Great Photos Will Be a Snap With the iPhone 4

ByMike Moffit

One of most amazing features of the iPhone 4 is the new 5 megapixel camera. Though the camera doesn’t sport the highest megapixel count on the smartphone market, Steve Jobs emphasized that the sheer number of megapixels does not necessarily make or break a digital camera any longer. Other features such as a backside illumination sensor and built in LED flash work in unison with the imaging sensor to provide high quality photos in a variety of lighting conditions.

Apple’s simple to use camera app, in addition to features such as a 5x digital zoom and tap to focus, will undoubtably give the iPhone 4 an edge compared to higher MP smart phones such as the EVO. Coupled with the abundance of iPhone based post production photography apps such as Photoshop Mobile, Camera Bag and TiltShift Generator, “iPhotographers” will have a plethora options that will tempt them to leave their stand alone cameras at home.

Adopted from the iPhone 3Gs, the tap to focus system is great for adding depth of field to your photos and videos, and the new LED flash is even bright enough to illuminate nighttime scenes. Though not manually adjustable, the new sensor carries a higher ISO which aids to cut back grain and noise. The original iPhone as well as the 3G, had serious noise problems in any less than ideal lighting circumstances. All signs indicate that, while not perfect, the new features of the iPhone 4 will help to remedy the previous noise issues.

During the keynote, Steve showed off a series of unaltered images taken using the iPhone 4’s camera. While they looked great onstage, I was curious to take a closer look to see just how detailed they really were. Apple has released a gallery of the full resolution photos from the keynote here, and they look fantastic! When you consider that images of this quality were taken on a mobile phone, you’ll be convinced to leave your point and shoot at home, and only haul the DSLR around on photo specific outings. Gizmodo has released EXIF data for the onboard camera here

Similar Posts

  • Cold Weather vs. Your iPhone: Some Tips to Keep It Safe

    There are two things that I am constantly interacting with every day: Vermont’s bitter cold and my iPhone. Apple officially states you can safely use your iPhone between the temperatures of 32 and 95 degrees (F), but if you are like me and live in the real world, you’re probably popping these guys out during times where the radio is trying to tell you to stay inside (yeah right; I’m from Vermont, after all).

    It’s no surprise that the past four years have put a smartphone into the pockets of most Vermonters, but as we drift through these gruesome winter months, a mystery still remains: What are we mountain folk actually subjecting these devices to?

    The first thing to consider — and most important to me — is the battery. The chemicals in the Lithium-Ion batteries totally hate extreme temperatures and will drain much faster than they should. In some cases, your battery will display a decent amount of a charge but in reality, will be on its final leg, and you will discover your phone dying out of nowhere.

    If this does happen, DO NOT TURN IT ON.

    Wait until you get inside and your phone warms up to room temp. Although the effect of cold weather draining your battery is temporary (phew!), you can permanently shorten your battery’s lifespan by trying to power it on immediately after it shuts down. Grandma’s Facebook comments on your pics aren’t going anywhere, so just wait until your phone warms up to check out what she said!

    The next thing the cold will try to kill is your screen! Cold temperatures tend to make your LCD screen way more sensitive then it usually is. Watch how you are applying pressure to your screen, especially if you have any pre-existing cracks and knicks! I had a customer come into the store last week and tell me about how she was talking on her iPhone outside and all of a sudden, heard this pop in her ear. When she looked, the pressure from her fingers mixed with the cold had cracked her screen in half! Definitely keep chats on your phone outside to a minimum!

    One final thing to look out for is condensation. Liquid is the number one enemy to your electronics. Much like your windows, condensation will form underneath your display as your phone travels from the cold to your warm houses. This will cause liquid to damage and corrode your internal parts! This will literally break your phone beyond repair, causing you to have to purchase a new one!

    There are some simple ways to avoid these catastrophes:

    # Keep your phone in a pocket close to your body — DO NOT leave your phone in a bag or in the car
    # Turn it off — your phone can endure a wider temperature range from -4 to 113 degrees (F) if it’s off
    # Purchase a case — not only do these guys provide physical protection, in some cases they provide insulation
    # Charge your iPhone before bringing it outside — this will give your battery the strength it needs to survive
    # Finally, do not get it wet in the snow — perhaps the most obvious one, but please watch where you are busting that phone out!

    So, as a reminder, keep it safe everyone — and be mindful about when you answer that text. Is it really worth replacing your iPhone because you had to check on that smiley emoticon text from mom?

  • Our Favorite iPad Apps

    With 3 million sold in just 80 days, the iPad is a runaway success. Since the device’s release on April 3rd, developers have…

  • Cha-Ching: Money Management on Mac

    I enjoyed using iBank for a long time, but a new application called Cha-Ching has popped up and really got my attention. It…

  • Bean: Mac Word Processor

    “Bean is lean, fast, and uncluttered. If you get depressed at the thought of firing up MS Word or OpenOffice, try Bean. If…

  • Google speaks small dog as well…

    We’re not the only company that employs small dogs as jesters to boost employee morale… or are they just here for the treats,…