would do. At least it looks like AT&T;is trying to upgrade it’s 3G network to keep up with iPhone demand, and that’s pretty good news in itself.
Whatever.
You’d have said the same thing about 3G and GPD a year ago.
Loser!
it’s not about megapixels, it’s about getting the sensor large enough and the ability to discern color discrimination points on the sensor. additionally, it’s about the lens. a good “glass” will almost nearly always supersede a megapixel laden piece of rubbish.
the iphone has neither good glass or a good sensor. it’s a poor camera, but by the same token only a few cameras in this genre -compact multipurpose camera – are any good at all. so it really falls in line with most.
I live in the UK where the mobile market is more developed than the American one, I use my mobile for everyday snaps and then facebook them, I only take out my digital camera for special occasions such as birthdays and weddings, its much more convienient that way as I always take my mobile around but dont find that possible with a camera so I capture things I otherwise mightn’t of, most 14-35 year olds here are the same and as such the quality of the mobile phone camera is important when making a purchase, I’m not one to be taken in totally by the megapixel race but the iphone doesnt have a flash and i believe auto focus either (i may be wrong on the latter), I love the premise of the iphone and have used one and loved it but I got a free sony ericsson k850i with a 5mp camera with flash and auto focus and also best pic which is a feature that takes 6 pictures within milliseconds of one another and you can choose the best of the selection, I can then MMS the photo to my friends or facebook if i wish or bluetooth it to my laptop for saving. I personally was put off the iphone by the camera and the lack of MMS and I know many of my friends here are the same.
The argument that the network doesnt want lots of photos and video calls blocking up the 3g service is a valid one within the states, however here in a country where 3g has been widespread for a few years now this isnt the case, the network is much more mature and capable, the truth is the iphone is designed with the US in mind and thats fair enough, hopefully as the american market develops we will see an iphone that more adequately meets European and indeed Japanese needs.
I’m a professional advertising and magazine photographer. Wish I could post some of my iPhone shots here. You get a lot from those teeny two Mpl. I haven’t tried making large prints from them, but at full cinema display at screen resolution, I could show you some sharp and stunning images.
How do we increase a 1.3 megapixel photo/video to 10MP? it has been taken from a Nokia cell phone. Will we need a converter? If so, could you please help us with that? Thank You.