iPhone 8/8 Plus/ X Camera Performance

[AndyDiamond]

I just had a good look at the full-res DXO samples and while the 8 Plus images do look better than the 7 Plus (especially reduced noise in low light) the samples still suffer from 'smearing'.

This is visible in the sample of the architectural shot - if you zoom in and check the shadows, grass and clouds etc you'll see what I'm talking about. Likewise with the indoor shot - if you check the cork wall board on the right you can see it.

With this outdoor shot you can also see shortcomings with the HDR which has been a problem on previous iPhones. Zoom up on the finer leaves/branches of the tree in the distance and you'll see how crappy it looks.

These samples all look fine at screen res and yes they are better than the 7 Plus but we still have a way to go before we eliminate that smearing effect it seems. Maybe most people just look these images on screens but if you are wanting to enlarge or print out that's when these things start to become annoying.

 

[AKS3003]

What is the size of the sensor? I couldn't find anything about the sensor size in DXO's review.
Is there anyone here who can calculate the sensor size and pixel pitch using the full resolution images uploaded on DXOMark?

 

[AndyDiamond]

What is the size of the sensor? I couldn't find anything about the sensor size in DXO's review.
Is there anyone here who can calculate the sensor size and pixel pitch using the full resolution images uploaded on DXOMark?

looks like some of the samples on the DXO site were passed through Adobe CC...

 

[ANDJOE]

Looks to be 1/2.8” compared to the previous 1/3”. That’s not nothing.

 

[AKS3003]

Looks to be 1/2.8” compared to the previous 1/3”. That’s not nothing.

Is it mentioned in some article, or did you calculate it, or just speculating?

 

[Sparky2012]

Is it mentioned in some article, or did you calculate it, or just speculating?

It's mentioned near the start of the DXO Mark camera review.

 

[ANDJOE]

Found it! Interestingly there are two different versions of their article. One mention this and one doesn’t. I’m not sure which is more accurate?
https://www.dxomark.com/apple-iphone-8-reviewed-a-solid-performance-upgrade-over-the-iphone-7/

 

[lchenye]

http://www.techinsights.com/about-techinsights/overview/blog/apple-iphone-8-teardown/

So the pixel pitch remain 1.22 as iPhone 7 and 6, which means the sensor is basically same size? What "Larger"? Please tell me that I'm wrong.

 

[AKS3003]

http://www.techinsights.com/about-techinsights/overview/blog/apple-iphone-8-teardown/

So the pixel pitch remain 1.22 as iPhone 7 and 6, which means the sensor is basically same size? What "Larger"? Please tell me that I'm wrong.

This is surprising since DXOMarks says that the sensor in the iPhone 8 is 1/2.8" compared to the 1/3" on previous models.
Apple also claimed in their keynote that the sensor on the new iPhones was "larger and faster". I'm sure Apple doesn't make false claims.

 

[lchenye]

This is surprising since DXOMarks says that the sensor in the iPhone 8 is 1/2.8" compared to the 1/3" on previous models.
Apple also claimed in their keynote that the sensor on the new iPhones was "larger and faster". I'm sure Apple doesn't make false claims.

That's what bothers me. The sensor itself(the DIE size, from my understanding, the chip size) is a little bigger 32.8 mm2 verses 32.3 mm2. But the pixel size according to the link, remains the same. And the pixel size usually is what counts. Also interestingly, Apple claims that the new camera let 83% more light in. However with the same aperture and same pixel size, I don't know how they can achieve that.

 

[ANDJOE]

The “83% more light in” could be their way of saying that the noise floor has been improved i.e. the ISO is 83% more sensitive.
Very strange regarding the pixel/die size though. Apple couldn’t get away with falsifying the larger sensor claims so I’m curious what the story is here?

 

[Thai]

Subscribing. I am also interested. I cannot find any info other than DxO briefly mentioning it and TechInsights. But neither one matches the other.

I am also interested to see if the TELEPHOTO lens sensor have improved/enlarged as well.

[doublepost=1506718387][/doublepost]

That's what bothers me. The sensor itself(the DIE size, from my understanding, the chip size) is a little bigger 32.8 mm2 verses 32.3 mm2. But the pixel size according to the link, remains the same. And the pixel size usually is what counts. Also interestingly, Apple claims that the new camera let 83% more light in. However with the same aperture and same pixel size, I don't know how they can achieve that.

But remember, the new sensor could be built on a smaller process (as mentioned in TechInsight article)...so the slight increase in die may not indicate the extent of the bigger sensor.

From Techinsights:

“Our initial speculation on this statement is iPhone 8's stacked chip camera ISPs might now be fabricated using TSMC's 28 nm line. Since Apple started using Sony stacked (Exmor RS) image sensors in 2013 (iPhone 5s) we have found iPhone’s camera ISPs fabricated with either 65 nm or 40 nm generation process technology. Sony has previously used TSMC 28 nm generation ISPs for its own IMX318, but we haven’t seen that in an Apple product yet. There is also the possibility the camera chip’s ISP is fabricated using FD-SOI.”

 

[Thai]

I found a full resolution pic on the net supposedly from iPhone 8 main camera with the following data:
[doublepost=1506741399][/doublepost]Same as above, except this is from iphone 8 TELE lens: