Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPhone 6 Plus blotchy pics

Jshwon

Jshwon

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 2, 2007
274
1
So I've been pretty impressed with the 6+. For some background I've owned every version of the iPhone with the exception of the 5s. Recently I noticed that photos taken in lower light leave the subjects skin tones blotchy. Basically the photos have way more noise than they should.

This shows up when outside on non sunny days or indoors with good lighting. The only time I don't see it is in bright sun light. I started looking around the web and found this article that explains what I've been seeing ( http://improvephotography.com/30019/iphone-6-camera-depth-review/ )

The photo of the little boy is what I'm talking about. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm used to zooming in on photos on iPhones and having them remain sharp and accurate. I know with any camera phone pic if you zoom enough you see noise but this seems unusual.
 
Yeah, the 6 and 6 plus suffer from this. The image processing has changed signifigantly on the 6/6+. The images have a lot of noise reduction and are more heavily compressed compared to the older models-4s/5/5S.

It's a shame. The pictures look horrible when zooming in even slightly. No detail at all.
 
I don't understand this. Is it only that way when view on the phone? Meaning the phone just stores a compressed image? Seems totally backwards and I'm surprised the phone is being haled for its camera and this has not been a story.

Took a pic with my old iPhone 5 and it is much better when zoomed in.
 
Jshwon said:
I don't understand this. Is it only that way when view on the phone? Meaning the phone just stores a compressed image? Seems totally backwards and I'm surprised the phone is being haled for its camera and this has not been a story.

Took a pic with my old iPhone 5 and it is much better when zoomed in.
Click to expand...

The phone holds the normal jpg file as all iPhones have. It appears the 6/6+ are using more aggressive noise reduction and possible jpg compression in their image processing. That is why pics don't look as good as they used to with the 5/5S/5C.
 
Having not yet received my 6+, does this apply when only using the default camera app?
As in is the compression and picture quality any less?
 
Beards said:
Having not yet received my 6+, does this apply when only using the default camera app?
As in is the compression and picture quality any less?
Click to expand...

Yes, all camera apps as the image is processed via the iPhones image processor.

This image was cropped a bit, but you can see what is happening. The left was taken with the 6, the right an iPhone 5. See the difference in detail?
 

Attachments

  • 5 and 6.jpg
    5 and 6.jpg
    619.5 KB · Views: 316
Meathead1 said:
Yes, all camera apps as the image is processed via the iPhones image processor.

This image was cropped a bit, but you can see what is happening. The left was taken with the 6, the right an iPhone 5. See the difference in detail?
Click to expand...

That's a contrast issue. With the 6 Plus lacking the same contrast as the 5 it then results in what looks like lesser detail.

If that contrast could be increased but with the same cleaner ISO and slower speed for better light I'm sure it would then look better on the 6 Plus.
 
Beards said:
That's a contrast issue. With the 6 Plus lacking the same contrast as the 5 it then results in what looks like lesser detail.

If that contrast could be increased but with the same cleaner ISO and slower speed for better light I'm sure it would then look better on the 6 Plus.
Click to expand...

It's not just contrast.
 
How can the camera get worse?

Better be software fixable. If it comes round to 6S and they go "New super clarity photos" or some other marketing drivel, me and Apple will part ways for life.
 
Damolee said:
How can the camera get worse?

Better be software fixable. If it comes round to 6S and they go "New super clarity photos" or some other marketing drivel, me and Apple will part ways for life.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they put all their energy into the thin and bigger display. Took a big steaming pile on the camera.
 
Damolee said:
How can the camera get worse?

Better be software fixable. If it comes round to 6S and they go "New super clarity photos" or some other marketing drivel, me and Apple will part ways for life.
Click to expand...

It would be nice to believe all it takes is to sort out the jpg compression and allow the contrast filter to widen.
Night shots prove this where contrasts are not required. What we see instead is more importance focused on additional lighting and less noise; all done by allowing shooting at a slightly slower speed with cleaner ISO values ~ partly thanks to the optical image stabilisation which clearly excels in getting this type of shooting right.
 
I was just going to post about the pictures. I zoomed into a pic of my daughter I just took and it got pixelated very quickly. How the heck is this possible with a better camera than the previous models?
 
Tekzilla said:
I was just going to post about the pictures. I zoomed into a pic of my daughter I just took and it got pixelated very quickly. How the heck is this possible with a better camera than the previous models?
Click to expand...

Because it's not. We got sold a bill of goods.
 
I am pretty sure this is a software issue.

It reminds me of the Auto mode that shipped with the Sony Xperia Z1. The manual modes didn't have the same issue.

It was a software fix there.
 
Damolee said:
I am pretty sure this is a software issue.

It reminds me of the Auto mode that shipped with the Sony Xperia Z1. The manual modes didn't have the same issue.

It was a software fix there.
Click to expand...
Yes, I remember that issue with the Z1 and it was "eventually' fixed just in time for when the Z2 came out.
Let's hope Apple don't take the same time scale in getting this one right with their new jpg compression engine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back